Includes bibliographical references (p. 302-303).

Iraq. The centre of the earth -- In the shoe lies the way -- Soul food -- I'm the queen! Chayzuran and Zubayda -- Wandering pyjamas -- Sleeping roofs -- The River Tigris or the world of sound -- Sindbad's heritage -- Karbala' and Najaf -- None of our women sit at home -- Uneven sisters : Basra and Kufa -- off we go -- Lebanon. The land of infinite potential -- Rebellious Nadja -- The bite -- I'm a Christian, who are you? -- No one shall steal this dream from me! -- The eternal flow of the ocean -- Lebanese death dance -- Lebanon's colourful women -- Syria. Great Syria -- The lemon-picker -- The blessing of blindness -- The people of the long As and Es -- The swimming egg -- A modern harem -- Syria, where are you heading? -- The great master Ibn al-Arabi -- Kuwait. Like hot brewing tea -- The fairy tale of Kuwait -- The fate of the world -- Time in perspective -- Egypt. Cairo, the heart of Egypt -- The story of the Egyptian ants or the free tenants -- People of poets and believers -- I can't forgive him -- Let us decide for ourselves -- The race with the Sphinx -- The ghost of the pyramids -- The treasure chest of patience -- The most beautiful people -- The stick dance -- Desert revelation -- Ta'miyye and kushari or how a people survive -- The Emirates. Abu Dhabi, the father of the gazelle -- I no longer know where I am -- Bedouin in the palace -- My life lies in the stars -- The house of birth -- A daemon in the desert -- The mystery of the hawk -- Bedouin on the island.