So once I right the ship and retrace my steps back to square one, I find that my legs are getting tired. I stop for a coffee in the local hubble bubble and scarf a shawarma along the way. Satiated, I set a course in the correct direction.
I turn a corner and get my first gasping glimpse of The Citadel.
A citadel is a fortress that protects a city, and my initial reaction was a militaristic one, as I imagine all the poor saps who were ordered to attack this fortress. Clearly, they never had a chance.
The place sits atop a steep hill, and there is but one entrance. One of the defensive measures built into the citadel are holes in the structure so that boiling oil could be poured down on intruders.
However, this place was much more than a military base. It was a little society unto itself. There is a big theater, a little jail, a small mosque and living quarters. Crap, there is even a huge moat! A moat!
And in its modern incarnation, it seems to be a great public space for the Syrian people, a refuge from the watchful eye of the police state, a place where the people of Aleppo can enjoy a private moment.
Apparently, it is also a destination for school field trips. At one point, 50 or 60 kids erupt into song while touring the theater. I have no idea what they were singing, but it was pretty damn charming.
Obviously, safety isn't a big issue here, as I see many young people standing on ledges that would put my heart in my throat. Its hard to blame them though, as the view of Aleppo from here is magnificent.
Next stop is the market.
http://www.goyestoeverything.com
