Last week Italian Antonio stayed for a day on his way from Syria to Cyprus. We first met last month in Damascus at Jeff’s Trivial Pursuit night.

Antonio spent 2 months in Syria learning Arabic but was glad to leave the country as he found it too closed and conservative. He is an interesting fellow having gained an engineering degree, worked in France for 2 years (in which time he became fluent in French) and then obtained his teaching qualifications in Florence. He hopes to be accepted into the Italian public schooling system this year.

Antonio didn’t stay long but it was still enough time for ice cream at Mado, tantuni, kunefe, a shave and a swim down the coast.

At Mado with the pre-shaven Antonio at Mado:

I look forward to visiting Antonio’s place on the heel of Italy one day.

UPDATE: Due to popular demand (well, Jeff is popular), I have uploaded a photo of a post-shaven Antonio. The image is actually a mirror reflection at the barber’s straight after Antonio’s shave.

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