The St. George Middle Eastern Festival at the St. George Melkite Catholic Church...

...whew, that's a mouthful. Anywho, mom and I went to the festival on Thursday and it was a big basket full of cultural fun. We had $18 between both of us--which is not much considering the prices they usually charge at festivals--so we strapped on our frugal pants and entered the church lobby, which was brimming with mediterranean wraps and sandwiches and pastries and coffee and and and... We tightened our frugal belts and walked to the back and ordered a single wrap for $7. We split it, and it was plenty for our bellies. Besides, we also had two pastries ($3 each) and,  I had a cup of Arabic coffee for $1, whoa that stuff is good. It's sweet and smooth and not bitter at all. Outside they had a large white tent with tables and a dance floor in the middle. Two belly dancers performed, as well as a group of high schoolers in traditional middle eastern clothing. 

Next we ventured to the front of the church and entered the sanctuary where they were giving tours. The lady who gave us a tour was sweet and soft spoken and she told her stories of the church with pride. She said that her family was from just outside of Jerusalem and that most of the people who attend the church are Lebanese or Palestinian. We walked along the walls of the church as she told us the stories of each saint pictured on the walls, an apostle, a prostitute, a martyr, the mother of God. Each picture was packed with symbolism, each told a different story. The lighting in the church was warm and friendly, but low, so it was a little bit tough to get clear pictures. Too bad I can't fit a tripod in my back pocket.

We left with happy bellies, and another story in the grand tapestry of life that is made up of all of these beautiful stories, woven together. And $4 leftover in our frugal pants pockets. Heck, we even had enough leftover to purchase a candle. But we didn't.