Syria? Yeah, I've been there.

Last Friday we escaped the compound (an intrepid group of 15) on a bus to Syria that we've gotten in what seemed to be a sweet deal with a tour company. The deal soured quickly, much to everyone's chagrin, as what was supposed to be included kept magically disappearing. Lesson learned - get mega-specific details BEFORE crossing borders.

Still, we went to Ebla (HUMONGOUS site) that was the seat of a big empire back in the day(yes, I should be better about dates and all that stuff I'm learning. It's late though). And Aleppo, a wonderful city. Mike and I got dinner on the street for what turned out to be perhaps 2 dollars for us both - incredible ice cream for dessert and everything. Our hotel was gorgeous old complex house with courtyards and roof terrace that was perhaps for an evening drink and narguile with some of the crew. The next morning we went to the incredible National Museum (so many artifacts to see) where I found figurines that look like fragments I've been seeing here at Atchana (very cool). Afterwards Mike and I wandered the bazaar with Stella (she and I tried to bargain up a storm, she got some great deals too) and looked at the outside of the citadel (the problem with group things is the time limits). Then another loooong bus ride to the temple of Ain Dara (where there were huge footprints in the rock). And finally back over the border (the way to Syria we sat there a few hours, the way back was quicker).

Thus there were maybe 18 hours of real vacation involved in the two day break we had. Exhausting. To top things off, we're having a heat wave with no wind (terrible) and it saps motivation to do much of anything. Thus my lack of photos online... I'll get there. Eventually. My current job is editing/proofreading a massive manuscript and spending lots of time in front of the computer - I hope to get out to site before excavation ends next week! (Where does the time go?). Meanwhile sickness runs rampant and the quest for cool continues.