My Stay in Tripoli, Libya

North Africa

The Shores of Tripoli

Our First Tour

This is Tripoli harbor on the Mediterranean Sea. 1951/1953

My stepfather was in the Air Force and Tripoli, Libya was where my family was stationed. The Air Base was called Wheelus AFB. I have tried to bring up information about Tripoli, but unfortunately it goes to another Web Site. We were there in 1951 to 1953, returned in 1957 to 1960. I have many great photo's, plus some I borrowed from my Mom. I will explain each one and any story I can add to the photo. The photo are large because I want you to get a good view. So please be patient and let the photos download. I'm sure Mom will correct me on any missed spelled word, time or place.

Please sign my Guestbook and let me know what you think of this site.

(1) I call this one, The Shores of Tripoli. (2) This is the Grand Hotel, facing the Shores.

(3) This is the Catholic Church with our taxi's waiting.

They are call -- Gerries. In Arabic they are called "Karroosaa" for one and "Krarees" for two or more. Mom said we always got a flea as a bonus. Dang, if I can remember. I was just having fun. Getting started from downtown to:

Almost home.. Since you don't see the driver - guess who took the photo? Not bad, huh?

I guess you can call this ' the center of town.'

This is the entrance to the Old City, which looks like a castle.

The walls were built to protect the City.

This street used to be call "24 December Street". I always thought of Christmas. Later, in 1969, they changed the name to "1st of September". Do you see the bus coming toward us? That was the blue bus we rode to Wheelus AFB. The thing hanging in the air is one street light.

Down the V shaped street, "Omar El Mukhtar" (named after an Libyan Fighter against the modern Italian occupation of Libya from 1911 to 1943) in the far back had two things I remember. 1.) A British Theatre - where in 1952 I sat with my sister watching the news reel of Queen Elizabeth inauguration. It was a Cinderella story to me. 2.) Our landlord has a Jewelry shop and every time we stopped in we got a trinket.

Piasita Itila (Plazza Italia) as it was called during 1951 thru 1953. The name has been changed to "Maidaan Ash'shuhadaa" or "Martyrs Square" in English.

Our garbage man, Ali. I bet you knew his name.

Local Arabs

Ask me how many times I saw this... date anyone? Picture above on far right is a Holiday which reminds me of Halloween. The child in the middle is dressed in bark, he goes from store to store and they give him candy. This Holiday is called "Ashoora" which means in Arabic "The Tenth day of the month, but here it means the 10th day of the Lunar Islamic first month "Muharram". Muslims usually celebrate this day in several aspects among them 'Fasting'. This means they do not eat or drink from dawn to sunset for several reason:

1) Arabs hundred years before Islam (before 610 AD) 'fast' this day

2) Arab Jews also fast this day in the same period because they believe that it is the day when God saved his Prophet "Moses" and his people from Pharaoh of Egypt when he made the sea opened to save his people from Egypt

3) Muslims believe in Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all other prophets of God, as same as his last messenger "Muhammad", so they start fasting "Ashoora" with Jews.

4) It is the day when "Al-Husain Ibn Ali" ( The Husain son of Ali) - the son of the cousin of Prophet Muhammad "Ali" whom is also the husband of one of Muhammad's daughter and the fourth Muslim Ruler of the Islamic Empire -martyrized in one of his battles against the corrupted Islamic Ruler of that time.

The above information has been given to me by Abdullahhakeem Tweel, Libyan Engineer & Journalist.

Click here Photos of Tripoli Today. Also thanks to Mahmoud Fallah, Libyan Environmental Engineer for his assistance in helping me find my old home.

The Waterfront