A trip to Damascus

A couple of weeks ago I went to Damascus with some friends and stayed in the lovely Beit Al Mamlouka Hotel which is situated at Bab Touma in the Old City of Damascus. A lovely hotel with eight rooms all decorated beautifully. The two pictures show the inner courtyards. Quite expensive but worth it. We walked down the lovely narrow alleyways to the Grand Mosque and Suq looking at all the interesting shops. We bought sweets, carpets, tablecloths and even had some fun looking at the underwear shops which were amazing. Brightly coloured feathers with lights and music when pressed!
It is lovely to be in an Arab city which is Arab and has not been overwhelmed with Western culture. The people were all charming and helpful and even in the crowded Suq Al Hammadieh we never once felt hassled.
There is an immense amount of renovation being done in the Old City with coffee houses and restaurants springing up, all tastefully decorated and filled with Syrians enjoying themselves.

www.almamlouka.com

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