Iran-Susa Tour

We have a client in Iran right now who is sharing her travel blog with us, and she has given permission to share it on our blog. She is writing on TravelPod, an easy to use blog specifically for travel writing. Check out her blog and if you are so inclined, check out others on the site. It's free and easy to set up for your own travels! Below is the link to her posts. Enjoy!

Iran tour blog at TravePod

Destruction of the Souk in Aleppo

This post was written by Rita, who spent many years living in Aleppo.

This is the souk I remember in Aleppo.  When I live there I was in this place daily for my regular shopping.  I would go and sit with the merchants and talk to them and just have a great time and also talk to the tourist as they were coming in.  During those days they were mostly British, French, and Italian, and only a few Americans.  Then after I moved from Aleppo and came back to the US and opened Caravan-Serai Tours I would take people on the tours to one of my favorite places - the souk - to get their olive oil soaps and their spices and then some other things that they wanted.  This was not a tourist market this was a market that the locals would use so you saw all different kinds of people in all different modes of attire. I have talked to my spice man who I used for over 20 years and he is safe and at home with his family, but his shop is no longer there.  This was a shop that was owned by his great-great-grandfather and was passed down through the family.  This was a man that would tell me not to put the cinnamon next to the pepper since it would drink the smell away and it would be overpowered by the cinnamon - do not put your dry mint next to your saffron since everything will then smell like mint, etc, etc.  This was a part of my life and history so you can imagine what he is going through and what the Syrian people are going through that were so proud of their city.

The souk now has been burned by both the rebel forces and the military.  The rebels had taken refuge inside the souk and then the firing started between the different groups. The reports are stating about 1500 shops have been burned, since the doors that the shop keepers had were all made of wood. The market dates back about 2500 years ago.  It stood up to all kinds of foreign invasions over the centuries, earthquakes, but not the powerful tools of war of the 21st century.

I talked to Faez in Aleppo to see how they were all doing, he said “how do you think we are doing- we are listening to the news ad hearing what they have done to the old city. The destruction of one of the Old World Heritage Sites is something hard for us to accept.  We have 7 different Old Heritage Sites in this area and all have taken some sort of damage.”  I said, “I know, and I want to cry - what can we do?” He says to tell people to talk to their government officials and try and get this to stop. Get the foreign soldiers out of the country.  Let just the Syrians handle this.  The foreign soldiers and the others that are trying to help are not helping.  We have foreign mercenaries that have nothing to lose by burning these ruins and raping and abusing the children- this is a war and they are being paid.

We need to get the different sides to sit and talk and negotiate peace- this is something that can't keep going on - a solution is needed immediately.

This is what the souk is looking like now.  Syria is in need of foreign intervention.

I also, talked to Alaa in Damascus today and he says it is relatively ok there - way better than in Aleppo. His kids are going to school and the businesses are open, but that is for now.

You can see that both the government and the rebels are going from one area and destroying that and then moving on.  We saw that in Homs and in Hama that are pretty much ghost towns at this point.  We can't say this will be happening to Aleppo.  The museum in Palmyra has been destroyed and the artifacts have been stolen.  For a lot of you that used to travel with us to Syria I have been told that the young men that would sell us the jewelry, tablecloths, scarves etc. while at the sites are now gone and have joined the FSA.  Some have taken their families across the border to Jordan, walking thru the desert for days to get to the camps.  They do not have their documentation so they have to sneak into the country.

There is talk today that Jordan might have to close its borders to deal with the refugees they have if they are not able to get international aid for them. We are asking for your help.  Please forward these emails to friends and other people that you know that are worried or care for human lives and helping the children of the region.

We thank you for reading and listening.

~Rita

Syrian Refugee Crisis

The numbers are screaming out at us that by the end of the year 2012 we will have reached 700,000 refugees have fled Syria and are in the neighboring countries.  Most of these are in Jordan and more and more are coming.  This has become more then a humanitarian crisis of all proportions.  The neighboring countries are not able to handle the influx of new arrivals.  In the last week you had over 2,000 arrive at the camp in Jordan.  They are full , the NGO's had estimated that they would be reaching 185,000, but they have surpassed that and that is the new figure that have arrived at for now.

 

The UNHCR is not callling this business as usually any longer - before this they were receiving about 1,000 to 2,000 a week, they are receiving this on a daily basis as the killing goes on and their is no intervention from outside sources.

 

 "So it really is a completely different speed of emergency response, responding to the best of our ability to basically to provide the very, very minimum for people who arrive and flee and arrive in a traumatized state once they cross the border,"   Some have been displaced many times before leaving Syria and are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.  They are coming with just the clothes on their backs

 

One camp in Jordan that was opened two-months-ago hosts more than 30,000 Syrians.  Another camp in northern Iraq has more than 27,000.  In Turkey, almost 88,000 refugees live in 13 camps. Two new camps were opened in Turkey 2 weeks ago and they are already full. UNHCR reports that women and children make up 75 percent of the Syrian refugee population.

