What the eyes are for the outer world, the fast is for the inner spiritual world.

Breaking fast and having discussions-meetings in this season of Ramadan

Here are some interesting persons with some excerpts of their conversations.

1859

The year when the first classification of different types of cheats was done through a penal code which differentiated between Thugs, Robbers, Dacoits. This has been further updated over the decades but the basics remain.

Those who use their tongue to cheat-Thugs.

Those who threaten but do not kill- Robbers

Those who Kill and loot- Dacoits.

The Cross

Symbols through post cards which we saw and explained.

The Order of Knights of St.John and the Maltese cross and it’s parallels in architectural symbolism through Casablanca to Damascus to the Sultans of India made another interesting theme.

Having traveled in many capitals of the world, the senior diplomat explained how power was shared and succession issues decided in some of the lesser developed societies who have not been the children of D.E.Mocracy, grandchildren of L.I.Berty and
E.D.U. Cation.

Symbols have been left behind by thinkers for us to decipher, down the centuries.

Why? History did not start a few decades over here

Pronunciations and Shapes of the mouth

The English teacher explained how his Anglo Indian teacher told the Indians to pronounce Ball.

The mouth has to be round so that Ball comes out well pronounced.

The Indians who do not round up their mouths when pronouncing Ball were not game to this and there were a lot of giggles.

Children of Tripoli

Bismillah ar-rahman ar-rahim…In the name of the Creator the Benevolent and Merciful

And so the journeys start. Breaking fast with Dates and Lebaan (fermented milk)

We are all in the same ship…the journey as seen through Tripolitania.

Slowly we shifted through some old photographs.

She came here in 1967, two years before the present regime took power.

She returned in 2000, to her country which was not there anymore.

Passport Yugoslavian, Country Slovenia. And many confusions of where one fits in!

So she returned to Tripoli, to the city where she had had her family and child.

I met her in 2006, all of 73 years, but with a grip stronger than most men I know.

Cleaning the Blood, sputum and pus of patients in Central hospital of Tripoli for 33 years!

We are the children of Tripoli, which has defined us in so many ways.

Cross culturalism

My father plays chess. I prefer table tennis.

As a Washington based engineer drew out a young medical student of Indian origin brought up in Tripoli, we came to know some more nuances of expatriate life.

We live mostly with the Indians, said one of the seniors who is pretty active in the Prayer groups.

I prefer to spend time with my Libyan friends who are very simple and open, the youngster observed his preferences.

Landscapes
Returning to the varying landscapes and mindscapes we went through some more photographs.

The different types of coastlines. The differences of the Temples of Sabratha and Luxor.

When are you going to Egypt next, one friend asked.

Not soon..but definitely we will make a trip together, as we discussed the Nile breeze.

Foods
Do not pull my tongue said an old friend, on seeing my instant food formula.

Coming back late from work Sea food has become an instant diet.

The Chicken curry has it’s own nuances followed by the different Indian dals.

I taught the Serbian how to make Indian dals, but now, my laziness (excuses of time-work commitments) have made me shift to Sea Food and Tuna.

Shifting mindscapes, landscapes, foodscapes. …Many lovely conversations in the Iftaar....tomorrow I will have Iftaar at Istanbul