We have received a warmer welcome here in Damascus than we ever anticipated. Our recent visits to both Palmyra and Aleppo have made it blatantly clear just how special this city is. Granted, most areas aren’t so aesthetically pleasing, but the beauty and wonders of Damascus lie within its residents. We feel genuinely welcomed by the incredibly friendly people. We can stop and chat with the storeowners with no pressure to peruse their goods, they are just happy to have met us and show us hospitality.
It was a shock when we first traveled away from Damascus to Palmyra. It was the typical tourist setting, restaurant owners inviting you to view their menus and souvenir vendors boasting of the quality of their merchandise. We assumed that the tourist trap mentality was isolated to Palmyra since its economy is so dependant on tourism but were surprised to find the same attitude in Aleppo but on an even larger scale. Souq vendors would follow us down the aisle, first asking where we are from and then go on to talk about their wares. Normally I would have no problem with this if it were any other country. If anything, we found less selection than in Damascus and because of the constant attention from every stall, we found ourselves becoming ugly, rude tourists. I hate that it came to that but we were mentally unprepared to have to deal with aggressive vendors.
If anything, it made us appreciate Damascus so much more. Here, especially the area where we live, people don’t see us as tourist and walking wallets but as guests. The more we see of Syria, the more we appreciate and are pleased to consider Damascus our home.
