Brit in Germany: “I Found the Answer to a Very German Question”

Oct 27, 2024 | In this video I discuss some interesting elements of German culture, society and explore why I seem to run onto Germans wherever I go. No matter which country.

Traveller's Guide: Syria
THE INDEPENDENT: Rogue state or not, this Middle Eastern nation is packed with attractions that will dazzle anyone who visits, says Matthew Teller

Libya, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, North Korea and... Syria: according to the last Bush administration, these half-dozen nations comprise the Axis of Evil. Yet walking by the Mediterranean coast, threading through the timeless streets of Damascus or clambering around a desert citadel, it is hard to reconcile Syria as a "rogue state". For its urbane self-possession, borne out of cultural roots which plunge deeper than anything Europe can match, Syria fascinates. Above all, the joviality and irreverent approachability of the Syrian people make the greatest impression on the visitor.

A country this old has had plenty of time to gather legends. Muslim tradition recalls that the Prophet Mohammed, arriving in the hills overlooking Damascus – a city then enveloped by gardens and the flowing River Barada – refused to go on. Paradise was unique, he reasoned: entering Damascus would rob him of the chance to enter heaven.

The gardens have gone and the Barada is mostly dry, but Syria's capital – perhaps the world's oldest continuously inhabited city – can still draw on 10,000 years of history to boggle the imagination.

In land area, Syria is nearly as big as Britain. Most of the 22 million people are Muslim, though there's a substantial Christian minority of around 10 per cent. Desert aside, Syria has 200km of Mediterranean coastline, with beach resorts around Lattakia backed by forests and orchards. Just inland, fertile mountains run parallel to the coast, cresting 2,000 metres in places: the walking here, on rural tracks between farming villages, is as good as anywhere in the Middle East. Motorways and high-speed trains connect the cities. >>> Matthew Teller | Saturday, March 05, 2011

Big Brother Brown: The Terrible Price We Are Paying for Muslim Immigration. Not Even Hitler Had This Amount of Control
THE TELEGRAPH: The travel plans and personal details of every holidaymaker, business traveller and day-tripper who leaves Britain are to be tracked by the Government, the Daily Telegraph can disclose.

Anyone departing the UK by land, sea or air will have their trip recorded and stored on a database for a decade.

Passengers leaving every international sea port, station or airport will have to supply detailed personal information as well as their travel plans. So-called "booze crusiers" who cross the Channel for a couple of hours to stock up on wine, beer and cigarettes will be subject to the rules.

In addition, weekend sailors and sea fishermen will be caught by the system if they plan to travel to another country - or face the possibility of criminal prosecution.

The owners of light aircraft will also be brought under the system, known as e-borders, which will eventually track 250 million journeys annually.

Even swimmers attempting to cross the Channel and their support teams will be subject to the rules which will require the provision of travellers' personal information such as passport and credit card details, home and email addresses and exact travel plans. >>> By David Millward, Transport Editor | Friday, March 13, 2009

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