By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer While driving through the Algarve region of Portugal with my family, I stopped at a small restaurant in Albufeira. The city’s unmistakable Moorish imprint from the 500 years of Arab rule in Algarve was evident. Its Castelo de Almoàda, with its traces of Moorish architecture along with the surrounding lush countryside-first … Continued
By Liam Nagle / Arab America Contributing Writer Western Islamic Architecture refers to an architectural style that was created by the inhabitants of the various Muslim caliphates, emirates, and other empires that have existed from the 700s even to today. The architectural style can be mostly seen in western parts of the Arab world – … Continued
By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer About 5 km (3 mi) from Lisbon, on the road to Sintra, we stopped at the charming pink 18th century Queluz National Palace, called by a number of writers, ‘Portugal’s Versailles’. Here, amid its splendour, we had our first taste of Portugal’s pousadas – the country’s inns, built in … Continued
By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer For a week, Albufeira’s gleaming Moorish-style white houses with their minaret-like chimneys set in the hillside cascading down to the clear waters of the Atlantic had us captivated. Like the thousands of tourists who visit the resort every year, we were entrapped in the town’s Moorish charm. In the … Continued
By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer In the annals of mankind there are only a number of battles which have decided the fate of civilizations for decades or, even for centuries to come. Among these are the well-know ‘Battel of Hittin’ when Saladin crushed the Crusader State in the Levant; the ‘Battle of Ayn Jalut’, … Continued
By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer Lord Byron, the 19th century Poet Laureate of England, in his verse, portrayed Sintra as ‘the glorious Eden where he longed to spend his last days’, and the English poet Robert Southey described it as ‘the most blessed spot in all the inhabitable globe’. Their praise and those of … Continued
By: Christian Jimenez/Arab America Contributing Writer There have been many interesting and important battles throughout World Histories such as the Battle of Milvian Bridge or the Battle of Yarmouk, but another interesting battle and one that is important to the history of Morocco is the Battle of Alcacer Quibir. History of Morocco and Surrounding Empires … Continued
By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer “It’s like a fairytale town. Look at these fantastic buildings! I can’t believe my eyes!” My travelling companion was expressing both our thoughts as we gazed down from a high point on Albufeira’s gleaming Moorish-style white houses with their minaret-like chimneys. They appeared to be jewels set in the … Continued
By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer From Marrakesh known as ‘pearl of Morocco’s south’, three of us, along with Abdelatif as our guide, traveled to Essaouira, once the Portuguese stronghold of Magador on the country’s Atlantic coast. As we toured that picture postcard city, thoughts of Portuguese knights storming the Moroccan coast, then eventually being … Continued
By Habeeb Salloum/Contrubuting Writer “I hope that you will enjoy our fado. A good number of tourists rarely appreciate this authentic Portuguese type of singing.” Maria do Carmo Norqueria, a Portuguese tourist official, went on, waxing poetic about this most renowned of her country’s folkloric songs, ending with the words, “As for me, it … Continued
BY: Habeeb Salloum/Contributing Writer Every night during our week’s stay in Lisbon we came to Alfama, the historic heart of the city, to enjoy Portugal’s traditional song, the fado, while we feasted on the country’s famous fish dishes. Tonight, as we enjoyed our tasty morsels, we were hypnotized by the voice of Maria Armanda, one … Continued
11 Results (Page 1 of 1)
Loading ...