Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Work in Progress!
There are banners up all around the Medina in Tripoli proclaiming the area's renovation projects. Actually work has been underway for quite some time now.
The Medina is part of Libya's heritage and deserves to be preserved, not only as an attraction for tourism but mostly for the pride of Libya's citizens. The ancient sites and mosques contained in the old city as well as the bazaars are visited and utilized daily by both tourists and local people. Preservation of the area is key to its continued existence.
The city dates back to the 7th century BC when it was founded by the Phoenicians and named Oea. Its name changed over the years; the Romans called the city Regio Syrtica and later Regio Tripolitana which in modern times became known as Tripoli, the Arabic pronunciation being Tarabulis. The Medina has been continuously inhabited and evidence of the ancient Roman and Ottomon periods as well as the more recent Italian colonial period are readily evident throughout the city.
Marcus Aurelius Arch constructed during the Roman period. A mosque from the Ottoman period that is being worked on can be seen in the background.
Adjacent to the Old City is the Green Square. This building from the Italian colonial era faces the square. Scaffolding is cleverly covered with netting that is imprinted with how the final renovations will appear.
One main problem seen is the amount of time it takes to restore buildings back to their original appearance. In some areas the work has been going on for over a year, causing shopkeepers to lose money as well as being possible sources of safety hazards. Importance must be placed on completing the projects in a timely manner.
Another banner.
Mind you don't fall!
This area of the Medina's bazaar has the roof falling in. Certainly this would deter visitors who might fear for their safety by passing underneath.
This area directly behind the Red Castle has been torn up for well over a year. It is the main gateway leading to the Old City.
More views of the area. The taxpaying shopkeepers in this area have been losing revenue because the road has been torn up for so long.
The Medina is part of Libya's heritage and deserves to be preserved, not only as an attraction for tourism but mostly for the pride of Libya's citizens. The ancient sites and mosques contained in the old city as well as the bazaars are visited and utilized daily by both tourists and local people. Preservation of the area is key to its continued existence.
The city dates back to the 7th century BC when it was founded by the Phoenicians and named Oea. Its name changed over the years; the Romans called the city Regio Syrtica and later Regio Tripolitana which in modern times became known as Tripoli, the Arabic pronunciation being Tarabulis. The Medina has been continuously inhabited and evidence of the ancient Roman and Ottomon periods as well as the more recent Italian colonial period are readily evident throughout the city.
Marcus Aurelius Arch constructed during the Roman period. A mosque from the Ottoman period that is being worked on can be seen in the background.
Adjacent to the Old City is the Green Square. This building from the Italian colonial era faces the square. Scaffolding is cleverly covered with netting that is imprinted with how the final renovations will appear.One main problem seen is the amount of time it takes to restore buildings back to their original appearance. In some areas the work has been going on for over a year, causing shopkeepers to lose money as well as being possible sources of safety hazards. Importance must be placed on completing the projects in a timely manner.
Another banner.
Mind you don't fall!
This area of the Medina's bazaar has the roof falling in. Certainly this would deter visitors who might fear for their safety by passing underneath.
This area directly behind the Red Castle has been torn up for well over a year. It is the main gateway leading to the Old City.
More views of the area. The taxpaying shopkeepers in this area have been losing revenue because the road has been torn up for so long.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Happening now
- Ibrahim is swimming in the bathtub
- Jenna is decorating her notebooks and watching TV
- Sara is washing the dishes
- Nora is sleeping
- Yusef is watching TV
- Hubby is out buying vegetables I hope (he gets off track all the time)
- Adam is at his grandmother's house
- and I am taking a break from marking papers, checking my email and chatting with friends
OK... back to work!
Friday, November 02, 2007
It's time to pay the phone bill again...
A few days ago I picked up the phone to make a call and heard the lovely voice of Fatima Omar... 'Time to pay the phone bill again', she said on the recorded message. For a few days the phone company lets you receive calls but not make them. Then they shut off the service until you pay.
