Do we still have coal, the text message reads. BBQ tonight? In Algiers, our home has become the unofficial Friday or Saturday night hang-out. I attribute it to our roomy outdoor terrace, the pingpong table that doubles as a snack station during parties, and the lack of any other restaurant, bar, or scintillating nightlife in…
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A stronghold, a fortress – the Casbah of Algiers lies in ruin. Up on the hill, we gaze down at the sea while standing between buildings on the verge of collapse, all in different states of disrepair and neglect. We meet up with our guide early on a Friday morning. Below is a sprawling, chaotic…
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It’s only 9:30 am, but the sun is already beating down hard in Algeria. At El Djamila port, ex-La Madrague, a seaside town 20 kilometres west of Algiers, fathers are already slathering their agitated children in suntan lotion and are having a hard time doing so. Something about the proximity of open water drives kids…
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As expected, you go through an adjustment period when you are expatriated. You follow certain steps, if you will. First, it’s Excitement. You can’t wait to get there! The visa takes too long! Where the hell is my plane ticket? My bags are packed! Damn this traffic to the airport! Then, it’s Discovery. The airport…
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