tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142403002011-11-06T17:36:46.311+02:00Thoughts, hopes & dreams for my beloved Syria...Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-62106286024908996502008-05-21T22:16:00.007+03:002008-05-22T06:30:30.313+03:00

I would like to take the opportunity in this joyful day and congratulate our neighbours, the Lebanese, for making such a historic, humanly-impossible-to-achieve deal.To those who happen to read this blog but have no clue what happens in Lebanon and what deal that is, here is a summary of Lebanon's history.Lebanon for dummies: Few years ago, Lebanon was existed Few years after, Lebanese started

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-52561686840562036992008-05-09T23:31:00.009+03:002008-05-10T00:17:04.026+03:00

Let’s try to be civilized for once and share the joy of such a memorable anniversary with our neighbor, Israel. Let’s show that we are stretching our hands for peace with the only democracy in the Middle East and prove to the Western Media that unlike they have been reporting, Israel is not surrounded by “often” hostile neighbors. I here call all my country-men and women to join me here in this

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-82869766040772418172008-04-25T05:26:00.007+03:002008-04-25T05:56:52.276+03:00

The CIA released today the assumptional-analytical footage of the alleged destroyed Syrian Nuclear Reactor. It is available here.Within the 11 minutes footage, one can count words like “likely and probably” at least once in every narrated paragraph. The whole thing was utter speculations and even more fixation to make it look as they wanted to be. While I cannot refute the fishy smell

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-89169505100910358242008-03-09T07:41:00.006+02:002008-03-09T07:58:33.391+02:00

Q:What do you call the killing of 8 Israeli civilians at a radical religious school?A: a massacre.Q: What do you call the killing of 120 Palestinians of which more than 66 were civilians, most of them children, at their homes?A: a right to defend Israel's existence .

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-82623408464086321472008-03-02T06:33:00.005+02:002008-03-02T06:49:11.894+02:00

*They say what starts on blood, can only feed on blood. The Israelis have beaten the cannibals, while the later take a life to feed on, the formers take lives and keep on taking lives for the sick nature of their being.60 Palestinian have been killed within 24 hours. Everybody is silent. The so-much-civilized world all of a sudden falls asleep amid all the killings of innocents in Gaza. Why

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-90851393124033363952008-01-13T00:47:00.000+02:002008-01-31T16:33:00.333+02:00

Years ago, we used to point fingers at the Arabs in the oil-rich countries and accuse them of all sort of abuses, we used to hear and tell stories of the Asian house-maid that are not being treated as humans but as objects owned by their employers. We used to hear stories of human trafficking in Dubai where girls from Asia and East Europe are being fooled to go there and once they arrive, their

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-50102511987591654932007-02-28T07:40:00.000+02:002007-02-28T07:45:28.725+02:00

Many of the Syrian bloggers have been showing support to the Egyptian blooger (Kareem) who got sentenced for "blogging" and saying what the Egyptian Authorities deemed inappropriate….I started wondering if the Syrian bloggers have a safer haven! Syria is one of very few countries in the world that denies the access to blogspot in an attempt to prevent Syrians to read what bloggers may have to say

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-18702884010199150702007-01-02T05:21:00.001+02:002008-04-03T19:46:38.797+02:00

The name could be offensive, if we read it and stop without furthering our reading through the paper. The name of the newly launched newspaper, Arab Jarab, is far beyond controversial.Then, why this name?First of all, the name is a sign of refusal to many of the social or socio-political aspects in the Arab world. Since all the people who are working on this newspaper project are Arabs, then, we

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1165612902819735932006-12-08T23:19:00.000+02:002006-12-08T23:21:42.866+02:00

I have had access to the internet for 10 years now and ever since, I started doing more than surfing, as I had my first website online before we had internet in Syria, although I was living in Syria at that time. I used to access the internet via dial-up accounts Jordan and Lebanon and had a fight every once and a while with my parents about the phone bill. I had made several types of websites,

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1163652188334933332006-11-16T06:38:00.000+02:002006-11-16T06:43:08.350+02:00

Meet Abeer, an Iraqi girl who was only 14 year-old when she was raped by four American soldiers before she was shot to death with her family in Iraq during the American attempt to save Iraqis from the injustice of Saddam Hussein. I think they did very good job as Abeer and her family won't feel anything...anymore!

