tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122375462012-01-15T20:10:43.291+02:00City & PeopleRamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.comBlogger401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1136129006456408222006-01-01T17:19:00.000+02:002006-01-01T17:23:26.483+02:00

I would like to wish you all a happy new year.May this year brings peace, love and happiness to you and your families.

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com443tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1122266074116381182005-07-25T07:32:00.000+03:002005-07-25T07:44:01.366+03:00

I will stop posting for quite a while...It is getting very busy here at work, and I am finding less and less time to blog.I am not sure when I will be back… in a month, two or never!!…I really don’t know...Anyway, just in case I don’t get back; I wanna wish you all (bloggers and anonyms) the very best…I had great time reading your blogs and comments, and I learned a lot from them…thank you all...

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1122092492698808822005-07-23T07:05:00.000+03:002005-07-23T14:57:10.626+03:00

Yousuf Karsh was the most renowned portrait photographer of our time. He worked tirelessly for over half a century recording unforgettable images of the statesmen, artists, literary and scientific figures who shaped our lives.Karsh was born on December 23 1908 at Mardin, Turkey, of Armenian Catholic parents. The son of an illiterate merchant, he grew up amid the Turkish genocide which saw two of

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1121889447191252312005-07-20T22:57:00.000+03:002005-07-20T23:25:38.086+03:00

Two weeks ago, I wrote the following comment in Arabic at Abu Rummaneh's blog, concerning the bombings in London:“In a few years those thieves (jihadists) have betrayed a civilisation and a history that took thousands of years for our ancestors to build. And how much did that cost them? A few kilograms of explosives and a handful of straying souls.” [translated from Arabic]Apparently, someone

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1121767144964216182005-07-19T12:48:00.000+03:002005-07-19T13:07:03.533+03:00

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1121578011195551812005-07-17T08:24:00.000+03:002005-07-18T06:51:23.133+03:00

Today is the day that so many Jalaa fans thought it will never come. For more than 20 years, they waited to see their basketball team finally playing for the championship, and actually have a very good chance of winning it.The game will be played against Al-Jaish (last year’s champions) in Damascus, and will be carried live (hopefully!!) on Syrian satellite channel. Jalaa needs to win, or loose

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1121263605541203352005-07-13T17:06:00.001+03:002005-07-15T07:43:08.236+03:00

Tonight, at 6:30 pm Aleppo time, the two giants of Syrian Basketball, Jalaa and Ittihad, will go head to head in what many believe will be the mother of all Bball games.The two teams from Aleppo are currently tied with 13 points each, with only 3 weeks left in the playoff series, and this game might very well decide who will be the 2005 Syria’s basketball champions.Let’s all hope for a trouble

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1120750253974227992005-07-07T18:27:00.000+03:002005-07-07T18:30:53.976+03:00

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1120706587656016362005-07-07T06:23:00.000+03:002005-07-07T06:42:41.026+03:00

I just took this Quiz What is Your World View? (updated), after reading about it at Roba’s blog…The questions require some thinking before you answer them, but it was worth it.My “result” was surprisingly very accurate and I totally agree with it (actually I was a bit freaked out from its accuracy, as if these people knew me all along!!)…Anyway, here is the result I got:You scored as Cultural

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1120552277846868332005-07-05T11:31:00.000+03:002005-07-07T06:37:22.646+03:00

Yesterday was Splish-Splash day ( عيد الرشيشي) in Aleppo…On this day, the streets of certain quarters in Aleppo (Azizieh, slemanieh and midan) turn into a war zone, where people of all ages (but mainly teenagers) engage in water fights…The weapons of choice are water balloons, but some people (store owners) use water hoses to splash pedestrians (I have also seen people in pick-up trucks filled

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1120107199553341262005-06-30T07:52:00.000+03:002005-06-30T08:33:24.490+03:00

In case someone’s wondering; THAT’S NOT ME!!I got this photo from the internet. it was taken by a tourist visiting Syria...Anyway, I find it very funny...the lighter and the “montage” are classic (I am not sure if this is a montage or two guys wearing the same shirt?!!)

