Exams are over, and all marked. Unfortunately the results were not quite what I would have liked, and some students will not be proceeding to the next level at this point - which is probably just as well, because there are now going to be 17 students in the next class. Quite enough for a course of this intensity. The BEC (Cambridge University Business English Certificate - the external exam) is set for mid-November, so the pressure's really on. Judging from their faces, my class wasn't very happy once we reached this stage of the term; only Tawfik could manage a smile:
Once I'd completed all the paperwork, and passed it to Head Office, I found I had some free time, so, having my car back, I determined to make good use of it. The day started with a little issue to be resolved - a flat tyre. Fortunately it had enough air in it to get to a garage, so I hot wheeled it there at crack of dawn, and waited for two hours for the garage to open. It was a lovely morning, so I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the bird song whilst sunning myself. Somehow a piece of metal had pierced the sidewall of the tyre, and when I removed it, the tyre went completely flat. My man at the garage, when he arrived, smiled, jabbed a sharp implement into the hole, pulled it out again, and that was that - fixed! I was amazed! He refused payment, but I insisted - I was so happy.
So, off I went. Salem from the Institute had told me about a cave east of Sousa which had some Neolithic cave paintings, and I'd been planning to see them for some time. Today was the day. It was a fair drive - about four hours - but it was good to be on the open road again, and out of town as well. On passing through al Bayda (where they get snow in the winter) I was encouraged off the road by some blokes in a pickup. I thought I'd done something wrong, but in fact they wanted to buy my car! We did carry out some speculative negotiations, but couldn't agree a price - LD4000 for such a fine car as mine? I don't think so!
After Bayda, I headed towards Cyrene, and drove through the necropolis again. It really is an astonishing place. To the left as you go down the hill towards Apollonia is Cyrene, one of the largest Roman cities ever built, and to the right is this enormous city of the dead:
Eventually I reached Sousa, and then the cave. It's used as a goat holding pen now, and is surrounded by razor wire and camel thorn brush, so I couldn't get in close, but it is reputed to be the largest cave in North Africa:
I think this is my favourite area in Libya - almost verdant in a rather Spartan fashion, sparsely populated, with beautiful seascapes and historical sites going back thousands of years, yet with a sense of promise for the future as desalination plants and new/widened roads are established.
Driving back from Sousa to Cyrene, I passed this Italian war memorial, sadly stripped of its plaques. This is most unusual in this country - there is generally great reverence for past conflicts. Certainly the British are held in very high regard following the Second World War.
In front of the memorial, in a bus shelter (there are no buses, but the shelters are very useful) there was a stall selling prickly pear fruit. I'd never tasted them so 'bought' a few to take to England. The vendor spoke excellent English, and when I asked how much, he said: "No charge. They're on the house." People in Libya generally earn very little, but their generosity, as you will know from this blog, knows no bounds.
Getting back to Benghazi in time for Break Fast, I passed this signpost:
You can just make out the Roman script beneath the paint!
Breaking my fast, I made myself a delicious cheese and tomato roll. Biting into the soft bread, I suddenly felt something hard. Mmmm, that's not right, I thought - it was one of my teeth! Or, more accurately, a crown. Off I went to find a dentist. An hour later, everything was back to normal. Such efficiency. I've booked an appointment for a more thorough checkup when I get back.
I'm at the airport now, having slipped through all the formalities like a camel through the desert - effortlessly and no commotion. Oh how I wish Terminal 5 could be like this.
