Writer Judith Fein interviews a performer during Tunisia’s annual Sahara desert festival near the town of Douz.

Warm greetings to one and all, traditional desert festival, Douz, Tunisia.

Our friend Abe Akyunus at his hotel Zeynep Sultan, overlooking Aya Sofia, Istanbul, Turkey.

Muslim pilgrims conversed and posed with a group of visiting Americans at Istanbul’s famed Blue Mosque, Turkey.

The Allawi generously performed a traditional dance. then invited visitors to join in, Istanbul, Turkey.

This Imam, dressed in his “civilian clothes,” brought out a picture of the formal attire he wears when conducting services, Turkey.

In rural Turkey, an Imam met with our groups of visiting journalists to answer questions about Islam.

In rural Turkey, an Imam met with our groups of visiting journalists to answer questions about Islam.

Eyup is one of Islam’s holiest shrines yet religious pilgrims gathered around to answer visitor’s questions –and ask a few of their own, Turkey.

Writer Judith Fein met this Imam while walking along a city street and they both paused for a lively and friendly chat, Syria.

Both wise and warm, a Druze elder, considers his answer to a visitor’s question, Syria.

Traditional Bedouin shepherd women try on some Western fashion, Syrian desert.

A group of passing tourists dropped in –unannounced— at a nomadic Bedouin sheep camp and were promptly served tea, Syrian desert.

Our talented musical composer friend Rabi and his wife invited us out for customary coffee and a smoke during our most recent visit to Tunisia.

Flamboyant, funny and wildly talented Taieb Jalouli regales us with stories of the problems he had restoring the “Star Wars” set in the middle of the Tunisian desert. “It was more difficult than building it originally for the movie!” he laughed.