Go on. I dare you.
Imagine in your mind’s eye what Damascus looks like; what the silhouetted skyline of Damascus looks like.
Nothing come to mind? That’s because nothing in the city stands out in that way.
We drove out of town onto one of the hills which overlooks the city. The view was spectacular. The whole of Damascus was laid out below us. The roads to Jordan and Palmyra were clear as ribbons to the horizons.
An enormous flag flew over the city on the top of an enormous flagpole.
But apart from that not a single feature really stood out. It took a few minutes of searching for us to find the Umayyad Mosque. But then the Umayyad is not meant to be something to be experienced from afar in awe. It is designed to draw you in. To appreciate the community and the detail of the place. The quiet opportunity for peaceful contemplation.
Damascus is a city where you go to pay attention to the detail.
The mosaic in the Umayyad. The range of aromatic spices in the souqs. The pomegranate juice served under the Roman arch. The 8000 year old hand carved statuette in the museum.
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