An American in Syria: Ignored the Travel Warnings–Here's What I Found [4K]

SYRIA: Despite the Travel Warnings , I recently visited Damascus, Maaloula (most residents still speak the language of Jesus to this day: Aramaic), Homs, Krak des Chevaliers, Bosra and Daraa. The Heart of Syria is the People, the History, and the Beauty. Day 1: Damascus: we explore the Umayyad Mosque and Saint Hanania Church where St. Paul (Saul) converted to Christianity. We visit the Souks, Eat Syrian Food, and witnessed outcome of the conflict in Jobar. Day 2: Visit Maaloula: experience two Christian Monasteries, enjoy local food, and walk in the footsteps of St. Thecla (an early follower of St. Paul). We drive 650 meters above sea level to visit the most well preserved Crusader Castle in the world, Krak des Chevaliers before going to Homs and touring the famous Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque. In Homs, we walk neighborhoods that experienced some of the worst damage to infrastructure during the Syrian conflict On our drive back to Damascus from Homs, we witness the WHITE HELMETS (Syria's legendary rescue workers) on a bike ride across Syria. Day 3: We visit the Ancient City of Bosra and tour the most well preserved Roman Theatre in the world going back over 2,000 years. As we wrap up our tour, on our drive back to Damascus, we drive through Daraa, the city where the Syrian conflict began in 2011. Real Places. Real Journey's. No Hype. No AI Syria Travel Series: Syria (Damascus, Maaloula, Homs, Krak des Chevaliers, Bosra, Daraa):    • An American in Syria: Ignored the Travel W...   Syria: What War Leaves Behind:    • The Syrian Conflict: Walking through Jobar...   Syria: Maaloula:    • Maaloula, Syria: Christian Village Where A...   Bosra, Syria:    • Bosra, Syria: One City.  Six Civilizations...   Travel to Syria (Turkish Airlines):    • Istanbul to Damascus: What "DO NOT TRAVEL"...   🕰️ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Syria 02:24 Damascus 07:58 Umayyad Mosque 12:36 Souk 22:58 Saint Hanania Church 25:33 Jobar (Damascus) 28:28 Drive to Maaloula 28:50 Maaloula 43:43 Drive to Krak des Chevaliers (Crusader Castle) 44:11 Krak des Chevaliers (Crusader Castle) 48:00 Homs 56:01 White Helmets on the drive to Damascus 56:50 Bosra (Ancient City and Roman Theatre) 1:07:58 Bedouin Farmer 1:09:01 Daraa 1:10:31 Damascus Departure (Goodbye, Syria) Sharing the Experience of being there: Real Places, Real Journeys, and the feeling of experiencing the world as it happens. NO HYPE. NO AI A VERY Special THANK YOU to: 1. My Friend (and My Guide): Mohammed. You were outstanding! Thank you so much for everything!! You are a true gentleman in every sense of the word and so knowledgeable on the history of Syria. I see you and hear your voice in the video and I smile!! 2. My Friend (and My Driver): Mohammed. You were outstanding! Thank you so much for everything, especially all the laughs. You are the ultimate gentleman, comedian, and I miss our laughs. 3. Caitlin: YPT. Thank you! Your responsiveness and your patience answering all my questions is customer service on another level. Thank you so much for everything!! 4. The People of Syria that I met on my visit: Wow---you are so welcoming, warm, and engaging. You have been through so much, but your spirit burns bright! Especially my new friends in Maaloula that invited me for coffee, and my friend Tarek in Homs! I will never ever forget you!! Tour Company: I used Young Pioneer Tours (YPT): https://www.youngpioneertours.com VISIT SYRIA!!! I pay for all my own travel expenses. I do not accept complimentary trips, meals, or tickets. Any reviews I may make on my channel are 100% independent. If I show it, it's because I genuinely enjoyed the experience and want to support local businesses. #MACKTRAVELS #syria #damascus #homs #travelvlog #walkingtour #middleeast #syrianconflict #silkroad #bosra #krakdeschevaliers #maaloula #aramaic