24 April 8, 2016 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Dubai: Through April 30th

Headlined by the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Dubai Art Season showcases the city’s artistic talent along with the United Arab Emirates’ 2016 Year of Reading. Dubai is en- veloped in artistic and cultural activities such as fine art exhi- bitions, calligraphy exhibitions, music performances, outdoor art projects, youth theatre and museum exhibitions.

Beirut: Through May 31st

Oriental Nights at Feb30 cel- ebrates oriental Arabic music every Tuesday from 9pm until 2am at Feb30, Alleyway, Hamra.

Tunis: April 8th-17th The Temple of Water The 11th Jazz à music festival brings together renowned international and : Where the Temple of local musicians to perform and attend concerts, lectures, exhibitions and nightly jam Water and Andalusian heritage meet sessions. Marrakech: Roua Khlifi duct is a masterpiece of architecture April 17th-23rd and is one of the longest built during Roman times. The third Marrakech Dance Zaghouan, “Despite the destruction of an im- Festival hosts dance teachers portant part of the aqueduct during and participants from around aghouan is a peaceful town the Roman wars, the remains are of the world taking part in work- that rests at the ridge of the a grandeur and majesty that surpass shops, classes and conferences. Djebel Zaghouan, on the destruction,” ben Hnia said. “The Dance performances take place northern side of the Tuni- aqueduct testifies to the genius of in Marrakech’s Les Idrissides sian Dorsal mountains. the people of their time who man- hotel during the festival. ZDating back to Roman times, aged to devise an intricate system to Zaghouan offers a glimpse of the transport water.”. past through archaeological sites, “The aqueduct took more than 30 Beirut: including the Temple of Water, and years to build,” he added. “It was de- May 5th-8th gives a taste of adventure through signed to allow the transportation of mountain activities such as caving water travel through force of gravity The eighth Beirut International and hiking. only. It was believed to have trans- Tango Festival hosts world-re- Zaghouan, 70km west of , is ported between 17 million and 32 nowned tango maestros, artists best known for its rich springs. The million litres daily from Zaghouan and teachers, such as Sebastian modern town was built on the ruins to Carthage.” Arce, Mariana Montes, Neri of the Roman town of Ziqua, from At one end of the aqueduct lies Piliu and Yanina Quinones. which the name Zaghouan was de- the spring flowing from Zaghouan Courses and workshops will rived. mountain. The Temple of Water was take place along with the per- “Ziqua is believed to be derived constructed in 139AD around the (Courtesy of the Speleology association of Zaghouan) formances. from the Latin word aqua, which waters’ source. It showcased Ro- The Mine Cave in Djebel Zaghouan means ‘water’, as the region was man scriptures and statues of Ro- reputed for its water springs. Water man gods. The surviving works are Palestinian territories: has always been a hallmark of the housed in the Carthage museum. houan during the 17th century after through the mountains of Djebel May 20th-27th region,” said Abdelkader ben Hnia, a “The temple is proof of the im- fleeing Spain. Zaghouan, offering the visitors a guide in Zaghouan. portance of water in the culture and The Moors also established new unique experience of stunning caves The ninth Palestine Festival of The importance of water in the daily life of the people of this town agricultural methods and a new showing marble and limestone. Literature takes place across history of Zaghouan is best illus- since ancient times,” ben Hnia said. plant species. Every year, Zaghouan “Speleology, caving, hiking and historic Palestine, including the trated by the , “The temple was built to venerate has a festival during harvest of the mountain climbing are all different Ottoman Court in Ramallah, which was ordered built by Ro- water as a source of life. ” flowers of the plant, the oil of which activities that one can enjoy in Zag- the Adam Hotel in Gaza, Dar man Emperor Hadrian in 128AD The aqueduct was often reno- is believed to offer many benefits. houan. The region has been known al-Tifl in Jerusalem, Al-Midan to transport water from Zaghouan vated, including a restoration by the ”The Moors also brought with for speleology since the 1980s when Theatre in Haifa, Municipal to Carthage after a drought of five French during colonial rule to trans- them a special type of pastry that a group of German travellers visited Library Gardens in Nablus and years in North port water to Tunis. Zaghouan is famous for in Tunisia, the town to explore its mountains,” Bethlehem University. The Extending over 132km, the aque- In addition to the Roman ruins, the Kaak Warka, made of dough said Hamda Ghalleb, president of festival includes free public Zaghouan includes a beauti- and almonds mixed with the water the Association of Speleology and events, such as readings, work- ful old city that showcases of the flower of Nesri (Rosa Canina), Hiking in Zaghouan. “Ever since, shops, music performances and Andalusian architecture ben Hnia said. Zaghouan became a destination for debates, meetings with authors brought by the Moors, “They also brought Malouf music. speleologists.” and artists and visits to historic who settled in Zag- which is still alive today, and one sites. cannot visit Zaghouan without at- tending a Malouf concert. Families The Moors also pass down the music of Malouf from established new Byblos: one generation to another and there September 8th-12th are many groups still active.” agricultural methods In addition to Zaghouan’s rich his- and a new plant The Lebanon Latin Festival tory, it boasts beautiful landscapes species. takes place in Edde Sands with and a mountain famous for more than 90 artists from all caves that are open for ex- over the world. Latin dance ploration. More than 25 He said explorations in 2012 re- workshops will be given in caves are dispersed vealed another floor to the main Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, chamber measuring to 1,600 metres, cha cha cha, hip hop, Samba, making Mine Cave, which reaches Lambada, Oriental, Dabke and a depth of 425 metres, the deepest Afro-Cubano. Performances are cave in Tunisia. also scheduled. “We also found its natural en- trance and we found in it scriptures We welcome submissions of dating back 4,000 years,” Ghalleb calendar items related to said. cultural events of interest “The mountain of Zaghouan reaches 1,295 metres extending over to travellers in the Middle 9 km with stunning cliffs. Visitors East and North Africa. who come to the town are enam- oured by the beautiful scenery and Please send tips to: the amazing landscapes it offers,” [email protected] The Ghalleb said.