The neighborhood dikkaneh is always small. You need to move
sideways, if there is any room for movement at all. But even with this small
time business, these men – who are invariably called Abu Jean or Abu Ali - have
managed to pay for a small apartment, raise a family and send their children through
university. It is a sober life, with long hours, and no holidays (it’s not like
in France, where in August all small retailers close their doors). No Labor Day
for these guys. They grow old in their stores, and their stores grow old with
them.
Sietske is not in Beirut at the moment, but on her annual ‘Trek
to the Motherland’. She leaves you every Friday with a typical Lebanese
neighborhood ‘dikkaneh’, also called mini-market. They are all situated in
Beirut. The exact road & neighborhood are indicated on the picture itself. These
little stores have all disappeared in Holland; fallen victim to the big
supermarket chains. But here in Beirut, we still have them. This is number 6 in
a series of 12. Enjoy, while I enjoy my holiday.