Please we need you to open your hearts to what is happening to the innocent civilians - women, children and the elders and the handicapped.  They have no idea how long they will be here.  The harsh weather is approaching.  We want to try and get more doctors to the region to work on the effects of trauma on these children and how it will effect them later in life.  The other NGO are working on getting shelter and food and we want to help with the mental strain that this is causing.

 

Anything that you are able to do would be appreciated by all

 

Thank you

Please go to http://salaamculturalmuseum.wordpress.com/ to donate to help Syrian refugees in Jordan.

Syria Update, September 29, 2012

Syria Update, September 29, 2012 (Institute of Middle Eastern, Islamic and Strategic Studies. By Sherifa Zuhur)

Death toll: More than 94

Friday’s revised death toll: More than 160 including 104 unarmed civilians.

A report from Medicins sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) from Syria:
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=6324&cat=voice-from-the-field

Aleppo province: A major fire engulfed the medieval markets, a tourist attraction in the city of Aleppo sparked by clashes between the Syrian military and the opposition. Many shops were destroyed and some were still burning this morning. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/29/syria-crisis-idUSL5E8KT1VJ20120929?type=marketsNews

Clashes between the Syrian military and the opposition took place in the neighborhoods of Bab Antaya, al-Itha’a, Karm al-Beik, al-Kura al-Ardiyya, the al-Jandoul roundabout, al-Midan, al-Sakhour, Tariq al-Bab, and near the al-Nayrab military airport. Mortars fired at the airport damaged 2 helicopters. Clashes also occurred near the al-Madfa’iyya artillery school and a building nearby was shelled by the opposition and then burned. Shelling on Karam al-Jabal killed three persons. A sniper shot a civilian in Sleiman al-Halabi.

The Syrian military shelled the towns of Anadan, Hreitan, Kafar Hamra and Tell Rifa`at.

Damascus province: Tonight it was reported that the Syrian military were carrying out arbitrary raids and arrests in the al-Qadam neighborhood. Many have fled the area of Barzeh due to raids by the Syrian military and clashes there. The opposition attacked a Syrian military checkpoint in al-Asali, killing 2 Syrian military troops.

Eight persons were summarily executed in al-Qudsiyya. The Syrian military executed five people in the town of Maaraba. The Syrian military executed 15 people in the town of al-Baytariyya. Heavy clashes took place in the town of al-Hjeira. The Syrian military heavily shelled the town of Artouz and the town of Saqba, killing a man in Saqba.

Dara`a province: The Syrian military overran the Shamali neighborhood in the town of al-Mozeyrib, and surrounded the town. Many were killed in clashes in the area around the town and subsequently the opposition withdrew from Mozeyrib. Reportedly, an opposition IED attack on their bus, killed 15 Syrian military troops. Heavy clashes took place in Tafas, which like Mozeirab also came under heavy shelling. The Syrian military also shelled the al-Lijah area.

Deir az-Zur: The Syrian military heavily shelled the eastern districts of the city of Deir az-Zur today. The Syrian military stormed the neighborhoods of Jbeila and Ba’ajeen in the city of Deir az-Zur and carried out raids and arrests there.

The Syrian military bombarded the towns of al-Muhasan and al-Mre'iyya, causing injuries and damaging homes.

Hassakeh province: The Syrian military forces fired on civilians from checkpoints near the Masakin al-Zubbat (officers resiences) in the city of al-Qamishli, injuring civilians today.

Hama province: The Syrian military shelled the towns of Erfa and Rebda.

Homs province: Clashes raged between the opposition and the Syrian military and regime-backed militias near the villages of al-Ghasaniyya and al-Heidariyya. The Syrian military heavily shelled al-Rastan.

Idlib province: The villages of eastern Ma'arat al-Nu'man were shelled by the Syrian military and electricity has been cut off. The Syrian military shot a man from the area of Jisr al-Shughour. The Syrian military heavily shelled the town of Sarmin.

Latakia province: The opposition has learned that the Syrian state security branch in the city of Latakia detained Salim al-Rifa`i on the 20th of September, 2102 and charged him with being in contact with a terrorist organization, referring him on to Damascus. Al-Rifa`I is a humanitarian aid activist working with refugees and not a member of an armed group.

The Syrian military shelled the villages of Beit A’wan, Jabal al-Akrad, al-Khadra, al-Qneitra and Jabal al-Turkman. Heavy clashes took place in the village of al-Khadra.

Al-Raqqa province: The Hamam al-Turkman town of Reef al-Raqa was bombarded by regime forces, leading to several injuries.

Tartous province: The Syrian military have stormed through the Wata al-Bayda area in Banyas city carrying out raids and arrests.

