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Algeria: El-Oued, the City of a thousand Domes
Affectionately named the "City of a Thousand Domes", El-Oued is certainly the most picturesque town in a region more renowned as being an endless sea of sand. In this part of the world, any oasis or "souf" is worth its weight in gold. And the town of El-Oued was lucky to build itself around on of the most prosperous oases in the region. As a means of shielding itself from the unrelenting summer heat, most of the buildings have domes. One thousand years later, this unique form of desert architecture enables El-Oued to stand out from other towns in the region.
Algeria - Land of Sun, Sea and Sand
The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria is the second largest country in Africa, after Sudan. Located on the south coast of the Mediterranean Sea and looking out to the north in the direction of Italy, Algeria has a population of approximately 2.5 million and the majority of its citizens live within 100 miles of the seacoast. Algeria is divided administratively into 48 provinces, a dozen of which make up the southern 3/4 of the country in the vast Sahara desert.
The M'zab Valley of Algeria
Many of the living areas of Algeria are examples of building that works within the structure of nature's natural space. One such area is the M'zab a limestone plateau that has been inhabited since the 10th century. The Berbers were the first to locate to the region where most live in the surrounding rock out cropping. In the 11th century, the Ibai Kharjite imams rule the area with a form Muslim theocracy that still has a very small influence today on the people of the area.
Algeria: In Search of Mosques and Museums
Make no mistake, Algiers is a great place to visit. To visit a pirate stronghold in itself would be interesting and moreover, there were also many sights to see inside the city. The architecture, influenced by the Ottoman genius Sinan, was the best represented in the mosques of Algiers, like the Mosque of Djamaa Djedid.
Algeria: Belly Dancing Etiquette Among the Mosques
You may be surprised to have belly dancing on your menu in addition to dinner while dining in a restaurant in Marrakech, Morocco or Casablanca. For the locals, it's just another steamy night in Algiers. As a stranger in a strange land, you may not know how to act (or react) at a restaurant in which live belly dancing is part of the ambiance. Many foreigners just don't know what is proper and acceptable in regards to enjoying this unique form of entertainment.
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