🇸🇾 Is SYRIA safe to travel? Damascus First Impressions | mE 25

First day of my tour in Syria.
I quickly go around the old city of Damascus with my guide Rula. We walk through the souq, and we visit a khan (a caravanserai, a hotel of the silk road), and we also visit the palace of azem and the umayyad mosque. I attempt filming alone at night, but I fail completely.
Umayyad mosque
/ ayoub_from_syria
www.marrota.com/
My book (in English and in French): www.amazon.com/~/e/B096QVMXWZ also www.amazon.fr/~/e/B096QVMXWZ
Follow my journey:
Instagram: / kinoyves
Facebook: / kinoyves
#syria #damascus #umayyad

[@isabeladinizmakluf1472]

Hi, Yves! I’m from Brazil, but my grandfather was an immigrant from Syria. Despite the fact that we keep our arabic culture in the family, I have always had kind of a prejudice with the county, mostly because of the war. You are responsible for presenting me with a lot of wisdom of my own ancestry, and I am very thankful for that. I now hope that one that I will get to know the homeland of my family❤️

[@AlexP-jz9sg]

Learn about the US (and their allies) proxy war against Syria. Amazingly they survived. Assad protected minorities and Christians and kept the country together. Be proud and don’t be deceived by the propaganda.

[@tillykelp9744]

You have surprised us once again Yves with another beautiful destination. This is not the image I had of Damascus. Wonderful city.

[@KinoYves]

Yeah, Damascus is such a wonderful city!

[@ahmadhwasly3308]

why won't you come and visit us here in syria

[@seifd.nashed4964]

Unfortunately, Syria is one of the most underrated countries in the world! Thank you very much, Yves, for showing the world the real image of Syria. ❤

[@AlexP-jz9sg]

Is it just me or do I notice the Syrian people are a most sweet and blessed people?

[@malinaahmad2896]

❤❤❤

[@dmesm]

Thank you for visiting my country Syria! Hope you had a good time!

[@KinoYves]

I had a great time in Syria :-)

[@dmesm]

@@KinoYves awesome! Hope you come back one day.

[@matteosuperjeux4362]

habibi come to lebanon 🇱🇧🇱🇧

[@fredbeforethemast]

Very fascinating and beautiful city with an incredible history

[@KinoYves]

Indeed !

[@yousefal-kilani5108]

At 7:49 you say that they copy the andalusian muslims in the style of architecture, but you are actually in the same place of its origin, because the leader who established the caliphate of alAndaluss Abdulrahman I was from Damascuss originally, he was from the Umayyad dynasty . The impact and the Arabic influence on the Iberian peninsula and what is now called Andalucia was mainly from todays Syria and the Levante region. Thank you for the video

[@djyanni9053]

I was there last February and I stayed for 10 days , it was just amazing , loved the places and to be honest I did not felt unsafe at all , I travel around the city and talk to people, tried the street food and went to historic places and every one was just so nice to me . Really want to visit again.

[@mellia.6946]

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to see all these places😃 It is so stunning what you do! You are very open minded without prejudices. Can't wait to see more and a lot of greetings from Berlin/ Germany.

[@Abu_Fida]

سوريا الجميلة.🇸🇾🥺

[@ZXOZZO]

@Ameryou don't deserve to say you're a syrian you ruined this counrty and decided to go against us you rebels are such a bad influence

[@georgep1358]

love this video ,it reminds me of Damascus ,I remember walking in the same streets

[@ferasdamascus6677]

I'm Syrian and from Damascus. I'm so proud that you came to my country and made this video. Thank you so much everyone is welcome to Damascus 😸😃

[@AlaaH]

ليش كتير فخور شو يعني اجا المسيح؟؟ شوي تاني منرضعلو لانو انقذنا من الظلام

[@Keepitsimpler9774]

One of the best videos on my beloved country.thank you for putting an effort to search and put this valuable information.

[@mauricetamata4265]

Hey kino these kids are adorable, friendly and beautiful, hope one day I'll visit syria beautiful country, thanks for the video cheers and hulaluia...

