Arabian Encounter

I was wondering by Harvey Nichols late for a meeting as ever, had no watch, and had to ask a stranger for the time. He gave it to me. He also asked me where I was from. "Croatia. Ah, the only country in Europe where people where not rude to me at the customs and treated me with respect. Very polite and generous people. " Where are you from? "I returned the question. " I am from the Emirates. Have you been to Dubai?" "Not yet, but I would very much like to see it" "Please allow me to introduce my self" continued the stranger" My name is Ali. And what is your name?" I hope i am not keeping you too long" he excused him self, "but I do have a wish." Seeing people in your country have been so good to me, please allow me to take you for tea sometime". It was an odd question form a stranger on the street, but Ali had big warm eyes, an honest face and seemed like a perfect gentleman, I gave him my number and rushed off to the meeting.

Not an hour passed when the phone rang with and Alis voice announced" Good evening girl from the Sun. I hope I am not disturbing you. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I wished to let you that it would be a great pleasure if you would come to tea." "Why not " I replied" how about tomorrow evening" he wanted to close the deal " May I bring a friend " I asked " Well of course".

I was in fact very intrigued to have met my first Arab. Please do not misunderstand me. At the time a war on Iraq just started and I felt very bitter about it all, as it reminded me of the war in Croata when I was a child, and I decided to dedicate a term of college to create an animated film against the war in Iraq. The more I researched about Arabic culture the more intrigued I was ,and I was happy to met someone who could show me the real thing.

For the occasion I russeled up Olga, and dressed in a long to the floor black dress as I assumed would be polite among the Arabs and we met in Knights bridge . Ali took us for tea to a cosy hotel lounge by Harvey Nichols. The conversation w was enticing, he was a man at beging of his thirties, very grown up in atitude in comparison to the boys we socialised with. He had his own businesses and worked with the national petrol company of Croatia. He raced and bread horses and camels , and knew a lot aobut history, it was all very fascinating .Thus when he asked "Do you ladies like Lebanese food?" we answered "We had never tried it."

The restaurant on the same square, and Ali promised we would love it. On the street level of the restaurant it was rather disappointingly ordinary, with some lift music playing and english people chewing away politely. But after a signal from Ali the owner of the restaurant opened a door and we where lead down stairs and trough brick tunnels to a underground cavern. The cavern was made of booths dug into the rock and a central space in which two men with moustaches and sintisizer played and sung Arabic songs. The cavern was full and echoed in the mystirious language. It surprised me was to see the Ladies not covered in the black tunics they wear on the strees, as all where exquisitely dressed in couture outfits. On entering the cavern the ladies removed black covers, showing pleanty of cleavage, and leg ower beautiful stilettos.

Ali ordered enough dishes to cover the table entirely.Olga and I sat next to one another, with elbows tucked in neatly,eyes huge with fascination at this new world hidden in London. Emirati cousin joined us and together they lead us to taste all the dishes that constituted Lebanese kitchen, dips made of aubergine, tomatoes, yogurt and grilled meats, parsley tomato salads. Everything was astoundingly delicious, fresh and enchanting. Some time trough the dinner the singer wrapped up a tea-cloth and started hopping around the restaurant to the music. Men left their meals and joined arms to folow this tea-cloth dance lifting their legs into the air in rytham. After this a female dancer stepped into the cavern. She swayed her hips and our hosts insisted we shimmied our bottoms with her.

Seated at the table next to us where two voluptuous dames dressed in Valentino gowns. Olga the fashion student and I where stunned just by their exuberant presence. " Did you play this evening" Ali asked the ladies" " Ah yes we have to do something to forget". "Of course "confirmed Ali "How much did you loose?" Hunrdedand fifty thousand. Answered one, Three hundred thousand." admitted sadly the other." We where introduced to the ladies and told that they we both from Iraq. " They have started bombing our city this evening dear."She looked at me and explained. "They are throwing bombs on Baghdad.They are bombing my town. It is a very very sad night for Iraq this night." She than rose walked to the dance floor and started dancing to increasingly loud music. It must have been a song form Iraq for all the women rose from their dinner and danced a mix of sensuality and tragedy. Some women climbed the tables. The ladies form Bagdhdad swayed their hands in the air to the rhythm of the music and let black mascara tears slide and down their beautiful faces.. "So they really started the bombing tonight" I asked sadly " Yes" Replied Ali and than did his best to make us forget all tragey and enjoy our first Arabic experience . When dinner came to an end, Ali thanked us for our company, stooped a cab, and sent us with it to our East London reality.

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