Syria 1982-2006

Syria
1982 - 2006
A representative collection of our tour of duty in Syria and other visits

Damascus and Environs

Probably the most recognizable spot in Damascus - the Umayyad mosque

Satellite image of Syria

Satellite image of Damascus

Umayyad mosque interior

Umayyad mosque interior
Tomb of St John the Baptist

Main entrance to the Umayyad mosque

An entrance to the Umayyad mosque courtyard

Umayyad mosque - Al-Khaznah (treasury)

Umayyad mosque interior
Tomb of St John the Baptist

Damascus Citadel at night

Entrance to the tomb of Saladin (Salah Ad-Din Al-Ayubi)

Tomb of Saladin (right)

Al-Azam Palace

Rugs hanging from balconies to air out

Ottoman buildings

The Al-Azam Palace Courtyard

Ananias Chapel
Spot where Saul/Paul was healed
Just off the "Street Called Straight" (Madhat Bashah)

Ottoman buildings

Entrance to the Hamidiyah suq

"Brother driver -refrain from using the horn
from 1700 until 0700 - under penalty of arrest"

Olives for sale on the "Street Called Straight"

Abu Rumanah section - near U.S. Embassy

Advertising
Doctors, a pharmacy and a beauty salon

Belly dancer

Historic Kanawat train station - part of the famed Hijaz Railway of the early 20th Century
One of the prettiest buildings in Damascus

Al-Kiswah train station
Note Hijaz railway station still in use

Hijaz railway
Abandoned Al-Khabab station

Sitt Zaynab

Tomb of Zaynab - a Shi'a holy site just south of Damascus

Zaynab was the granddaughter of Muhammad, the daughter of Imam ‘Ali (first imam and fourth caliph) and sister of Imam Husayn

Dome of the mosque

**Aleppo - Northern Syria**

**The Crusader Citadel in Aleppo (Halab)**
Mosque in Aleppo Christian Church in Aleppo Suq in Aleppo	Maronite Christian Cathedral in Aleppo Pistachio and nut suq in Aleppo

**Hamah - Homs - Coast**
Water wheels (Nawriyah) of Hamah
Homs (Hims) - Khalid Ibn Al-Walid mosque Qadesh, west of Homs Site of the Battle of Qadesh, 1274BC between the Egyptians and Hittites Mosque in Al-Qurdhahah Home of the Al-Asad Family	Homs - Christian church Tartus Mediterranean coast St Paul's Church - Tartus
Christian Sites Crac de Chevaliers / Qala't Al-Husn Crusader castle west of Homs - the finest example in existence
Crac de Chevaliers Crac de Chevaliers Baniyas - view from Marqab Castle Marqab Castle Masyaf Castle San Simeon San Simeon Rasafa Ma'lulah	Crac de Chevaliers Crac de Chevaliers Marqab Castle Masyaf Castle Masyaf Castle Safita Tower San Simeon Ma'lulah Ma'lulah
Convent at Saydnaya
Convent at Saydnaya Convent at Saydnaya	Convent at Saydnaya Convent at Saydnaya

The Road to Damascus
About 10 miles southwest of Syria on Route 7 (the road to al-Qunaytirah, the Golan Heigts and the Sea of Galilee is small town called 'Artuz.
Just east of 'Artuz there is a small chapel commemorating the spot when Paul underwent his conversion "on the road to Damascus."

I am posting a satellite image as there was a Syrian military facility (still visible) - photography was not permitted.

**Roman Syria - Palmyra (Tadmur)**

Roman Syria - Apamea (Afamiyah)

Roman Syria - Busrah Ash-Sham

Golan Heights

Israeli reconnaissance flight over the Biqa Valley
Seen from Al-Qunaytirah, Golan Heights

Israeli electronic intelligence site - Har Avital, Golan Heights

Destroyed hospital - Al-Qunaytirah

Graffiti
"I am a son of Al-Qunaytirah"

Graffiti drawing of church - Al-Qunaytirah

UN Checkpoint - Al-Qunaytirah

Checkpoint on Syrian side of UN zone - Al-Qunaytirah

Golan Heights from Al-Qunaytirah

Satellite imagery of Israeli electronic intelligence site (left)

Destroyed hospital interior - Al-Qunaytirah

Destroyed church - Al-Qunaytirah

Destroyed church interior

Produce of Israel?