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1119845117215286912005-06-27T07:05:00.000+03:002005-06-27T18:58:31.673+03:00

The most beautiful and significant monument to religious building between Roman period of the 2nd century and northern European Christian masterpieces of the 11th century AD. At the time it was completed in 473 AD, it was considered the largest Cathedral in the world.Situated on a hill top overlooking the town of Deir Samaan in the 'Afrin Valley, 60 km north west of Aleppo. Following the death of

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1119844951524822392005-06-27T07:02:00.000+03:002005-06-27T18:55:45.153+03:00

St. Simeon Stylites (388 - 459):Born at Sisan in northern Syria in 388 AD. He is called stylite after the Greek word stylos meaning pillar. As a shepherd boy, he was converted by the first sermon he ever heard. The priest spoke on the text, "Blessed are the pure in heart". On asking how best to become pure in heart and so see God, Simeon was told that joining a monastery was good, and he at once

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1119413803120922762005-06-22T07:16:00.000+03:002005-06-22T14:18:12.060+03:00

The entrance bridge and the corridors inside The main doors were built to the right, making them harder to ramThe designers of the Citadel of Aleppo did everything to make the fortification impossible to invade. They used several ingenious defense strategies that made it one of the hardest forts to conquer in the region.Built atop a 50 m high hill for its natural defense advantages, the Citadel

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1119327400205041962005-06-21T07:15:00.000+03:002005-06-27T18:53:48.510+03:00

The Citadel of Aleppo (1920's & 2005) Should i go back to my Before template, or you like the After one more?

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1119326683313575412005-06-21T07:04:00.000+03:002005-06-27T18:41:07.346+03:00

I heard about this movie from a friend of mine in Montréal who saw it on the weekend (it has been running there for weeks, and apparently Montréalers loved it). The screenwriter and all the actors are Arabs, and the language of the movie is Arabic. The Director, however, is an Israeli Jew, so I am not expecting it to be playing in a Syrian theatre near you.Since I haven’t seen this movie, I am

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1119294905502408642005-06-20T22:15:00.000+03:002005-06-20T22:33:58.083+03:00

The Grand Mosque with the Citadel in the back(more pictures here)Location:Located in the old city (area D4), very close to the citadel of Aleppo.History:The site of the Great Mosque is the former Agora from the Hellenistic period, which later became the garden for the Cathedral of St. Helena, during the Christian era.It was built by the Umayyad Caliph al Walid, who had earlier founded the Great

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1118290570522687562005-06-09T07:16:00.000+03:002005-06-15T05:44:34.436+03:00

Location:Located on Baron Street (Area 5C), close to the post office and the National Museum. Up until the 70's, The Baron Street itself was considered Aleppo’s champs-elysee, but it has been in constant decay ever since.History:Back in 1909, when the Orient Express Railway was being pushed through from Constantinople to Baghdad, Aleppo--then an outpost of the Ottoman Turkish Empire--became a

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1118118396854634692005-06-07T07:26:00.000+03:002005-06-20T23:07:56.943+03:00

1-Aleppo’s Citadel and the old city surrounding it.2-Al-Jedaideh and Tellal districts: The old downtown. Some of the old houses in these districts have recently been renovated and converted into restaurants and hotels. A must see to anyone interested in Aleppo’s old architecture.3-Azizieh district: The current downtown. Residential and commercial center of Aleppo.4-Al-Hadika Al-Amma (the general

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1117774807546937642005-06-03T08:00:00.000+03:002005-06-20T23:08:34.320+03:00

This is one of the most beautiful and unique buildings in Aleppo.It is located in Azizieh district (Aleppo’s downtown), near the real estate bank and the newly opened Bank of Syria and Overseas.Its name, Villa Rose, comes from the unique pink (rose) stones used to construct it.It was built by the French during their mandate, to be used as a hospital. It was then transformed into a private

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1117513557158295532005-05-31T07:25:00.000+03:002005-06-20T23:08:48.313+03:00

