"Given to Women"

The mosque

My bashful guide.

Melon Man

Mimi and Ella in the blessed kitchen

I had a blissful evening walking around again with my camera. It cools off around 6pm, and everyone takes to the streets. There's something about leaving the house with no plan but to wander. I headed toward the main mosque in the center along Rudaki Boulevard. When I started taking pictures there, the little boys selling melons wanted their picture taken. One brightly dressed little girl didn't want hers taken (I offered several times and snuck one when she wasn't looking), but she wanted to take mine, so I let her. Then I was lent a covering for my hair, and she lead me into the inner courtyard and mosque. There were wide marble stairs leading up to the mosque itself. As I started up, she ran in front of me, running and sliding across the higher stairs in her red plastic slippers. Inside the mosque it was simple and white. There were men praying, so I didn't take pictures or linger. I snapped a few more pictures of the outside, showing my little guide the results for her approval. I got a thumbs-up. Maybe she'll have her own camera one day.

Last night, Ella made dinner at Dee's house. We had bruschetta (pronounced "brews-ketta" says the Italian) on homemade bread, fresh pesto chicken pasta salad, figs and apricots from the market. And for dessert, olive oil cake with local peaches sweetened with sugar and balsamic vinegar. Then, I died.

I love Italian cooking because it's simple. When Ella can't find ingredients that she needs, she substitutes. No pine nuts for the pesto, so walnuts. No artichokes for the salad, so pickled vinegary things from the Korean women at the market. And it works. I've been madly jotting down recipes as she shares. I can't wait to try some of her stuff at home. And if you benefit, you're welcome.