SESAME is a cooperative venture by scientists and governments of the Middle East set up on the model of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). Members of SESAME are Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, and Turkey. The Synchrotron Light source will be used by researchers to study a large variety of scientific questions. It is located in Jordan and has started doing science. I will describe from a very personal view point how this project has come into being starting in 1995. The story will move from the CERN cafeteria through the Sinai desert to the completion of a high quality scientific electron accelerator in Jordan.