Traveling to Apollonia and Cyrene

Remains of Italian small gage railroad.

More about our trip east in early June:  After getting settled into a Benghazi guesthouse, we made arrangements for a driver to take us to the ancient Greek cities of Apollonia and Cyrene, which were some distance east of Benghazi. However, we managed to make the trip in a day because the roads along the coast are excellent and our driver had no problem traveling at speeds between 130 to 150 kph. His name was Muftah, and he spoke excellent English, had made this trip many times, and was very knowledgeable.  We had a very pleasant day with him.

The cave of Omar al-Mukhtar.

The trip begins along the coastal plane and moves gradually towards the Jebel al-Akhdar (Green Mountains). The mountains are anything but green as you rise to the first of two plateaus. These hills look a lot like many parts of the western U.S. By the time you get to the second plateau, there is a lot more foliage.

Entrance to the cave restaurant.

There are many abandoned farmhouses along the way that are all of similar design. These are the farms that were created for Italian immigrants during the occupation of this area that began in 1911 and continued until the Italian defeat in W.W.II. Many Libyans do not look Arabic this can be attributed to the fact that an estimated 66,000 Italians were abandoned in Libya after the war.

Lounge seating in the cave restaurant.

Driving the side roads that wind through the hills can be a treat. Along the way, we passed many caves that had been used by the Sanusi resistance in fighting the Italians; this included the cave of Omar al-Mukhtar. Nearby are the remains of a narrow-gage Italian railway that had been built to pacify the area after al-Mukhtar’s execution. The story of al-Mukhtar’s resistance fight against the Italians can be seen in the 1981 film Lion of the Desert, staring Anthony Quinn.

Party seating in the cave restaurant.

We stopped for lunch along the way at a location that Mustah recommended. This was a local resort that had a restaurant, which had been built into a cave complex. The caves had been expanded to accommodate several large underground dinning rooms. The restaurant was well lit and coolness of the underground environment offered a pleasant respite from the Libyan sun. 

A Brief History of Benghazi

We spent almost a week in Benghazi for Sherri's work, and while there we tried to learn and see as much as we could.  Benghazi is the largest city in Cyrenaica (the eastern part of Libya) with a population of over 600,000 people. The origins of the city are in doubt but it is believed that the first settlement was slightly east of modern Benghazi and may have been established by Greeks from Cyrene or by Aegean immigrants. The city is first mentioned in the 6th century BCE as Eusperides and was believed to have been the site of the legendary Garden of Hesperides. According to Geek mythology, the eleventh quest of Hercules was to steal the golden apples from the Garden of Hesperides.

The Italian lighthouse with the ruins of Berenice in the foreground.

Around 249/247 BCE, the settlement was renamed Berenice, after the Cyrenaican princess who married Ptolemy III of Egypt. This act effectively ceded the city to Egyptian authority. There are a few excavated remains of Berenice on the northern shore of Benghazi but there is little there to see. Most of ancient Berenice lies beneath the modern city. On the same grounds as the ruins of Berenice, there is an old Italian lighthouse built during their occupation of the city.

Al-Jame' al-Kabir Mosque in downtown Benghazi.

The Romans took control of the city in the 1st century BCE, but by the time the Byzantines arrived, the city was already declining. The Arab invasion of the 7th century did little to revitalize the city, as other ports and trade centers became more favorable. In the 15th century the name Bani Ghazi took hold, which means the sons or descendants of Ghasi, the name of a Bedouin tribe. When the Ottoman Turks took control of the city in 1578, they sought to make the city a center for the collection of taxes, which caused even greater decline among the merchant classes.

Omar Al-Mukhtar's cave in the Jebel al-Akhdar.

In 1911, Italy set up a naval siege of the city, and it was finally subdued in the 1920s. The Italian influence can be seen in the architecture of the city. It was during this period that several groups began an active resistance to the Italians. By 1922, the Sanusi, a regional Muslim group, was the only serious resistance remaining, but it dwindled after constant confrontation with the modern mechanized capability of the Italian military. The Sanusi resistance was particularly effective in the hinterlands of the Jebel al-Akhdar (Green Mountains), where they were led by a tribal shaykh, Sayyid Omar al-Mukhtar. The Italians were particularly brutal in dealing with the local population during this conflict, and many died or were interred in concentration camps. Al-Mukhtar was captured in 1931 and hanged a few days later while 20,000 of his followers were forced to watch. With al-Mukhtar’s death, the resistance collapsed. The movie “Lion of the Desert” has Anthony Quinn playing the role of Omar al-Mukhtar and contains old film footage of the times as well as very interesting period vehicles.

Monument to Gamal Abdel Nasser in downtown Benghazi.

Islamic Call Bldg, the tallest building in Benghazi.

Since that day, al-Mukhtar has become the national hero of Libya, and his portrait can be seen on the LYD 5 bill. During WWII, Benghazi was bombed repeatedly and changed hands several times, but the Italians were eventually driven out.

