6.11.11

Eid Balloons

While I was out last night I noticed some shiny balloons strung up across Ibn Sina. I didn’t have my camera with me, so I made a mental note to come back with it later. First thing this morning, we awoke to the sounds of the Eid Adha sermon going on at the nearest mosque to our place.

It reminded me of the balloons.

I got dressed and went out take some pictures. I was there shortly after 7 AM, just as things were wrapping up at the mosque and people began returning to their cars. For occasions like this, cars are allowed to park on the pedestrian sections of the Corniche, crowding out the regular joggers and walkers.

The balloon letters spell out ‘EID MOBARAK’—or happy holidays. It's Eid Adha, after all. Creative use of the upside down U to be the second A.

The kids are out of school until Thursday and we so far, we're having a lovely holiday.

3 comments:

  1. Fun cultural photo showing us a different holiday preparation over there! In no time, the Christmas decorations will be everywhere over here!

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  2. Hi Mary Ann, many thanks for dropping by and leaving a note, I've been so crazy busy with work since the summer that I haven't been out and about as much as I'd like around the blogs I've been enjoying reading... like yours. Was just catching up a bit, and see you've been busy. I like your post back in September about photography in Beirut and having to be careful where one photographs. Near the road that goes out of Beirut and up into the mountains to go across to the Bekaa valley, there is an army base with a crazy sculpture out in front with a bunch of old tanks stacked up in a concrete tower, just bits of the tanks are sticking out. I remember trying to photograph that, and the military folks there saying the car could not stop, so you had to shoot from a moving car window if you wanted a picture of it. And I may have mentioned to you some time ago about getting stopped in Beirut, not far from the Druze HQ, and three plainclothes police looked at all the pictures on my camera to see I was doing something suspicious. That had me scared, because I'd taken some shots of bridges that had been bombed in August 2006... but they decided I wasn't a threat I guess, as they let me keep all the pictures... So, yes, one must be careful... Hope all is well with you in Beirut, and happy holidays...

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  3. Thanks Leif, I'm also looking forward to the holidays. Happy, happy.

    Owen, glad you've stopped by. I know the statue you're talking about. I blogged about visiting the monument back in 2007--see that post here.

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