I haven't blogged in a long time. A conversation with my colleague Jerry reminded me of it. Not sure what to write about but I have many things to talk and think about after my summer trip to England, Zanzibar, Lebanon and Dubai, where, in each, I spent fabulous time.
I can't recommend Zanzibar enough. It tops my list of favorite places so far, and the Mzab valley in Algeria comes right next on that list. I don't feel like talking politics or history now but because Zanzibar is what it is in terms of a meeting place of several cultures, traditions.. it is amazing. And, like the Mzab, lacks signs of religious radicalism. My theory is that the less modernization and modernity have had an impact on any Muslim society (but it can also be applied to other non-Western societies), the more relaxed and tolerant it is. I am not saying there is no religious conservatism; but there is no radicalism and the two are far apart from each other.
Lebanon: Reconnecting with Beirut, especially Ras Beirut, was the best part of this trip. It was a unique visit this time and I enjoyed every moment. Ras Beirut is a fascinating place indeed. I visited Dr. Kamal Salibi and he still insists that Ras Beirut has no match in the whole world. And people seem to know really well how to enjoy their time, day and night. I had a couple of visitors while there and it was interesting to see how strangers to Lebanon see it, especially in comparison to other places. They seem to really appreciate the joie de vivre that they encounter there, the excellent service they get as visitors, the convenience of everything and mostly, the very liberal ambiance in many parts of the country. I had an interesting conversation with a friend about the difference between Beirut and Cairo; Cairo, which I visited in 1995, seems to have lost some, if not most, of its charm and Beirut is the place where one can still feel much at ease. Yes, of course, it has its horrible sides, but I am just relaying others' impressions. I personally love Ras Beirut, where I lived for six years. But it is mostly the company we have that makes the places feel even more beautiful than they are!
Dubai: yes, it is crazy but interesting. I just would like to know to whom all those high rises are being built! It is funny how, at night, most of those places look empty. They are indeed empty. I visited the Palm Tree Island and Oh my God (or as my brother says, Oh my Allah!): Was it worth it? It is a monstrous project. But I came to the conclusion (with the aid of my friend Nahla, whom I visited there) that one can live in Dubai only if he/she has a large social network there and if he/she is making lots of money. There are two things to do in Dubai: entertainment but most of it is pricy, and shopping; and you need money for both.
Manchester: the Canal Street was lovely and the Egyptian Shisha place near Manchester University did a good job. I was attending a conference and now I want to attend more conferences in Europe.
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