Random thoughts

Aleppo is full of yellow taxis, seemingly talking to each other through almost constant tooting.

The streets are full of people waiting for a taxi.

Next to the bales of sheepwool in the souks, one finds half sheep skewered up with the balls hanging down.

What do you get when the local government doesn't provide rubbish bins? Loads and loads of litter... everywhere.

World travellers... staying at the backpacker hostels, travelling with fake student identity cards, so they can get in for 10 SP instead of 150 SP. Great, isn't it?

We like our shoes - Fred his Lowa walking shoes and me my Lizard sandals.

Wearing sandals means one does not need socks... I have about 7 or 8 pairs (of socks) ... I think some will need to be sent back.

The towels are great too.. thanks Ineke and Jan.

Fred and I are both out of credit on our mobile phones and there seems to be no way to top up.

Apparently there are stiff penalties for anyone here who annoys tourists... we never get pestered.

James, if you are watching or reading, you would be interested to know that there are lots and lots of public toilets in Arabian countries, situated mostly near the mosques, as Muslims like to be clean when they pray. We did come across a couple of walls with that smell, no trees.

Giovanna, as you may have heard, there are no Trussardi shops here and the barbers are not to be trusted (they slashed poor Fred's face to pieces last night and tried to cover it up with white powder), so maybe this is not altogether your place.

No hairdressers.

Taxis are yellow but green is the Muslim colour. The minarets and the palm trees are floodlit in green in the evenings.

If you hear thge lambada, it is probably a lorry or bus reversing.

If you hear an imam call, and you are not near a mosque it may be a reli-ring tone.

Cheap hotels are often found near a railway station along with pizzerias and sandwich shops, sex cinemas and prostitutes. In Aleppo, the cheap hotels are to be found in the car tyre neighbourhood, along with bicycle shops and fruit juice bars.

Most bars have TV on in the background. The choice is TV Imams or airbrushed pop starts and TV presenters.

At dinner this evening, at a posh French-style restaurant with views over the Citadel we were offered lebanese or Syrian wine. We thought we would be patriotic and choose the St Simeon wine from Syria. A mistake. Good for cleaning paint brushes says Fred.

Following Fred around a city he doesn't know is a great way to get lost. Getting lost is a great way to discover some unexpected parts of the city. Thanks Fred!

Magical moment - earlier this evening - standing on the balcony of the hotel - over the busy road (full of yellow taxis), the muezzin calling out for evening prayers and little flocks of homing pigeons whirling around in the sky......