We left Latakkia at a reasonable hour. No free breakfast at the hotel, so we planned to get it on the run - sods law prevailed and as we got to the bus station, there was a bus just leaving for Damascus. The journey was quite good but we had the brown trouser seats - just behind the driver so we can see everything that's happening! Fortunately we stopped for a tea break where we managed to buy some food.
We arrived in Damascus about 2:30. We checked in to the hotel and were pleased to see that all was quiet in Damascus. We went out later to eat an early diner. We found a good restaurant - expensive but some very good food. Just as we had finished stuffing ourselves (Meze (cold starters) and Chicken kebab and Kebbe with Lamb) when a large complimentary plate of oriental sweets arrived with some fresh fruit.
We arrived back to our hotel to listen to more reports about trouble in Syria. Apparently there are riots about 60km south of Damascus with 4 people killed. Good job we are leaving soon.
Our last day in Syria was a sight seeing free day - instead we will be catching up with shopping. Fran is pleased - especially as this will be our last real chance to do any. We had a leisurely stroll down to the old town and tried to find an area we had seen the night before which had lots of fabric shops. The trouble is they all look very different in the day when some of the shops are closed. We wandered in and out of them - Fran looking at Susanis to convince herself she has made a good purchase. After 20 stops, we find a shop selling cushion cover that match the one she bought - Fran is convinced that they are good buy, so buys the covers as well!
After this we find the spice shop area and Fran buys up half the shop (or so it seemed), he also sold nuts and dried apricots so we had to have some of them. How we will get them home I know not. Fran decides we need to buy some presents - so we go round the jewellery stores. There are some nice pieces, but typically the ones that are deemed suitable are too expensive. We decide to give up and wander back and if by magic end up by the ice cream place - I have to have my last pistachio & vanilla cone.
There were more reports of trouble on BBC world but all was peaceful in Damascus.