Suomi-Damascus

Happy independence day Finland!

As all the Finns were huddled around the warm glow of their television sets watching the president's reception, I was feeling the vide in Damascus. (Did I already say that I love Damascus?) So what's the hot gossip in Finland? Who had the lowest decolte or the tightest dress?

Yesterday was my last full Damascus day and I started with some light window shopping. You can buy just about anything here in the markets from the stuffed animals of my last entry to a whole shark from the fish counter, chaste head scarfs from one shop and sequined Lolita bellydancing outfits from the next. Also widely available are the local Barbie dolls, Fulla dolls. The one below is, according to the box, dressed in a Prayer outfit. Now the prayer beads and the white gown I can understand, but tucked into the box and unfortunately not visible in the picture are the dolls outrageously kinky high heeled red shoes. Essential prayer wear?

Another good lunch later I headed with some fellow travellers to a free concert of traditional Syrian music by Ibrahim Kevo an his 7 man band. The concert was part of the programme of the Damascus - Islamic Capital of Culture 2008. Congratulations Damascus. The concert was absolutely wonderful. People were dancing in the audience, laughing, whistling and generally getting into the mood. And the grand old man himself was also in great form - popping up from his chair every so often to do traditional Kurdish dances at the front of the stage. And the crowd goes wild...

After the concert we went to a tea house just next to our hotel to celebrate the end of the Finnish independence day. This place has live music every day - no entry fee of course. An amazing place - the picture at the top of the page is from there! Locals smoking water pipes and drinking tea (and nothing other than tea). At first there was a lute player and people were singing Syrian songs, and after the lute player stopped, two guys strolled in with guitars and started playing absolutely wonderful, fully profesional flamenco! We paid for our drinks (1 tea, 15 cents - not a terribly expensive night) and left around 1 am. The flamenco was still going strong!

I've left all that behind and write this from the other side of the border in Amman. But more on that later. It's good night ladies & gents!