Why crazy dictators suck...(#8)
I love to travel. And I especially love to travel to places that are not teeming with tourists, and yes I understand the hypocrisy of that statement since I am also a tourist. Since I am a teacher, it is hard to go anywhere except for summer, which is when everyone in the world is also playing tourist. So my answer is to travel to places tons of other tourists don't go.
Which is a long way of saying that one of the trips I am most glad to have taken is to Syria. And it makes me very sad to see Syria on the news tonight, or any night for the last year or so. It is a lovely country. And some of the most amazing historic sites I have seen are there.
Wonderful Roman ruins not put back together but lying in magnificent ruin still. And no one but us around. We walked ancient Roman roads, where the stone was deeply indented with ruts left by hundreds of years of wagon wheels. Spectacular castles where we walked the completely intact walls, and saw the huge stone tables where Knights would eat and gather and perhaps plan attacks that would "save" the middle east, but where they also might play games and gossip. Magnificent tombs of heroes like Salah al-Din (Saladin). We could touch and feel and imagine in peace without others intruding on these magical places.
Of course none of this compares to the incredible hospitality of the Syrian people who were so generous and kind and curious. The fact that those people are being slaughtered for daring to want a free voice and a say in their government makes me incredibly sad.
So evil dictators really suck. Because I am afraid it will be a long time before others are allowed the chance to wander amongst these magical places and be transported back in time. And to enjoy the warm hospitality of these incredibly generous people.
Which is a long way of saying that one of the trips I am most glad to have taken is to Syria. And it makes me very sad to see Syria on the news tonight, or any night for the last year or so. It is a lovely country. And some of the most amazing historic sites I have seen are there.
Wonderful Roman ruins not put back together but lying in magnificent ruin still. And no one but us around. We walked ancient Roman roads, where the stone was deeply indented with ruts left by hundreds of years of wagon wheels. Spectacular castles where we walked the completely intact walls, and saw the huge stone tables where Knights would eat and gather and perhaps plan attacks that would "save" the middle east, but where they also might play games and gossip. Magnificent tombs of heroes like Salah al-Din (Saladin). We could touch and feel and imagine in peace without others intruding on these magical places.
Of course none of this compares to the incredible hospitality of the Syrian people who were so generous and kind and curious. The fact that those people are being slaughtered for daring to want a free voice and a say in their government makes me incredibly sad.
So evil dictators really suck. Because I am afraid it will be a long time before others are allowed the chance to wander amongst these magical places and be transported back in time. And to enjoy the warm hospitality of these incredibly generous people.