The Azem Palace

It is our last morning in Damascus and as we walk through the tunnel to the souq for the last time, I make a pledge that one day I will return to this city that will forever have a special place in my heart.  The sunlight is streaming through roof and creating a lasting image of a beautiful place, in my mind.  It is Saturday, so the place is a hive of activity, quite different to when we made our way through here the day before.  I will never tire of wandering around the old city of Damascus.  Discovering the old houses that have now been converted to boutique hotels with the most delightful gardens.

Our destination this morning is the Azem Palace, the prettiest of them all and built in the ‘stripey’ Damascus style of black basalt and sandstone.  It was built in the 18th century by the then governor of Damascus and is a truly beautiful piece of architecture.  Each room tells the story of some part of this amazing culture and is beautifully decorated.  I love the high ornate ceilings with intricate artwork that sets off the elegant furniture very well.

We learn about everything from marriage rituals, Haj, family life and the various trades that flourished in the area.  The tradition of story telling is explained as is the habit of men to patronise the cafes where story tellers could be found.  I guess it was the equivalent of your local pub today. 

Time is moving fast and we have a bus to catch after lunch..but we have one more cafe to explore.  This time it is the Ecological and Biological Garden cafe where we have a nice healthy meal of chicken sandwiches washed down with great juice cocktails and finished with their piece resistance – a Kit Kat Sandwich. 

I have come to believe that one of the greatest feelings of contentment in life, comes from the sense of satisfaction one gets, after finishing a great meal.  I guess we can now happily say au revoir to Damascus.  Till we meet again… 

 One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.  ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright