Sham sham sham - what a place to return to. Essentially the same city but full of new and exciting people along with a few treasures still here from before. It is astonishing how many people recognise you and greet you smiling and saying - 'kayfik? Kana zamen!' My favourite fruit juice man has a new obsession with Michael Jackson and now has a couple of pictures up of him and wears a red bandana when he works. I don't quite know what this has to do with Michael, but he obviously thinks it brings him closer to the great man. I do wonder though whether anyone informed him of the musician's death. I haven't the heart to find out, because I don't want to be the one to tell him if he doesn't already know. It is also amazing what has changed, namely at least two new waffle and donut stalls have opened up in the old city - modernity is truly coming to the middle east in the from of sugary snacks.

So I spent last week slowly re-acquainting myself with this most wonderous city and it was my utter pleasure to do this in the company of Sarah, a friend of Ali's from london. Together we wandered the old town into partially restored houses being used for bab al hara and other syrian soaps as well as an amazing old wreck of a house which had been inhabited until recently by palestininan refugees. When many of them arrived for the first time, they were simply told to find an uninhabited house and to live there and so many of them did, strangely enough particularly in the old Jewish quarter which a couple of decades ago was approximately 50% jewish 50% palestinian. I read an article in a magazine that describes the warm friendships between the two peoples and the clear understanding both of them had that the events taking place barely a few hundred kilometres away should not affect their relationship on a human basis. If only everywhere could be the same…from this article I also have a slightly (only just) more precise address of the old synagogue, so tomorrow I think I will go in search of it. Wish me luck.

I also visited Saita Zeynab mosque on the outskirts of Damascus. Tis a mainly Iranian affair, though in the area itself there are in fact a lot of Iraqi refugees. The mosque itself, although new is utterly stunning inside and out. I spent at least quarter of an hour staring at the mirrored interior overwhelmed with just how many reflective surfaces fractured glass can take.

Last week I met up with Yazan, bizarrely one of the first people I met when I arrived in Dheisheh camp. He had turned up on holiday from his studies in Damascus to help take a drama class and thus we bonded over the delights of the fair city and swore, after meeting by chance several time randomly in Bethlehem, to meet up in Sham. And so we did. I visited him in Jedeida3artuz where he cooked the best maqluba for me, ali and Sarah as we watched in disbelief as he prepared the upside down dish of chicken and rice before our eyes.Later he showed us some of his films and then burrowed into his cupboard to show me everything he had brought from home - honey, lemons, MARMIA and even a bag of soil. Since then I have had several cups of tea with him in souq sarouja and get my dose of palestinian dialect. Apparently I've picked up a bit of an accent, something which I am eager to keep.

I have visited many old haunts including India and my favourite café - the Dome. Oh yes India, remember that fine waiter who always greeted us? Well, he has had a stylish new haircut which is a lot shorter and decidedly less greasy. And for the first time EVER the music played over the sound system ACTUALLY MATCHED the music video. Wonders will truly never cease. I have also visited our friend the not-so-evil-evil-fruitman and the take-your-time man opposite. I also have had at least two little boys from fallujah trying to polish my plastic flip flops.

But studying? Well, I have found a tutor in Yarmouk for Arabic which I shall hopefully be doing two or three times a week. I am also teaching a good friend violin in exchange for a little arabic study. But the Farsi?

Last week, having successfully registered and paid the 1000SYP for the three month course I entered the farsi classroom. Unfortunately for my concentration span the entire room was decorated in a style I can only imagine being found on the wedding cake of a 5 year old girl - pastel pink and lilac swirls on a cream background and pale green and blue birds and borders which reverently encircle Khomeini and the current Ayatollah. In what other atmosphere do you think I could possibly study farsi in arabic with a whole load of Syrian students who look at the four foreigners in the class with a look that perfectly combines bemusement with amusement and pity which rather echoes my own feelings on the situation.

Tomorrow some Birmingham theatre is putting on Twelfth Night somewhere near the dar al opera. Tickets are stupidly expensive but I think I would benefit from some Shakespeare in my life so I may form a hideous group and buy vast numbers of tickets for all (About 3) of my friends. Expect a review next time.

Oooh ooh and I have also taken to stealing lighters at social gatherings. It is great fun to watch bemused expressions as the vening continues, especially when you know you ought to be studying. Last night I collected almost 10 of them and was only caught once. I still have most of them in my bag...