Any given weekend in Damascus

You might wonder what it is like to go out in Damascus. Well it is pretty similar to any Western country, or maybe more like a Mediterranean one, like Spain or Italy. People love to get together with their friends and families and there is always time for both.

The evening can start quietly with dinner and a narguile (shisha) and then comes the usual, bars and clubs. There are hundreds to choose from. I like rooftops because the views of the city at night are beautiful and because it is nice to enjoy the breeze, when there is one.

Cafés that have narguiles usually do not serve alcohol, however bars and clubs would be empty if they didn’t serve it! But watch out, going out is not cheap in Syria. Actually life in general isn’t cheap. You might be able to find cheap food but probably as an expat you don’t want to eat in those places. As for bars and drinks, it is common to pay a cover which includes an alcoholic drink (or two soft drinks), usually you’ll pay around 15$. I was out last weekend and we had a table reserved, we had to pay 40$ each, which included three drinks, not so bad I guess, but let me tell you, they pour very little alcohol in your glass!!

Don’t expect too many people out before midnight, again this is a Mediterranean culture and it seems like it is always too early to go out, and way earlier to go back home ;) I am not sure what time places are supposed to shut down because I have never stayed until the end, I am out of practice!

Women, I have said it before, always dress up really nice, they obviously take their time getting ready, fixing their hair and make up; but men are not less and they are always well dressed, again in a Western way: short dresses usually for women, jeans and shirts for men. Women are beautiful and very sexy, especially when they dance.

It is quite common to see old expats just staring at Syrians dancing, and Syrians seems to love being watched, after all that must be one of the reasons they take their time to look so good.

People here love dancing, and they do it like pros. It must be in their blood, like Latinos. They have a fabulous sense of rhythm and no self consciousness, and they are able to move their hips in a way that reminds me of Shakira, who has Lebanese roots. Hands, arms and head movements are also part of the dancing exercise. As for the music, there is always a mix between Arabic tunes, disco music that would sound anywhere else in the world, and a lot of salsa. They love salsa and they always assume I can dance it well, I am not sure why. But trust me, I can’t! And when I see them I certainly don’t even dare trying!

The city is extremely safe and you can walk around any time of day or night, even if you are alone. Taxis will try to make you pay extra if you are an expat, but if you insist they will use the meter and then you should just tip them. Anyways a taxi can take you to the other side of town for just 4 dollars.

So if you ever decide to visit Syria make sure you keep some energy for the evening and night, you will need it! But no worries, they spend the mornings of the weekend sleeping, which I admit didn’t take me long to adapt to!