Flat Mallory's Last Stand
As I was finishing up my tour of Syria, I had an e-mail discussion with Mallory's father, Steve, about getting Flat Mallory home.  Mallory's project was due on April 30 and Flat Mallory needed to be back in Owosso for the festivities.  I was initially thinking that I would send Flat Mallory [...]

The Quick Tour                       Pictured:The Qala'at ibn Maan castle overlooking the Temple of Ba'al-Shamin.
After spending a few days in Damascus, I made a quick tour of three historic areas in other parts of Syria.  My first stop was the ancient city of Palmyra. 
Palmyra (Arabic: تدمر Tadmor‎) was in ancient times an important city of central [...]

I was at a cafe in Damascus having lunch when an older German women said something to me in German.  I understood the gist of what she was asking but I responded in English.  She looked at my with a puzzled look and asked me where I was from and I told her, "the USA."  She said [...]

Syria was next on my list. I wanted to go to the country but everything I was reading was making me doubtful that I would be able to obtain a visa.   My Lonely Planet Guide mentioned that Americans and British were required to get their visas from the Syrian Embassy in their home country.  I [...]