Sacrifice day - Aid in Arabic, Kurban in Turkish.

Today begins the Aid, sacrifice day for Muslims. The biggest celebration I've ever seen.

Alexandria (Egypt) - 2006, December 31st.

The night has already fallen down, it's raining. Alexandria's harbour lights up, its surroundings also, music going high.

We walk on the street and our trousers quickly get dirty, mud and bloodstains. Animals are quietly waiting for their turn to come on the sidewalk, resigned to it.

We're walking through cow's legs and sheep's heads without being surprised that much. We're taken in the celebration's move.

I can see a man throwing up in the corner, it nearly reassures me.

The strong smell of blood and guts, people's excitement, blood pools everywhere, cows legs, shanks, enormous ribs, rounded pauches...

Cats fight for a piece of it. Some men cut up a carcass.

I cross with a guy who seems really tired, all red faced of blood and fatigue... Flowing blood strenghten souls. I use it to draw my sketches, to the great surprise of the just-for-one-day butchers.

You can see these drawings in my book "Los viajes de Emily" - Editions Demipage.

Also in the eponymous exposition about my sketchbooks in Senegal, Egypt, Yemen, Istanbul set at the Saragosse French Institute.

I will be in Saragosse on November, the 11th and 12th. I hope to see you there!