Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Lattakia, SANA – Over a hundred young men and women celebrated the heavy snowfall which covered the landscape all across the country with an all white canvas over the past two weeks.
Snowfall is of course usual in various Syrian provinces at this time of the year, however, what was unprecedented this winter was to have snow falling so heavily and beautifully in the rural areas of the Syrian coast.
With everybody rushing outside their homes to take photos with their friends and relatives against a charming snow background as a way to celebrate the moment and keep memories, a group of young people opted for another way of celebration.
A hike in the snow-covered landscape seemed to those a most joyful means that could far better and more easily refresh the memory of the occasion whenever it is recalled.
In the course of the activities organized by “Nature without Borders” Association, the young people, who included men and women from the two coastal provinces of Lattakia and Tartous, carried out the hike in Jableh area.
They started out from Jayboul village, passed through the villages of Deir Bsindianeh and Bishraghi and took another road on their way back to the gathering site.
“Undaunted by the extreme weather conditions, the participants were so excited and brimming with high spirits all through the hike,” Hazem Suleiman, the “Nature without Borders” Association’s Chairman, told SANA Youth bulletin.
“It was for many of them,” he added, “truly an experience of a lifetime.”
First aid and mountain rescue experts accompanied the hikers, along with the supervisors and their assistants, who had been through the course of the hike before the takeoff to inspect and assess possible emergencies and risks.
Suleiman pointed out that there were individuals who took charge of carrying the participants’ additional clothes and bags “so that they can enjoy playing in the snow”, in addition to other individuals who undertook the task of hosting and warming the concentration site which the participants went to after the hike’s end.
Suleiman, however, referred to some incidents of sliding that occurred in the course of the march, causing slight physical injury to three participants.
It was then when the mountain rescue came into play, with the expert immediately intervening and applying the equipment in his kit to the rescue of the injured, keeping the overwhelming atmosphere of joy and cheerfulness totally undisturbed, Suleiman said.
Haifa Said
