Today was the only non-shooting day since we started this documentary. It was a very special day for all of us, as Bilal was lucky to have spent his first birthday at the Bedouin village. We threw the party in the back garden of Attallah’s house where we are currently staying. His beautiful garden overlooks the whole of Petra.
We invited some of the children from the village and the special friends we have made since we started this documentary. Everybody helped out with marinating the chicken, cooking, making salads, inflating balloons… etc (check out Carl burning his fingers by trying to flip chicken the Bedouin way)
We dressed Bilal up in his mini dish-dash and it took about 5 minutes before the dish-dash turned from beige into all sorts of colours – from dust, soil, chips, chicken and juice.
Kate, who dressed like a Bedouin lady, baked two delicious cakes, a chocolate one that looked like a lion (well, sort of 
) and another banana cake. Unfortunately Sheikh Bilal was too exhausted to wait for the cake blowing ceremony and passed out at 8pm. We all had to make a wish and blow out the candle(s) on his behalf.
Here are a few snaps of the birthday.
Happy Birthday Bilu!!!
I wonder, when u are old enough to google your name, you’ll find this blog post?!
See u soon.
D
Abu and Umm Bilal,
Alf mabrouk on the 1st birthday of the little nipper. I hope you and him had a fantastic day. Touf, you have been an inspiration, reading about your experiences and seeing the photographs of your time in Jordan. I hope things take off for you and I look forward to hearing more. Keep up the great work mate. We miss you!
Burhan, Arij, Nadine and Lana.
Bilalu, habibi “Happy Birthday”, you looked so cute!!! in one of the pictures, you looked excatly like your taita (bless her soul) it made tears in my eyes.
May God grant you health and happiness all your life habibi. Love you all.