Licensed to kill

It seems like everybody has a weapon here. Maybe not so much in the cities, but certainly in the countryside. And, if possible, more than one.

Most guns are from Italy and Russia. Italian guns are not considered to be the best ones. Russian are good quality. But a Belgian gun is particularly wanted.

Each time I mention I'm from Belgium, I am told that Belgian guns are the best. And do I know how to get one.

Some men find it normal to walk around with a pistol, as if they belong to the police force or the army.

In Syria, you need a license to possess arm(s). As usual with such law enforced rules, this one is in most cases not respected neither.

A motorbike needs to be registered, but 99% are not. I'm sure that not even all the cars are registered. As long as you use the vehicle in your village or nearby, there is no problem.

Also useful to know is that the cars are not insured here. When you have an accident, you need to settle between all parties involved. If no agreement is reached, the police is called to intervene. I do not know what happens when the police intervenes. Syrians prefer to come to an agreement on who will pay which damages.

Myself, I would like to have asap Internet at home. For this I need a computer, a card and a phone. I've got a computer. That's easy. Bought one. A card can be procured at several places. The only minor difficulty is getting the telephone line/number. I am told last week that since the 80', all lines/numbers are taken and that some day the capacity will be increased.

In the meantime, there are many people who are on the waiting list to have a telephone line/number. They actually already paid for it to get one. So, the only to get one quickly is to find someone who has got a telephone line/number that he doesn't use. He will sell it to me for a lot of money. I will put myself on the waiting list for another one, and will sell that one for a lot of money. The process has started...

Did I mention, I've got running water in my house since last week ? This was also a peculiar process. I am not taking water from the village water tower. I got authorization (7 signatures) to draw water from a water pipe leading to ???. The result is that I've got water 24 hours a day every day. In the village it is normal not to have running water a few hours a day.
Furthermore, I paid for a meter, but there is no meter at hand. No problem, I can take water for free the coming months until there is a meter installed.

I also have electricity since last week, but unfortunately the meter was in stock.