In Aleppo, there can’t be much that beats sitting outside in one of the restuarants lining the Citadel. At around 10 o’clock the restaurants get full as people head out for the usual late dinner. The air is still somewhat warm, but comfortable, especially when there’s a breeze blowing (just beware that the wind may also pick up some dust). So you sit there at your table, smoking your hubble bubble, taking in the sights and sounds. The restaurants are situated at the base of the Citadel and only a few meters away, so when you’re eating, you can’t help but be humbled by the Citadel’s majesty. It might seem even more so if the Citadel were better illuminated at night, but it’s still impressive. Back in the dining area, there’s a din of steady conversation and the rattling of dice and backgammon pieces. Young boys are even more attentive than the waiters as they come up to your table trying to sell you a plate full of nuts, but a simple flick of the hand or head nod sends them away until the next time they come around. Globalization has reached Aleppo, but here at the Citadel, you get a better sense of the city’s traditions. That, in a nutshell, is the magic of the Old City.