Since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans have begun a love affair with ice cream.

It is often said that to taste real gelato, one needs to go to Italy; but now its former colony Libya may well be en route to becoming another ice cream haven.

Never before has the decadent Italian influence on Libya been more visible.

Before the revolution, there were only a handful of ice cream shops, known as gelaterias, in the capital, Tripoli.

Since the uprising, gelato shops have been opening up in almost every busy street - with names such as Buenissimo, Limona and GilatiItalia.