The Temple of Bel before ISIL wrought destruction

The Temple of Bel in 1991. Photos: YEOW PECK HAR

“ISIL blows up a major Palmyra temple.” “Syria’s Palmyra Temple of Bel ‘severely damaged’ by ISIL,” screamed the headlines. Oh, no! Not my “toom bel of Bel”.

Like a time machine, the fading photographs in my album took me back to November 1991, where a much younger and reckless me decided to go to Syria. I was on my own as none of my friends were willing to take the risk of travelling to the Middle East, and definitely not just a few months after the end of the Gulf War.