All of the pictures posted are of items from the National Museum in Damascus.
Today, I arrived in Lattakia by bus, only an hour’s ride from Tartus. The bus system is quite decent here in Syria. I will be taking the train to Aleppo, most likely on Friday or Saturday, because it is recommended in the guidebook. The guidebook is an essential part of navigation. When I was in Aqaba, I did buy the Lonely Planet Middle East edition that is two years old. The Middle East edition does have the basics of nine different counties. In Damascus I decided to buy the Lebanon and Syria guidebook because there is much more detail of each country, although it is four years old. Reading from old editions, a person cannot rely on the information regarding transportation, because that aspect of travel changes overnight. The hotel, sights, and map information has been very accurate.
Lattakia is also a modern attire type of town, even more so then Tartus. There is much more freedom of dress here on the coast towns than in Egypt and Jordan, although people seem to have a less interest in the stranger. On that account, there is some sort of energy that I still find very strange. I have cultivated a watchfulness that when there is something backwards or concealed or repressed within a culture – my spirit is sensitive to the oddity, and gets exasperated. According to the outward appearance, everything looks appealing, although using a keen eye; people are certainly holding their opinions within themselves. In Jordan and Egypt, people were full of complaints. 
Compared to Jordan and Egypt, nobody has offered a welcome drink and wanting to visit, except in Damascus. People keep to themselves. Indeed, people are into their own lives, which this is the case all over the world, although the coastal areas of Syria are suppose to be less conservative than inland. It will be interesting to see what the inland towns are like. Economic strain is clearly manifested on the face of the populace such as everywhere else.
Suppression of free speech is detrimental to a populace. The universe expressed itself and still is expressing itself. Spirituality relates with open free expression and speech, a theme that religion has subjugated for over two thousand hundred years. Even many parts of America, freedom of expression is subdued. Repression leads to a depressed emotional reality – something that is manifested all around the world, consequently, fantasy rules the norm, which relates to not living in the moment.