I'm always curious as to how I'll view my country/people when I get back after an extended absence. Maybe this last absence wasn't so long, nothing's really changed, people look and act the same. The one thing I do see now though is how many women are bursting out of their shirts. I was sitting on Bloor and Yonge the other day, having my hotdog and people watching. Couldn't keep count of all the boobs I was seeing in almost all their splendor. This was around 4:30pm, end of the workday. I don't think I'm a prude but come on, is that what you wear to work? I'm assuming many of the women I saw are quite intelligent and could easily trade on their brains yet they insist in cashing in on their boobies.
It reminds me of an episode in "Cheers" when a bunch of guys showed up in Boston from their country where women walked around virtually naked. They were so excited to meet Rebecca because she wore clothes. Extreme, yes, but sometimes I think there must be some guys out there who wouldn't mind seeing a turtleneck occasionally.
June 19, 2007
June 9, 2007
A Day in the South
Yesterday we went to Bosra in the south of Syria, an ancient Roman town and theatre. It was lovely, the air was fresh and clean, and the temperature was a delightful 28 degrees. We then hopped into a microbus to go to the town of Dara where a friend's friend picked us up for a tour of the region.
We went to the Yarmuke River, site of an ancient battle, and looked across to Jordan and Israel, just a few miles away.
Next we headed to a man-made lake where young boys jumped in and went for a swim while a younger boy took his pet cow on a leash for a drink (sorry, true but connection is too slow to upload pictures and verify).
Then it was off to another lake where families were rowing about in small boats. Other families were playing drums, clapping, and singing. Smells from the barbecue wafted in the breeze. A bedouin girl cruised the crowds asking for money. She liked my nosering, she was wearing one just like it.
Two motorcycles bumped into each other head on and the men driving them got off to have a go at one another. They had just gotten each other into headlocks when police sirens were going off. And then, a foal ran by. I turned around to see a man sitting on a white horse in the lake. I was confused.
We got back in the truck and stopped for cotton candy. The ice cream truck man was sitting there in his truck, not waiting to sell ice cream but sitting there to watch us eat cotton candy. The ice cream truck music was creepy, it helped to explain all the horses.
We went to the Yarmuke River, site of an ancient battle, and looked across to Jordan and Israel, just a few miles away.
Next we headed to a man-made lake where young boys jumped in and went for a swim while a younger boy took his pet cow on a leash for a drink (sorry, true but connection is too slow to upload pictures and verify).
Then it was off to another lake where families were rowing about in small boats. Other families were playing drums, clapping, and singing. Smells from the barbecue wafted in the breeze. A bedouin girl cruised the crowds asking for money. She liked my nosering, she was wearing one just like it.
Two motorcycles bumped into each other head on and the men driving them got off to have a go at one another. They had just gotten each other into headlocks when police sirens were going off. And then, a foal ran by. I turned around to see a man sitting on a white horse in the lake. I was confused.
We got back in the truck and stopped for cotton candy. The ice cream truck man was sitting there in his truck, not waiting to sell ice cream but sitting there to watch us eat cotton candy. The ice cream truck music was creepy, it helped to explain all the horses.
June 6, 2007
Change in My Pocket
I'm buying gifts for family and friends right now and have been hit with raging PMS. This is useful when going into the souqs and having to bargain for good prices. For those of you who know what I'm like during this time of the month, it should come as no surprise that I got everything I wanted for the price I wanted. They didn't stand a chance.
June 2, 2007
Is It Safe Yet?
The biggest problem with living in Syria was that I was muzzled from commenting on anything political, muzzled because I wanted to stay and check it out without getting kicked out. But now that I'm out of the country I've finally got my tongue back.
Last month the country had an election, or rather, a referendum. About 4 weeks earlier there was a first election where civic officials, ministers, and the current president were voted in for another 7 year term. So the referendum was something like this: Do you want the president to stay president for the next 7 years? Answer: Yes or No
The week before the referendum all these tents appeared around the city and every night there was a party. Free t-shirts, coffee, marches, banners, dancing, lots of music pumped out of crappy speakers, road jams everywhere. One song went something to the effect of, 'Save our president and Nasrallah, too.' Then the election/referendum. The vote was almost unanimous, 97.4% said yes. Now I heard that seven years ago the vote was 99%, so where did those 1.6% yessers go? Everyone who voted got a free candy. You also had the option of voting in blood.
To celebrate the "victory" there was another week of partying following the referendum. The same crazy gigs going on around the city, songs, dancing, etc. I got stopped by the police at one of the marches because I was writing 'something'. They tried to read my writing - English speakers can't even read it so how could these guys? I was allowed to go and so I did because the march was boring. But it is fun seeing fireworks every night, fired off by two-year olds unattended by their parents.
There are lots of billboards with pictures of different people and English slogans, things like, "I believe in equality", "I believe in freedom", "I believe in children". Then a picture of the president beside all of them, "I believe in Syria." I think his phrase should be prefaced with, "Yeah? Well fuck you! I believe in Syria!" Having said that, I do think he is a decent guy and even though his hands are severely tied by his cabinet, the country could do much, much worse.
I think our Prime Minister could use this P.R. engine, it's simply amazing at how much support you can get for the only contender.
Last month the country had an election, or rather, a referendum. About 4 weeks earlier there was a first election where civic officials, ministers, and the current president were voted in for another 7 year term. So the referendum was something like this: Do you want the president to stay president for the next 7 years? Answer: Yes or No
The week before the referendum all these tents appeared around the city and every night there was a party. Free t-shirts, coffee, marches, banners, dancing, lots of music pumped out of crappy speakers, road jams everywhere. One song went something to the effect of, 'Save our president and Nasrallah, too.' Then the election/referendum. The vote was almost unanimous, 97.4% said yes. Now I heard that seven years ago the vote was 99%, so where did those 1.6% yessers go? Everyone who voted got a free candy. You also had the option of voting in blood.
To celebrate the "victory" there was another week of partying following the referendum. The same crazy gigs going on around the city, songs, dancing, etc. I got stopped by the police at one of the marches because I was writing 'something'. They tried to read my writing - English speakers can't even read it so how could these guys? I was allowed to go and so I did because the march was boring. But it is fun seeing fireworks every night, fired off by two-year olds unattended by their parents.
There are lots of billboards with pictures of different people and English slogans, things like, "I believe in equality", "I believe in freedom", "I believe in children". Then a picture of the president beside all of them, "I believe in Syria." I think his phrase should be prefaced with, "Yeah? Well fuck you! I believe in Syria!" Having said that, I do think he is a decent guy and even though his hands are severely tied by his cabinet, the country could do much, much worse.
I think our Prime Minister could use this P.R. engine, it's simply amazing at how much support you can get for the only contender.
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