Our friend Guy is a grad. student in Arabic studies. He has been working here to have a place to stay while he studies the Sufi Muslims in the area. Yesterday we met the Sufi Sheikh and sat and had coffee with a small group of people at the Inn. Guy, Philip and I sat for at least a half hour while the Sheikh talked to Saraida, the owner, in Arabic, a language we do not really understand.
For other reasons, yesterday was a day of interest for us. After work and a short staff meeting and the meeting with the sheikh, Philip and I ventured around the the local food selling places because we needed groceries. By the time we went out (4ish) shops were beginning to take in their wares but we were able to get some pita pizzas with zatar on top (not what we wanted but miscommunication happens) and made an acquaintance with the young man at the bakery. People are happy to open up when they know we are “from the neighborhood” and will be staying longer than a day.
We bought grapes at the open air market then headed over to one of our favorite places: a huge basement spice market called El Babour. Very old world and impressive. Large feed bags of spices, nuts, fruits, beans and grains line narrow paths. We take a small plastic bag and fill it from the bags with a “feed” scoop. They weigh it and we pay. We love buying nuts and rice and dried fruit here. Last night we bought rice and lentils and cumin. The owner asked if we knew how to make lentil soup and I said yes. He showed me a certain mixture of spices called “Lentil Soup Spice” that he mixes himself. “Will taste like Nazareth Kitchen!” he says. We try it later in the evening with a few over volunteers and it is delicious. We make another friend in Tony, the spice guy, who loves the Fauzi and Philip’s shirt “Love your enemies.” (Which is nice after an Italian tourist earlier in the day saw his shirt at the Fauzi and immediately said “Love your enemies? This is too hard. KILL your enemies!”). Philip accidentally handed Tony a bill from Thailand. They loved it! They wanted to buy it. He showed them that he also had a bill from Jamaica and one from Ethiopia. As we left Philip gave them each a 20 from Thailand. We exchanged friendship. On the way home we stopped at a very small shop that sells anything from pots and pans to shampoo and honey to get cheap olives and lebnah. As we walked home with our heavy bags, Philip commented on starting to feel like a Nazarene.
Interesting vignette number two was supper. Several volunteer guys were hanging around the Fauzi on Philip’s 7pm shift so I made lentil soup and rice for us. But the kitchen was bustling. Guests are welcome to use the kitchen anytime; I had not seen so many interested until last night. A young backpacker couple was making a plate of potatoes and frying hotdog/sausages. Our fellow volunteer, a retired man from Canada, was eating fava beans, tomatoes and hummus while explaining all of this to a middle aged smiling man from Taiwan who was all oohs and aahs and was eating his supper of noodles from a packet. I made lentil soup to smell like a Nazareth kitchen and as I finished another young couple made pasta, while another traveler shared beer with whoever wanted it.
Another day…
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