From Hassan El-Bietar

15Th April 2001

Dear Manuel,

I received your fax and "thank you very much". While in Lebanon please remember me and try to eat some of those green and delicious plums and almond with salt for me. Don't forget to go and get some "zawba'e" and "hyiloon", the fun is to pick them up yourself. This is a fun thing to do.

By the way I did it when I went back to Lebanon in 1982. I wanted to pick up some hyiloon and zawba'e myself. I went with one of my brother Michael's kid. It was a rainy day and I left early. 30 minutes later Mitri followed us and he brought an umbrella. when I saw him I started to laugh and I asked him why the umbrella. He said his father Mikhael sent him with the umbrella so I don't get wet. I sent him back and I told him to tell my brother Mikhael I hope nobody in the village knew about it, so it will be the story of my life: "Hassan went to pick hyiloon and zawba'e with an umbrella".

For your information I got a good bunch of hyiloon and 2 pockets full of zawba'e and Sarah fixed them the  Bazbina's style "ta'moton taht drassi"- my mouth is watering as I am writing this.

Give my best to your family and to all our relatives and friends. Happy Easter.