A man drinking Regilla (Hookah). With scented Tobacco in a Tripoli café
Life at the Slow Shutter speed.
“If you know your position in life, things will go smoothly” said one of my friends who works in a diplomatic mission.
“Sadiq (Friend)! Listen to me. I am a few years elder than you.” He continued.
Coffee at Green square Tripoli has a charm of it’s own, and reminds me of the colonnaded arcades of Fort of Mumbai, Connaught Place of Delhi, Malls of Mussoorie and Shimla, street sides at Valletta and Floriana in Malta. There are some common strains with Grenwich and Westminster areas too (remember some nice afternoons spent at the National Gallery and Maritime museum)
But the closest similarity is to the sea-side cafes of Benghazi or the Games I played in Giza area of Cairo or the musings at Luxor by the Nile.
Over the years, I have made some interesting friends from different countries and one learns from the different cultures and backgrounds.
My friend, though working in a European mission, has developed some local tastes. He loves the Libyan Lamb (Kharouf) and drinks camel milk and loves Khus-Khusi.(a local delicacy). But he has retained some of his European taste for wine which he has after his afternoon meals and before his nap.
He looks after his car like a baby. “I have to drive to Tunis two times a month.”
We spend some time, talking about various issues. He becomes a bit tense at times, when we touch some thorny issues, but then we switch back to discussions on Camel milk and he breathes easier.
“The camel milk at Zawia Dahmaani is the best” he tells me how he goes every morning to buy camel milk from there.
We part ways. “I have to be back in my mission by 10 pm. But I always make it a point to be back by 9.45 pm so that no one is able to point a finger at me.”
One has to know one’s position in life and then things will go on smoothly.
…We parted ways after a lovely evening. He pointed out to the moon over the palms as we said goodbye.
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