The Damascus Dream Part 2 - By Tony

1- Well, before I start talking about night life and entertainment facilities in both Damascus and Detroit, I couldn't help my self not commenting on the seatbelt law that they started to apply 3 weeks ago while I was in Syria (well, the law of using seatbelts while driving was issued 4 years ago... but suddenly they started applying it in AUG/2006).
The strangest part is they obligate the driver to put on the seatbelt but not the passenger (the guy sitting next to the driver in the front) and I am 100% sure that we are the only country in the world that enforces the driver only seat belt law.

2- Night life: in Detroit night life is exclusively Friday night and Saturday night. That means if you try to hang out in a bar or any other entertainment place other than those 2 days you will be the only person in town that is trying to have fun at that day.
Well, in Damascus night life is simply 7 days a week. And there is more than that, there is the evening life where people start warming up by having a walk in القصاع/الصالحية/باب توما areas up until 9 pm. After that they rest for some tea or coffee in the new chain called “In House Café” or if you are old school you may go to "La Noisette", and if you are new to town like me you may do that at "Steed cafe" or at "Dominos".
Needless to say that evening life phenomenon in Detroit is only in one place which is at home, because you just want to catch your breath after 10 hours of work and you just don't want to go anywhere.

3- After-hours: it is where people go and have some food after finishing the night life phase. So in Detroit it is usually between 2-3 am because all entertainment centers should be closed by 2 AM.
In Damascus, surprise surprise, there is no after-hours simply because entertainment places don't close before 5:30 AM. And I got to see the sunrise in more than one occasion.
And guess what when I first got to Syria I was worried about not having enough time to spend with my family because I have lots of friends that I have to hang out with.. but don't worry, night life doesn't start in Syria before 1 AM so u will have more than enough time to spend with the family before you start your sahra.

4- Finally on my way back to the airport, there was a huge sign written in Arabic just 1 mile before you hit the airport and it said “البلد بلدك” which mean “this is where you belong”. Aaahhhh, it did make me tearful... well, my heart started beating again... I have to admit that I fell in love... and it is with you... Damascus... I know sooner or later I'll be yours.

Tony

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This finishes the second and final part of Tony’s Damascus Dream.
I think that Tony could have added five or six more parts to the dream. I myself made zillions of comparisons and commenting and criticism when I first came. But the way I see the Damascus Dream is through the wish, and the will (which only a few of us share), to come back to this city with all its goods and bads, knowing at the same time the differences that exist between the two places, and I don’t mean Detroit per se (I myself would never choose to live in Detroit for example).

So from now on, Tony will only post in the comment section, unless he comes up with a third part that he wants to share through here.