[@imadsabbak4460]

This is a great video. We enjoyed it tremendously. loved the hotel. Thank you.

[@tchelcaron4590]

Your channel is pretty good man.....I loved the way you show the places....well detailed. Congrats from brazil

[@JustaSimpleComplexSyrian]

Wow not so much views but a video translated to most languages , Your passion is great brother

[@pepsihamburger640]

Marhaba Ivan, at last the video's from Syria. I'm been waiting since a month....Your's Rula .

[@KinoYves]

Marhaba Rula! Yeah, the Syrian videos are finally coming 😁

[@solaochbada]

recently found your channel, and im loving it, you find and give a fair and detailed picture of the daily life in places, making me intruiged to travel myself, thank you! :)

[@021mr5]

Thank you for sharing your travels. This is like theraphy for me (maybe also for others) who is currently trapped by my economic situation. One day I hope, I can visit these countries in your videos and make some friends along the way. ❤️❤️ from 🇵🇭

[@juergenruss1366]

Nice video. Will travel with Ayyoub very soon myself

[@KinoYves]

Enjoy!

[@medicinesexpert7662]

It is not copying Andalusian style, this is where that style originated.

[@marlagarnica5403]

Holaaa te escribo desde la México City, siempre me a llamado la atención estás ciudades que presentas Siria, Damasco, aleph, mosul, etc, llegué de milagro a tú canal y gracias por prestarnos estás ciudades me parece Maravilloso y sorprendente cómo es la gente tan amable y gentil.... Son sorprendentes!!!!

[@ameerasham3910]

beautiful Damascus

[@hawwashtafsh]

The last 5 minutes is the most important part of the video, briefing the situation in Damascus and Syria in general

[@gaspard5046]

Thanks for the vidéo

[@sashathemaster]

Bonjour Yves, Merci d'être venue, on a plus l'habitude de recevoir des touristes depuis le début de la guèrre. Ça fait vâchement plaisir du coup. Et ça aide beaucoup à reprendre la vie normal, car ça incite les autres aussi à venir et à montrer que ce n'est plus vraiment dangereux.

[@RememberTheLord]

Is it safe for Americans to come

[@emperoroak7331]

Wow Syria is so beautiful

[@Oaaaa972]

- الحمدلله ٣ . - سبحان الله ٣ . - أستغفر الله ٣ . - الله أكبر ٣ . - لا إله إلا الله ٣. اجر لي ولك🕊️.

[@sigmarssohn81]

i can feel this channel is gonna blow up^^

[@lionheart3378]

Welcome to our humble beautiful country brother, Peace

[@chaldeenchretien9366]

Syria is beautiful country ❤

[@suhakhaled1984]

Can’t stop crying the whole video… Damascus is the breath I take and seeing it without being able to be there is so hurtful… anyway thanks for visiting my beloved Syria, hope that things get better by time so you would be able to see it at its best

[@Allexander9880]

Syria is amazing full of history and rich cultural ancient heritage! It's a shame what happened there!

[@YehovaFirst]

When Syria became a muslim country it became a trash country.

[@roadchapman5870]

Superbe reportage Yves !!

[@camoo6516]

Congratulation 10k🎊💫

[@KinoYves]

Thank you!

[@mushiralajjouri8650]

thanks for this Video

[@KinoYves]

You are welcome

[@redaalali2940]

Welcome to syria ❤️🇸🇾

[@vitosyyrialainen2584]

kiitos paljon, syyrialaiset rakastavat vieraita.. 🇫🇮 🇸🇾

[@Albert-Arthur-Wison225]

Even here in Japan 🇯🇵 that beautiful Aleppo soap is sold, albeit at too high a price for me to buy it very often😢. It frequently came with a ‘ Made in Türkiye 🇹🇷 ‘ sticker while the war at its height. I hope that it’s all returned to its original place of origin! 🇸🇾

[@mohamaddaaboul5811]

Thank you so much

[@xyz3188]

6:10 i cant breath 😂 what you want from the name - g o d - you made my day when you say the name 😂

[@milantrudi1]

Hi Yves we would like to know how you got from Lebanon to Syria. Love watching your videos

[@KinoYves]

Hi, I just contacted Ayoub from Marrota agency, and he arranged everything. His instagram and the website of the agency are in the description of the video.

