Category Archives: Blog

Cashews in my drink? You don’t say…

Tonight I was invited to a lovely Ramadan iftar–which was quite the feast. As I went to take my seat, I saw a glass filled with the color of wine–not to mention floating cashews–placed near my plate.

“Is this that delicious tamarind drink you made this week-end in the mountains?” I asked.

“No, it’s jellab,” my friend said, and smiled.

Ah, jellab. What could be more refreshing and satisfying on a hot summer night than jellab? A sweet drink made from the pulp of raisins (though some use dates), along with rose water, grape molasses, pistachios/cashews, and sugar, jellab is sipped primarily in the month of Ramadan. Though it’s very easy to stir the ingredients together at home, it’s the process of smoking the mixture–usually with scented incense–that gives it such a sweet and unique fragrance.

Online you can find many recipes for making jellab–so if you’re tired of the usual summer suspects (iced tea/lemonade), why not join in the Ramadan spirit–and make some jellab at home. Just be prepared for an intense infusion of overwhelming sweetness…

From Recettes al-manakh

Photo by Robert O'Dell

This morning I was surprised to read a comment by a woman whose primary residence on the Jersey Shore was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. When asked about the slow pace of the clean-up, she compared the Jersey shore to Beirut.

“It still looks like Beirut if you go down there,” she said. “The town looks like it did after Sandy.”

While my heart goes out to her–and to everyone still affected by the messy legacy of Hurricane Sandy (including many of my friends with houses on the beach)–I couldn’t help but be concerned about this inaccurate comparison.

Because the last time I checked (yesterday)–Beirut looked like this…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

And this…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

And, of course, every day around 8 pm, like this:

Photo by Robert O'Dell

Unfortunately, Beirut in many people’s imaginations is still a Beirut of the past…so I just felt like sharing some of its present beauty to paint a more accurate and complete picture. Long ago it was transformed from a war-zone to one of the most glamorous tourist destinations in the world…so come to Lebanon and see its beauty for yourself!

Anubis

I’m delighted to share that the Huffington Post has just published my piece/peace, “The Dalai Lama Nose”–which is about my chihuahua Anubis’ private audience with the His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Since the Dalai Lama’s birthday was this week (July 6th), I’m grateful for the opportunity to share some of what I learned in his humble and humorous presence on HuffPo…

Anubis

Anubis’ work in mental hospitals has primarily been focused on helping women struggling with depression, anxiety, OCD, and eating disorders.

And during his time at Brown University, Anubis helped students calm down and relax during midterms and finals.

Anubis’ work in the nursing home was the most difficult for me personally, because of how many residents had been abandoned by their families–due to many different factors.

Trained in both Arabic and English (though he prefers Arabic), Anubis’ eclectic resume even includes a performance gig at Lincoln Center–in the role of the “Maestro”–in a dada piece which I wrote.

Anubis in the green room at Lincoln Center

But this isn’t just the story of an overbearing stagemom and her chihuahua. You see, I’d been told he was special even before I’d met him–and not just in the way that all dog owners think their dogs are special—which, of course, they are.

When I first called to inquire about a recently born litter of chihuahuas, the breeder carefully described to me the temperaments of all the puppies in the new litter.

“Oh, there’s also the runt–and I don’t know what it is, but we all agree that he’s got some kind of special soul or something-and it’s kind of freaking us out,” he said.

I asked him to explain what he meant, but he said I’d just have to come and see for myself.

Anubis

Stepping over the baby gate in the breeder’s kitchen, I surveyed five hyperactive puppies that could fit in my pocket–nipping at my ankles and making small puddles in all directions. But none of them seemed particularly enlightened.

“Where’s the special one?” I said.

The breeder smiled and pointed under the stove at a little fawn runt nestled against the back wall, shivering from the trauma of his first bath. Hypnotized by his prematurely wise and knowing eyes, my soul–feeling as exposed as he was–recognized him at once. It was love…

Since then, Anubis and I have been on many adventures–and he’s currently loving his life in Lebanon–where he’s helping friends and strangers alike transcend their fears of dogs every day.

Hanging with the chiwis

Emily O'Dell & Anubis

Thank you,
if you can,
for passing on the story
of Anubis
and
HH the Dalai Lama–
may all hearts
open
as wide
as the hearts
of these two
great
masters
of
compassion!

