Greetings from the Membership Office! Thank you for expressing interest in ON THE PATH OF THE UMAYYADS: Syria & Spain, to depart in April 2008. We are thrilled to bring you a brand new, cross cultural tour of this ancient empire that has had drastic and lasting effects across the Middle East. We will be traveling through Syria to examine the birth of the early Caliphate and its adoption and adaptation of the remains of the Roman Empire. We will then journey as a group to Spain, to explore the splendor of Islamic architecture and art within what is today, a country that has itself adopted and adapted much of the ancient Umayyad sites and symbols. Enclosed is the tentative itinerary for our trip; please note that we are still waiting on confirmation for visiting a few sites, and, as on all trips, schedules can, and will change to accommodate opportunities, schedule changes, and other unpredictable factors. We are in constant communication with our travel agents in both countries to make sure we put together the most exciting, exclusive, and comfortable tour for you. Dr. Clemens Reichel will be leading our exploration of the Umayyads through both countries, and we will be accompanied by local guides throughout our travel program, as well as a logistics manager from the travel operator, Far Horizons, which is owned and operated by an archaeologist! If you have questions about logistics, or the administrative side of the trip, you can contact me anytime at 773- 834-9777 or by email: [email protected] OR You may contact our travel agency, Far Horizons. Any of the representatives there will likely be able to answer questions and take registration information. If you have a more specific question, you can ask to speak to Mary Dell Lucas or Kristin Phelps regarding our trip and travel plans. Please note that we have decided to use Iberia Airlines as our group air carrier, with round trip airfare from Chicago. We are in the final stages of securing the air contract, and have included the approximate airfare cost so you may have a better idea of the costs of the program. We chose Iberia Air due to not only their low cost group travel, but also the ‘kindness’ of their departure and arrival times. Please note that while group air travel helps to keep costs down, we will have participants joining our group from all over the world, and individual air arrangements can be made. Please contact Far Horizons to make travel arrangements through their agency. You may make your own air arrangements, however you assume responsibility of those tickets and their cost regardless of changes to the trip schedule. While we understand individuals may wish to organize their own air travel, we will be requiring everyone in the group to travel together on the group flight from Damascus to Madrid. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, concerns you may have! I look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, Sarah Sapperstein Membership Coordinator ON THE PATH OF THE UMAYYADS: From Syria to Spain Escorted by Dr. Clemens Reichel, Oriental Institute April 18-May 5, 2008 SUGGESTED ITINERARY (B): Breakfast included (L): Lunch included (D): Dinner included Day 1: Depart the USA on Iberia flight, non-stop flight departing Chicago 5:50pm. Day 2: Arrive into Madrid at 7:45 am. Transfer to Syrian Arab Airlines flight departing at 11am. Arrive Damascus at 4:50pm. Transfer to the 5-star Damascus Cham Palace Hotel and overnight for three nights. DAMASCUS CHAM PALACE Day 3: Damascus, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the world. Begin today on the old city's citadel where we will visit the National Museum, containing a world-class archaeological and historical collection. The museum's façade was once the entrance to Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi, a palace and hunting lodge complex built in the eastern desert by the Umayyad caliph al-Walid in 728. Nearby is the tomb of Saladin, the great Kurdish leader during the Crusades. By the time he died in Damascus in 1193, he had liberated almost all of Palestine from the armies of England, France, Burgundy, Flanders, Sicily, Austria and, in effect, from the world power of the Pope, as well as establishing his own family in Cairo. Finally, we will visit Souq al-Hamidiyeh, the bazaar that is the lifeblood of the city, and the spice market, cloth merchants' stores, and the shops of the metal workers. We will end our day exploring (and shopping!) in the souq. There will be time this afternoon to rest after our long flight before meeting for our festive welcome dinner. (B/L/D) DAMASCUS CHAM