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1162180209644284462006-10-30T05:27:00.000+02:002006-10-30T06:25:02.186+02:00

I have never been a fan of the Syrian regime in my whole live, I grew up to lose my faith and trust in it. There is no need to list my reasons as they are the same as anyone's who loves his/her homeland, Syria.When the Americans started their invasion, or claimed liberation, of Iraq, I was one of those who were happy for the Iraqis because they were about to get rid of the tyranny of Saddam

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1155583899909573112006-08-14T22:25:00.000+03:002006-08-14T22:37:11.260+03:00

The war has somehow stopped. Lebanon was heavily destroyed (Only some parts of the country where the Shiiate live but nowhere near the capital and the areas controlled by some personnel of the Lebanese government who are considered "friends" of the USA).Israeli officials are claiming to have won by the issuance of the UN resolution 1701. In response to that claim, yes they won, but who wouldn't

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1154219956795662852006-07-30T03:22:00.000+03:002006-07-30T05:58:15.890+03:00

The war is about to end or will end soon after the extensive diplomatic efforts by many countries followed by a sudden rush by the USA to stop the war. The USA, who has fully supported the Israeli's aggression against Lebanon, is now forced to work on stopping the aggression after the obvious loss and embarrassment of Israel's mighty army.Of course, the picture will be enhanced in order to

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1153318429006168392006-07-19T17:01:00.000+03:002006-07-30T04:43:29.066+03:00

People around the world wonder why Arabs hate Israel. Their questions are based on the propaganda that Israel is a democratic entity in the Middle East that is facing evil powers around it whose only aim is to eliminate this peace-loving democratic state.If people use reliable sources to get their information about the Middle East, they will understand and maybe hate Israel themselves.Israel is a

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1153216645210750092006-07-18T12:52:00.000+03:002006-07-18T13:56:27.836+03:00

I was watching the coverage of the current blood bath in the Middle East on CBS news!Their first reporter in Haifa shed some light on the agony of the Israelis in that city and mentioned that their life will never be the same after those days! Then the reporter interviewed a high ranking military officer who said they are sending warnings to the Lebanese civilians and doing their best to

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1153049146580781732006-07-16T14:21:00.000+03:002006-07-17T11:14:05.890+03:00

Lebanon has been sentenced to death. On Wednesday 12 July, she was put in prison, and now she's being tortured.Israel's war is with Lebanon's civilians, not Hizbollah. Nearly every person killed has been a civilian. Power stations, bridges and petrol stations have been targeted. Israel has warned residents to get out of certain villages, but bombed roads to make it difficult - and refugee convoys

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1145297005243084662006-04-17T20:53:00.000+03:002006-04-18T18:34:08.580+03:00

60 years, Syria has been in independence of any foreign control over the country and independence of any existence of non-national sovereignty.60 years, Syrian people have been having independence in which, they didn’t feel independent. An independence in which they have to comply to Arabic speaking authorities with Syrian identity that is not much different than any other non-Arabic speaking

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1141158614681408442006-02-28T22:17:00.000+02:002006-02-28T22:30:14.706+02:00

Is it the people of Damascus, with their fading smile that fights with the daily difficulties of life in Syria?Is it the old section of Damascus, with its warm alleys and the smell of the hundreds of years that live among its walls?Is it the modern part of Damascus, with its random allocations, and the smell of the pollution in the sky?Is it the human noise in Damascus, with its mixture of all

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1139098120527671802006-02-05T01:55:00.000+02:002006-02-05T02:26:05.333+02:00

I woke up this morning on the news of “Angry Syrians set two European Embassies on fire”.I felt furious for this kind of response. This is not us, or at least, not what I thought we were not!I welcomed, both, the commercial and diplomatic actions in response to the cartoons that mocked the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and for once, I felt that we are reacting in a civilized manner! Not any more!

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1136861634721841932006-01-10T04:41:00.000+02:002006-01-10T06:00:49.933+02:00

Once again, in the middle of all the darkness that our country is going through, a new occasion for the Syrians to celebrate and act as if nothing wrong surrounding their future and the future of their country. They are trying to add their own colors to these colorless days.It's the first Eid for me away from home and my beloved ones. I have lost track of days and occasions that used to mean a

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1134749662453226972005-12-16T18:03:00.000+02:002005-12-16T20:39:48.843+02:00

It’s clear to all those who follows the news, that the pressure on Syria in regard to Harirri’s assassination has been defused and reached the lowest level ever since it has started. While this is not good news for many people in Lebanon and other countries, but surely is great news for all the Syrians.Having the Syrian people standing by their government throughout this

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1133624652842572392005-12-03T17:38:00.000+02:002005-12-06T19:03:43.510+02:00

