Hama

As mentioned, we are now in Hama, successfully negotiating the city bus and Pullman bus station to get here.

Even managed to walk from the Hama station to the hotel. Maps are good, but when you're pack is on your back you just want to arrive.

As mentioned this is a city of norias and the river is a nice place to walk along looking for the beasts. The first day in we did just that and guess what??? Two people had us in for tea. SUrprise!

The first fellow was a workman, taking advatage of the season to replace some of the older parts in the biggest noria in town. He had taken off all the scoopy fins and was slowly fashioning the new parts out of some large blocks he had on hand. I'm not sure if he had people working with him (he must) but he said it would take about 20-25 days to finish the job...I think.

We tried to turn down his offer of tea...we wonder why we bother sometimes because they don't seem to ever take no as an answer. We were joined at the tea table by a Russian. He was sitting there with his nose in a phrasebook saying he way trying to speak Arabic. I have never thought about it before, but as he sat there, saying nothing and more importantly communiucating nothing I realized that was the worst way to talk to someone. If you're trying to have a conversation. I know I have the benefit of a few weeks and words but I'd rather smile and hand talk it up than do that. Event he workman seemed to think the Russian guy was a bit cuckoo. Who knows what he was looking for but what was he going to do? Ask when the next bus left then smile as he didn't understand the response.

I also want to mention again, when I talk to people and then remember the convo I always remember what was said as a known commodity. The actual conversations are more hand gestures and nods and smiles than anything approaching understood words, but I do feel a level of understanding. Both because I can pick out a few words and because there are certain things that people tend to ask in situations, tea? married? children? want some food? etc.