Ibn Battuta and the Moroccans (Singapore)
Lisa got interested in Morocco when she grabbed a book I was reading about Ibn Battuta - a Moroccan traveler from the 1300s who went all the way to China. I suggested to Lisa that we go to a Moroccan cafe that I sometimes visited in Singapore's Arab Street area. We talked about Ibn Battuta's travels while riding the subway and how he had lived briefly in Hangzhou, Lisa's hometown. I told Lisa that the best way of making friends with Moroccans you meet in your travels is to talk about Ibn Battuta.
At the cafe, while introducing herself to the Moroccan owner, Lisa slyly let slip that she is from the Chinese city where Ibn Battuta lived. The owner's eyes lit up. Apparently, he had many Chinese tourists come to his cafe, but she was the first person who knew about Ibn Battuta. Whenever other Middle Eastern customers walked into the cafe, the owner proudly introduced Lisa to them. Sure enough, we got free refills for the rest of the night.
