Tales from Beirut with Funk - The Ka3ke story

Ka3ke 3mol ma3rouf  - Photo taken by yours truly

كعك كععععععععك، صرخ بيّاع الكعك

تجاهلتو الست، بتكون عم بتفكر بل ريجيم تبعا.

كعك كعععععك، صرخ بيّاع الكعك هوي وعم يبعّد شوي شوي . كان صار شي ٥٠ متر بعيد وقت الستّ غيرت رأيا..

"كعكه!!!"... صرختلو الستّ. "كعكه!" عيطّت بصوت أقوى بس بطريقة إنو هي مش كتير عم تتعب عل موضوع

"نعم ستنا!" بياع الكعك جاوب، وبرم عربيّتو ١٨٠ درجه، وراح صوب البناية، صفّ العربية تحت البلكون وقال: "بدٍّك ياها مع سمّاء ستنا؟"

"لأ!" جاوبتو بكل ثقة، "بس جبنة "بيكون" عمول معروف!" بهل وقت، نزّلتلو السلّة من البلكون عندا، حطت فيا مصاري بحقّ الكعكه، ونطرت بيّاع الكعك يحطّلا الكعكه بمقابل هل مصريّات.

"تكرم عينك ستنا! أطيب كعكه لإلِك" ردّ عليها بيّاع الكعك.

English:


- Ka3ek ka3iiiiiiiiiiik! yelled the ka3k salesman.
The lady ignored him, she's probably thinking of her diet.
- Ka3k ka3iiiiiiiiiiiiiiik... and the ka3ek dude strolled away, about 50 meters before El Sitt changed her mind.
- "Ka3keh!!!"... The lady screamed! "Ka3kehhhh!" she yelled again even stronger but still doing it in a way where she appears as not trying too hard
- "Yes Mam!" The Ka3ke salesman, stopped his cart, turned it 180 degrees and went towards her building and parked below her balcony. "Would you like simma2 with it Mam?"
- "No!" she said with confidence, "Just picon cheese please!" meanwhile she lowered the basket from her balcony with the Ka3ke's money in it, waiting for the ka3ke dude to put it inside the basket in exchange for that money
- "You're welcome mam! The most delicious Ka3ke, coming right up" (literally) The Ka3ke dude answered.

Armenia: To Peace, recognition and prosperity

I took these photos last September, during my trip to Armenia, on that day I visited the Armenian Genocide museum, and the monument that was built to remember the martyrs.

The memorial building of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide

The flame still burns for the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide

On my way there, of course, I saw the name of the village where my grand father came from.

 "Dyarbekir"

My Armenian origins are a pride to me as much as my Lebanese origins are. I never knew my grandfather, but I've heard of him. I heard he was strict and tough. Nevertheless, would you imagine someone having survived a genocide to be any less tough and strict?

Someone once told me, even though there is a lot of evil in this world, it is balanced equally with "good". Here's to peace, to recognition and to prosperity. Armenians you are everywhere... and those countries are lucky to have you amongst them.

Every year, thousands of people visit this place to remember their ancestors. And they all pass by this bench

Plaquette near the planted tree by the Lebanese President in recognition of the Armenian Genocide

Rape, violence, starvation... Armenian Genocide. 

Where to go when you visit Lebanon - Site 16: Saida

SAIDA (SIDON, SAIDON) is said to mean "fishing", and even today fishermen moor their boats in the small picturesque port. Sidon was the third great Phoenician city-state, rivaling Byblos and Tyre as a naval power. In Darius' time, towards the end of the 6th century B.C., it was the capital of the fifth Persian satrapy and a showplace of buildings and gardens. The town was conquered by the Crusaders after a famous siege lasting 47 days, then retaken by Saladin 70 years later.

Sidon Sea Castle - taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidon

I went to Saida almost 3 weeks ago, with these awesome guys and girls "Beirut Street Photographers" and well we shot photos :)


Below is a selection of a few photos I took in the old souk (market) of Saida.

Old Souk