Monday, June 19, 2006

Blossoming Fruit Trees


Pomegranate tree




Miniature pears- I'm not a big pear fan, but these were super-tasty!



Beautiful grapes- black when they're ripe.



See "Grandfather's Garden."

A little something for your enjoyment. These are pictures of beautiful fruit trees from my husband's grandparents' garden in Adhamiya.

Did you know that during the embargo years, bananas and peaches were quite rare and very expensive in Iraq? When I first moved here, I was surprised at how many Iraqis loved bananas. They would serve them in dinner parties and engagement parties, almost as a delicacy. That's because for thirteen long years, most Iraqis were forbidden this basic fruit. I've known about bananas for quite a while now, but yesterday, while enjoying a juicy peach at our aunt's house, she told me that peaches were also quite rare during those years.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I found your site by a reference on CNN and have read it with interest ever since. I am impressed by your sanity in what seems a bizarre and dangerous world. Your blog serves to emphasize a view of Iraqi humanity (you) that is not often understood in the U.S. Keep up the good work.

Fatima said...

Joel,
Thanks for your good words and welcome to this blog.

f.d.rahman said...

aww.. how nice.. the grapes are finally out! And those pears do look really tasty. :o)

Fatima said...

Hey jewraqi,
Yes, nabuq trees are beautiful. I have some pictures of them in one of my earlier posts under 'Fruit trees', i think. And I've tasted different tasting nabuq in our grandmother's garden, though not all of the flavors appeal to me.

Shams said...

OH my god,

Only the rich eat Bananas back in Iraq. Especially during the sanctions they were very expensive. And even red apples they are usually expensive too. Now, I just had a banana and big red apples I like but i passionatly miss the small tiny green iraqi apples, they are no where here in canada.

But you know in Canada pomegranate is quite expensive.

So it basically depends on supply and demand. :)

but I must say, you have a beautiful garden, I wish if Canada had an alright weather, we would even plan figs and not bas 3inab and ruman...

and nabugggggggg...........what is nabug in english anywayz......
oh wow...the olden days...chinit bil na3al ashmur 7ateh yoga3..hehehe :D

Fatima said...

Haha gilgamesh, I was trying to find out what nabug is in english, i'll let you know if i find out. welcome to my blog.

SocioProCate said...

Hey Guys, I think I am late for this post.
I just wanted to share something with you guys, (A) thank for showing a beautiful side of our country. (B) My friend Gilgamesh, Nabug in English is called (JUJUBE) or jujubes. It is not easy to find in the world do to weather and soil conditions. Iraq has the perfect weather and soil to have pretty much anything growing there, of course considering the seasons and the types of fruits and vegetations that would grow during each season.