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On the way: Turkey – Syria – Jordan
On the way: Turkey – Syria – Jordan
Middle East adventure
Almost 10,000 kilometers through southeast Europe and the Middle East. Through snow, desert and on paths that are thousands of years old. Through countries that are more familiar from the news than from travel movies. The goal was to discover the other side.
Rainer Bracht
December 18, 2008
Pffft ?? at breakneck speed the air leaves the rear tire. Shit, barely started in Thessaloniki, the BMW is already rocking to the side of the road. Our Middle East tour is supposed to start here in Eastern Greece. The enduro was sent there by a forwarding agent and Petra and I jetted afterwards on the cheap plane. Not a bad alternative to the endlessly cold drive on the axle in winter. It should go via Turkey and Syria to the Red Sea in Jordan. That’s the plan. But at the moment nothing works. The air next to the valve whistles outside with a hiss. Hectic tinkering ?? until we somehow bring the pressure loss under control with a rubber ring between the rim and the valve lock nut. A policeman kindly takes care of new breath with a compressor and pops 2.5 bar into the ailing hose. With that we make it to the next moped dealer and with a new hose even on the same day over the Turkish border to Çanakkale.
Fantastic roads, mostly narrow and winding, lie ahead of us. And Pamukkale. At this time of year the famous sintered lime terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis belong almost to us alone. Behind it begins the expanse of quiet, wintry Turkey. High, snow-covered mountains on the horizon and cold, leaden, pinching to the bone. But at Antalya the Mediterranean finally shimmers again in the south and lets the temperature rise with every meter closer. The other side of the coin: from here to Alanya, one of the largest tourist centers in the eastern Mediterranean dominates the coast. Huge hotel resorts crowd eastward, kilometer by kilometer. Only beyond Alanya does it get better, the rocky coast leaves hardly any space for beaches and concrete castles, even the road sometimes has to give way to dizzying heights between banana groves and fragrant forests.
One day later we are in Bab Al Hawa on the border with Syria. We have a visa in our luggage, and the necessary entry documents for the BMW and short-term insurance are available on site for cash. For the equivalent of around 75 euros, the stamps pop into the passports and we’re in. Quickly exchange money, then you can start. But the first handicap is not long in coming? Arabic signs only! In addition, there are many more paths in reality than on the map. The GPS only helps to a limited extent, but at least shows whether the rough direction is correct. Although there is little going on on the small streets, the horns are constantly ringing:? Welcome to Syria ?? ?? Greetings in Syrian, as we understand after a while.
After a foray through the imposing remains of the Saladin crusader castle, we head towards the Slunfa Pass. Shivering, we slide through the remains of snow on the top of the pass and duck in front of the icy wind, which has pushed the trees here in decades of work. But the view is stunning? The Orontes Plain spreads out like an airplane, 1,000 meters below. A landscape intensively used zone in which up to 20 meters high, ancient wooden wheels provide irrigation. Driven by the current of countless water arms, the wheels heave the water up in buckets and distribute it in a branched system of pipes. A centuries-old technique.
Not far away is the crusader castle Krak des Chevaliers, from which the Mediterranean coast and the snow-capped mountains of Lebanon are already visible. We drive into the 1700 meter high, upstream Anti-Lebanon Mountains and visit the old, Christian village of Maalula, which sticks to an almost vertically falling rock face. Aramaic is still spoken here, once the language of Palestine, which was replaced by Arabic as a result of the spread of Islam. Most prominent user: Jesus Christ. We spend the night above the village in the Sergius Monastery, whose foundation walls were built in the 4th century AD. Due to the almost vertical construction, some of the entrances to the houses lead over the roofs of the neighbors.
Actually we wanted to advance further over the mountains to the Lebanese border and continue parallel to the same, but have to give up above 2000 meters in deep snow. The landscape is magnificent, mostly desert-like, dry high mountains with isolated farmsteads between large apricot plantations. With the extremely nice residents, a question about the way always leads to an invitation to tea.
Damascus lies ahead of us. At first shocked by the traffic in the capital, we somehow make it to the new town and a hotel. A former police station, as we learn, and by local standards, at around 800 years old, downright young. The old town has been continuously inhabited for 6000 years, Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world. For hours we stroll through the markets of the souks, which smell of all the spices of the Orient and offer goods as well as perspectives of all kinds: next to headscarves, daring lingerie hang in the shops, women in high heels are high heels next to completely veiled, Iranian Shiite women, fundamentalist-looking Sunnis crowd between rich Saudis, Druze from the Hauran Mountains next to Kurds from the northeast. Petra starts chatting with Iranian pilgrims, many of whom speak English and who talk openly. The Umayyad Mosque lies in the middle like an oasis of calm. The highlight, however, is the Noufara tea house. Every evening a storyteller appears there, surrounded by old people who smoke water pipes, telling his stories.
