Having greeted politely, any mans face would open up in a large welcoming smile and more tea. Often I found that the key to break the neutral weatherworn faces of a Libyan man was to greet him with a simple "Salaam Alaikum" (peace be upon you). The people would never hassle me and it was impossible to walk past anyone without being invited for tea. And had they been there, they would have fit right in. The only thing I found missing in the Medina of Tripoli were snake charmers and flying carpets. I once visited the massive crater of the Waw al Namus volcano which exploded long ago and today boasts 3 colorful lakes: green, blue and red. So don't say Sahara desert ) Within the Sahara of Libya you'll find camel caravans, dreamlike oases, old caravan stations and sand dunes as tall as mountains. The Libyan coastline stretches across 1,770 km (1.099 mi) of pristine nearly untouched sand beaches with clear warm waters. Sites at the Mediterranean Sea which can also been seen today and probably a thousand years from now. But before the Romans the Greek built massive temples and statues as well. They are among the best archeological sites I've ever seen and I have seen a lot. Impressive archeological sites such as the Sabratha and Leptis Magna are proof of the exceptional capacity of the Romans and can still be seen today. The Phoenicians, the Greek, the Romans, the Arabs and many others settled across Libya throughout history. However I also found time to explore the country. While stationed in Libya I was contracted to work 60 hours per week and sometimes I worked much more than that. Today you find the vast portion of the Sahara located within Libya with its incredible ocean of sand stretching beyond the horizon. Cave paintings in Libya depict it and so do the fossils. Libya was long ago green and lush and inhabited by exotic animals such as giraffes and crocodiles. Libya was home to the berbers who probably settled about 7,000 years ago. However if you stayed neutral and friendly the country was open to you with all its rich culture and history. I'm not saying that everything was good and you certainly had to be careful in regards to certain topics. Libya back then was a safe country to travel and work within.
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