When last in Tel Aviv (as a guest of the Israelis), I had dinner at a restaurant with a senior Israeli army officer. The waitress asked if I would like to try some Israeli wine. Sure, why not?
I had been in Israel numerous times over the last three decades, and when I had tasted "Israeli" wine, it always turned out to be "from the Holy Land." That's Israeli political-speak for the West Bank - in other words, occupied Jordan or Palestine, depending on when I was there or what your opinion is, but certainly not Israel.
As you can see from the label, this wine is from the Golan Heights, specifically Mount Hermon, or as the Arabs call it, Jabal ash-Shaykh. I asked the waitress if she in fact meant Syrian wine. She shrugged and backed away with the "I'm not going there..." look..

Checkpoint on Israeli side of UN zone - Al-Qunaytirah

No caption necessary

**Miscellaneous**
Train station (1895) in az-Zabadani Tomb of Abel, az-Zabadani The Syrian Bride? Emily dressed in Arab garb Damascus taxi Syrian ambulance Syrian bedouin Syrian bedouin Southern Syria Southern Syria	Az-Zabadani - a resort area near the Lebanese border Tomb of Abel, az-Zabadani A shurbaji - a drink dispenser Dancing with Syrian friend Sana Two women Syrian bus Syrian bedouin goat hair tents Basalt terrain - southern Syria Syrian postage stamps
Ahmad - our favorite merchant and rug dealer - most of our rugs came from his shop on "A Street Called Straight" A local butcher slaughtering lambs for an feast Work My journey to Syria - a solo six day drive across the desert - 1800 miles The Defense Attache Office - Damascus 1994 Rick (right) and his Russian counterpart (left) Presentation to Rick by Sergei The banner reads: Armed Forces of Russia The inscription reads: To Rick Francona for the collaborative work in Damascus, from your Russian colleagues, December 1994
Rick's Syrian driver's license Rick's membership in the Damascus Shooting Club Lapel pin - starts a conversation Air Force One in Damascus I am with the Syrian Air service manager From a USAF crew ferrying the Secretary of State Syrian Air Force IL-76 at Damascus Syrian Air Force (yeah, I know it looks like Syrian airlines) YAK-40 Interesting flight.... Syrian Air Force VIP Tu-134 at Latakia I flew from Latakia to Damascus with then-Minister of Foreign Affairs Faruq Shara' and then-Ambassador to the U.S. Walid Mu'alim Iranian Air Force 747 delivering supplies to Hizballah via Damascus Syrian Army ZIL-131 The local attache corps joke was that the 131 indicates the number of Syrian solidiers you could put into one ZSU-23/4 antiaircraft gun - all over the country	Rick's business card in English and Arabic Rick's pass for the Air Force One visit issued by the Republican Guard With Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense Syrian antisubmarine helicopters at Latakia Airport/Humaymim air base Syrian Air Force Mi-14 antisubmarine helicopter Syrian Air Force 29th Brigade Damascus International Airport (military ramp) Syrian Air Force 29th Brigade Damascus International Airport (military ramp) Syrian Army post - GAZ-66 and ZIL-131 trucks Arabic numeral test - the truck is 382116
A Syrian air base northeast of Damascus Closeup of above Syrian air base northeast of Damascus A Syrian air base south of Damascus - note MiG-21 tails A Syrian air base east of Aleppo - note three MiG-23's A Syrian air base in the desert of central Syria The Presidential Falcon 900 landing at Damascus - 1994 Syrian Air Force IL-76M YK-ATA prior to the conversion to an IL-76T Syrian Air Force An-26 (CURL) YK-ANC - do not be fooled by the Syrianair colors. Note the long wire antennas and numerous pods.... I think this is an airborne radio relay birds Syrian MiG-23ML (Flogger G) #2755 on final approach at a Syrian air base You have to be careful taking pictures like this in Syria Islamic Republic of Iran B-747 tanker delivering supplies to Hizballah at Damascus International Airport