Touring the North, part 3; The Al-Yarmouk Battle site

The Al-Yarmouk Battle (معركة اليرموك‎) Site is where the Muslim Arab forces defeated the armies of the Roman-Byzantine Empire in 636 AD. The battle took place near the Yarmouk River, along what is today the border between Syria and Jordan. The battle permanently ended the Byzantine rule in the area, and marked the first great wave of Islamic conquest -- spurring forward the rapid advance of Islam into the then Christian Levant -- modern day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine.






Pictured above -- The view from the top of the high hills of the battle site.

In the US, the Easter holiday always takes place during the spring break holiday. Thus, I am accustomed to spending that time in Oak Park, IL with family and friends. We go to church as a family in the morning, then have an Easter meal together. And even though I am an adult, the season usually involves some egg-dying.

So for Easter, Michael, his friend David - who was visiting from NYC, and I traveled to the Al-Yarmouk Battle site in the north for a relaxed picnic. We made a fire and cooked food over the flames, while chilling to some music and sippin' on beer. It was a lovely day and the battle site provided us with a glorious backdrop.








Pictured -- Chef Michael preparing fish for dinner (none for me, but it did look good).










Pictured above -- David and I -- with the hills of Syria in the background. p.s. it was hilarious to read the sign below us...there were soooooo many English typos, hahah!

Pictured below -- The sunset over the battle site, breathtaking.


















And in keeping with tradition, we all (Michael, David, and I) dyed Easter eggs, using yellow, green, and red food coloring. I think we ended up dying about 50+ eggs! I brought most of the eggs into work for my students. Most of them had never seen dyed eggs before and were very confused and amazed by them. I tried to show them how to crack the eggs and eat them, but they weren't having it.

Instead they wanted to save them! Some took them home as gifts for their mothers, others for their habibis -- which was so cute btw...but, I'm sure there is still a rotten egg or two out there smashed at the bottom of someones backpack, haha.


















Pictured above -- Lydia, myself, Fadi, Belal, Wael, and Hassan -- and our Easter eggs of course!