[@milantrudi1]

@@KinoYves we were just wondering how you traveled from Lebanon and what happened to your bike. Thank you for responding. We are looking forward to your videos and admire your courage.

[@KinoYves]

Oh, sorry, I didn't get it. I traveled by car from Beirut to the border, the Lebanese driver dealt with the border crossing for me (on both sides), and once in Syria, I changed car, and this new car drove me from the border to my hotel in Damascus. Regarding my bike, I left it in my accommodation in Beirut, and as of now, the bike seems to be working fine, I have already done about 1000 km since the sabotage, and my rack is still standing, so, so far, it's all good with my bike.

[@frankiestevens2206]

I swear to GOD it looks like the most beautiful country on earth I have to admit it unbelievable just WOW.!!!!!

[@negrita1367]

Un país muy hermoso algún día conoceré

[@Abowatan515]

سوريا الحبيبه ❤️❤️

[@Mohammed-sn1qr]

Welcome to Syria 🖤 🇸🇾 😍

[@sadeghbidar6266]

This country hase rich culture,i hop every thing is going to be fine. ❤️

[@hikingzone]

Awesome 👍

[@Uwsucks]

I hope you enjoyed your trip! What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?

[@krikortersak]

Juste une petite précision. Damas est devenue le centre du monde Islamique sous les Ommayades et c'est leur dernière generation qui a envahi l'Andalousie juste avant que Baghdad des Abbasside prenne la relève et leadership. Donc l'architecture de Damas est l'architecture des Ommayades et non la copie de l' Andalousie, comme tu l'as laissé entendre. L' Andalousie a demeuré sous les Ommayades bien après la chure de Damas. Donc les Ommayades ont survécu en Andalousie comme force.

[@suhakhaled1984]

That’s exactly what I wanted to say… thank you!

[@eunicef1]

Thanks. Not what I expected. I guess it is safe. Some prices of shawarma and hotel would have been nice.

[@naderalkodri7130]

فيديو رائع اهلا بكم في دمشق

[@KinoYves]

Thank you!

[@dhay6173]

سوق الحميدية 💘😍 I was here when I was six years old🥺💘

[@marioflores7778]

amazing

[@bushramansoor4243]

Am watching your videos and I like it Umaya misque was John baptise Church before and when Muslims took over

[@BM-wo6wf]

What was the name of the hotel? looked so cool!

[@alicassidy8913]

Thank you so much for posting your trip. Being an American, I have never been to the middle east and I'm happy to be able to see its' architecture and people. The children are the sweetest and kindest.... Many thanks

[@Lynx-lf6cm]

hermoso la ciudad de Damasco

[@lifeisdesignedtobreakyourh293]

One thing i want to say to you. You should go to iran. But know one thing before u go. Everywhere u go no one takes money from u when u buy things. But its not because they love u. Its just the coulture to be nice to others they neet the first time. But i know u will looppve iran. Its safe also. And rhey will love u because they are inlove with french allready. Pleace make time to go there. Speacially northeren iran. I cant wait to see u there in ur videos. Love from kurdistan.

[@m.n9705]

اهلا بك في بلدي سورية

[@alainlecuirot8124]

Ta guide est sympa, je tire mon chapeau à ce peuple qui résiste en particulier aux femmes.

