 | Damascus Tourist Traps | Tips 1 - 7 of 7 |  |
Popular Tourist Traps | Miscellaneous Tourist Traps Tips | All Tips (7) "In the blue harbor of your eyes Blow rains of melodious lights, Dizzy suns and sails Painting their voyage to endlessness. In the blue harbor of your eyes Is an open sea window, And birds appear in the distance Searching for islands still unborn. In the blue harbor of your eyes Snow falls in July. Ships laden with turquoise Spill over the sea and are not drowned. In the blue harbor of your eyes I run on the scattered rocks like a child Breathing the fragrance of the sea And return an exhausted bird. In the blue harbor of your eyes Stones sing in the night. Who has hidden a thousand poems In the closed book of your eyes? If only, if only I were a sailor, If only somebody'd give me a boat, I would furl my sails each evening In the blue harbor of your eyes." (N.Qabbani)
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Changing money: US dollars work best, although you can change Sterling and French Francs, but the rates aren't brilliant. Traveller's Cheques are usually accepted at most banks, but the paperwork is ridiculous. It is far better to change money on the black market, but it is also very easy to get ripped off. Many of the tourist shops in the souk will offer to change money, but at lousy rates. Martyr's Square is a better area to change, but most foreigners in Damascus will know of a reliable shop (usually an Adibas or Abidas sport's shop) where you can change money. Usually the first time you change, you will get a good rate as they want you to come back, but then they will become more reluctant to give you good rates on repeat visits. Tension with Israel is often cited as a reason why the rates have dramatically dropped since your last visit, whether or not any tensions have taken place. This is hardly ever true, and chances are that the moneychanger in the next room will 'have excellent rates, mister'. Bargain hard, and make sure you keep up to date with the official rates at the bank, as the black market rate is usually about 6 liras (pounds) more to the dollar. If you don't like the price, don't change! In some of the posher hotels (Cham Palace, Ommayad, Meridien and Sheraton) you might be able to persuade the staff to give you cash advances on credit cards, although I'm not sure if this is entirely legal! It would help if you are a guest at the hotel. If you get stuck, there are cash machines in Beirut (Lebanon) and Amman (Jordan), but this might create visa problems if you don't have a multiple entry visa. Leave a Comment
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This souq upon visual inspection is vibrant and lively. If you've seen other souqs though, you'll know this one has been done up to pull all the tourists visiting the Omayyad Mosque in. If you really want to purchase something, stroll around a bit. All of the souqs are worth checking out and there are a few things worth purchasing. Or just wait until you are in Aleppo.
Don't fall for the "Please just come have tea in my shop bit". You will be there for a while and pressured to purchase a lot.
The surrounding souqs. Or Aleppo. Leave a Comment
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