I think my teen-aged daughters have the telephone glued to their ears from the minute they get home from school until late. I have even had the phone ring at 1 am and have had to tell Nora's friends that they are not allowed to phone her after 9pm. But they call anyway. One particular girl is a nuisance. I have threatened to send my husband to have a talk with her father. At one point we unplugged the telephone and locked it up.
In a way I feel bad because in Libya girls don't have much of a social life. It's not like they can go hang out at the mall together or meet for a pizza. If my daughters want to visit their friends arrangements must be made. You have to take them to their friend's house, make sure that you speak to the other mother to confirm that your daughter is going to be safely chaperoned for the duration and then arrange to pick the girls up. Of course if they visit their friends you have to expect that the visit will be repaid. This is not a just pop over to visit deal... elaborate snacks and sweets must be bought or prepared and it will be a visit that lasts hours. Uuuugh! So maybe a visit via telephone is easier.
Now that the phone is off the girls are holding their school books in their hands instead of their phone books. Soon though I expect the idea of inviting all their friends over is going to pop into their heads.
Should I pay the bill?
I think my teen-aged daughters have the telephone glued to their ears from the minute they get home from school until late. I have even had the phone ring at 1 am and have had to tell Nora's friends that they are not allowed to phone her after 9pm. But they call anyway. One particular girl is a nuisance. I have threatened to send my husband to have a talk with her father. At one point we unplugged the telephone and locked it up.
In a way I feel bad because in Libya girls don't have much of a social life. It's not like they can go hang out at the mall together or meet for a pizza. If my daughters want to visit their friends arrangements must be made. You have to take them to their friend's house, make sure that you speak to the other mother to confirm that your daughter is going to be safely chaperoned for the duration and then arrange to pick the girls up. Of course if they visit their friends you have to expect that the visit will be repaid. This is not a just pop over to visit deal... elaborate snacks and sweets must be bought or prepared and it will be a visit that lasts hours. Uuuugh! So maybe a visit via telephone is easier.
Now that the phone is off the girls are holding their school books in their hands instead of their phone books. Soon though I expect the idea of inviting all their friends over is going to pop into their heads.
Should I pay the bill?
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Amusing ourselves
The last few weekends I've been trying to take the kids out and see what's available around town for them to do. A week ago we went to the zoo. Of course, we'd been there many times in the past but we hadn't been there for a while so we thought we would try it again.
We arrived at the gates to the parking lot and there seemed to be a huge amount of men of various ages hanging about and going in. Sometimes the zoo's grounds are used for exhibitions and such so I thought this might be the reason. Upon entering we found that there was indeed something going on, but of the unsavory sort. The place had quite a few families and women with their children, but mostly there were prostitutes and their customers hanging about - all of them busy bluetoothing - a craze that's emerging in Libya.
I decided that since we were already there we might as well make the most of it so we walked around to see what animals were there. Sadly, there were few animals (except the human kind) to look at. The cages and enclosures were mostly empty. The playground area was just crawling with creepy looking guys and most of the benches were taken over by 'businesswomen'. We didn't stay long. I was so disgusted that I didn't even bother to get out my camera. Maybe if the park made a rule that only families and males accompanying families be allowed entry this situation could be put under control and the park would become a nice place to take children again. As for us, we will avoid the zoo from now on except to possibly go very early on a Friday morning.
This weekend we decided to try the new amusement park along the seafront next to the port. An Italian company is behind this enterprise, the rides were mostly being operated by Italians. It was kind of funny to hear them shouting out in a mixture of Italian and Arabic - 'Meeya Meeya!', 'Pronto! Pronto!'.
There was a nice assortment of rides to suit all ages, some games of chance, fast food stands, cotton candy and popcorn, all set to really loud music, mostly with a strong techno beat (which I like!). The park was clean and there were benches to sit on as well and grassy areas that families could either sit in groups on the grass or at tables that were set up.
I did notice that most people were just watching the rides and not riding themselves. Each ride costs a dinar or a dinar and a half depending on the type of ride. Typical Libyans with their low salaries would find this very expensive. For example, I didn't see even one of my students there. I usually meet students where ever I go, but they tell me that they usually don't go to places like this because they've made the choice to spend their money on their education instead. Most of the visitors in the park were families with small children, young people and older people with their grandchildren. While we were there I didn't notice any obvious 'businesswomen' and there weren't a lot of middle aged and older men hanging about either. I did notice a police stand located at the entrance.