Emily O'Dell whirling on her roof in Harlem

Today I was invited to whirl for a Ramadan dhikr/zikr (meditation) in Beirut at a lovely and intimate gathering of open hearts. Having received other Ramadan requests to whirl here in Beirut, the time has come to dust off my whirling shoes and re-build my tolerance for dizziness (thankfully there are tricks to help with that)…

As I was whirling today–to the accompaniment of spirited Sufi singing and the ecstatic beats of the daff–I remembered a poem of Rumi’s on fasting (which seems perfect for this month of Ramadan):

Emily O'Dell

Let nothing be inside of you.
Be empty: give your lips to the lips of the reed.
When like a reed you fill with His breath,
then you’ll taste sweetness.
Sweetness is hidden in the Breath
that fills the reed.
Be like Mary, by that sweet breath
A child grew within her.
There’s a hidden sweetness
in the stomach’s emptiness.
We are all lutes, no more, no less.
If the soundbox is stuffed full of anything–
no music.
If the brain and the belly burn from fasting,
every moment a new song rises out of the fire.
The fog clears, and a new vitality overtakes you.
Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.
Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.
When you fast,
good habits gather like friends who want to help.
Fasting is Soloman’s ring–don’t give it
to some illusion and lose your power.
But even if you’ve lost all will and control,
they come back when you fast–
like soldiers appearing out of the ground,
pennants flying above them.
A table descends to your tents,
Jesus’ table.
Expect to see it, when you fast,
this table spread with other food
better than the broth of cabbages.

Emily O'Dell

I’m happy to share with you my new Op-Ed in the Christian Science Monitor. This piece discusses the central position of the Rabia al Adawiyya Mosque in the protests in Cairo…

Supporters of President Mohamed Morsi shout anti-opposition slogans outside the Rabia el-Adawiya Mosque in Cairo, not far from the presidential palace, on Saturday. Photograph: Amr Nabil/AP

…as well as the shrine of Sayyida Zeinab in Syria, which has been under attack…

The shrine of Sayyida Zeinab in Syria photographed by Emily O'Dell

Fortunately, I was able to visit this beautiful shrine before the war began–and snap some photographs of its marvelous mirror mosaics…

The shrine of Sayyida Zaynab in Syria photographed by Emily O'Dell

…which will hopefully remain for many years to come…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

I stumbled upon this graffiti last night on my walk to dinner…and tried snapping a picture of it in the dark…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

With my internet down this week-end, I decided to head to the hills for a lovely week-end retreat. Swerving through bustling quaint towns–perched on steep hills–I was grateful to take an unexpected tour of civil war history…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

Since the landscape of religious affiliations changes so rapidly while zooming from town to town (from Mary statues to Hezbollah flags), it wasn’t easy to remember which towns were predominantly Sunni, Shia, Druze or Christian in the war. While trying to absorb the complicated political–and picturesque–landscape, we encountered a number of surprises along the way–like this sculpture garden on both sides of the road…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

Because my research focuses on issues related to heritage in times of conflict and post-conflict, I was, naturally, most drawn to decaying houses still bearing the structural scars of war…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

…a ghosting presence which is found among luxurious houses that have been restored…

Photo by Emily O'Dell

From ancient history to history in the making, a day out in Lebanon always seems to promise some new lesson, fact, or reality–which challenges one’s preconceptions, and satisfies the curiosity of even the most curious…

Photo by Emily O'Dell--taken in Sabra refugee camp in Beirut

“I just love that perfume you are wearing–where did you get it?” my friend said, navigating her car through a perilous intersection.

“Sabra,” I said, looking out the window.

I knew it wasn’t what she was expecting. She was waiting for Chanel or Dior–or Arden’s Red Door. Not Sabra–the refugee camp–where a kind woman had insisted on buying me a vial of rose essence–after I visited with a number of Syrian refugees.

“Well, it’s just–lovely,” my friend said, before hitting the brakes and inhaling deeply–to savor the sweet fragrance of roses.

Photo taken by Emily O'Dell in Damascus

On June 20th, the 37^th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided to put all six of the Syrian Arab Republic’s World Heritage sites on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger–including the city of Damascus.

A week later–on June 27th–a suicide bombing and several additional attacks occurred near Bab Touma (the Gate of Thomas) in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Damascus–which I am standing in front of below.

Emily O'Dell in front of Bab Touma in Damascus, Syria

The day I was at Bab Touma, a number of people were prepping for a rock concert by putting speakers all over the gate–but sadly, today, the gate serves as an armed checkpoint covered in sandbags.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has agreed to establish an emergency fund to fly a team of specialists to Syria to assess any damage to Syria’s heritage from the war. But a number of archaeologists–both near and far–can’t help but wonder: is this increased attention on Syria’s heritage a noble attempt to rescue antiquities, or just a convenient pretext for war (see Mali and Afghanistan)?

