Syria

I just happened to be passing through town, so I thought that I'd just drop by and see how my mate Saddam was doing...

Damascus is the oldest inhabited city in the World, only 5000 years young. Not much to do here apart from checking out the famous mosque and browsing in the souqs (markets). If you're ever in town, give the pistachio ice cream a go - yummo!

Very strange to see such funky outfits at the Damascus markets, considering that it is a strict Muslim society and very rare to see women's faces in public. Personally, I like the fuzzy purple number which doubles as a mobile phone holder.

Look what else I found for sale at the markets - sheesha pipes! It's just like bumping into an old friend.

Crac des Chevaliers was the base of Richard the lion heart. It is one of the best preserved crusader castles. We got a chance to explore all the nooks & crannies and roam around the secret passageways in torch light. There were also the remains of the original round table where the knights used to have their meetings. How cool is this place!

Roman ruins at Palmyra

Walking through the medieval city of Aleppo is like stepping back in time. It's a bustling city within the walls of a citadel with cobble stone passages. Seems as though life here hasn't changed much over the thousands of years - there's blacksmiths hammering away and merchants leading there donkeys laden with wares down the street. The massive souqs here sell everything from antiques and spices to fresh camel heads.

We made spaghetti bolognese with mince purchased from the souq. The sauce tasted suspiciously gamey. My guess is that it wasn't beef mince...

Still a happy camper! As you can see, we ate very well - apart from that episode with the dodgey mince meat.