No fancy buildings, no fancy lightings, no fancy streets, just some random buildings and few cars, a bit of street lights here and there of which some may be broken.Yet, this is my favorite city in the world, Damascus. I cannot have enough of this view, the view from my building. Soon enough, my eyes will be missing it, not my heart however.Damascus has this magic, that whenever you feel down and

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1132001964472861032005-11-14T22:27:00.000+02:002005-11-25T06:10:11.006+02:00

The country is deemed to suffer in exchange of the survival of 6 people! The freedom of 18.000.000 Syrians is compromised for the freedom of 6 people!Even though we are sure that the plot is not about the 6 people, but the fact that our government is willing to put everything at the stake right from the beginning just for the sake of 6 people is a frightening thought!Can it get any darker? Sure

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1129906721151455092005-10-21T16:49:00.000+02:002005-10-21T17:04:33.960+02:00

In the light of the investigation report that was released last night, which was clearly made to match a pre-set scenario in which, Syria, the only remaining evil, is deeply involved in the assasination of the Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Al-Hariri, at the government level.Even though the report lacks evidences and is based on stories of anonymous people or people who are known to have a thing

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1127719856853705612005-09-27T17:00:00.000+03:002005-09-27T12:31:32.953+03:00

....What is in common between fortune and misfortune? ...Hope? Can’t be, some hope for fancy toys, and some hope for a decent bite of food. ..Dreams? Can’t be, some dream of weekend picnics and some dream of a warm shelter. .Fear? Can’t be, some fear a lousy birthday party and some fear a cold winter. .Then what is it?It’s the laughter on their faces, the laughter that overcomes all of their

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1126995639816611362005-09-19T19:11:00.000+03:002005-09-19T19:31:34.940+03:00

I don’t usually write about regular hiking events since Amr of Roaming Syria is taking care of that. But this time, it is a really special hike. Special because Ghalia of Cocktail took part in it. You may wonder why it is special! Well, if you knew her, you would know that her participation in such an event is a BIG thing ;) Especially that this hike is considered one of the toughest hikes in the

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1126521979181444612005-09-12T20:30:00.000+03:002005-09-12T19:56:17.326+03:00

My first time to visit Aleppo, Syria's second biggest city. I had been to most of the Syrian cities and sites but Aleppo! I was pretty excited.I went around the city by car, felt almost the same as if I was in Damascus, crowded, busy and they all voted "YES" for the president!! I noticed that they have lots of women in the complete veil that covers the entire face more than what we have in

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1125097688790817622005-08-27T01:28:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:07:41.310+03:00

Flyers, billboards, Radio commercials had been promoting for a marathon in support of the Syrian detainees in the Golan.The day has come, I with lots of people joined it knowing that the only effect it will have is the partial self-satisfaction that we have contributed in more than the famous Arabs “bla bla bla”! Lots of people did show up, not as many as usually gather in similar events such as

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1124575702510467692005-08-21T00:43:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:08:36.903+03:00

I joined a group of friends to a trip to the last Syrian still-owned land before the Golan Heights on the bottom of the Syrian side of mount Al-Shaikh.A drive of roughly 2 hours separated us from the location of the town called “Bait Jin”.Not long ago, people needed to get a security permission in order to get there, but not anymore!The views are awesome at that area; the breeze is reviving, and

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1123453280522166192005-08-08T01:12:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:14:07.973+03:00

The Shiites’ holiest place in Syria is Al-Sayeedeh (The lady) Zainab’s Shrine, 30 minutes drive outside the city of Damascus.This place is visited every year by tens (or more) of thousands of Iranians, Kuwaitis, Qataris, Bahrinis, Lebanese, Saudis and many other nationalities as part of their holy pilgrimage.I haven’t been to this area for more than 15 years, when we used to go to shop from a

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1123358157506783102005-08-07T13:15:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:19:11.250+03:00

The first half: Adaptation & Co-existenceLife is a combination of opposites. The abilities of adaptation and co-existenceare God’s best gifts to all of his creation. They make everybody live with everybody and make them able to understand and cooperate in case of differences to come up with a middle solution.The second half: SubmissionDo they like it, being together? If the stones of the

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1122820754231410492005-07-31T17:21:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:19:24.966+03:00

I know that beoble in Syria have a little of English education in combarison to neighpouring countries! But, if we are not good at a language, why do we tend to use it as a luxury? When will we learn to pe broud of our language, and only use other languages for brofessional and educational burboses!? It's a common broblem.For example, They keeb proadcasting English commercials on Syrian Radio

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1122730851353759922005-07-30T16:33:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:20:56.086+03:00

I just had my new Blog published, it's been online for a couple of days but I just added my own themes and made it accessible!I created it cuz I don't want to use this Blog for my personal thoughts, I wanna keep it for Syrian issues only! While the new one which is named"My Thoughts & Notes"...will be as a personal diary! Let's see how things go!

