Thursday, October 2, 2008

Good byes ,Pictures ,and few other things..




Hello every body...


It's been a while...As usual,I was really busy at work. A really tight work schedule that makes me only think of my bellow when i got home..


This Ramadan was extra special for me..one of my best friends came back to Libya for a vacation of only 2 weeks..I had the chance to spend some time with his adorable ,active,bi-lingual 3 years old daughter..Of course being busy most of our time ,I couldn't spend as much time as I wanted to..Today he left Benghazi to go back to Europe,and to his work..8 weeks ago ,my other best friend (Dr.Sho)came and he also stayed for only 10 days..and again ,frustrating enough ,I couldn't spend much time with him..Guys ,I do miss you...


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This picture was just few minutes before sun set in the last week of Ramadan..As usual ,and as an undying tradition of fasting Libyans ,this trafic jam was caused because of search for a god hot fresh loafs of tasty Libyan bread...A custom i my self take part in occasionally...Sweet people with Ramadan temper(Tehsheesh) .Don't you just like it:)...


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There is much talk about mega-projects in Libya..And Benghazi has its share of the promises...


We have many demolitions in process..Many streets being dugged for one reason or another..Still the work is at a very slow pace ,kinda of disappointing..But the beutiful change was covering many bare dirt areas with carpets of grass that was -according to some sources-imported from abroad ..well,of course they were brought to Tripoli International Air port ,stacked on big trucks ,and sent more than 1000 Kelometers to the Esat to Benghazi ,resulting in stunning costs..Some body along the way had apparently forgatten about Benina Air Port ,which lies only few Kilometers out side Benghazi ,which if used can reduce the cost dramatically...


Any way ,the out come was great...Carpets of green covers many parts of the city...It made it glow..And I think it worths every cent ,providing that authorities take care of them ,and keep them green and shiny..I only provided one picture,since i dont go out much...but i think you got the idea..






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The next few pictures were taken from The medical emergency department ,where i have to spend night shifts as a part of my medical trainig program... Don't be fooled by the empty beds ,i took this picture during one of the rare moments of quite peace.. There is only 2 doctors in this emergency room ,with only 4 nurses and 10 beds in total..You can imagine how fun the night shift become when you know that in average we see from 200 to 300 patients in 12 hours shifts....some times even more..Some times we assess patients on chairs and while standing cause there is no room for them...This picture was taken just few minutes after sune rise and most people are asleep at there homes...good for them..










The following picture is of the small quite garden in the back of the emergency room..It was taken really early in the morning ,my legs are aching from the long stand ,but i just love the cool early morning breeze..so i go out to get some..




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Few Kilometers To the west of Benghazi ,there is this small archeological site..


When i was a young Libyan boy scout ,perhapse 15 years ago ,i ,with my fellow boy scouts ,participated in some excavation work with some researcher from Garyounis university..We spent a week digging the ground and cleaning the ancient objects we got from under the ground...


Since then ,there was no more excavation in the area .And still most of the building is burried under tons of dirt...But i love to go there at least twice a year..just to think and consider...



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That's all for now..
I will try to update you sooner....
I will try to post more blogs as i can...
Regards
Benghazi Citizen

13 comments:

Anglo-Libyan said...

wow new post with lots of pictures, the way I like them :o)

I do hope inshaAllah that Benghazi gets at least some attention, the reality is however that Benghazi is always forgotten and on purpose.

good to know your news and always look forward to your updates, hope at leat you had a break for Eid.

Benghazi Citizen said...

Thank you dear Anglo-Libyan.I agree with you..Benghazi has great potential to be a tourism ,financial and investment attraction..Sad enough ,you also right about forgetting it in purpose..
About This Eid ,I had a 24 hours shift from 2nd to 3rd day of Eid...sigh...
Thank you dear friend..i'm glad you liked the post..
Best regards

Ruwida Ashour said...

salam dr really nice pics from here & there...& about the grass i were abroad & i got back shocked when i saw that ....nice to see greenaria in our home & i wish that u 've enjoyed ur tme with your friends even if it's little........raby ysea3dek in your job........see you soon.......

a_akak said...

