Lovely article. Best thing is that we sit on the beach at Xmas..there is always those sunny days to feel warmed up.

No matter what your religion is, you are Syrian. Nekoda. you are 100 % indigenous, be honest brother, there was no 'ethnic cleansing' of Jews from arab world, till this day there are jews living in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen etc. it was your choice to left your homeland and occupy my homeland Palestine.

Sincerely agree. I read a book published in 1936 about a trip to then Palestine, and one chapter was headed - Men urinate in the streets. Nothing has changed in over 70 years, but I assume the smell is just 100 times worse. Maybe after the winter the local authorities could do something about installing porta-potties, and we would not need to wait until next winter for fresh smelling streets, specially around shuks.

Please describe "indigenous." You have variously described yourself as being indigenous to (i) Akko; (ii) Jaffa; (iii) Jerusalem. So which is it? Exactly where did you observe your mother's alleged "tiny feet?" You're a fraud, Salma, and everyone knows it. Why don't you stop embarrassing yourself? You should be packing, anyway -- you're leaving? Don't you understand? Well, stupid is as stupid does. That would be you, chica.

Forces you to settle down, snuggle with a good book and cocoa, with dark rum of course.

I loved the article but more significant W Beirut 's simple but powerfull mesage . Great!!!

A. chestnuts are sold on the streets since i was a wee boy B. ive stopped at chestnuts who cares about what you have to say anyway C. in law school they teach you to think in ABC's aint it ironic. eh?

Gave this ex-Brit a real good laugh. Trust me though, don't romanticise about European weather too much especially UK weather, its sucks!!

Salma, Must we remind you that this is not your homeland. So many times and so many people have told you this and you keep stating that Palestine is your homeland.

I stopped being Syrian when my Moslem "brethren" in Halab burned down my house and the houses of all the rest of the Jews in the city in a frenzied mob for the crime of being Jewish. For the sake of accuracy there are now less than 100 Jews living in Syria and none in Lebanon. It's too bad that you are not willing to admit the truth of what happened to the Jews in Arab countries.

"No Birds, No Bees, No Flowers, No Trees, No Wonder, No Vember."

Salma if the Arab spring is more to your liking,and if you are not happy where you are living then you can help others like yourself and move to Syria.