On the Nile – Luxor and Karnak
Every day five o’clock tea is served on the deck, here in the Nile motor ship. Greeks chat until evening time, Italians sunbathe in their bikini, even some Germans pop up, otherwise
Potlaç, Turkish edition
This is the story of a guy I can now call a friend. It is a story that began for a work purpose, which led me to encounter a reality, a social
Çay, cigarettes and kahve
[continues from “Ankara, the capital of Turkey”] R picks me up after a long delay. Every now and then I wonder if I am really fascinated by the rhythms of the Orient.
Ankara, the capital of Turkey
“YYYesss..just some yoghurt will be ok..believe me. All right! I will also try a biscuit, thank you. Please, yes, more coffee, I promise it will be the last cup.” I am in
Autumn night in Ankara
Una distesa arida e secca, sembra una piana lunare Ankara, la capitale di Turchia, mentre atterro nel buio di novembre. A dry, arid expanse, it looks like a lunar plain Ankara, the
The Valley of Khalil Gibran
Pity for the nation full of belief but empty of religion Pity the nation that wears clothes it has not woven, eats bread it has not reaped and drinks wine that has
On the vastness of the Baalbek Temple
1.30 p.m., Beeka Valley ‘And now…our 2017 Reserve du Couvent red!’. One after the other, we had tasted the signature bottles of the iconic Chateau Ksara: in addition to the red wine,
Heading south, to Tyre and Sidon
ore 12.30, Cafè Cortado – Gemmayzeh 12.30 p.m., Café Cortado – Gemmayzeh I was reading the pages of L’Orient-le Jour, convinced I was brushing up on my already largely forgettable French. I
Hitchhiking at Phoenicians, in Byblos
“You just have to go down to the old car park by that shortcut, it is not very intuitive, but if you follow my instructions you can get to the bus station
From Hamra to the basterma of Bourj Hammoud
I once read an article about Hamra quarter, the magic venue of the Lebanese intellectual and cultural activity between 1960 and 1970. Hamra Street was equally known as the Champs Elysees of