Traveling to Benghazi

Traveling to other cities inside Libya can be done in one of two ways, either by car or by plane. We decided to fly because of the distance (just under 1,000 km), but getting through the Tripoli Airport can be a challenge. To begin with, the parking area is a random mass of vehicles, and the lines on the pavement appear to serve no practical function. Fortunately, there is a lot of communication and cooperation as people shuffle vehicles in and out. It’s kind of like working on a Rubic’s cube where you slide individual pieces in and out of place to put them in order.

Once inside the building, we waited awhile for the sign for our flight to light up for boarding passes, and when that didn’t happen, Sherri went to the airline office. There were 3 men inside, smoking, and they assured her that the flight was on time. Half an hour later – it was now only an hour before the flight – there was still no information on the board about the flight. Sherri went back to the office where the man who appeared to be in charge said that the flight had been canceled. However, we could take the next one, about 3 hours later. Sherri called our company travel guy who speaks Arabic and got confirmation from him that indeed, the flight had been canceled without notice. The guy at the desk refused to provide anything in writing that showed we really would be allowed on the next flight, but gave several assurances that “It will be fine, Madame.” Given the circumstances, we elected to stay at the airport and wait. And wait. Finally, the board lit up with the right destination and flight number, but it was for Afriqiyyih, not Libyan Airlines. We went to the counter and asked to be seated on the flight. They said that we would have to be on standby because this was a different airline. Never mind that the same guys were working behind the counter, or that both airlines are owned by the Libyan government, or that we had been told we could get on that flight without any problem. Sherri protested exuberantly, called the Arabic travel agent again, and finally, we were given boarding passes.

While we were trying to figure out where to go next (never having flown OUT of this airport), we met some interesting young guys who spoke English, and we made our way to the gate and an uneventful flight. The folks in Benghazi met us as agreed, and all proceeded smoothly from that point on.

Note: At this airport, all the signs and announcements are in Arabic, and the electronic announcement boards containing flight information may not be operative. It is a common occurrence for air carrier personnel to give out differing information on a regular basis. If you are a foreign traveler, be prepared to take the initiative when visiting the Tripoli Airport.  And no, we can't take pictures of airports here.

The Old City (Medina) of Tripoli

One of the most interesting aspects of Tripoli is the old city that sits at the northern point of the larger metropolitan area. The term “medina” generally refers to the old or central part of the downtown area. Here in Tripoli, it is the original, once-walled part of the city.

A Brief History of Tripoli

It is believed that the Phoenicians began sailing the coastal waters as early as 1000 BCE and founded the city as a trading center about 500 BCE. After the fall of Punic Carthage in 146 BCE, the city became a Roman protectorate. The Romans referred to the city as Oea and along with the coastal cities of Sabratha and Leptis, this Roman coast became known as Tripolitania, or “place of three cities.”

As the Western Roman Empire deteriorated, the Vandals swept in from Germanic Europe to occupy and conquer North Africa. They completed their conquest in 431 ACE. The Eastern Roman Empire of the Byzantines conquered many of the coastal cities in 533 ACE, but by then the city was already in decline. The Arab conquest of Libya began in 642 ACE and included Tripoli by 643. Under Muslim control, the city again became a wealthy and powerful center of commerce and one of the principle centers for trade with sub-Saharan Africa. A second Arab conquest, by the Bani Hilal tribe of 200,000 migrating families, took place in 1046 ACE. This conquest led too much of the old city being rebuilt. The rebuilding process utilized many of the Roman remains, which can still be found throughout the old city.

In 1460 ACE, Tripoli declared itself an independent city-state and remained so until the Spanish captured the city in 1510 and occupied until 1530. The Spanish then ceded the city to the Knights of Malta. The Ottoman Turks took control of the Tripoli in 1551 ACE, and built most of the mosques, bathhouses (hammams) and markets (souqs) that are still visible today. Under waning Turkish control, Ahmed Karamanli seized power and declared himself Pasha and established the Karamanli Dynasty. The Ottomans reoccupied the city in 1835.

In 1911, the Italian government annexed Tripolitania and the Cyrenaica coast of North Africa and in 1922, Benito Mussolini came to power and began exerting greater control in an effort to expand Italian imperialism in African. When Italy was defeated in WWII, it formally relinquished control in 1947 and the United Nations created the independent State of Libya in 1949.

The Old City

Old souq carpet merchant

The old city of Tripoli is best seen on an old painted map in the Assaray Al-Hamra Museum. This excellent museum, and a police station, now occupy the Al-Saraya al-Hamra, or what is referred to as the Red Castle. This heavily fortified structure sits at the base of Tripoli Harbor and was, at one time or another, bombarded by the French, Dutch, British and Americans, in an effort to discourage the Barbary pirates. Originally surrounded by a moat, the northern, western and part of the southern portions of the moat were filled in to create a wide road along the eastern side of the old city during the Italian occupation. I will write a separate blog about the Assaray Al-Hamra Museum and the Red Castle later.

