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Olympus OM-10 | Fuji Superia 100
The tetrapylon is where we encountered our first touts. They were just kids, but annoying as hell. It was blisteringly hot, low season in the desert of course, so they didn't really have many other tourists to bother. They seemed to want to stick to the area, so once we moved a decent distance from the tetrapylon they lost interest.
Olympus OM-10 | Fuji Superia 100
The Monumental Arch, most memorable to me because it was featured on the back of Syrian coins.
Olympus OM-10 | Fuji Superia 100
I think this camel had already had a rough day. It was actually moaning and screaming as we approached the ruins. Its young keeper assured me that camels are just "like that." Whiners.
Olympus OM-10 | Fuji Superia 100
My travel buds had been dying for a peek over the border at Iraq. Why? Boys will be boys. We couldn't actually ask our driver to swerve that far off the route to Palmyra, which is the closest to the border most tourists get. Compromise was reached...we saw this picturesque turnoff and begged the driver to stop so we could photograph the signs. Just another bonus to taking the driver rather than the bus.
Olympus OM-10 | Fuji Superia 100
The tours from Hama tended to be conducted in fabulous vintage cars. This trip to Palmyra was my second in a glorious white Pontiac from the 50s.
Unfortunately, it looked much better than it felt--after an hour on the desert highway with two more to go, I was sweating all over the vinyl seats. Doing crosswords in the back with my travel buddy only did so much to take my mind off the heat.
Olympus OM-10 | Fuji Superia 400
Qala'at Abou Quobeis is a small ruined Crusader castle, without official tickets or signage, just mysterious crumbling rocks. The level of ruination is in stark contrast with popular sights like Krak des Chevaliers and the castle's post high above provides gorgeous views of the valley.
It's obvious this is a children's playground, and I flashed back to the extremely ordinary jungle gyms, rocky creeks, and vegetable gardens of my childhood. My travel buddy broke out Arabic 101, but we didn't get much beyond that is the castle and this is the souk. I grabbed my camera and one diva boy kept pushing a smaller boy out of shot. Of course, they turned out to be brothers.
Olympus Stylus Epic | Fuji Superia 100
Tucked away in the Damascus souk, this relatively small mosque seems simple compared to the grand Umayyad Mosque. Until you pass through the courtyard to the inner chambers, where mirrors decorate the walls like disco balls in true Persian style. This Shia mosque was built with Iranian money, and is a focal point for many pilgrims from Iran.
Inside, men solemnly danced and sang. A separate room held the shrine containing the body of Saida Ruqqaya, Mohammed's martyr granddaughter. Here, histrionic women moaned, wept, clung to the shrine, threw candy and rubbed small girls' dresses against it. It was an amazing thing to witness, even though I wasn't quite sure what was going on. One woman pressed candy into my hand. I was the obvious foreigner, but still a woman who appreciated this holy place.
Olympus OM-10 | Kodak Gold 200
The old section of Aleppo's labyrinthine souk.
Olympus Stylus Epic | Fuji Superia 1600
The souk featured many specialized stalls, from tea to pillowcases. This one I found especially evocative, all those dead eyes, heavy makeup, as well as the child's head wrapped in headscarf to the left.
Olympus OM-10 | Kodak Gold 200
Just a couple short hours out of Damascus, tucked away high up a desert mountain (because monks do love their solitude) lies the monastery at Mar Musa. I spent 3 amazing days in this community, helping with chores, attending the occasional service (Catholic, but unusual in practice) in the lovely Arabic-style chapel, eating simple meals with the residents and other wanderers. It's a wonderful, special place of love, warmth and welcome and I dream of returning someday soon.