A day in the Country...

In Syria I was staying with friends and was immediately accepted as one of the family. Since it is so hot in Syria during the summer people are more nocturnal. They sleep in while it is hot and are up at night when it is cool outside. Even business are opened later due to the heat. It feels strange that everyone wakes up at noon and goes to bed at 2-3am.

The family I was staying with had a summer home on the mountain. It is cooler at higher elevations (which you already knew) and there is a much needed breeze. So we packed the van (mini-van) with 15 people and took the 1.5 hour trip to the country. We even drove pass Cane & Abel's burial site. Sorry I did not get a picture.

Above is me in a fig tree at the house.

We played an old Syrian board game, shown here, where shells were used instead of dice.

It's pronounced Barseese. ("Bar" and then "cease").
I think it's just an Arabizised way of saying Parcheesi. Or maybe Parcheesi is an anglizised way of saying Barseese.

So my first full day was great taking it easy learning the ways and customs of the people of Syria. Everyone I was staying with were Muslim, therefore they chose to cover their head and did not want me to cover my head (wear the Hijab) because it is not my custom. Between you and me they would not have either in the heat if they were not so tired to the religious beliefs behind it. Therefore I only wore the Hijab when asked to, (which you will see in later pictures) otherwise they asked me what I was doing if I tried to wear the hajib.