I am finally posting some photos of my apartment in Douz. It is only a few days until Eid, a new year celebration (there are two Eid's in the year, one after Ramadan, and one in the winter). Dec 8 is the first day of the 3 days of Eid.
It is a time of great celebration, each family will kill a sheep or goat (halal and very quickly) on the first day of Eid. Children often get new clothes, and food, music and family are celebrated. I am looking forward to being part of it, although somewhat (well, very) squeamish about seeing the deceased before I eat it...)!
Soon after Eid is the annual four day Douz Festival of the Sahara, known throughout the world, where around 30,000 people from around the world will arrive in this town! Mostly from Algeria, Morocco, Europe, Syria and Egypt. There will be camel racing, camel dancing competitions, Bedouin music and dance, a huge souk (aka shopping for Juanita!), and of course FOOD! This year the festival starts on Dec 25th, so I will be celebrating Christmas Bedouin style!
I was hoping to have my own toureg (white Algerian racing) camel before the festival to enter one of the races, but it doesn't look like that will happen. If I get one before the festival, I would still be able to participate in the toureg procession, which would be exciting enough!!!
The downside, is that I will be missing Christmas with friends, and especially my darling sons, Rustyn and Jesse, and their sweet and beautiful femmes. This will be the first year I have not prepared a Christmas feast for my family. It is very weird, and sad for me.
As far as turkey dinner, I hope to buy a small turkey after the festival and cook a 'traditional' Christmas dinner for New Years for a few friends. I just bought a 'real' stove with an oven, haven't figured out how to work it yet, and I discovered there is no thermostat - I guess you just turn it on and hope for the best! Inshallah....
Enjoy the photos of my apartment, and have a wonderful Christmas season! Picture me riding Lasfar in the desert and sitting under my own eastern star...
Love Juanita
3 comments:
Dear Juanita,
i love to read with enjoyment of your experiences in Douz. I have had a great time there in the summer 2007. And about your appartment, that looks familiar to me, because i believe that i spent my holidays in 2007 exactly there. Is it near the city hall of Douz? What are the odds. It would be interesting to know if i have had spent my holidays in your appartement. Til today i spent a lot of times in Douz and perhaps i'm pleased to meet you during the days of my visits there, inch'allah. We have a lot of common.
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