After leaving Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday morning, we headed for Cappadocia, south of Ankara. The drive took us eight hours and we arrived at our destination just before sunset. 

We did a quick tour around, taking pictures, while at the same time looked for a hotel to stay for the night. Accommodation wasn't easy to find. 

While Ammar and Shafiq were busy taking pictures, I met a Spanish couple, Antonio and Christina, who told us about a very nice hotel called 1001 Nights. They gave us directions to the place, and it turned out to be quite the find. It was one of those unique hotels - you actually slept inside a cave in the mountain!

The accommodations were simple and inexpensive. We checked in and had dinner, and the next morning, after breakfast, we toured the underground city before starting our drive towards Kassab, on the border with Syria.

By the time we finished border formalities, it was 8 pm. The drive to Damascus took another five hours so it was pretty late when we reached our hotel Rosa Damascina, in the middle of the Souk Al Hamidiya. The hotel is a very small, family-run place, and is perfect place for people looking for an inexpensive but clean and relaxing place to stay. While there, we met some Spanish and Australian students who had come to Syria to learn Arabic. 

Owner Ahmad Saddat made us feel at home and we really enjoyed our stay at the hotel. It is certainly one I would recommend  to visitors.

This morning I made breakfast (it's a hotel where you can cook your own food), then we went to meet our Ambassador Waheed Sayyar. It was his last day as Bahrain's Ambassador - he was going to return to Bahrain after seven years. We thanked him for everything he had done for  us during the Friendship Tour and for the reception he held for our team.

After a good lunch, we returned to the hotel to rest. That evening, we  finally had some time for shopping.

Syria is, has, and always will be a place close to my heart. Tomorrow though, it will be time to leave and start the drive back to Bahrain.

Ali Mushaima