lebanese dinnner and belly dancing !!

Deceptive title indeed ( bloggers have to use tricks to attract readers you see )but not untrue mind you .

because I did enjoy a Lebanese dinner in Grand Hyatt hotel Dubai where I had the chance to attend a meet and stay over ( courtesy my chief ,thank him ) and over dinner viewed the exotic belly dance too !

The dance didnt increase my appetitie for food or anything else though I did appreciate the art in it ( you see people without baser instincts look for the art in everything and yours truly is one amongst them )

Belly dancing has been in the middle east for ages it is more of a traditional dance done on joyous occasions like marriages and childbirths ,the Hollywood influence introduced the sequinned skimpy costume to the slithering beauties .

the middle east had men and women segregrated in thier households and even today many continue in that fashion the womens wing was haram or prohibited and from that the word harem rose giving risque imaginations of sultans and thier lovelies
In Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovery of the new world a fair was held with several firsts ,like the Ferris wheel ,the first movie ,and a Morrocan dance where the abdominal midriff was exposed and came to be called the belly dance !

By middle of 20th century many clubs in middle east offered belly dancing as entertainement slowly in clubs offering cheaper fare it turned to sleeze with more exposure and suggestive movements while high class and expensive clubs offered better music with greater dancing talents .

with the film industry both hollywood and Bollywood offering its own versions the dance form attained its public perception .

to make the story short it was fun to watch the sinous hip movements and appreciate the grace of the dancer and her talent .

with an appetiser like this the dinner was bound to be promising ,Lebanese dinners I found had plenty of starters ,which kept rolling in continously with exotic names and different tastes ,vine leaves stuffed with rice ,kebab like morsels ,chikpeas ,lots of salads ,and it went on and on with great gaps ,

I commented to my friend that I am feeling full and wondering how I would manage main course ,well I ddint have much to worry for the main one was quite short after all the fan fare it was a grilled piece and then another interminable wait for the dessert .

Dessert in the desert did seem long to come so I commented to the elegantly dressed waiter who answered that we have to wait fro all diners to finish thier courses to start dessert ,again I neednt have worried for no cool ice creams or fluffy cakes followed but a big basket of fruits from all parts of the world ,well Lebanese dinner is not for me all the days i cant exist on leaves and fruits ,i might start nodding and cudchewing indeeed.

so I retired into my room in the Grand Hyatt and dreaming of oh no not belly dancers but good south indian food

harimohan