City of Angels and Devils

My Angel
Originally uploaded by hazy jenius.

I had timed my arrival in the Middle east as to avoid Ramadan, but I was lucky to arrive just in time for "Eid," the celebration following the days of fasting. One day I was passing by a mosque courtyard filled with people sitting on the ground. I was confused as to what they were gathering there for. I was both surprised and delighted when a group asked me to come sit with them. No one spoke any English, but they were overjoyed to have such a strange guest in their midst. Suddenly, chanting bellowed from the mosque loudspeakers, and as if by magic, bread, chicken, salads, lentils, vegetables, sweets and endless cups of tea all came out of hiding and made their way to my plate. These people shared everything they had with me. Some gave me looks of scorn, others bewilderment, but when I gave them a smile, more often than not it was generously returned.