| I work in a food and drug regulatory agency in | | | | our hotel and later in the night we went to a |
| Nigeria. On 27th of September me and three of | | | | restaurant to eat. On arriving the restaurant we |
| my colleagues embarked on a Good Manufacture | | | | noticed that there was a wedding going on in the |
| Inspection (GMP) to Syria. Around 2pm we | | | | other side. The wedding was taking place in the |
| boarded an emirates flight to Damascus. We had | | | | night. There was a local band and supporters |
| a stopover at Dubai-where we stayed for about | | | | around there. People were dressed in local and |
| 6 hours before we boarded another to Damascus. | | | | western clothes. |
| We arrived Damascus airport around 7.30 am. We | | | | After our inspection that day we visited St.Pauls |
| got off board and met a team waiting to pick us. | | | | Cathedral -a historical site were Paul was taken |
| We weren't going straight to Damascus, because | | | | down in a basket. We met other tourists and we |
| the first pharmaceutical company we will visit was | | | | took pictures. |
| at Aleppo. On our way to Aleppo we passed | | | | The next place we went to was Our Lady of |
| many towns and villages. We stopped at Haman | | | | Saydanaya-a convent built hundreds of years ago. |
| after about 2hrs journey to have a rest. There | | | | The remarkable thing about the site is that |
| we saw some tourist attraction like the irrigation | | | | prayers made at the sites are answered, |
| wheel is about 1,000 years old. After there we | | | | evidenced by previous travelers. |
| passed at other important towns like Homs, | | | | The next place we went to was the Elijah's shrine. |
| Bethany, etc. One visible thing you will notice is | | | | The shrine is embedded in the cave where Elijah |
| that the Syrians are seriously into Agriculture. I | | | | hid from Queen Jezebel, when she was after him. |
| saw a lot of planting and harvesting going on. | | | | He stayed in that cave for a long time before |
| Interesting is to note that that their system of | | | | Queen Jezebel discovered where he was hiding, |
| agriculture is mechanized. | | | | and then he ran away. The cave is very deep |
| On getting to Aleppo I was enthralled by the | | | | with a very wide diameter. The Shrine has a |
| structures I saw; there was a mixture of old and | | | | church with a large picture drawing of Elijah. |
| new houses. We checked into our hotel and later | | | | In the night we out to see the city. With our car |
| in the evening we were out for dinner. Driving to | | | | we climbed the mountain and had a full view of |
| Old Aleppo was very exciting the buildings there | | | | Damascus city. In that mountain top there are |
| were about 1,500 years old. We chose a quiet but | | | | lots of entertainment sites like bars, meat |
| exquisite restaurant to dine. They brought a lot of | | | | vendors, supermarkets, shops, restaurants, etc. |
| dishes which is typical of Arabs. Most of the | | | | There was a lot of merriment going on. Syrians |
| dishes I wasn't used to. One of our hosts told us | | | | are fun loving people with a penchant for night life. |
| that Aleppo is the home to world's variety of | | | | We cruised round the city visiting joints, |
| dishes. | | | | supermarkets, game houses, etc. The night is as |
| After our inspection of the pharmaceutical facility | | | | if it's the day with Syrians liking clubbing activities. |
| we had dinner uptown, opposite it is a magnificent | | | | Seven out of ten people in Syria smoke |
| building called 'CITADEL', that is about 5,000 years | | | | cigarettes. |
| old. After our inspection duties in Aleppo that | | | | Talking of religion: Syrians are predominantly |
| evening we went to Old Aleppo Market for | | | | Muslim with about 10% Christian population. The |
| shopping. There we saw a sprawling market | | | | Christians and Muslims live peacefully, making it |
| arranged in street-like manner. The market is | | | | one of the most peaceful Arab nations. |
| very big with all manner of goods sold there. | | | | Life in Syria is so good courtesy of the new |
| Goods are so cheap there compared to what we | | | | president who has brought in a lot of reforms. |
| have in Nigeria. | | | | Developments and reconstructions are going on |
| The next day we boarded a hired vehicle to | | | | every day. The president has opened the borders |
| Damascus. In Damascus we met a cosmopolitan | | | | allowing foreigners to troop in. Before five years |
| city. I saw state-of-the-art buildings.We lodged in | | | | Syria will be a wonder to behold. |