Aleppo's Dust & Doubles: A Freelance Photographer's Messy Monday
well, hello there from the ancient alleys. today felt like chasing ghosts with a camera, and i think the ghosts won. woke up at some ungodly hour because my body still thinks it's on rotterdam time, stumbled into *the old city with gear that weighed more than my dignity. i just checked and it's hovering around 14 degrees with a 65% chance of existential dread, so bring a jacket that doesn't scream 'tourist'.
first stop? the citadel. obviously. but navigating these streets is like trying to photograph smoke in a hurricane. locals move like they've got secret tunnels - probably do. someone told me the real magic happens at dawn when fog clings to the stones like it's trying to apologize for everything. but dawn? that's when the ghosts are most active, and my camera batteries hate the cold. trade-offs, man.
heard some drunk advice last night at a tea house: 'if you get bored with aleppo's ruins, idlib and homs are just a short drive away.' yeah, because nothing says 'vacation' like dodging checkpoints. pass. instead, i wandered into the souk, where every stall smells like history and regret. bought a scarf that's probably older than my grandpa's first marriage. worth it.
overheard gossip near the great mosque ruins: 'that blue tile work? locals say it's cursed if you photograph it during a full moon.' cool. so now i have to come back. also, a guy with three teeth warned me about 'camera-hungry alley cats.' haven't seen any, but my lens cap's gone. cats 1, me 0.
photography tips for this mess? always carry duct tape - my tripod decided today was its retirement party. also, flatbreads from street vendors are better than any energy bar. trust me. tried using a drone because why not? got mistaken for a surveillance device by a very stern pigeon. priorities.
someone told me the al-madina souk* is where you find the real aleppo, not the postcard version. found it. also found a 10-year-old kid who tried to sell me a 'genuine roman coin' that looked suspiciously like a bottle cap. adorable but shady. still bought him tea. journalism ethics be damned.
when the light died, i crashed at a place recommended by this yelp listing - basically a mattress with a prayer rug. but the view from the roof? tripadvisor doesn't do it justice. also, this unesco page explains why we're all terrible people for not fixing this place faster. guilt trip achieved.
tomorrow? maybe. depends if my spirit survives tonight's tea. or if the alley cats return for my lens.
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