November 14th
We got up early today and headed off on a shared service to see the sites around Aleppo. Two guys that were supposed to join us dropped out. Here we met Jules, a very cool and chilled out Auzzie guy who is travelling the middle-east before heading to London to work. We found ourselves again at St Simoen as one of the party, a Mongolian girl, wanted to visit the basicalla. From here we headed south to the Dead cities, south of Aleppo.
These sites lie off the Aleppo-Hamas highway and number approximately 600 in total. They are remains of the once great Byzantine empire that stretched throughout Turkey into the Middle East and were probably suburbian settlements to what Aleppo was known as then: Antioch.
These sites lie off the Aleppo-Hamas highway and number approximately 600 in total. They are remains of the once great Byzantine empire that stretched throughout Turkey into the Middle East and were probably suburbian settlements to what Aleppo was known as then: Antioch.
Not much is known as to why these these eerie and ancient ghost towns were abandoned 
although speculation is rife. The widely accepted theory is that trade routes changed and inhabitants left due to demographic shifts. The recommended, and certainly the most aesthetic, sites to visit are those of Al-Bara and Serjilla. We stopped at Al-Bara first. This is still inhabited in parts, and is the most extensive of the dead cities. We checked out a couple of tombs and took some pics, the most impressive site was the pyramid tombs. I think that the larger one still has sealed sarcophagi within it.
although speculation is rife. The widely accepted theory is that trade routes changed and inhabitants left due to demographic shifts. The recommended, and certainly the most aesthetic, sites to visit are those of Al-Bara and Serjilla. We stopped at Al-Bara first. This is still inhabited in parts, and is the most extensive of the dead cities. We checked out a couple of tombs and took some pics, the most impressive site was the pyramid tombs. I think that the larger one still has sealed sarcophagi within it.Our next stop was the amazing site of Serjilla. This was certainly the most evocative of the two 
cities. It stretches from atop a hillside right down into a valley. Many of the buildings, temples, and streets are nearly complete and, apart from a party of Belgium tourists, it was also pretty much deserted. This makes a huge difference when you are trying to imagine and capture the feel of a place such a this. You pretty much have the entire place to yourself and can really lose yourself for an hour amongst the ruins; and let your imagination run free.
cities. It stretches from atop a hillside right down into a valley. Many of the buildings, temples, and streets are nearly complete and, apart from a party of Belgium tourists, it was also pretty much deserted. This makes a huge difference when you are trying to imagine and capture the feel of a place such a this. You pretty much have the entire place to yourself and can really lose yourself for an hour amongst the ruins; and let your imagination run free.We bundled back into the mini-bus and headed off. I had forgotten that we still had planned to see the Roman ruins of Apamea. Nothing had prepared me for this. I hadn't read up on it, and
had no idea of what to expect. It utterly blew me away. Apamea is what remains of a great Roman town of the same name. It was built during the reign of Seleucus and formed a trade route to the port of Laodecia (now Latakia). It was also famed for its horse breeding. In it's heyday it boasted a population of around 500,000 inhabitants. It fell into decline in the 5th century AD and was finally sacked by the Muslims. What remains now, largely thanks to the fantastic efforts of a team of Belguim archaeologists over the last 30 years, is the most amazing cardo maximus - main street - of colonnades running for over a kilometre. It is like something out of a science-fiction movie. I just could not believe what I was seeing. [Why don't people tell you about these things? Why don't they say: 'here have you popped over to Syria recently? Do you know that there are archaeological sites dotted all over this country that are unparalleled anywhere else in the world?' Well unfortunately people do not mention this in passing in Domino Pizza as you are getting your 2 for 1 offer with chicken wings and garlic dip. So I am mentioning it to you now. Syria is just simply amazing. I am writing this blog up nearly a month later - as I was restricted from writing it at the time by limitations placed on ISPs in Syria - and some of the places I have seen since have made my legs wobble. Go to Syria. It is astounding and vibrant and such a lovely place, and right now, it has hardly any tourists. In 5 year's time you'll be kicking yourself if you don't]
We had the place to ourselves as well (apart from the Belgians who turned up at as we left) we followed the cardo maximus down to the decamanus (the east-west axis) and then on to where the minibus dropped us off.
We headed back to Aleppo for night-fall. It was a superb day. Tomorrow we are going to visit the citadel and then we take a new route. We have decided to trek east. Along the road less travelled, away from the usual coastal trail and into the desert - the great emptiness. Out to the desert fortresses of the crusaders, the ancient river Euphrates, and to the Mesopotamian temples in Mari, by the border of Iraq.
had no idea of what to expect. It utterly blew me away. Apamea is what remains of a great Roman town of the same name. It was built during the reign of Seleucus and formed a trade route to the port of Laodecia (now Latakia). It was also famed for its horse breeding. In it's heyday it boasted a population of around 500,000 inhabitants. It fell into decline in the 5th century AD and was finally sacked by the Muslims. What remains now, largely thanks to the fantastic efforts of a team of Belguim archaeologists over the last 30 years, is the most amazing cardo maximus - main street - of colonnades running for over a kilometre. It is like something out of a science-fiction movie. I just could not believe what I was seeing. [Why don't people tell you about these things? Why don't they say: 'here have you popped over to Syria recently? Do you know that there are archaeological sites dotted all over this country that are unparalleled anywhere else in the world?' Well unfortunately people do not mention this in passing in Domino Pizza as you are getting your 2 for 1 offer with chicken wings and garlic dip. So I am mentioning it to you now. Syria is just simply amazing. I am writing this blog up nearly a month later - as I was restricted from writing it at the time by limitations placed on ISPs in Syria - and some of the places I have seen since have made my legs wobble. Go to Syria. It is astounding and vibrant and such a lovely place, and right now, it has hardly any tourists. In 5 year's time you'll be kicking yourself if you don't]We had the place to ourselves as well (apart from the Belgians who turned up at as we left) we followed the cardo maximus down to the decamanus (the east-west axis) and then on to where the minibus dropped us off.
We headed back to Aleppo for night-fall. It was a superb day. Tomorrow we are going to visit the citadel and then we take a new route. We have decided to trek east. Along the road less travelled, away from the usual coastal trail and into the desert - the great emptiness. Out to the desert fortresses of the crusaders, the ancient river Euphrates, and to the Mesopotamian temples in Mari, by the border of Iraq.
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