YES!Finally,the curse has been broken…Another Aleppine Blogger, majnun halabi, has finally joined our Syrian Blogsphere…I am no longer the only Syrian Blogger from Aleppo, and I couldn't be happier, not only for myself, but for the great city Aleppo who should have more and more Bloggers.Now, the question is: from which Syrian city, other than Damascus and Aleppo, do you expect the next blogger

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1117254464265608772005-05-28T07:27:00.001+03:002005-06-20T23:11:15.806+03:00

The Virgin Mary(The Greek Catholics Cathedral in Aleppo) Aleppine School of Icons- The TheotokosAccording to the Christian’s Calendar, the month of May is devoted to the Virgin Mary (Mariyam).Each year In Aleppo, many Christian girls and women choose to commit themselves (nedzer) to Our Lady Full of Grace.For the entire month of May, they would only wear a traditional modest blue dress, with a

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1117254355573768312005-05-28T07:25:00.000+03:002005-06-20T23:12:09.680+03:00

Al-tawheed Mosque and St. George Basilica in AleppoThis one is for Roba.It is a similar view to the one you have just posted (I have a better one here).I guess we are all very lucky to be born in this part of the world…

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1116528571893566512005-05-19T21:49:00.000+03:002005-06-20T23:14:14.470+03:00

Ibrahim Hanano (seated, middle), leader of the Aleppo Revolt against the French Mandate (1919-1921) pictured in Aleppo with veteran revolutionaries from the Syrian Revolt of 1925-1927. Seated next to Hanano is Sheikh Said Hababa (left). The picture was taken in August 1934, one year before Hanano's death in 1935.

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1116218181091896062005-05-16T07:36:00.000+03:002005-05-16T10:00:27.183+03:00

Old Street in Aleppo Old Street in DamascusThe following is a part of an article that I have found recently on the net, and is related to Abu-Remmaneh's post about the differences between Aleppo and Damascus. I do NOT agree with everything in it, and I Apologize in advance to anyone who might be offended by it.I personally find this rivalry between Damascenes and Aleppines very humorous (just

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com156tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1115093450494567072005-05-03T07:10:00.000+03:002005-05-05T19:37:52.060+03:00

Syrian Actor Ghassan Massoud (Saladin)I don’t know about you guys, but I am really anxious to see this movie....I have been getting a lot of e-mails from friends in the states who are also waiting for the opening on May 6, and they are very excited to see Syria’s own Ghassan Massoud playing Saladin.I have gathered some information about the film from the internet. I also found an interesting

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1114922939331083322005-05-01T07:48:00.000+03:002005-05-01T20:38:31.130+03:00

Dalí’s “Nuclear Cross”, 1952

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1114835317464085932005-04-30T07:28:00.000+03:002005-04-30T08:01:14.313+03:00

Bab Al-Faraj clock (1908) Bab Al-Faraj Clock TodayBab Al-Faraj Clock Tower: - Located in Bab Al-Faraj square near the national library and national museum.- Built during the reign of the ottoman administrator (Wali) Raef Pasha.- Construction started in 1899 (1316 Hijri).- The construction site used to be an old reservoir. It was replaced by a new closed reservoir, before building the clock tower

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1114575798784049612005-04-27T07:23:00.000+03:002005-04-27T07:32:59.563+03:00

Aljalaa Basketball Team 2005Huge Jalaa' Win, and First Ever Season Loss to Leaders Al Ittihad - Apr. 25, 2005Aleppo's Al Jalaa' has succeeded in doing what none of the other Syrian basketball teams could do this year... meaning beating the Ittihad team and Syrian leaders who were 19-0 before this game. The game finished Jalaa's favor 85-83 (Q1: 28-29 Q2: 47-45 Q3: 71-10 Final 85-83).What makes

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1114403183966388272005-04-25T07:26:00.000+03:002005-04-26T07:30:24.600+03:00