Photo taken by Emily O'Dell in Damascus

On June 20th, the 37^th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided to put all six of the Syrian Arab Republic’s World Heritage sites on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger–including the city of Damascus.

A week after this decision, on June 27th, a suicide bombing and several additional attacks occurred near Bab Touma (the Gate of Thomas) in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Damascus–which I am standing in front of below.

Emily O'Dell in front of Bab Touma in Damascus, Syria

The day that I was at Bab Touma, they were preparing for a rock concert by putting speakers on the gate–but today it serves as an armed checkpoint covered in sandbags.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has agreed to establish an emergency fund to fly a team of specialists to Syria to assess damage to Syria’s heritage from the war. However, as someone who is in touch with experts on the ground, I can say that many of the reports on this issue are not completely accurate–and that’s not necessarily a bad thing…but more on that another day…

Photo by Robert O'Dell

Ahhhhh…sunset in Beirut–what could be better?

Photo by Emily O’Dell

I’m surrounded by turtles these days–in all directions. The turtle above–who I named Fred–took up residence in my yard several months ago. Fred even tried moving into my house the day I was rushing off to the airport to work in Turkmenistan (maybe he didn’t want me to go). When I was swimming this week in the Mediterranean, I had the delight of finding a number of turtles congregating right under my feet–one even guided me underwater for a delightful, long swim (but, unlike him, I had to keep coming up for air).

Two species of large sea turtles nest in the Mediterranean, the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), which has been declared critically endangered by the World Conservation Union. These turtles can live for more than 100 years, taking 50 years and 30 years, respectively, to reach adulthood and start making eggs.

The center of turtle activity in Lebanon is the Orange House Project, a turtle sanctuary and nesting site on a beautiful beach in the south–which is dedicated to saving and preserving Lebanon’s turtles. To enjoy the beach while learning more about (baby!) turtles in Lebanon, you might consider staying at the Orange House Bed and Breakfast. Just one more good reason to travel to Lebanon–to swim with the turtles!

Emily O'Dell taking a self-portrait while riding through Afghanistan

The picture above–of me in my burqa blue–was snapped while driving through Taliban governed areas of Afghanistan. I’m looking forward to sharing a piece, adapted from the Afghanistan chapter of my new manuscript, about my time living with a kind and generous Afghan family. 

Photo taken by Emily O'Dell in Afghanistan

“Having watched years of filtered and sterilized images of Afghanistan that contrasted with everything I knew about the reality on the ground, I’d grown increasingly frustrated in my mind, and tormented in my heart about the never-ending war in Afghanistan. Feeling powerless to affect any real change from my isolated and ineffectual perch in the ivy tower, I figured that hopping on a plane to bear witness to the crimes being committed in my—our?—name, while carrying a message of peace from my heart to theirs, might be the only way to make any dent of difference on the ground–however small. Since my country couldn’t—or wouldn’t–make peace, was I prepared to die trying? Or was I just seeking absolution for offenses that were not my own? Or was I just insane?”

Emily O'Dell visiting Sufi shrines in Afghanistan

Photo by Robert O’Dell

I’ve been spending a lot of time underground lately. Several days ago, my family and I went to Château Ksara, a renowned winery in the Bekaa Valley–which prides itself on being the oldest, largest and most toured winery in Lebanon. The winery is also connected to the Christian history of Lebanon, as it was founded in 1857 by Jesuit priests. Around 70,000 people a year visit the winery to tour its vineyards and its Roman caves–where the wine bottles and barrels are stored. Still tucked away in the crannies of the caves are some of the original wine vessels from when the winery was created. Ksara is just one of over thirty wine estates in Lebanon…

Emily O’Dell at Château Ksara in Lebanon

Anyone who has been to Lebanon has witnessed its natural beauty above ground…

Photo by Robert O’Dell

and on the sea…

Photo by Robert O’Dell

…but a surprise many tourists find when they get here is how much there is to explore underground. As an archaeologist, I’ve always been most drawn to what’s underneath us–what’s hidden from every day view. So when I went to the Hezbollah Museum for my birthday and research, I was pleased to find that a number of original tunnels dug by hand by Hezbollah composed a significant part of the museum exhibit.

Emily O’Dell at the entrance of a Hezbollah tunnel at the Mleeta Museum

While hiking through the beautiful hills of places like Jezzine is a must-do when visiting Lebanon, walking through the caverns of Jeita Grotto–or catching a concert there if you’re lucky enough–is another “not-to-be-missed” experience. When I was there last week, it felt like we were walking through an underground natural cathedral.