More wedding

Because I had such a great time -- and not solely because I scandalized the family by leaving without eating -- I was invited to the bride's party the day after the dinner. Oh my God, it was great!

This five-hour event was a combination cookie party, fashion show and witches' coven. When it was over we were all exhausted and needed a shower.

The music was fabulous -- rai and drums -- and we all had to dance. The bride's 50-year-old aunt was trying to teach me how to "dance with my belly" and our interpreter kept telling me it was easy to shake your chest so that even just trying to do this -- plus taking pictures -- I bonded with this crowd of people who didn't understand a word I said. I will keep practicing but how the hell you are supposed to twitch your hips, shake your arms and rotate your belly simultaneously with moving to a salsa-like beat, I think you have to be Algeria. In fact I have pictures of toddlers doing these amazing dances.

We ate almond and honey cakes and drank coffee and tea. People just danced in the aisles and on the dance floor and they ate and fanned themselves when they got tired or too sweaty.

I think the only person who didn't have fun might have been the bride. By custom and tradition she sits on a throne in front of the crowd. Her family brings cushions for her feet and back to the hall. Here she sits and poses for a billion pictures with about every person in the room. And she occasionally leaves the throne to change her gown and parade around the tables. This bride changed four times into successively more elaborate and gorgeous dresses until she ended up in the traditional white dress and veil. But some brides change as many as eight times.

She wasn't the only one who changed. Some guests arrived with suitcases of clothes and satchels of jewelry. Weddings is the leading way to find husbands, some women told me. Er, there are no men here, I pointed out. Yes, but there are women with sons, brothers and in-laws to match up you see. Indeed when I saw off pictures to some of the girls they tell me, "Will this help me find an Algerian husband?"

Eventually, women began to stand up at the tables. They wrapped themselves in long, dark robes and veils and drifted out into night -- like, well, I already said it.

I still haven't seen the groom.