"No recorded event has occurred in the world but Damascus was in existence to receive the news of it," - Mark Twain.
From the old cities of Damascus and Aleppo to the mountains and coast of Lattakia, Syria has stood as a witness to the legacy of many civilisations, from the Phoenicians and Romans to the Crusaders and Ottomans.
You'll find beauty in the thriving streets of its cities , yet you'll be brought back to Syria's complex reality when you walk around these streets during a power outage. Personal stories hidden beneath ancient history and modern news lets you see the unwavering resilience of the Syrians.
Local masons and carpenters take charge of rebuilding sites destroyed by the crisis. Slowly, slab by slab and with care, they rebuilt the city. Artisans return to their crafts, creating handmade trinkets and fixtures - a legacy of their illustrious ancestors that have existed here for centuries.
With faith, they say that Syria has suffered from sieges and was burned to the grounds by many outsiders but it has always survived, rebuilt and safeguarded by its community.
This was a visit sparked from multiple dinner conversations. From when my mother’s friend would regale us with stories from her hometown of Damascus and then a decade later, when I met my Syrian friend in a conference. An 18-day journey across Syria which saw us travel around tourist circuit of Damascus, Aleppo, Lattakia, and Palmyra to smaller areas like Arwad and Safita.
The first day was one of music and stories. We entered al-Nawfara as the evening call to prayer came to an end. The sounds of the hookahs intermingled with the scent of cardamom, and cigarette smoke. We came here for some tea and shisha but we were lucky to witness a centuries-old Damascene tradition - storytelling.
The hakawati, (storyteller) in his Damascene garb looks distinguished as he ascended to his elevated seat in the center of the cafe. My friend said that this is a dying art , that the hakawati we see in front of us might just be the last one.
In his eloquent voice, he started to tell a story- it could have been a Syrian folktale or a story from the famed "1001 Nights". With the language barrier, I could not comprehend most of the story but I remembered his powerful narration and how he would swing his wooden cane at his audience to heighten moments of great emotions - anger, love or sadness.
