24 November 5, 2017 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Tunis: Through November 11

The Carthage Film Festival is an annual event that showcases films from the Maghreb, Africa and the Middle East. In its 28th edition, the festival this year takes place in Tunis and other parts of Tunisia over eight days. A parallel programme includes world cinema projections, semi- nars, debates and meetings.

Beirut: Through December 28

Events associated with Sursock Museum Late Nights occur noon-9pm each Thursday at the Sursock Museum. The events A green field in Sebastia near Nablus. (Linah Alsaafin) include exhibitions, collection displays, late-night talks, per- formances and screenings.

Dubai: Unusual rides Through December 31 “La Perle” features 65 artists performing amazing stunts and aerial antics above an on-stage pool filled with 2.7 million litres draw tourists of water in a state-of-the-art, custom-built theatre. The show takes place at Al Habtoor City.

Dubai: to West Bank Through April 7 Global Village is a large sea- Linah Alsaafin es: Encouraging local tourism to cir- sonal cultural event that offers cumvent Jewish claims to the land, visitors an array of festivals, boycotting Israeli products and shopping and entertainment in Nablus treating animals kindly, said Azhari. an open-air theme park. This “Now we have 15 donkeys and entertainment and shopping hen five Palestinian we’re planning to buy more,” he destination involves more university students said. “We insisted on donkeys be- than 70 participating coun- were casually ex- cause of its status in rural Palestine tries presented in more than changing ideas on as a mode of transport for the fellah 36 pavilions. Participants can how to revive local (farmer).” enjoy more than 50 rides and 26 Wtourism in their scenic village of The friends said they are happy restaurants offering food from Sebastia near Nablus, the idea of with how successful their idea around the world. showing people around on donkeys turned out. Every Friday and Sat- drew a laugh. However, few weeks urday they accommodate a steady Beirut: later, the first outing of Donkey stream of visitors. The tour charges November 12 Tours was launched, much to the about $20 per person, which in- bemusement of the villagers. cludes transport from Nablus to Se- The 15th Beirut International “The idea initially started as a bastia and back. Marathon includes runners joke,” said Lutfi al-Azhari, one of Sebastia, 15km north-west of Na- from many countries. The the students. “We’re all university blus, is known for being home to course goes through Beirut on students, with backgrounds in en- ancient ruins spanning the Greek, a 42.2km route that passes his- gineering, interior design and vet- Roman, Byzantine and Canaanite toric monuments and medieval erinary medicine. None of us had a eras. They include a colonnade, a buildings. clue about donkeys much less than basilica, a theatre, temples and an- Donkey Tours riders are seen in Sebastia near Nablus. (Linah Alsaafin) how to take care of them.” cient tombs. Beirut: Tourists can roam the entire area which was closed in 1916. zled in olive oil, the aroma mixing November 16-18 The tour dips to the of Sebastia and are provided with Tour guide Rauf Hammouri said: with the fresh air. emerald green wheat historic details of the landmarks. “Decades later, Masoudiyeh be- On the opposite hill, the electric The seventh Beirut Cooking Fes- fields dotted with They are educated on a range of is- came one of the first places in the fences of the Shavei Shomron Jew- tival is to take place at the Biel sues including the history, culture West Bank that the Jewish settlers ish settlement can be seen. It was Pavillon Royal. The event brings small yellow flowers and traditions of Palestine as well attempted to colonise after the 1967 built on land expropriated from Se- and the occasional together the best in cuisine, as the environment and animal war.” bastia in 1977. Palestinian villagers wine, beer and spirits. Celebrity purple wild flower. rights. The tour dips to the emerald must apply for special Israeli per- chefs will be on hand to meet The 6-hour ride starts at the vil- green wheat fields dotted with mits to reach their land behind the people and share recipes, enter- The five friends sought the help lage and moves along the narrow small yellow flowers and the oc- fence during the olive harvest. taining dishes, cocktail courses of local farmers in selecting beasts dirt road that was part of the Hijaz casional purple wild flower. Once The tour makes its way back to and new trends in cooking. suitable for riding, built stables railroad built by the Ottomans for the summer starts, the sea of green the village centre, past the colon- for the animals on land belonging Muslim pilgrims travelling to the changes to gold as the wheat har- nade ruins, the ancient basilica and Cairo: to the family of one of them and holy shrines in Mecca and Medina. vest nears. theatre and a church. The site is on November 21-30 pooled their funds to buy donkeys The riders amble through Wadi The next stop is on a hill sur- an elevated area, where the West for $140 each. al-Shameh before reaching the re- rounded by olive and apricot trees, Bank hills stretch out across the The Cairo International Film After a word-of-mouth marketing mains of the Masoudiyeh train sta- where guides cook lunch. Soon, landscape with Jenin further north, Festival, established in 1976, campaign and a Facebook page, the tion, where they enjoy a brief wa- the frying pan is bubbling with Tulkarem to the north-west and, will hold its 39th edition at the initiative began with three purpos- ter break and inspect the station, chopped tomatoes and garlic driz- beyond that, the sea, which is hid- Opera House over ten days. den from view. The programme includes world The ancient site is classified un- cinema projections, seminars, der the Oslo Accords as Area C, un- workshops, debates and trib- der Israeli civil and military control. utes. The Palestinian Authority is banned from renovating the site and the Se- Algiers: bastia villagers are all too aware of December 1-8 the possibility of being barred from their beloved ruins. The eighth Algiers Interna- “Ariel University is trying to lay tional Film Festival takes place claim to ancient Roman ruins in Se- in El Mouggar Theatre and bastia by pushing through a renova- the Cinematheque of Algiers. tion plan,” Hammouri said. “If that Documentaries and fiction films goes ahead they will confiscate the are scheduled in an event that area under the guise of conserva- brings together independent tion and allow only settlers to ac- movie producers from all over cess it.” the world. The last leg of the tour is back to Wadi al-Shameh but riders are of- fered one last recline in the shade We welcome submissions of of almond trees with a cup of strong calendar items related to Arabic coffee. cultural events of interest to The donkeys can now have a travellers in the Middle East well-deserved rest. and North Africa. Please send tips to: Linah Alsaafin is a Palestinian [email protected] An old building in Sebastia near Nablus. (Donkey Tours) writer based in the West Bank.