Aleppo, Syria 2010.
These photos show what life was like in Syria before the uprising. A tourist only sees the surface and cannot understand the real situation. I felt that the Syrian people were friendly and generous and I enjoyed my time in Syria. Here these older men seem to be enjoying the twilight of their lives.
A young and healthy man sells cheap toys on the street near the Aleppo souk. It looks to me that he is under-employed, that he wishes for a better job, but is willing to do whatever he can to earn his living.
He stands behind a small table…his “shop”. Underneath is the box to carry his merchandise back and forth to the souk. He holds up a caftan and calls to the passing women. Perhaps dresses sell better than toys because he looks more sanguine than the toy salesman.