RpB in Near East 2005 - Syria - St. Simeon Basilica
St. Simeon was the first christian eremite, and became the most known person in the medieval world in the fourth century AD. He was an misantroph, and because everyone visited him, he climbed onto a 15 meter high pillar. People started picking pieces out of the pillar as souvenirs, which consequently got fenced. When he died, a Basilica was built around the pillar. This is probably the first account on mass tourism.
The basilica:
These are Mike and Anne, two very friendly Germans with whom I visited the Basilica. They were on a pilgrim from Jena to Jerusalem... by bike! Having come so far, they luckily arrived in Jerusalem at the end of the year. By the way, if you ever come to this place, please visit the pharmacy in the town where the bus ends... the pharmacy is kept by a Syrian married with a Cuban woman, she will be glad to meet foreign people, especially if they speak spanish!
St. Simeon had a nice view from his platform...
The cuban had given me some drugs against my cold, they really helped, although I felt a bit dizzy...
Goats and Sheep at sundown...
A tourist bus with a swiss company drove us back to Aleppo...
Physics / Robert Buras / 10.05.30