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1122136939981436032005-07-23T19:08:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:25:17.003+03:00

Along sides, civilizations flourished and collapsed. People cheered victories and others mourned losses. They are all gone while it still to exist. It witnessed their births and deaths and now it lives to tell us their stories. I, one day, listened; it whispered, it told me a story about Palmyrians and their Queen Zenobia, a story that was new to me. I knew they dared the Romans, but not to the

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1121615058138808702005-07-17T18:35:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:24:41.570+03:00

I will stop loving you if you do not stop smoking! No, I already hate you…. I hate your smell and I hate your foggy look, what happened to you? Why the negligence? Look at the huge cloud of smoke over you!After all what we had? You have become careless. I loved your smell before, I loved the green bracelet you had around you and I adored the line of tears that used to go through you, where have

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1121527544873817392005-07-16T18:11:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:25:05.663+03:00

Water & fire, the earth’s two almightiest contradictive entities! Merge together everyday, one goes inside the other, one hides the other, one swallows the other, and one lightens the other giving it colors. One can evaporate the other, but it simply does not. One can put the other off, but, again, it does not! They co-exist in complete harmony.Why don’t we learn the lesson of co-existence

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1121169339092099762005-07-13T02:05:00.000+03:002005-07-13T02:37:11.963+03:00

The truth unveiled...... The capture of Saone Castle, one of the most impregnable Crusader Fortress, was one of the milestones that highlighted the life of Saladin. This difficult capture was a mystery to many people! Why would he take such a risk? One could say: because of its strategic location that was first used by the Phoenicians a thousand years before! It's true, but it's not only "it"....

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1121117100808933232005-07-12T00:00:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:24:55.100+03:00

It’s born in Al-Zabadani valley, few tens of meters from the spot where this photo was taken. On the way to Damascus, it mixes with Al-Fijeh river (The main source of drinking water in Damascus). This river has not reached its end, Outaiba lake (Eastern countryside of Damascus), for tens of years now, it always runs dry before it gets there.Local peasants of Al-Assmieh and Outaiba area have

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1120932207492315752005-07-09T20:27:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:40:20.306+03:00

Just like any young man, I always tried to search for activities that would make me have real fun. So I hit the road of adventures and start looking for myself….I always heard of camping, always seen it on TV, read about it, but never really done it. It seemed a good start. I started sniffing around to know what it takes to do some camping……I was given a whole list of equipments, tents, sleeping

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1120860878585654542005-07-09T00:52:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:39:03.816+03:00

I have been to the Umayyad mosque in Damascus hundreds of times. I got to see it from all sides and angles. It’s something unique, it gives you a special feeling of coziness. The scene of the pigeons flying here and there adds even a greater aroma of sacredness accumulated over hundreds of years of being one of the most important attractions in Damascus.Recently, we have been able to see this

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1120762231559096572005-07-07T20:48:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:38:52.806+03:00

I'm home tonight, don't feel like going out....so I will be a bit active in here..... This is Kassr Al-Hirr Al-Sharki (The Eastern Heer Palace).... It's located around 100 Kilometer north-east of Palmyra...... in the middle of nowhere, we drove for like a couple of hours in the desert...nothing but a road and a desert ...and when I say nothing.... it's NOTHING! Eventually, we arrived at the

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1120751534475063432005-07-07T18:46:00.000+03:002005-07-09T03:37:28.436+03:00

My lovely Damascus as seen through my eyes from the top of Kassion........Whenever I feel down and stressed, whenever I realize how tough it is to be a dreamer in Damascus.....I, simply, go to Kassion and see the very same view, then, everything changes, life becomes much prettier and easier, dreams seem to becoming true, love seems real, deception seems to vanish! .......... Until I go down back

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14240300.post-1120652413372137022005-07-06T14:22:00.000+03:002005-09-13T11:40:42.783+03:00

I've come across many blogs already, I think it's cool..... if we keep them updated. I had in mind to create an e-diary for myself, so I guess this should do it.... It's also a great chance to share some photos that I took, some stuff that I have lived and experienced and stuff that are yet to come...Ihsan

Ihsanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04654122542878557184noreply@blogger.com2