We arrived at Hatay at 08:00. Immediately we hopped onto another bus for Aleppo in Syria. Going through the customs and passport control was easier than I thought. Once across the border to Syria, I finally felt that I had arrived in the Middle East. Aleppo is actually quite close to the Turkish border. It was dusty, crowded, monotonous, and unique. Once we stepped out of the bus, we were immediately approached by a tourist agent, who forced us into his office. He asked where we were going to stay the night, and once he knew that we were heading to Spring Flower Hostel, he enthusiastically picked up the phone and called the hostel. At least we managed to convince him that we rather go to the hostel by foot.
We were disappointed at Spring Flower. The hostel was simply didn't live up to expectations after one has seen its photos on their website. A few minutes of rest was enough to revive our energy. We walked to the Old City towards the famous Grand Mosque of Aleppo. Before visiting the mosque, we picked up some kebabs on the way.
At the gate of the Mosque, we took off our shoes and entered the marble entrance courtyard, where pilgrims and tourist agents mingled together. Inside the mosque, we found the coffin that preserves the remains of the father of St. John the Baptist. We stayed for a while and left for the citadel to the east.
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