PALACE Day 4: Our full-day tour of Syria's capital begins with the Old City, surrounded by a Roman Wall. First, we will visit the Chapels of Ananias and St. Paul, built at the site where Paul was lowered from the city wall in a basket. From here we enter the Old City through the Bab Sharqi, the Roman Gate of the Sun. We will visit Azem Palace, built in the mid-18th century as a private residence for the Governor of Damascus. A great example of a Damascene house, its simple exterior contrasts with a beautiful interior filled with marble, cascading fountains and fragrant flowers. The Umayyad Mosque sums up in one place the diverse and complex history of Syria. This magnificent monument contains the remains of the Roman Temple to Jupiter, a Byzantine arcade, a beautiful Umayyad mosaic in the courtyard, and the spacious prayer hall where the shrine of St. John the Baptist is located, said to house his head. (B/L/D) DAMASCUS CHAM PALACE Day 5: This morning's drive takes us to the most magnificent example of medieval castles in Syria. In the 12th century, this great fortress known as Krak des Chevaliers was owned and manned by knights of the military-monastic Order of Hospitalers. It controlled the trade route between the Mediterranean and Damascus. Then it's on to the extensive remains of Palmyra, sometimes called the Queen of the Desert and known since antiquity as Tadmor. Located midway between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates, this oasis was an essential watering place for the many camel caravans that formerly traversed the route in the time of the Roman Empire. Visit the massive Temple of Bel, dedicated to the god who controlled the movement of the stars, the colonnaded street running to the Funerary Temple, the recently restored theatre, and the 2nd-century agora. In the Valley of the Tombs, examine underground catacombs, house tombs, and towers designed as the burial apartments for an entire family. And, finally, we will have a wonderful photographic opportunity as we watch the spectacular sunset create a rosy hue on the remains of this breathtaking city. Overnight for the next two nights in the 5-star Palmyra Cham Palace. (B/L/D) PALMYRA CHAM PALACE Day 6: Today, we will visit the former oasis desert castle of Qasr al-Heir al-Sharqi. Though today a seemingly enigmatic and forlorn ruin, this “Walled Castle to the East” once thrived with orchards and olive groves. The agricultural offerings were so bountiful in fact that a thick wall was erected to prevent nomadic herds from entering the gardens. Like many sites in the region, Qasr al-Heir al-Sharqi has been the locus for multiple occupations by many groups, all of whom have left their mark on this site. Dinner will be on our own tonight. (B/L) PALMYRA CHAM PALACE Day 7: Originally a church built to commemorate the Roman officer, St. Sergius, Rasafeh Palace was the residence of Hisham ibn Abdul Malik, the third Umayyad Caliph. Today, the towering city walls hold back the encroaching desert sands. Inside the walls, view the old water cisterns which were the life- blood of the city, and the Church of the Holy Cross with its lavishly decorated nave. Continue to Hama dating back to the Neolithic period and considered the most picturesque city in Syria. The greatest attraction of the city is the huge norias, or water wheels, originally used to raise water from the river into aqueducts. The wheels and blocks on which they're mounted are wooden, and the friction between the two produces a moaning noise which pervades the air of central Hama. Overnight 5-star Hama Cham Palace. (B/L/D) HAMA CHAM PALACE Day 8: This morning, walk in the footsteps of Antony and Cleopatra along the mile-long main street lined with massive columns concealing the facades of ancient shops in the Roman city of Apamea. The city was founded in the 3rd century BC by Seleucus I and was named for his Persian wife. Visit the small museum with fine mosaics found at this site. Continue to Aleppo and overnight for two nights at the 5-star Aleppo Chahba Cham Palace Hotel. (B/L/D) CHAHBA CHAM PALACE Day 9: Aleppo lies on a land route between Europe and the East and once was one of the major commercial cities of the Orient. Today's all day city tour takes us to several impressive sites. Crowning a precipitous hill in the heart of the old city, the ancient Tell dates back to the Neolithic period and still contains remains of an early Islamic city. Traces of the city walls, built on Hellenistic foundations, are still standing. The western gate, Bab Antakya, still holds ancient pride of place as the gateway to the bazaar.