Grand Mosque, Tripoli
To visit Tripoli is to lose yourself in its souks. If Saida was an introduction to Medieval towns, then the old quarter of Tripoli is an immersion. The city is fascinating and overwhelming and I spent my first afternoon merely wandering around, trying to find my bearings. My first stop was the Great Mosque. It was just after the hour of prayer and people were leaving the courtyard. A small band appeared in the doorway, and people watched as a man twirled to the beat of the drums. I sat along one of the side corridors, entranced by the daily activity of those around me. An older man chased away the children who started congregating around me, asking me to take their picture. Soon after another man appeared, asking me to take his own portrait. . . Read more about Tripoli.