Hijab: on, comfortably.
Crazy-white-full-size-window-stickers covering my beautiful view of the harbor: gone!
No drinky-drinky: happy liver and organ function. While I hesitate online to be too explicit with this description, lets suffice it to say that upon indulging in (a small amount of) local homemade treats I woke up feeling fuzzy and think I can do without except for special occasions! It kind of made me cognizant of the fact that it's actually POISON.
Beyond compound walls: discovered. Hee hee, after passing through the 2 majorly guarded gates of the university our taxi drive (Samual, from India) pulled over so that he and Chris (my borrowed husband for the evening) could sort out the mp3 player and plug it in. Behind us drives up a large National Guard vehicle with full spotlights lighting up our car, with a full on loud speaker demanding Samual to get out and identify our intentions. A little chaos ensued with the fumbling of cables and us unrolling our windows to say "oh sorry, we're just trying to get our tunes set-up!". Samual went over to them, made some hand gestures implying "whoopsy, sorry!" (he doesn't speak Arabic either being from India) and we were on our way. My thoughts on this: awesome! Not only are we very well protected (no random cars stopping outside the university walls, thank you very much), but if it's just some dumb-ass foreigners fumbling with an mp3 player you just get checked out and encouraged politely to mosey on your way! The National Guard, in this case, was most rational.
The little town outside the university: dumpy and refreshing, with not a woman to be found. Actually, we spied one making her way across the main road, which I mistakenly identified as a back road (silly me). Samual said, "oh no, madame, this is the only road". Cats everywhere and shops that could have been in any part of the hot developing world (you know the kind: cement pad in front, mini garage door opening, weak AC and a fan blowing, selling a random assortment of fishing, kitchen, household supplies...). Did I mention we (Liz - Chris's real wife) and I were the only women? There was sand and garbage dropped everywhere, and the fresh odor of rot and fish wafting by - but not consistently. We also found an awesome restaurant that we will go back to because it looked GREAT. You pick out your fish - like, a whole one, from the ice counter - and then they fry or roast it for you. The also serve other lebanese-like yummies. I'll have to try it and let you know how it is. I have a feeling that that restaurant is going to be a saving grace from the insulate nature of the university.
If you are wondering why I only say "the university", it's because online it's better not to have the name come up, just in case I say something too controversial on here and incriminate myself. Safety first!
Thanks for reading - feel free to write back!
C xo
excellent story. You need to learn the word for music/tunes in Arabic: ) Probably a little surreal to have lights blasted into your car by the National guard. That being said, one must have a sound track on an adventure none-the-less. stay safe my friend
ReplyDeletecrazy. great post - thanks for all the great detail! and it sounds like the local poison aversion is a good thing... we'll fill you up at Christmas. Love you.
ReplyDeletejust in saying hello!
ReplyDelete