THE DUKE OF MUKHEIBEH

I've started taking photos for a new interior design and architecture magazine called Trend Design. This is the kind of work I really enjoy. On one of my first assignments I met The Duke of Mukheibeh, a title bestowed him by the late King Hussein. The Duke was born into a wealthy land owning family, and has spend his lifetime caring for the environment and the archeological history of Jordan. The Duke was very gracious with his time and access to his home, which happens to be one of the finest art galleries in the country. Note the Mona Lisa on the floor. It was painted by a schizophrenic Egyptian painter that would slice up his canvases when he finished painting them. The Duke glued her back together like a puzzle. As a cultural side note, I have often compared Jordanian hospitality to Southern hospitality: terrific on the surface, but generally fake underneath. I've been invited to a million dinners here that have never materialized. Keeping with custom, when I left the Duke's house he said he would invite Julie and I over for a drink sometime. Imagine my shock two days later when I actually got that call, and then again the following week. He is quite the host. The Jordanian equivalent of The Dude, and damn does he abide.