What he refers to as Syria is the Ottoman province that included the territories of what are now Israel, Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Some of what he said is still true, but the creation of Israel and urbanization have moved a lot of populations about.

Well, the mountains are still there.:) People's attitudes are very different, though. The Bedou have mostly settled, and the coastal areas have a very sophisticated and have a European wannabe culture (not all that different from Beirut in the 70's). Along with that culture of course has brought bland Soviet-style apartment blocks with the only hint of Arabesque being the roofs people in the penthouses use in the summer. There are a few good restaurants built on the cliffsides over the Mediterranean with spectacular views.

As you go eastward, things get older. People still live in 5 hundred year old Ottoman castles jutting off cliffs, and on farms that are hundreds of years old. Some of the old houses were built over mountain springs, which is the household's source of running water (literally). The people in the mountains are a hardy group- they survive in the winter with no heat and eat the best organic food you imagine. Hamah and Homs are major religious centers. Some of the old people there still DRINK GHEE for breakfast!

The really neat stuff is in the desert. Aleppo is a cross between ancient Roman and Arab design. Most of the buildings are made from limestone blocks, and the region has a spicy, spicy, spicy reputation. They put more chili in their food than the Indians do, the women are hot and saucy, and the men have a sense of honor that could rival the Japanese. Right out of a Bollywood film. The ancient Roman ruins of Palmyra (Tadmur) is a major tourist attraction except for the underground state prison for political dissenters which is located near there.

With modernization wiping out traditional culture around the world, the "wild, untamed" desert of Syria is seen like a kind of Garden of Eden. No one of course really wants to go live in a tent in the desert (they'd rather move to Aleppo), but that is the origin of things Syrian and one of the few things that define them as a nation. People aren't embarassed by the past (thanks to Arab nationalism), and the people living near the north coast will argue with you that they created writing first, not the people near Baghdad.

Damascus is the oldest inhabited city in the world. It is set in a valley accessible by only a few roads lined by weathered cedar trees. The area near Damascus University is pretty neat, and also the bazaars, the old quarter, and some of the Eastern Orthodox and Russian enclaves look medieval. The resemblance of the rest to Toronto is uncanny. The smog could rival Los Angeles, and the polution drips off the buildings. There are also a few kids with automatics stationed at all of the major street corners along with statues of Hafez al-Assad (which may have been replaced with statues of Bashar by now). If you ever get a chance to go to Damascus, go up the side of the mountains just before sunset prayers. Even if you aren't Muslim, the view of the sunset over the city and mountains, and the echo of hundreds of simultaneous athans in the valley is an experience you'll never forget.

About the only place in Syria which really has a bad reputation are the mountains in the south where the Druze live. As far as anyone in Syria is concerned, they are Devil Worshippers. It is also too close to Israel for most peoples' comfort. They still expect an invasion at any moment. When I was there people were waiting for a war with Turkey over Syria's harboring of Abdullah Ocalan. Of course, it never happened.