Where is Latakia in Syria and What Can You See?

Latakia Lebanese restaurant in London, England. Notice the Roman arch from the Syrian city of Lattaki on the fascia. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Problem
What or where is Latakia? Why should I care or be interested?

Answer
I visited Latakia restaurant in Hatch End, NW London, England, and afterwards started wondering, where is Latakia? I also wondered what is the distinctive large square arch on the front of the outside of the restaurant and on their business card.

L a t t a k i a Lebanese Restaurant business card. photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The chef at Lattakia Lebanese restaurant is from Lebanon. The owner is Syrian and Latakia is his home town in Syria. Latakia and Lebanon are alliterative which is rather neat.

L a t t a k i a Lebanese restaurant take away menu. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. 

I started researching on the internet. I found lots of answers in handy, wonderful Wikipedia.

Firstly, what is the correct spelling? That depends which language, among other things.

Syrian City
Latakia, which I had never heard of, turns out to be the fifth largest city in Syria. It is a port. An important port.

History of Everyone For Everyone
Just about every group well known in history and important at one time of another has been associated with the port. Romans and Jews. About one hundred and bit years from after the time of Jesus it was named after a Roman leader. Later, along came Byzantines, Crusaders, Muslims, and the French.

Whatever you think about who was good and bad or right and wrong in history, from the point of view of a restaurant owner, this is a grab at the imagination of every diner and drinker.

The Roman arch in Latakia in Syria. Photo from Wikipedia. Author of photo Allamlatakia.

1 The Roman Arch
Firstly, pictured in Wikipedia is that arch which features on the fascia and business card of Lattaki Lebanese restaurant in London, England. That arch is a solid, square, Roman arch, a victory arch. If you were to visit the port of Latakia in Syria, you would see the arch in what the Americans call downtown - what the British would call the city centre, although it is also described as being in the south, and the east, this fixed arch seems to be running about, I suggest you look at Google maps-.

2 Bacchus 

Another major and distinctive landmark in the Syrian port of Latakia is the Roman monument to Bacchus, with Corinthian columns. Dear Bacchus was the God of drinking. Another good association for a restaurant.

3 Castle of Saladin Side Trip
The Castle of Saladin is only about 16 miles away. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As I write this in summer 2017, Syria is at war and refugees are leaving Syria for England. Unless you are in the army, you are not likely to be visiting Syria as a tourist. However, while we wait for peace, we can go walking around the world, letting our fingers do the walking, touring the internet.

Tourism
On second thoughts, I googled Syrian Tourist Board. Yes, Syria has a tourist board and is promoting tourism.

Anybody famous from Latakia? Yes, Assad. The city has a rainbow of groups, various kinds of Moslems and Christians.

The Beach
The city has a beach, water sports, several hotels, about eight, including a couple of five star hotels. As a relative of mine says: "Yes, I am sure lots of Arabs and Syrians are visiting Syria on business or pleasure, to see family or friends. Mustn't see the world only through our own eyes."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/middle-east/syria/articles/syrian-tourist-board-promotes-beach-holidays-as-the-civil-war-rages/

If you can't get to Syria for a trip, you can get a taste of Syrian food at Latakia restaurant in London, England. (See two previous posts on the restaurant's food.)

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. The previous post is about Lattakia Lebanese restaurant in NW London. Please share links to my posts.