I just couldn't help myself. I was walking to go to a book store and walked past a pet shop with hamster cages sitting outside and big signs. I took one look and for some (unrashional) reason, I decided I needed a hamster. I've decided to call her Bamboo. :)
She was the smallest one in the cage. When I picked her up she just looked at me and tilted her head. Another one of the smaller ones (a white one) that I picked up started jumping and going crazy.
Just after I got her:

After a two weeks:
She's sooo cute!! <3>
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Hama and some Castles I [updated with pics and more; first posted 17/03/09]
On the 12th I woke up at 7:45 to get ready. At about 8:15 I got a call from Abdullah at the reception asking if I wanted to join a trip to the Crac and another castle, leaving at 9. He had talked to Gilles, who was in the restaurant waiting to talk to me about it first, since we had sort of made plans to make our own way there. We decided it was a good opportunity since there would be 5 of us going, making it only 600 a person (they charge for the car not per person, so the total is divided by the number of people). I had to rush a little to eat my breakfast as I didn't get to the restaurant until after 8:30. Breakfast was similar to the breakfast at the other hotel, only there was more of everything.
We went on our trip in a small van. The others on the trip were Anthony, from England, and Len and Jill from Winnipeg, Canada. Len and Jill are on a 1 year trip around the world. They have some amazing stories to tell.
We went on our trip in a small van. The others on the trip were Anthony, from England, and Len and Jill from Winnipeg, Canada. Len and Jill are on a 1 year trip around the world. They have some amazing stories to tell.
Even the drive to the castle (and between castles) was great, as it is in the mountains (small mountains, as there is no tree line). All of the castles or Citadels are on top of mountains or very large hills. There were red poppies everywhere as we drove. I missed the single red poppy that the others saw within the citadel walls. :( (Though I missed it, I see that it is in a couple of pictures, including one above, where I mention it)
After we had our fill of Masyaf (or well, when we had to go in order to have time at our next destination), we hopped back into the van and headed for Krak des Chevaliers (Fortress/Castle of the Knights), the best castle in Syria and one of the most famous and important medieval military castles in the world.
From Wikipedia:The original monastery/convent was built sometime in the 5th century and then was added to up until the 20th century. HERE is a fairly good picture I found of the monastery from above, from a short distance.
In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, and the Eastern Catholic Churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His memorial is celebrated on 23 April, and he is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints.
Saint George is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as the cities of Amersfoort, Beirut, Bteghrine, Cáceres (Spain), Ferrara, Freiburg, Genoa, Ljubljana, Gozo, Pomorie, Qormi, Lod, Barcelona and Moscow, as well as a wide range of professions, organizations, and disease sufferers.
We went for dinner to the 4 Norias' Restaurant. Not as fancy as the previous evening's restaurant, but the food was good. After dinner, on the way back to the hotel, I went for a walk with Len to the nearby market. He wanted to get some nuts and such for snacks, I just tagged along, but did end up getting some fruit. :) We walked through some of the market. I find markets in different countries very interesting. The fruits and vegetables, nuts, meat selections, etc are all something to look at (and take pictures of, of course).
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