Find what you love…….
Since we decided not to do India and the area we had to decide on a city/country that we could stop off in in order to try and get time on our side for better weather before we approached Greece and Turkey. The Middle East was not a place that called to either of us, but we did consider Tehran, Iran but the entry process was quite complex and timely. So we decided on Beirut where we could get a visa on entry (which didn’t actually happen – it was the easiest entry we’ve had so far), and we both had heard about Beirut being quite a happening kinda place. So, not worrying too much about the tension within the country or their recent garbage problem, AND after a full day of travel, we flew in on February 8 and spent 5 days there. We had a 9 hour lay-over at Bahrain and, armed with our camel milk chocolate bar, we booked ourselves into one of the airport lounges to get some rest. The regular airport seating and areas were so uncomfortable and noisy.
Camel milk chocolate bar – yummy
Beirut is a city that requires time to get to know. We loved the city: it had culture, architecture, food, drink, scenery. What more could you ask for? But it was so multilayered and complex that it was hard to understand. We didn’t feel that in the short time we were there that we could even begin to get to know the people who came across as having a very hard shell. They were far from being warm and fuzzy. No one was interested in talking with you, and frankly they kind of intimidated me a little, except for a couple of people that actually said hello and smiled in a couple of the cafes that we patronized.
Our view from our “university style” room
Mohammad Al-Amin (or Blue) Mosque
Nejmeh Square, Place de l’Étoile
Love the abs! National Museum of Beirut
One of many sets of painted stairs
There was tension in this city, although not always visible. I felt aware that any minute now something could happen (although that was probably just my overly cautious nature). There was a lot of armed uniforms around. There was even armed non-uniforms – one day Gary spotted a young guy dressed in civilian clothing with a gun sticking out of his jeans. On our first walk-about day we got to a section of the downtown core that has been completely renovated and rebuilt – it was barricaded and had a couple of armed guards in front. It looked really beautiful, and we could see a couple of people near the cafe so we asked the guards if we could go in, and with a sideways, suspicious glance one of the guards asked to see our passports, and upon showing them to him he let us through. It was the eeriest feeling we’ve had so far in our travels. Here was this beautiful area, with a clock tower, cafes, shops, a lovely hotel, but without anyone in it – a ghost town – and we couldn’t figure it out and there was no to ask (or no one we dared ask). I kept thinking that we shouldn’t be there. Each time I’ve written something here I have researched it so that I could write about it, but in all honesty it is always so complex that I didn’t know where to start.
The only person that we had an opportunity to talk to, or rather feel comfortable asking questions, was our taxi driver who on the way to the airport we discovered he was actually from the Emirates but had come to Beirut 10 years prior and really liked it so stayed. He explained that there was a lot of corruption and that there were many levels of uniforms everywhere and others that didn’t wear uniforms but could still stop you and question you any time.
You could still see (and feel) evidence of the 1975-90 civil war, with bullet holes in the buildings and rubble in empty lots. The infamous Holiday Inn still stands with holes in it – it was part of The Battle of Hotels also know as the “Hotel Front” during the 1975-77 period of the civil war. But over all the city has been re-built into architecture that shows what it once was – beautiful and cosmopolitan for the most part. What we loved about the city was the fact that people are really trying to live harmoniously together (most groups, anyway) – you see a mosque right next to a Christian church; and Muslims working with Christians, and so forth. But, there is still much tension between Shias and Sunnis.
Bullet holes at Martyrs’ Square
Evidence of war
Ruins at the Green Line (dividing West/East Beirut 1975-1990)
The Infamous Holiday Inn
The Lebanese are very fashionable people and Gary and I certainly felt out of place, so much so that we both wanted to buy a complete wardrobe. We did buy a couple of pieces, as we knew our next few destinations would also be fashionable places and we were looking a bit touristy and frumpy.
Gary got another haircut here, but I didn’t dare ask his barber guy if I could take a picture – this was one serious guy!
We’re in Athens, and are heading to Santorini on February 17. Will write from there soon.