The Arab Castle overlooking Palmyra.

We walk up to the castle from the town to witness the sun set over the ruins of Palmyra.

Inside the Arab Castle.

Again we are fond to explore the many vaulted galleries.

View from the castle of the surrounding area.

The castle has been nicely restored.

Climbing towers never ends.

Another aerial view in the opposite direction over the desert.

At the highest point of the castle looking at the ruins of Palmyra and Oasis in the far distance.

As the sun set artifical lights aluminates the ruins of Palmyra.

We stroll along the Colonnaded Street with the locals...

...and even sip tea supplied by other locals relaxing in the ruins.

The Monumental Arch at night.

The national Syrian Rally from Damascus to Palmyra through the desert concluded today.

The local garbage truck.

Supper at the Spring Restaurant in Palmyra.

May 14, 2006. Ruby's rear tire picks up a nail and ....

...a local takes over plugging the hole and Mike uses the always handy portable air compressor.

In the middle of no where between...

... Palmyra and Rasafa the ruins of Qasr al-Heir ash Sharqi appear.

Inside the walled fortress.

Still a lot of excavation has to be completed.

This is how deep everything is buried.

A lonely wall remains.

In the distance one can see only sand and desert.

Some of the better preserved monuments.

Roman pillars and arches.

Outside the walled fortress'.

Our next stop is the old walled city of Rasafa.

In the middle of the desert the ruins of this larged walled ancient city rises.

The city was first fortified by the Romans...

...and Byzantine emperor Justinian gave it much of its present look.

View of the Religious Basilica Complex.

Inside the Religious Basilica Complex.

The site is completely built from Quarz.

Excavation is limited.

Inside another Religious Basilica.

A old stone paved road leading from the north gate.

Poppy Flowers cover the site.

The north gate, easly missed and the most spectacular.

North Gate Entrance.

Walking inside the fortified walls of Rafasa.

The ceiling are close to caving in.

May 15, 2006. Wandering in the Medieval Souq of Aleppo.

Aleppo Citadel.

Its moat is spanned by a bridge, which climbs at a 45 Degree angle up to the main gate.

The main fortified gate was built in 12th Century AD.

Another huge fortified tower.

The view of Aleppo from the Citadel is excellent.

Inside the walled Citadel, excavation and restoration has been extensive.

The city of Aleppo, with a population of 3 million.

The Citadel even housed a theatre.

Returning to the Medieval Souq of Aleppo and the meat section.

What ever your heart desires you can buy it here.

Secure Parking of our motorcycles in a 3 million people city in front of the Ambassador Hotel.

The ruins of Elba.

An ancient settlement dating back 4000 years.

Old black grinding stones uncovered.

Excavated housing complex.

A old stairway.

Basin dating back to 20th Century BC.

Overlooking the town of Elba.

In the far distance further excavation show a entrance gate.

May 16, 2006. We head to the Roman town of Apamea.

If it wasn't for Palmyra this site would have been the tourist attraction to see in Syria....

...but it all translates to having a entire site to ourselves.

The Agora (Forum)

The Roman City was founded in 2nd Century BC.

The Colonnaded Street continues forever and is set in the most amazing scenery.

To the west we have the Ansariyya Mountain Range and to the east the Al-Ghaba plains.

A beautiful site.

Huge Pillars.

Stone paved Roman Roads.

A crossroad marked by a centre pillar.

Beside the Great Colonnaded Street seen here, most of the site was destroyed by a earthquake in 1157.

Here we met Johannes and Robert from Germany, our first motorcycle traveler encounter in 3 months.

In the town of Hama, famous for the Four Norias of Bechriyyat...

...wooden water wheels located along the Orontes River.

As the wooden wheels turn on the hinges of wooden supports it makes a mournful groaning noise.

The wooden water wheels scoop up water and deposit it into the aqueducts, which in turn irrigate the surrounding fields.

May 17, 2006. Approx. 90km south-west of Hama lies the famous crusader castle Crac des Chevaliers.

The fortress was built in 1031.

The main stables.

View of the baths area.

The outer wall is separated from the inner wall by a moat dug out of the rock.

View from the Warden's Tower of the beautiful surrounding scenery.

The Tower of the Daughter of the King.

The castle could hold a population of 2000.

A huge oven.

The Vaulted Room.

The loggia, with its Gothic Facade.

The chapel, later converted to a Mosque after Muslim conquest.

The exterior of the Loggia.

Large Vase like container concreted into the ground to store oil.

Inside one of the 13 towers.

View of Lake Qattinah from the castle.

The Warden's Tower.

View of the castle from the Warden's Tower.

Leaving Crac des Chevaliers also known in Arabic as Qala'at al-Hosn.