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Middle East adventure
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The way into the desert is sometimes cold and white. At least in Davras, Turkey.
Another 120 kilometers, then the border with Jordan lies ahead of us. This border crossing is also easier than expected? two hours, and we are through, we are already on the way to the Roman ruins of Jerash. A splendidly preserved complex in which the life of the Roman occupiers hardly seems to have died out.
Surrounded by forests of fragrant pines, pines, oaks and pistachio trees, it goes through the nature parks Dibbin and Ajlun in the direction of Jordan. The temperature rises steadily, vegetation and vegetable plantations are spreading more and more lush ?? then we are in the Jordan Valley, the deepest valley on earth. It lies up to 400 meters below sea level and connects the Sea of Galilee with the Dead Sea. At the seaside we soon flee from the hustle and bustle of the weekend and instead continue on the Kings Highway south towards Petra. Visibility is poor, stormy weather stirs up a lot of sand. We hardly see what is going on to the left and right of the street.
But Petra almost knocks us out. The interplay of the bizarre landscape and the beautiful sandstone facades carved directly from the rock is grandiose and unique in the world. The composition of countless shades of red appears almost surreal in many places. In the middle of the Siq, a 100 meter high and at the narrowest point just 2.20 meters measuring gorge, which later widens to a huge, red rock valley. Desert in its perhaps most impressive form.
The onward journey south follows the Israeli border line directly, with guards on both sides watching every movement. We have to paint the Red Sea because of wind and cold, instead orientate ourselves east towards the desert branch Wadi Rum. We stay for two days at “Bed and Breakfast”. ?? offered by Bedouins. Which means that we can roll out our sleeping bags in a corner of the large tent and take part in all meals. Life seems extremely relaxed and simple, the father of the family smokes a joint after dinner, there is neither electricity nor running water, but open-air toilets in the rocks. In front of the tent there is nothing but desert, limits are only set by mighty rock massifs on the horizon. On the second day we are invited to a feast by friends of our hosts: boiled goats with their skulls enthroned in the middle of the platter. Phew Tiring for us, enjoyment for the locals. But the nice atmosphere somehow saves us through.
And then it begins, the almost 6000 kilometers long way back. This time no shipping company helps. There is a maximum of one piece of ferry between Greece and Italy. But first it is time to repair the BMW that has eliminated its lower strut mount from the cardan swing arm. Velvet thread. So we can only trust the power of chemistry and insert the bolt with liquid metal.
In order to test the connection gently, we choose the well-developed main connection route back to Syria. There, in an emergency, the ADAC’s letter of protection applies. But since the GS survived the daring repair on the stage through Jordan, we resume the old return travel plan in Syria and cruise over Bosra in a wide eastern arc through the desert. The former Roman city was mostly built in the 3rd century from the black basalt rock of the Djebel Al-Arab. Those who live in these ancient stone houses today shouldn’t have any fear of contact with history: Because of the heat, they are painted white, carry satellite dishes on the roofs and are surrounded by mopeds and tractors. Living history.
When the last foothills of the volcanic Hauran Mountains are behind us, it becomes flat, dry and barren. A wide connecting road crosses from the east, and oil tankers roll on it close together. You are from Baghdad. First indications of the uncomfortable neighbor Iraq.
Around the old oasis town of Palmyra it gets a bit hilly and varied. Once an important caravan station on the Silk Road between Venice, China and India, whose former wealth can still be guessed at.
No snow, but the Pamukkale sintered terraces. In the background mountains in central Turkey.
In the direction of the Euphrates, which crosses the country widely, a nasty sandstorm is increasingly troubling us: We have hardly any view and grains of sand grind between our teeth. The ruins of Rusafa offer some protection for a short time, but only the Assad reservoir brings real relaxation. After the desolation of the dusty desert, it lies beautifully in deep green between sometimes even wooded banks.
In Aleppo we enjoy the seething life of an oriental city for the last time. We walk for kilometers through covered souks, discover old palaces that are now home to stylish hotels and restaurants, explore the mighty citadel towering over everything. A little further away, on a hill, is the Simeonskloster, whose name founder, who has now been canonized, is said to have spent 30 years on a pillar.