You Bloggers make Benghazi sound to as good as "Tripoli" :P just joking but insha allah one day I'll be able to visit Benghazi as I hear many good things about it

Its good that you got to spend some days with your friends as I know its difficult for them to fit in so many things in such restricted time

Construction and re-development will commence but it is taking baby steps but these steps are in the right direction so insha allah they will there eventually

It must be a great sight to have that emergency word empty

Fe aman Allah

ibeebarbie said...

Salam Benghazi Citizen,

I'm with Anglo-Libyan I love the post followed with pictures. Although, I'm not sure if for the same reason. :-) Of course I obtain a better bird's eye view of a land I've never visited before, but also pictures sometimes say so much more than words could ever describe.

I'm delighted to see you enjoyed a few of your dear friends. However, I was also saddened and reminded of something as well. Both you and I (along with so many others I'm sure) seemed to be enslaved to our work due to circumstances and we seem to miss the things we love more than anything as a result. Yes, there are fleeting moments of being with the ones that we love and enjoy, but so much of that time is also spent working, and for what? Of course there's an answer to that, but in the end what does it all matter?

Certainly for tale-spinning on my own recent live experience I'm reflecting on this subject matter dearly. There's a part of me that is so pained by this subject because as I talk with people regarding my mom so many have recent endearing stories of how they spent just recent days prior with her and how tenderly special that moment was to them. When I look back, pretty much what I see is myself just working. Yes, yes, of course I need to work for providing for Amira and I and all of that, BUT what does it all matter truly, when you look back and realize most of your time was just spent working. Truly there most be more of a balancing system. Wouldn't you agree?

So, I didn't mean to go on so much. I just felt I wanted to reach out to you, extend a hug and tell you I understand.

Thanks for keeping in touch with us and for always providing us with such wonderful insight.

Herr Esharif said...

as previous bloggers say iam big fans 4 post `e pics ....

kol 3am o enta b 5er ...

nice 2 see bengo `e greeeeen like tripoli now a days wish can visit bengo sooooon ....

i hate moments when time of vacation of my friends in europe & north america in d end & evrytime we go 4 airport 4 say goodbye " so tched " ...

salam ..

Anonymous said...

Hi Doc! Nice photos..... I know I own some of those myself! So thats the ER of which you spend so much time. WOW! how gloomy! I know I live in a f$%#@$ counrty right now......but OMG! I must admit, with all my boo boo's I do enjoy my american made high tech ER's. WOW, what a mad rush for food! Looks like my everyday rush hour city driving....between you and me...I hate it! I am so pleased you were able to break up the daily blahs and have "friend" time! Even my favorite kind...a three year old! How wonderful! That age is perfect! So full of life and free spirit! Well my favorite doctor that lives a BILLION miles away! I hope to hear from you soon! Your Michigan fan....Katie

Dr.butterfly said...

it's nice to finally read a post from you again...!!!

and you are right about the whole green lands we now have here in benghazi... i've noticed that you haven't mentioned something that also came with this green grass, maybe because you haven't expearenced it... but after they spreaded out this wonderful carpet for us... many areas (mainly the ones where the grass was the most!) expearenced water shortage, better of said water cut!!! yes it was really bad, and it lasted for days... many areas complaind of the fact that there was no water reaching it at all!! knowing it happend after planting the grass, and due to the fact it needed plenty of water for it to grow in the begining... i guess it affected the supply of water to the houses around it...! it was trully horrible!!

but al-hamdo lillah (thank god) that trubble is gone and over, hopeing we won't have to re-live thoes affole days, inshaa allah!!

can't wait to read more of your posts..!!

take care...salam!!

Benghazi Citizen said...