Refugees: Syria’s refugees discuss their fear and their pain.
Photographs above and videos in the link below: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/AP-VIDEO-Syrian-refugees-discuss-their-pain-fear-3905389.php
http://hosted.ap.org/interactives/2012/syria/

International: Ireland’s Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore spoke to the United nations General Assembly last night and urged members of the UN Security Council to levy sanctions on the regime of Bashar al-Assad. He said the situation in Syria is “an affront to humanity” which requires a “clear and unrelenting” response. Delivering Ireland’s address to the UN General Assembly last night, http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0929/breaking1.html
Al-Arabiyya claims that secret documents show that the Syrian government executed two Turkish pilots who survived a crash on June 22, when their F-4 Phantom was shot down by Syrian military. http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/09/29/240805.html

Why on earth would you ever want to go there???

Last night, I was having a conversation with a friend, and a friend of hers that I had just met. Of course we all talked about what we did and I said I work for a tour company that specializes in the Middle East and North Africa. My friend, who knew this, said how interesting and exciting the tours sounded. The woman I had just met exclaimed “why on earth would you ever want to go there?!?”

As you can imagine, we at Caravan-Serai, hear this a lot. To us and our clients, the region is a world of amazing sights, people who are extremely hospitable, a land with a deep history and traditions rooted in their land and environment. There are modern cities and traditional villages, an exciting variety of foods and shopping in markets as old as Moses. Invariably, though, the conversation turns to women and the requirement to cover in some of the countries.

Me, in Iran near Yazd. This is an ice-making building!

So here is what I said: First of all, we are visitors and we respect the cultures and traditions of the countries we visit, and I can handle wearing a scarf on my head for the short time we are there. And while some of the reasons for the requirement of the scarf or abaya are religious (women are commanded to be modest), it is also part of the culture of the region from before Islam. And there are practical reasons for the traditional dress we often associate with the Middle East, mostly it’s protection against the elements. A scarf covering your hair and part of your face can go a long way to keeping blowing dust and sand out of your eyes, mouth and hair! If you are wearing an abaya or galabyia, it also keeps your cloths from getting dirty and gritty. There have been several times when traveling that I have found that covering up is actually helpful and more comfortable. Our American casual dress isn’t always suitable for every environment we find ourselves in!

My friends said they had never thought of it that way. This is just another reminder that when we see something that we don’t like, it can be very helpful to learn a little more about it. You might just find there is more to it than what first meets the eye.

I was also asked about the safety of traveling to the Middle East, and I have to say, the thing that scares me the most about being there, is trying to cross the street in some of the major cities! Really, that is a hair-raising experience to try and cross the street in Cairo, Fes, Tehran, etc.!

Members of our group talking to a group of school girls in Tehran.

As for the rest of the discussion we had about travel, I told them of my trip to Iran a few years ago, and our trips coming up. Iran remains one of my favorite places to visit, and I hope to go back there again soon. With all the saber rattling going on, I know people are shocked to find we still have tours to the region at all. But once you get there, you find that the people are most welcoming. And not going means missing out on the best history lessons and cultural experiences of your life.

~Brenda Pierce

Caravan-Serai Tours

Report from Aleppo

Rita recently spoke with family members in Aleppo and her is what she heard from them:

I talked to family last night in Aleppo and they said this is the first time that they have had the shelling so close to home.  It is moving from the old city and the outskirts of Aleppo to the residential areas.  This is coming from both sides that are doing the shelling- we got the FSA that is working on the ground and then you have the Syrian military that is shelling from the air.  The people have no chance what so ever.

An aunt was able to get out and get to Turkey recently she hired a driver and the cost was $400 US per person to drive them the normally three hours to the border and this would take almost the whole day.  If you needed to take a car to Damascus the cost was even higher of $800 per person and then to get to Jordan by car it was $350.00.  As you can see with prices like this only a few are able to do that and others are walking to get out of the country if they can, carrying whatever they can take with them.  Usually it is food and some basic supplies and then things for the kids.

Like everything during the time of war inflation sets in and everything costs much more.  When talking to family they said they just leave the house to get some basic supplies that they need and come back home.  They are pretty much in their homes taking cover and listening to the radio or the government run TV station.  The other information they get is some thru internet, when they have electricity and then thru word of mouth of what is happening and what area of town not to go to and who has been killed recently.

The ones that are suffering the most from this are the children who will be growing up knowing only death and destruction and their parents or grandparent or siblings being killed and tortured.

It is so hard with the family so far away in war zones the airports are closed and there is no way out for now.  Medicine is running low and so are some basic food supplies, but they still have their spirits.

The news media has switched their attention to the anti-Islam movie and the violence that has caused, and are not really covering Syria and all the victims that are being killed on a regular basis.

Please do not forget Syria and its people.

To make a donation to help the Syrian refugees flooding into Jordan, click here.

On the lighter side...

I recently came across this article that I am sure anyone who has flown can relate to. You know the dread of boarding a plane and realizing there is an infant on board and you just know they are going to start crying when their ears are adjusting to the pressure change, or they are tired of sitting still, etc. Here is a story about how parents of infant twins took proactive steps to make the flight a little better for their fellow passengers.

Parents of infant twins provide candy gift bags and a message to their fellow passengers.