The last Syrian meters burn up under the wheels. This time we do not curve along the coast in Turkey, but rather over small mountain roads through the Anatolian hinterland. The paths climb up to 2000 meters, accompanied by snow remnants and frozen waterfalls. In the lower elevations of Cappadocia, on the other hand, the first signs of spring can be seen, the blossoms of the almond trees shimmering softly pink around the valleys near Goreme with their famous tuff rocks. In Egridir we take another break, prepare for the long way home through wintry south-east Europe. Thick snow gives a first foretaste in the winter sports resort Davras. Two days across Greece to the Igoumenitsa ferry port lie ahead of us, then a 24-hour ferry to Venice and finally the last and probably the toughest stage: across the Alps and to Detmold. Thank God we don’t know anything about the fresh snow in Austria.
Info
Extreme differences characterize this tour, the spectrum ranges from the mountains of central Turkey to regions far below sea level. And only in a few places does the world offer such a cultural and historical depth as east of the Mediterranean.
Duration of the trip: 30 days; Distance covered: 10,000 kilometers
getting there
Getting to the eastern Mediterranean is not easy in winter. Car trains only run to northern Italy or Carinthia (www.dbautozug.de), ferries only to northern Greece; the Turkey route to Çesme will not be used until spring. (Overview at www.ocean24.de.). The possibility of taking the motorcycle with you on the LTU holiday plane also failed due to the insufficient loading capacity of the smaller planes in winter. So the BMW GS was sent to Thessaloniki in Greece by a carrier and the passengers traveled by plane. While the flight cost barely 100 euros for two people, the forwarding company GCT from Munich took a whopping 900 euros for the (not dismantled) GS, but handled the transport smoothly. Information at www.gctgroup.de or phone 089/37156410. Designated motorcycle forwarders unfortunately do not travel eastwards. For the return journey, therefore, only the daily ferry Igoumenitsa – Venice came into question. Prices from 150 euros.
Travel time
While the desert states of Syria and Jordan offer good conditions for motorcycling in winter, traveling through Southeastern Europe is difficult. The climatic conditions there are much harsher than, for example, in the south of France or Spain. The mountainous, high central Turkey should not be underestimated in the winter months either. The best options and compromises for the entire route are therefore offered in spring and autumn, when all ferries are steaming again.
Documents
Thanks to the Greek EU membership, an identity card is sufficient, Turkey requires a passport and green insurance card. Syria even a visa that has to be applied for in Germany (the easiest way is via www.syrianembassy.de). In addition, the passport cannot bear any Israeli stamps. A Carnet de Passage is not necessary, instead an import permit for around 50 euros is issued at the border, together with the also mandatory short-term liability insurance for around 30 euros. In Jordan you get a visa on arrival, and here too, insurance and a road toll for a total of around 80 euros are required. International vehicle registration and driving licenses are required in both countries, but are not always checked. For emergencies, take out a foreign health insurance including a return service and a vehicle cover letter.
traffic
In the countryside, traffic density is low, but in centers like Damascus, chaos reigns. If you swim aggressively, you can even have fun, but defensive driving drives you crazy. The road network is good and long stretches of paved roads, so that the enduro was only necessary for side trips on this trip. The gasoline prices fluctuate extremely. In Greece they are 0.93 euros, in Turkey 1.74, in Syria 0.49 and in Jordan 1.00 euros (current status at www.benzinpreise.de).
Stay overnight, eat, money
Since there was good food everywhere for a maximum of five euros and tea and soft drinks for 25 to 50 cents, the own stove stayed cold for four weeks. In hotels and pensions in the three countries we paid eight to 20 euros for a double room, some including breakfast. Greece is more expensive, but still a little cheaper than Germany. If you need money on the go, you can even use your debit card in larger cities from the bank machine.
information
We recommend the Turkey travel guide from Michael Muller Verlag for 24.90 euros and the two volumes from Reise Know-How to Syria (23.50 euros) and Jordan (19.90 euros). Reise Know-How also provides the best maps for the region on a scale of 1: 400,000 (Syria) and 1: 600,000 (Jordan) for 8.90 euros each. Current entry and security regulations must be found in good time at www.auswaertigesamt.de. check. Further information is available from the tourism authorities of the individual countries: www.syriatourism.org, www.na-visitjordan.com, www.reiselust-tuerkei-info.de.
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