Damascus flats, internet?

hey rita….internet is abundant—on almost any corner with funny little social scenes and internet dating. mind you when I was there last (lived there about two years ago) the internet was a bit slow but it may have picked up since then. there are internet proxies abundant so you don’t want to talk about certain things…..like that neighbor that begins with the I….so while code name while in lebanan is dixie, in syria we call it disney.

it terms of flats, it is a process finding a furnished flat in syria. it took me a good two weeks of intensive hunting, wandering neighborhoods. but if you are only staying for a month, I would recommend either staying with a family inside bab touma where they take a lot of students/etc…..it is uber cheap and you live inside the old city and it is fabulous. you can pay a little extra and get your own room but you share with the family bathroom/kitchen. just walk into bab touma in any grocery store and start enquiring about a home and watch what happens. it is a fascinating process.

otherwise there is this AMAZING hostel where you can pay a bit extra for a private room and it is gorgeous in this old damascene house in saruja, just outside bab touma....and its name is....eluding me right now but I have it written down somehwere and will get it to you later today. it is very popular with backpackers and easy to find.

Hi Tanya, Thank you so much for your reply. I would love the name of the hostel. Not sure staying with a family is for me (not my own, or anyone’s). I definitely need some privacy – Although from your rave reviews of staying with families, maybe I should reconsider. On another note, any idea why this text is not wrapping (at least it isn’t on my computer)? cheers,Rita

I hear the Christian Quarter is a good place to stay, and that a lot of students studying Arabic stay in that area. I’m planning on doing a one month intensive course at the University of Damascus and supplementing that with private lessons. The French Institute was recommended for finding a private instructor. I’m still looking for a place to stay when I land. Thanks for the advice everyone. Rita

got the name…google ‘Al-Haramein (Damascus) hostel’ and you will find info/numbers. it is just outside bab touma, the christian quater you are referring to. that is also where alot of students stay with families in these old damascene homes…..but that would take a couple days to sort out, so in meantime the haramein hostel is perfect. very close to bab touma (christian quater) in saruja, which I find a bit more nitty gritty and more lively. the bab touma western student thing can get old quickly. but book the haramein before hand if you want private room with key….cause those go fast. and i have a very good friend who works at french institute. a mad half french/half kurd who speaks the best arabic (and farsi) ever. if you want, I will p.m. you his info.

i thought you were already in damascus, which is why i made reference to the sketchy internet moment you were having in p.m.

In Souq Saruja, you’ll also find a cool and quiet little hostel called ‘Ghazal Hotel’ (Tel: +963 11 2313736, Tel: +963 11 2319365, ghazal_hotel@hotmail.com). Highly recommended.