The Old Aleppo (1940's)The Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design is awarded by the Harvard Design School every two years to recognize excellence in urban design with an emphasis on projects that contribute to the public realm of a city and improve the quality of its urban life.This year the jury gave the prestigious prize to Aleppo for its rehabilitation and modernization of the ancient city

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1114316785212121042005-04-24T07:26:00.000+03:002005-04-26T07:34:43.980+03:00

April 24th is the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.In Aleppo, Christians and Armenians hold church services in memory of the 1.5 million people who perished in the first genocide of the twentieth century (1915-1923).Many stores in Aleppo, especially those located in Armenian quarters such as Sulemanieh and Midan, remain close on this day. Many Non Armenians close their stores as well, in a show

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1114230586644964902005-04-23T07:29:00.000+03:002005-05-20T07:09:42.883+03:00

Sabah Fakhri is the most famous performer of the traditional “qudood” and “muwashahat” music types. He was born in Aleppo to a conservative family. He was enrolled into to the Academy of Arabic Music of Aleppo then to the Academy of Damascus, from which he graduated in 1948. Then in Cairo, Egypt, he studied under the music masters of that time, and since then he started performing concerts in

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1114058604165341672005-04-21T07:43:00.000+03:002005-04-23T07:39:46.370+03:00

This is one of the most beautiful mosques in Aleppo, and my personal favorite.It is located at the beginning of "Al-Hilal Al-Ahmar" (red crescent) street, and the entrance to the “Villate” district.Besides its marvelous architecture, hand crafted white stones (something Aleppo is very well known for) and silver dome, this mosque forms a beautiful triangle with two nearby churches; The Roman

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1113930977391120062005-04-19T20:16:00.000+03:002005-04-23T07:40:41.236+03:00

White smoke and ringing bells signaled the election of a new Pope(Aleppo 7:10 pm) Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, 78, Is Elected 265th Pope, Taking Benedict XVI as Name.

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1113901559346014542005-04-19T12:03:00.000+03:002005-04-26T07:45:03.416+03:00

Just like all 1.2 billion Catholics around the world, Aleppo’s Catholics are also eagerly waiting to see who the next Pope will be.Yesterday I discovered that among the 115 Cardinals currently inside the Sistine chapel electing the Pope, there is one Syrian Cardinal: Ignace Moussa I Daoud, 74, Prefect Emeritus of Oriental Churches. That means that there is a chance (although be it a very slim one

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1113885724794545672005-04-19T07:42:00.000+03:002005-04-23T07:44:43.473+03:00

Aleepo as viewed from the citadel- Aleppo, going back to the early 2nd millennium BC, competes with Damascus on being the oldest inhabited city in the world. It appeared in the Hittite archives in central Anatolia and in the archives of Mari on the Euphrates.- The city of Aleppo is situated in the plain that stretches from the Orontes to the Euphrates in the northwestern extremity of the Syrian

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1113799459269600732005-04-18T07:44:00.000+03:002005-04-23T07:46:40.376+03:00

We call it in Aleppo TERTERA (with a thick T), and I am not sure if it is called the same in other Syrian cities, or if other Arab countries have them…I haven’t seen one in our streets for a while, probably because they were banned (I wonder why?!!).The thing that always bugs me about TERTERA is that the driver always seems to be enjoying himself, as if he is enjoying torturing us with the

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1113755683156148182005-04-17T19:34:00.000+03:002005-04-17T19:41:42.526+03:00

-City in Syria with 1.9 million inhabitants (2003 estimate).-Commercial and cultural centre of northern Syria. -Aleppo is situated on an arid plateau at an elevation of 430 metres above sea level.-Ancient Aleppo was known as Beroea, and it dates back to at least 1000 BCE.-According to an Arab tradition, Abraham lived in it, and distributed some milk to every comer, hence the town's name, Haleb.-

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1113752257911219802005-04-17T18:37:00.000+03:002005-04-17T18:42:38.256+03:00

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12237546.post-1113750009252698362005-04-17T17:59:00.000+03:002005-04-26T07:28:26.836+03:00

Hello! Salut! Hola! Marhaba!

Ramihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969635484544259184noreply@blogger.com3