Hama was one of my favorite towns in Syria. Its relatively clean streets, 1950’s style yellow cabs, friendly people and the ancient water wheels making a soft groaning sound are very soothing while you sit at the café at night watching the enormous bats fly overhead.

It is hard be believe that in 1982, President Hafez Assad crushed a rebellion by bulldozing much of the city and killing anyone who got in the way, about 20,000 people.