So it was the big day for the newly weds. I must say it was impressive. It was held at The Four Seasons hotel, and previously I have only had coffee there and some years ago I spend the new years.
The grooms farther is a high level manager at the hotel so they didn’t hold back in showing how you party here in the Middle East. It happens rarely that you get your food served on plates. Usually they set out a buffet were you can eat until you burst. At this formal event we got three courses and then a dessert buffet so they had the best of two worlds. The amount of dessert that you end up eating equals the actual 3 course dinner. It’s lovely.
The music spanned from soft chamber music preformed by 3 musicians in the center of the room, to some dance remixes of different dance classics from the 90′s and early 2000′s. The other guests seamed to enjoy them selves and so did we.
Any type of formal event here in this part of the world is used for networking, not only business but also social networking. Meaning that if you have a son or a daughter who is just about the right age for marriage then you would also be looking for interesting prospects. Everyone plays along, they dress to kill and make sure to be on there toes throughout the whole night. I’m used to being asked by friends in regards to my interest in the different females that would be at the same parties as us, “What do you think about her? Ohh she looks nice!” When it comes from an aunt or a uncle it seems different. As I have said before there is only one way of dealing with this, and its to take a huge spoon and east it up! The selection for this post had to be the wedding cake just about the tip over. Too many chefs actually do spoil the food.
Published on December 30, 2008 1:15 pm.
Filed under: Daily life Tags: damascus, party, weeding
Yesterday I went to a pre-wedding. As a lot of things down here the way of doing things are so different from back home that you just want to take a big spoon and eat everything without questioning it. Well some questions cant go unanswered…
It was held at a big function hall in central Damascus, that was made in a French colonial style. Very impressive. Only men attend this formal event. You enter one by one saying hello to the groom, his farther, her farther and the close family. Then you find a chair preferably together with either your own family or friends. The invited are either the family or close friends so your bound to bump into some one you know.
The reason that I chose the picture above for this post is that it was more or less the main attraction together with a very delicious buffet afterwards. 7 Imams were sitting on a small stage, singing and chanting verse form the Koran while the guests sat and listen. The reason for this is to “seal the deal” said in plain. They bless the new couple and pray for a happy future for them. A member of the brides family is also an Imam so half way through he borrowed the microphone to say a few words while the on stage imams could rest a bit.
All around the hall there were white statues that I’m guessing were naked. Due to the religious nature of the party they were covered by a white cloth.
Today I’m attending the actual wedding that is going to be held at the Four Seasons hotel. I’m sure it will be impressive.
Published on December 27, 2008 2:40 pm.
Filed under: Daily life Tags: damascus, religion, wedding
Today I stopped by Haitham Maleh for a drink of green tea. Amongst all the people I have around me he is the one that keeps impressing me the most with his constant fight for his fellow mans rights, that we in the west take for granted. He is always harsh in his word selection when it comes to his views on governmental suppression. With the several books he has written, essays, TV interviews, etc. not to mention the Seven years he spend in a prison for speaking his mind, I think its safe to say that he is a veteran.
The seven years of prison and constant harassment from the government has fueled his fight, and with a massive support from all over the world there is no stopping him. He has been denied the rights to leave Syria so unfortunately he can’t visit us anymore.
Published on December 26, 2008 1:41 am.
Filed under: Daily life Tags: Haitham Maleh, Syria
Well, all of the above, but just done in another way.
First off the food was not as it used to be, but great never the less. We were not able to catch a bird, so we had calf. And instead of the traditional rice pudding we had some of my mothers homemade coffee ice cream. A small tree in our living room from china, no real trees were available in Damascus. We only had 2 presents under it so the relative smaller size of it was actually OK.
This year we only got presents for my brothers daughter who is 4 years old. So in all fairness she was the only one we received gifts from. If you look pass the fact that she has no economy to support the gifts there is a pure joy in getting something that comes so close from the heart. Just like last time I got something from her, I’m guessing that she also this time picked it out herself.
I know of some people who calculate the price of the gifts they are getting, and then go out and get something that costs the same. This is economically speaking a fair trade, but has nothing to do with the act of giving a gift. One gift I got from her was a hood, that she picked out in a cloth store I usually get my cloth from. The reason being that she never saw me with one on, and it was getting cold outside. I must say that I don’t remember having that thought process when I was that age.
To get back to my point, a lot of people need to fall back down to thinking if the people we are giving the gift to actually needs it, rather then going out with an amount of money that we need to use on a gift. The easy way of doing this is getting a prioritized list and just getting the one on the very top. What did I get from her this year? A new bracelet. Not that I’m a collector, this will be my second one. The first one I got and still use is one that she made for me last time I went to Syria to keep me safe. It was made from pearl and string that I got her for last Christmas. What did I get her? A dress like shirt, with tights that was on the top of her list.
Published on December 25, 2008 12:15 am.
Filed under: Daily life Tags: Christmas, gifts
My farther is looking at two of the garden cats from the kitchen window in our house in Syria. This must be the slowest Christmas start ever. No stress just taking it easy. I wouldn’t go so fare as to call it a traditional feast, but good never the less. We will be having 16 guests tonight. from all over the Middle East and of cause my uncle from America.
My mother is a master decorator. Some is homemade, while other stuff is mixed in to look homemade. This is great, and people down here is amazed with the effort she puts in it.
Published on December 24, 2008 4:07 pm.
Filed under: Daily life Tags: Christmas
After about 9 hours of plane ride, due to a 2 hour stop over in Amsterdam were we for some reason was not allowed to exit the plane, I find myself settling in at the house in Syria once more.
On the way from the Airport we stopped by one of the better restaurants here in Damascus, in the Christian area Babtuma, don’t know the name. Who would have known that President Bashar Al Assad and the Croatian President Stjepan Mesić also had picked this spot to dine at tonight.
The two tables we were apart were enough to see that they more or less had the same food that we were having. Lamb chops on bread with some chopped herbs.
unlucky enough I did not bring my cam! I left it in the car with my bags. This would have been a great photo opportunity. Ohh well guess I’m not meant to win them all. I tried snapping one with my Nokia as he was leaving. The phone is still in the car, I’ll post the picture tomorrow when I get it recharged.
My mother did get a small tree for us here, so a little but of Christmas will happen for my sake.
EDIT: Picture have been attached this post. He is the gentleman in the middle of the crowd facing me. The man standing opposite him is the Croatian President.
Published on December 24, 2008 12:33 am.
Filed under: Daily life Tags: Bashar Al Assad, Christmas
After a night out with Copenhagen’s left wing youth I must say the holiday spirit is at a all time low. It was a sympathy demonstation in protest of the killing of the 15 year old activist in Greece. I’m hoping to be able to distance this tragic event before the 24th. Below is my 10 pictures from that night.
Published on December 13, 2008 5:22 pm.
Filed under: Photography Tags: activist, demonstration
At the center of my suburban town the guy selling trees is displaying a pill of show. Though its melting all over the place it must be fake. Looks like it caught the eye of the boy in jeans.
Published on December 10, 2008 10:30 am.
Filed under: Photography