[@mohamadnaseebaldabbas9473]

13:13 actually this was a description of gardens that surrounded Damascus 5:51 this young poor girl should be a student in a university and she's selling socks to finance her study , I'm unbelievably so sorry for her That seen took my heart out 12:03 the Jupiter temple collapsed during an earthquake that changed the face of all Damascus And the temple stones were not used in building the mosque but they were brought from Qasioun mountain in Damascus You have so bad guide that wasn't doing her job right and gave you false information 7:12 actually Muslims in Andalusia copied Damascus because these houses are much older than the Islamic Andalusia , Umayyads fleed Damascus from Abbasid dynasty and headed to Andalusia where they built houses like those back in home 10:19 you can recognise conservative women of Shia militias that were brought from Iran , Iraq , Afghanistan and Pakistan They are all in black 9:23 I'm so sorry that kids have to work instead of going to school in Syria Our dictator let us in a useless war that no one can win and let our country be sanctioned by west This animal made Syria a renegade state that flight all nations and with no allies or friends

[@KinoYves]

Just to correct a few things, to avoid misleading people, Wikipedia does not agree with your statement about the Umayyad mosque, but does agree with my guide, and when you walk around, you can see on the walls of the mosque a lot of decorations that are obviously Roman. It was an Aramean temple, then a Roman temple, then a church, and then it became a mosque. Regarding the Azem palace, it was built in the 18th century, during the Ottoman period, so much after the glorious days of Islamic Andalusia. Of course the Muslims in Andalusia were influenced by Damascus, but in this case, it does make sense that it was the other way around.

[@mohamadnaseebaldabbas9473]

@@KinoYves In terms of Wikipedia that you considered it as a trust source Everyone can add information to Wikipedia , no matter if it's right or false I've been raised in this city so I know what my grandfather told me after his grandfather told him But there are some people though who are trying to change the facts and history of our country by imposing their Orientalist thoughts And additionally , I didn't mean Azem palace specifically cuz I know it's not so old but I meant the syrian structures itself is much older than the Andalusian one Old traditional houses used to be built since Umayyad dynasty was in power

[@rahky2799]

Looool, what are you going on about? Clearly you're soo pissed that assad is still in power after the salafist and US backed plan failed. The people in the video look happy.. ( you can always find people in need and selling stuff?) Syria is recovering from years of plotted terrorism..

[@KinoYves]

Regarding Wikipedia, it is moderated, it's not as simple as anyone can add anything. Regarding Damascus, my guide has lived all her life in Damascus as well (all the war included), and she is a sunni like you. And sorry, but I think that a professional local guide, and the greatest encyclopedia of Human history are much more reliable than your grandfather. You should just have a look at the Umayyad mosque, it is very easy to see that it was a Roman temple. It is very weird than you want to deny that, as it is very common around Syria to find old mosques that were Roman temples. Regarding the Azem palace, you corrected what I said about it, so I corrected your wrong correction, that's all. 😉 I was not talking about Syrian structures, but only about the Azem palace.

[@aldallika3648]

@@KinoYves I will emphasize some important points: Through history, the site hosted many places of worship and the people of every religion used to take over the place by force and modify it according to their belief. But Muslims did not take the place by force, they compensated Christians generously. Muslim used the remains of the old temples to build the Umayyad Mosque but they added a lot to it. What belongs to the old temples represents a small portion of the whole structure of mosque especially that Jupiter temple was destroyed originally by earthquakes that hit the area since Damascus is on a fault line. The seismic hazard potential for Damascus city, Syria is mainly controlled by earthquakes along Serghaya Fault which is a branch of Dead Sea Fault System. The mosque and the old temples were built by rocks brought from Qasioun mountain near Damascus. Many researchers verified the origin of the rocks that were used to build the mosque and other temples. All the building materials used in the mosque were from Damascus. All the workers who built the mosque were Damascene. Some historical sources claim that the Byzantine empire used to take skilled Arab workers to build monumental structures in Greece and other places because most Byzantine men used to be soldiers to be able to control their huge empire. And the Umayyad rulers who fled to Andalusia took with them their skilled workers who built their palaces there in Spain. And do not forget that till today nobody knows the secrets of the Damascene steel. In addition to that, the well-known old Damask fabric is clear proof that the Damascene people were very talented and skillful so they could build a huge monument like the Umayyad Mosque especially that the Umayyad Caliphates were ready to spend generously to build this mosque especially that the Umayyad people were originally from Mecca and they used to live near the Kaaba.

[@medicinesexpert7662]

That Khan was built by my ancestor. He was with a Pasha with the ottomans but then decided to remain in Syria and even fought the Ottomans.

