Life is a bowl of cherries.

Cherries always remind me of living in Damascus twenty years ago. They have these amazing cherries, from an area called Bluhdan, that actually and truly taste like I imagine heaven tastes - if it does in fact even exist or has a taste, that is...

My memories of Damascus are now a little rose-tinted, which is probably good, because, while I found Syria one of the most fascinating and captivating countries I have ever had the privilege of living in, I actually hated pretty much every day of the four years I lived there.

Daily life was fraught with difficulties - it was corrupt, irritating, occasionally dangerous, frustrating and at times just plain hard work. And that was life as an overpaid expat living in the wealthy suburbs of Damascus. But the local people were among the friendliest, kindest, most generous individuals I have ever met on my travels.

Syria has more culture and history than many of the 'great' nations of the world can ever dream of. Anyone who has ever felt the thrill of the crowded souq - the smell of spices, incense and coffee mingled with shisha and roasting peanuts - walked in silent wonder down the Street called Straight - listened to the melodic hammering of the copper merchants - been stopped in their tracks by the haunting call of the mullah as dusk falls across the manic city that truly never sleeps - tasted warm figs plucked from an ancient tree on the battlements of the Krak de Chevalier - anyone who has ever been lucky enough to experience those things will agree that Syria is a place that steals a little piece of your heart and soul and keeps hold of them for ever...

I don't do traditional praying. (Or for that matter the churches idea of 'god' or organised religion). At least I didn't think I did. But just lately I've found myself closing my eyes and asking for someone, something - the Universal Spirits, 'god', humanity, anyone - to just do something to save what is left of that truly beautiful country and it's people. It just seems to me that now enough really is enough...

xxx