We'll probably return to the park in the future after we've saved up enough to enjoy more of the rides.
I found taking pictures at the amusement park challenging. The lighting and the speed of the rides were difficult to catch, especially as I had my kids to look out for a the same time. But I did manage to get some interesting shots. I'm usually a bit leery of taking pictures with people in them but for some reason no one seemed to mind.
Jenna jumping on the trampolines - she really liked this a lot.
Red in the face and resting after jumping!
Bump! Bump! Bumper Cars!
I think Ibrahim liked this ride the best.
People watching and waiting. I didn't notice anyone pushing or shoving -a totally new experience for me here in Libya where that behavior is the norm.
Jenna and Ibrahim loved the swings - they went so fast. Rode them twice.
This ride looked a bit boring - just up and down and round and round.
Lights
These two girls were waiting patiently for the ride to begin.
Starting....
I've never been on this ride.
Fruit juice.
Click on the images to see them larger.
We arrived at the gates to the parking lot and there seemed to be a huge amount of men of various ages hanging about and going in. Sometimes the zoo's grounds are used for exhibitions and such so I thought this might be the reason. Upon entering we found that there was indeed something going on, but of the unsavory sort. The place had quite a few families and women with their children, but mostly there were prostitutes and their customers hanging about - all of them busy bluetoothing - a craze that's emerging in Libya.
I decided that since we were already there we might as well make the most of it so we walked around to see what animals were there. Sadly, there were few animals (except the human kind) to look at. The cages and enclosures were mostly empty. The playground area was just crawling with creepy looking guys and most of the benches were taken over by 'businesswomen'. We didn't stay long. I was so disgusted that I didn't even bother to get out my camera. Maybe if the park made a rule that only families and males accompanying families be allowed entry this situation could be put under control and the park would become a nice place to take children again. As for us, we will avoid the zoo from now on except to possibly go very early on a Friday morning.
This weekend we decided to try the new amusement park along the seafront next to the port. An Italian company is behind this enterprise, the rides were mostly being operated by Italians. It was kind of funny to hear them shouting out in a mixture of Italian and Arabic - 'Meeya Meeya!', 'Pronto! Pronto!'.
There was a nice assortment of rides to suit all ages, some games of chance, fast food stands, cotton candy and popcorn, all set to really loud music, mostly with a strong techno beat (which I like!). The park was clean and there were benches to sit on as well and grassy areas that families could either sit in groups on the grass or at tables that were set up.
I did notice that most people were just watching the rides and not riding themselves. Each ride costs a dinar or a dinar and a half depending on the type of ride. Typical Libyans with their low salaries would find this very expensive. For example, I didn't see even one of my students there. I usually meet students where ever I go, but they tell me that they usually don't go to places like this because they've made the choice to spend their money on their education instead. Most of the visitors in the park were families with small children, young people and older people with their grandchildren. While we were there I didn't notice any obvious 'businesswomen' and there weren't a lot of middle aged and older men hanging about either. I did notice a police stand located at the entrance.
We'll probably return to the park in the future after we've saved up enough to enjoy more of the rides.
I found taking pictures at the amusement park challenging. The lighting and the speed of the rides were difficult to catch, especially as I had my kids to look out for a the same time. But I did manage to get some interesting shots. I'm usually a bit leery of taking pictures with people in them but for some reason no one seemed to mind.
Jenna jumping on the trampolines - she really liked this a lot.
Red in the face and resting after jumping!
Bump! Bump! Bumper Cars!
I think Ibrahim liked this ride the best.
People watching and waiting. I didn't notice anyone pushing or shoving -a totally new experience for me here in Libya where that behavior is the norm.
Jenna and Ibrahim loved the swings - they went so fast. Rode them twice.
This ride looked a bit boring - just up and down and round and round.
Lights
These two girls were waiting patiently for the ride to begin.
Starting....
I've never been on this ride.
Fruit juice.
Click on the images to see them larger.
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