[@user-tn2nz3yo4d]

اشكد السوريين معدلين اكثر من العراقيين 🤦🏼‍♀🤦🏼‍♀🤦🏼‍♀

[@adelsalh9622]

من يا ناحية ؟

[@ruialemao4544]

Hi Yves Is not possible visit syria in our own self? Is compulsury have guide?

[@danialrezza9564]

I hope we can't peace forever,salam from malaysia

[@user-dd9ob2nb3e]

Welcome to Syria Come to the Syrian coast You tourists, all of you do not know where the beautiful sites in Syria are You just go to Sham Sham, Damascus itself

[@rya8042]

تعلمي تكتبي انكليزي بعدين تعي علقي

[@Bronx-NY]

you crazy to go there bro!!

[@dianajohnson83]

Far from it, a safe welcoming city

[@saazysaazy179]

ليش مجنون ؟؟؟

[@Bronx-NY]

@@saazysaazy179 انا اتمنى ان اذهب ايضا ! لقد ذهبت هناك عندما كنت طفلا ! ولكن هل تضمنين ان اذهب و اعود بدون اذى او مشاكل ! لن انسى ابدا الطعام اللذيذ في ساحة المرجة و الناس الطيبين المبتسمين و الاسعار الرخيصة و البضائع الجيده! والله كانه كابوس ما حصل في سوريا ! طبعا مجنون من يغامر بحياته او حريته و يذهب الى اماكن نزاعات ! انا اتمنى ان تعود سوريا كما كانت زمان !

[@Bronx-NY]

@@dianajohnson83 I really hope so

[@saazysaazy179]

@@Bronx-NY الضمان والسلامه بيد الله عز وجل اين ماكنت الله هو الحافظ ثق بالله العزيز ونتشرف بكم جميعاً لزيارتكم لبلدي الحبيب سوريا 🤍تحياتي لكم جميعاً 🇸🇾

[@sigmarssohn81]

so beautiful buildings. did it taste like cotton candy or better?

[@saazysaazy179]

افضل بكثير أنها دمشق الياسمين🥺🇸🇾🤍

[@Layla21-er9dx]

This cotton candy tastes different from the usual cotton candy. The usual cotton candy tastes like sugar but this one has a different taste that I can not describe but it is far more delicious I can tell you something: when you eat the usual cotton candy you feel that you eat nothing but sugar while when you eat this kind you feel that you ate a kind of pastry. When I was a child I did not expect that it was made of sugar only. I thought it was made like any pastery of flour

[@Mehdi.fff.z]

I am from iran.love you

[@rachelyaban4413]

I feel that you do not understand anything about the history of this city, Damascus, because it was made by the Syrians themselves, and their name aramiac , and it does not mean that anything built in Damascus in the Roman or Ottoman period means that it belongs to them, the buildings were only built by the Syrian mentality in these periods

[@KinoYves]

Wonderful explanation ! Do you know that, at that time, Syria, as a nation, did not exist yet?

[@Ali-eu9jp]

@@KinoYves I think what she meant is that everything you saw in Damascus is Syrian heritage. Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world, it was there before most of the states that you named, if not all of them, it people are the same, they are Syrians, everything in the city belong to them and only them. In the end it is about the people, not the titles, rulers or borders.

[@lifeisdesignedtobreakyourh293]

But i think you are changed after libanon. No longer the same energy, but you allways have the best videos 😍

[@user-dd9ob2nb3e]

اهلا في بلدي

[@aldallika3648]

Actually, Damascus is far far far safer than Lebanon.

[@KinoYves]

I definitely agree.

[@aldallika3648]

@@KinoYves Thanks

[@pjackson8027]

al Dallika Not at all.

[@aldallika3648]

@@pjackson8027 Yes indeed it is very safe because ten of thousands of the agents of secret services, police, informants and ordinary people are watching every street and alley in Damascus.

[@themaravilla7777]

Currently It is safer than berlin in germany or paris france trust me

[@Blue-mi1yh]

Keep in mind you’re seeing Damascus at its worst. This war has caused so much poverty and homelessness

[@KinoYves]

Yeah, hopefully it will get better with time.

