Tripoli in 72 hours.

In the North East of England there is an open air museum called 'Beamish - The North of England open air museum' This is a large museum presenting the past and interesting things to the public in a sort of one day tour. I have a post card of it, given to me by a gentleman called Nick Barton, and I use it as a book mark in the book I am reading at the moment. Tripoli felt like that museum to me. For the short time I spent in Tripoli I was taken to many places by my host who planned a schedule for me which would have covered the 9 days I was meant to spent there. With great determination he and his family crammed those planned nine days into the three days I was there.
This included historical sites, the city it self and a search to find out where the Sub-Saharan community are. My host know the city very well and managed to get me to a church out side the city where the East African community worship. The building is very non-descript and I would have had difficulty to find it as it did not represent the classic church architecture.
I asked permission from the padre who was available and he also gave me a blessing holding a cross over me. People in the court yard of the church watched this in silence. There were about hundred young men sitting around socializing. I later found out that they live there too in makeshift dormitories.
The next day I came back and stayed the whole day. I attended the service and was told that there are several services held which would indicate the country of the people attending. Friday was for Egyptians, Saturday the Ethiopians Sunday the Sudanese and Somalian people. Each with their elders doing elder rituals in the service as per custom. At the Eucharist I joined the women (Sudanese and Somalian) and ended up chatting to them while doing the washing up after wards. I also noted the drums ready in the courtyard where the young men were preparing for some entertainment. The singing and dancing is also done with events like weddings and other celebrations.
The short stay was intense and concentrated but at least I can say that I visited Libya, Tripoli briefly.