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Have you ever heard a reverse-gear light on a van playing Lambada? You haven't? Then you should go for the experience to Aleppo! Has ever approached your car a lady with her daughters just to marry you with the fourteen and twenty-year old daughters? Not yet? Bearing in mind that at least the twenty-year old one, in spite of being wrapped up to the neck, was extremely attractive, I suggest you to visit Aleppo!

Have you seen Turkish president to ten metres? Well, you missed the opportunity.

Have you ever walked down the souq, stopped at the sweets seller, been approached by a young man who told you you had a LonelyPlanet in your pocket (ok, not so hard to guess), found out that you travel in a Peugeot (he couldn't have seen it as I parked at the completely another side of the city-centre) and told you that Anuška and Mateja, two Slovenian girls, are also in town, studying Arabic at the university? Well, all this happened to me here.

I'll dedicate too little time to the city this time; Haleb deserves at least a couple of days. This three-million city, second largest in the country, was since ever the meeting point of eastern caravans who passed their goods to western merchants to finally reach Europe. The meeting point of several cultures left many traces here; from the mighty citadel in the heart of the old city, over the vivid souq, to the Omayyad mosque, Christian churches, Seljuk khans and modern hotels.

I also started to use vulgar language on the road, but it's triggered by shocks I'm receiving in the north of the country. It comes directly out of the heart and in a spontaneous way, always when I am surprised by safely saving Partner's body again. Horns and lights are used here without any reason; probably not even they always know exactly why they are using them. But when a situation becomes really dangerous, when all the objects are flying towards the windshield, nobody takes it seriously. What's behind you is not of your business, you are driving ahead. When you adopt this philosophy you also become one of the unscrupulous drivers and as you change the lanes regardless of honking from behind you just hope it won't crash. I see that I need some serious rest after more than a month of driving (more than 8.000 kilometres) and thorough sightseeing. Some rest without traffic jams, without exploring of ruins, no photographing (after 1.700 photos I finally deserve it, don't I?) and without desperate searching of cybercafes and tiresome adjusting of my Gericom to each network's specific connections.

I'll finally spend this week-end with no engine and computer starting, without using the camera (afraid it won't go) and without looking for internet access on the shores of the Dead Sea where I've been told is nice, sunny and warm, only local flies are spoiling the holiday idyll.


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