[@KinoYves]

@Amer sadly...

[@kevinw.2158]

👍👍👍

[@user-oq8my3po7c]

The Umayyad’s ruled world from Damascus. Saladin fought the crusaders from Damascus.

[@fafodadventures]

May I ask the name of the hotel you stayed in and how you managed the booking? I am planning to visit in September, thank you.

[@KinoYves]

I went via an agency, so I don't know about the hotel

[@dianajohnson83]

A great budget choice is Hotel Haramein

[@frostflower5555]

Did you know that in the year 664 the caliph settled 5000 Slavic slaves near the city of Apamea in northern Syria? That would be just north of Damascus.

[@KinoYves]

No, I had no idea, thank you for the knowledge.

[@taziozaffarone6899]

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE HOTEL IN DAMASCUS

[@wavwncm]

before war or after war?

[@haithamhaddad8364]

What is the name of the hotel please

[@karlerasure]

Damascus is one of the oldest city of the world same like Baghdad. 👍❤️

[@KinoYves]

Damascus yes, Baghdad not all.

[@karlerasure]

@@KinoYves in Iraq the 24 hrs of the clock was invented there. A very historic town. Read about Mesopotamian please.

[@dshahata]

The road to Damascus - This travel blog video, is a reminder for us all - wars not only destroy buildings & cities, but it uproots the souls of innocent people. The faces of people in Damascus seemed as if life have departed from them long time ago. Syria is a police state- don't travel there!

[@nabazmasifi971]

👍

[@mohamadhashemromani4215]

Syria is safe Always.... Don't wory

[@tumensbcp]

You could comb !

[@tomjir3328]

the name of hotel please ?

[@paulmikeadjemian4634]

what was the process of applying for a visa as a European ? i cant find any sources sadly !

[@KinoYves]

The travel agency can do it for you. There is Ayoub's contact in the description of the video.

[@gomaizgomaiz7265]

Hello, how did you get the visa? Is it easy? I hold a Canadian passport and there is no embassy in Canada

[@KinoYves]

The name of the agency is in the description of the video

[@anassaleh223]

You can get the visa immediately upon arriving at borders

[@gomaizgomaiz7265]

Thank you very much for the information. Did you go to Syria by plane or by land?

[@KinoYves]

@@gomaizgomaiz7265 by land

[@gomaizgomaiz7265]

Thank you very much, may God protect you, you are a wonderful person, we love you

[@pearlcrochetandknitwear]

🙂🙂🙂

[@MrShankso]

why didnt you also visit the War Areas where every single buildings is destroyed by Asaad army?? In Damascus, a few kilometers from the Umayyad Mosque, there are uninhabited areas due to the destruction and killing of Assad's army. (Like the Douma and Mleiha area and many more)

[@qasion]

I bet that house is as old as America. I have seen those hundreds of years old houses in old Damascus.

[@user-bz5xn9fc4b]

,👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🇸🇾🇸🇾🇸🇾🇸🇾🇸🇾

[@ibrahim__alsayed]

I am from Syria 😁

[@georgep1358]

why are you whispering Yves?what hotel are you staying in ?

[@KinoYves]

I guess I was scared of the fact that I was in Syria 😂

[@chebmus5535]

Please brother just tell me what did you think of Syria is safer than Lebanon?? Do you feel there better

[@KinoYves]

Yes, I felt safer in Syria than in Lebanon

[@chebmus5535]

@@KinoYves I know brother so thank you very much for making the effort to go there 🤍

[@khalid15375]

هذا النظام الحاكم ، مجرم بحق الشعب كفى تلميع لصورته ، نعرف أن سوريا بلد جميل

[@user-cd4vg2hw6i]

🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️👍👌🙌

[@waitwho3074]

Salut Yves comment as-tu rencontré Rula?

[@KinoYves]

Avec l'Agence Marrota. Le lest dans la description de la vidéo.

[@user-iu6iv6mt6x]

اتمنى ان تكون قد استمتعت 🤍