The best way to enter the old city is through one of the two entrances off of Green Square, the large open parade ground that also serves as a parking area at the south end of the old city. The larger entrance on the right, as you look north, was created by the Italians and travels along the eastern side of the old city. This broad street contains a variety of shops and merges with a smaller street at the Ottoman clock tower. The smaller entrance to the left enters the smaller street that merges with the Italian road and contains shops that sell a variety of clothing and dry goods. If you turn immediately left at the small entrance, you will go directly into the old souq, or market area, that sells more traditional goods. The narrow streets lead through market areas into residential areas and back again. The colors, smells, sights and sounds of different languages are a treat for the senses. The old city area is complex but small enough that you won’t get lost. Walk in any one direction and you will eventually come to a section of the old wall or one of several entrances to the old city. Although much of the original wall is gone, don’t miss the opportunity to climb up on the old rampart of the remaining wall to observe the difference between the old city within and the new city outside.

Karamanli Masque with Ottoman clock tower in the distance

Most market areas in the old souq are grouped together with similar products being offered in certain areas. There is a place for buying carpets and textiles, a men’s clothing market, a women’s clothing market, a household goods market, spice markets, a gold and jewelry market, and others. The shops selling gold are especially interesting as they not only carry contemporary jewelry but a wide range of traditional tribal silver and gold work with designs dating back to the original Christian and Jewish craftsmen who taught their craft to the local people.

I have made several visits to the old souqs in Tripoli and in Benghazi and I find them to be very enjoyable, primarily because the vendors in these Libyan markets do not confront you in selling their wares. There is usually a friendly greeting, but even if you show an interest in their goods, they will usually wait until you enquire about the price before engaging you in conversation. This is very different than other parts of Africa and the Middle East, at least in our experience. We also found that the Libyans are not as inclined to barter, although we have done it. If you believe you can get a product for a better price, simply ask another vendor in an adjoining stall what they might charge you for the same product. This grouping of similar goods and services tends to offer the visitor a wider range of products at competitive prices.

Men of the souq

We are often greeted on the street or in shops with a friendly “Welcome! Where are you from? How do you like Libya?” Taking the time to talk with those Libyans who want to speak with us has been a rewarding experience. In most cases they are excited about the opportunity to practice their English, which is rapidly becoming the second language of Libya. This may be a short conversation as they will have a limited vocabulary, nevertheless, always give them the opportunity to be social and to learn a few new words. Family and human connections between people are very important to the Libyans and they do want to learn more about the outside world. Remember, Libya is a country that suffered from almost 15 years of embargo, and the people here are trying hard to catch up on what the rest of the world is all about. I try to have at least one of these conversations every day, and it has given me great insights into this country and its wonderful people.

Not far into the entrance off Green Square is the Karamanli Mosque. Most of the members of the Karamanli Dynasty are interred there. You may enter the mosques of Medina and take pictures, but you should always dress appropriately - never wear shorts or tank tops. Also remove your shoes before entering and be sure that your visit does not occur during daily prayers or on Fridays, the Muslim holy day.

At the end of this same long street is the white Ottoman Clock Tower. Don’t be fooled by the very European decorations on this building, it was added by the Italians at a later date. The copper market (Souq al-Ghizdir) is just behind the clock tower. Listen for the sound of hammers on metal. Here we watched craftsman forming elaborate bows, boxes and mosque finials by hammering sheets of copper on simple anvils that may be nothing more than a piece of railroad track.

Souq al-Ghizdir (copper market)

Further north into the old city is a white building, which used to be the Turkish Prison; today it is a Greek Orthodox Church. To the west is the former Catholic Cathedral, which was build by the Italians and is now an Anglican church. There are few Christian churches in Libya and those that continue to function do so primarily for the expat communities in the country. Remember, it is against Libyan law to proselytize to any Muslim in Libya. Doing so can get you arrested and thrown out of the country. The Sunni Muslim faith ties this population together, and there are as many mosques in Libya as you would find Baptist churches in Texas. The presence of a mosque in every neighborhood makes it easy for male residents to visit and pray five times daily. There are at least eight mosques in the old city alone.

There is an old synagogue on the far western side of the old city, but in an effort to support Pan Arab Nationalism, the government of Libya officially banned Judaism in the 1970s. Today, there are no Jews in Libya. However, it is against the teachings of Islam to destroy any synagogue or church. A synagogues or churches can be abandoned, rebuilt, replaced or converted into mosque, but not destroyed.

Throughout the old city are small shops offering snacks and bottled drinks. There are also several good restaurants throughout the old city. These include an outdoor teahouse or some older converted residence that contains beautiful atrium courtyard. On the northeast edge of the old city, a very nice restaurant is set among Roman ruins. The Arch of Marcus Aurelius stands in a sunken garden that gives you a clue as to how much the city has been built upon since Roman times.

Atrium courtyard restaurant in the souq

We recently visited the old souq with a friend who took us to one the only antique shop that was selling old Greek and Roman glass. The experience was enlightening as our friend, who had been collected ancient glass for some time, shared his expertise during the process. Afterwards, we had dinner at one of the local restaurants in the old souq. We have also come across small hotels and a hostel within the old city.

Not every place is charming and picturesque in the Medina; there are areas with a lot of trash and unpleasant smells, but everyone who has been here for any length of time will tell you that it is changing for the better. Do not expect clean public restrooms, and bring your own toilet paper. This is generally the rule throughout the country.