weda:So u were abroad?welcome back dear friend..Yes ,the green is good to see covering our once bare squares...the question is:Will they keep the green growing?
i miss my friends very much..but we try to keep in touch as much as it can be done..
Thanks.
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a_akak:Benghazi is a beutiful city with so many potential to be an urban center for tourism and investment..But of course it is much smaller than Tripoli and definitly different from it in so many ways...But hey ,why don't u come by and visit? you can see the green mountain and the ruines of Cyrene..But do it in spring time,,,u'll love it:)..
check more pictures on this old post of mine if you like : http://benghazicitezen.blogspot.com/2007/11/day-two-threeshahatcyrene-susa-ras.html..
U r right about the development taking baby steps..Perhapse more accurate to say(ANT) steps..lol..but it's a good change..and we all are eager to see a much more beutiful Libya that provides a decent life for all Libyans ,east ,west ,north and south..Inshallah..
about the empty emergency room,,oh yeah,it looks great empty..but unfortunately that lasts only for a few minutes,,,,sigh..
Thank you for stopping by dear friend.
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ibeebarbie: as usual,i'm delighted to have ur comments on my blogs..
you wrote:(Truly there most be more of a balancing system. Wouldn't you agree?)..I DO AGREE... but the eternal question we keeps asking our selves is:How??
In a world that believes in competetion and first come first served this seems difficult..I feel bitter thinking of all the moments i lose not being with those i care for ,all the moments i can't do the things i love the most..and all the things we miss..
I work to get a decent life for my self and those i love..but at the end ,i find out that i forget about my self and not taking good care of those i care for..
i miss my family ,my friends ,my little annoying hoppies which i had to give up..I don't have a clue of how the future will be ..but i know there will be many regrets..
I'm sorry that you missed spending time with your Mom..and that all you remeber is you working..but i'm sure your Mom would understand...
Bless you and your little angel...My hugs back to you...and thank you for the sweet words..
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abdullah:yeah..all that green is a wonderful sight to see...I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures..
And yes,it's always sad to say good byes..but what can we do my friend??this is how things are..right?
Thank you ..we kul sana we enta tayeb.
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Katie:Hello michigan girl..how are you??well,we don't enjoy much of the high tech ,sadly enough...there is only few beds..some basic emergency equippment that supposed to be updated years ago,and 2 over worked ,under paid pysicians who are constantly accused by the administration of being( a non hard workers)..did i mention we work the night shifts for free? lol..
My friend's daughter is adorable...she is so active and sweet....I miss my friend and his family already..
Thank you my loyal michigan fan...keep the comments coming..
Best regards
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dr_butterfly: Yeah,at last..i was really busy..i am still actually ,but less busy than before...
Well,we had our share of water shortage..it was really annoying ,and i'm sure there were other areas that had it injh a much worse scale...
there is other isuue ,i don't know if you noticed before spreading these carpets ,they spread the fertilizers..Tons of awful smelling piles of fertilizer that makes you wish you rip ur nose off for once and all...that was really some thing..
Hopfully things will change for the better..they already do ,but we wish for a more...
Best regards
thank you all dear friends

Khalid said...

Eid Mubarak, dear BC

I passed through Bengho in my way to Egypt a long time ago, I remember it as a simple calm city, and I think that is what makes it special, I am concerned it might lose some of its glamour in case it becomes as materialistic as Tripoli, however the grass carpet looks so nice, thank you for the pic :)

Benghazi Citizen said...

Khalid:
Thank you dear friend ,and happy Eid for you and your family..
It used to be so calm and some how friendly..but things change ,as they always do. It is a necessary ,although sad ,fact..We only hope that this will be for the well being of the people..
The grass carpet is great..They cover many areas in the city..We pray they keep it clean and green..
Thanks Khalid..see u soon

bb_aisha said...

I'm visiting after ages-& i'm glad i'm back. A friend will be in libyafor a few months from next week Inshallah-I'll direct him to your blog.

He loves meeting new people, so maybe you can even meet up. He'll be based in tripoli though. When he mentioned he's going to Libya, I was intrigued. I'm fascinated by it because so little is known about it-besides for Muammar Gaddafi.
Coincidentally, I came across another Libyan blog last week. I rediscovered yours when I came across a comment of yours on one of my older posts.

It's always lovely spending time with old friends, & a 3 year old bilingual child sounds like perfect company:-)

Loved seeing the pics-& can only wish u strength to deal with all those patients. I have friends doing their nternshipsat South Africa's largest hospital, but I think even they don't see as many!

Benghazi Citizen said...

bb_aisha:Thank you for stopping by..it is good to know that a friend of yours is coming to Libya..You are right about how so little is known about Libya..i remeber once ,when i mentioned that i'm from Libya,that i was asked(Where is that?is it near Dubai?)lol
any way...i'll be more than happy to meet your friend if it is possible...the problem is that i'm in Benghazi,1000KM east of Tripoli...but who knows?
time i spent with my friend and his daughter was short ,but yet it was amazing....
Thank you again ,,wish you too can come to Libya some day..
best regards