On Monday evening we (Zeynab and Charlotte) arrived to Beit Leed. We were greeted by Sameeh and Wasfiya and were welcomed into their beautiful family home.
The following day, after having breakfast (which was a feast!) we were taken around Beit Leed village. The walk was lovely, we passed various fruit trees that line the road and admired the view across the valley. The village, despite its slow pace, has lots of character with it's old stone buildings and pretty doorways which are often occupied by women sitting and chatting.
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| The view across the valley |
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Breakfast outside with the neighbours
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| Old stone buildings |
We arrived at the Women's Society building and went inside the cool stone buildings to escape the heat. Here we found a small museum area showing centuries-old artefacts for use in the home and working the land, examples of traditional Palestinian clothing and a huge olive mill originally dating back to the Roman era and last used in 1932. Next we moved on to a small craft shop, showcasing the handiwork of local women, and then we headed up to the roof to take in spectacular views of Beit Leed and the surrounding lands.
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| Olive mill |
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| Products made by the women at the society included soap, tapestry's and jewellery. |
After another feast at lunch, we went on a leisurely afternoon walk into the mountains to see our hosts' land. Fields of sage, beans and almond trees made for a beautiful backdrop for a sit down with the other women.
Our time here has been delightful and we hope that the links and friendships between Beit Leed and Pendle continue to grow and flourish.
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