Goodbye beautiful Lebanon I will miss you ktir ktir

My last night in Beirut and I went to the 10pm session of "Where do we go now?", the new Nadine Labaki film from "Caramel" fame. Wonderful. It was in Arabic with French subtitles so it was linguistically challenging and kept me on my toes. Now what was it about again! The cinema was packed on a Monday night. Gonna miss this place.

I have experienced Hezbollah strongholds of yellow flags in the Bekka Valley, fantastic food, Palestinan camps with people still yearning for a country most have never even been too, police and army checks, luxury car dealerships and clothing shops that makes 'international Sydney' appear rural, beach resorts, mountain villages with huge homes paid for by the diaspora and most of all warm and friendly people who were always helpful even if they were ready to run you off the road or just run you over.

I would not even hazard a guess as to the immediate future of this pocket sized country surrounded by neighbours only too willing to stick their nose into the local affairs. But with 5000 years of history the show will go on. What a fastastic place.

Only thing left to do now is to collect Zac at spooky Charles Helou bus station, go out for a great lunch and grab a dilapidated Mercedes taxi to the airport and begin the long, tedious trip back to Australia.

And then it is all over.

Last remaining days

In the beginning the unrelenting newsness made for something like blindness. Three years, a dozen or more books on Middle East and Lebanese politics, discussions and dvds on Islam, studying the Arabic language and weeks traveling and now it is all drawing to a close.

Today looking for a something to read at the local book shop I unthinkingly walked past the Middle East section and the Robert Fisks and bought a Kate Grenville. My mind is ready to move.

Last afternoon at the yacht club pool, surrounded by million dollar boats, under a solid blue sky and a temperature that has hovered around the 30C each day I have been here. Only when in the mountains does it get a little cooler. The pool was busy with Lebanese and Europeans the colour of kelpis applying more oil to already over coloured skin and laying under the full sun. While I have taken on all the years of skin cancer warnings and lay on a sun lounge under a huge umberella. I will miss Mediterranean pools with full bar and food service.

Tripoli and Hallab sweets

Woke up with a husky voice after being out dancing in a room full of cigarette smoke. I forgot what that was like.

A beautiful Sunday and to Tripoli for a great breakie at Hallab. A place famous for food and some serious cake eating.

Back home by bus watching the scene unfold as the road hugs the Med back down south to Beirut. The map shows lots of little villages all along the coast but in reality there is building going all along the coast and it will soon just be one long urban strip I suppose. Being Sunday the road was less busy than usual but the curbsides was still was peppered with fruit stalls and the coffee vans. Zac thinks the bananas are about $A0.80c a kilo.

Raouche - Pigeons Rock and a night at Ghost Bar

Off the coast of Beirut is a landmark called the Pigeons' Rock (also known as the Rock of Raouché). I did read the Phoenicians launched their corps of carrier pigeons from here to fly messages up and down the coast.

Saw this last week and was going to watch the sunset into the Med from this vantage point tonight but went shopping instead at ABC Mall in Ashrafieh. Then had a great dinner at our fav Italian in Rue Gouraud and people watched as there is no place better on a Saturday night.

Went to Ghost Bar at 11.45pm and paid our $A20 each to get in. With the entrance price you have an open bar  - all you can drink, all night, at no extra charge. Imagine this in Australia! The only rules at the club seem to be "no shirts off" and "no photos" allowed. Other than that - go for it. Patrons dance on the bar and every elevated spot there is. The floor is awash with bottles, glass and drinks. Everyone smokes so you have to be careful not to get burned or have a drink spilled on you. The crowd is super friendly - all ages and sexes - from the super girly to the super str8 acting. Music is a mix of both international and Arabic hits. A fantastic night and we stubbled out at 5am.

Martyrs Square

Martyrs Square before the civil war

Martyrs Square during the civil war

Martyrs Square today. A work in progress.

Another tough day laying around the pool but it is an even tougher gig for local politians trying to make a difference.

From the 1980s, one President, one President elect, one Prime Minister, one former Prime Minister and four Members of Parliament have been assisinated. Would our MPs stay in their jobs if we had these awful statistics?

I am getting my Francophone hit tonight and going to a Luis Buneul film festival to see "Belle de Jour". Not that I really need it as I seem to speak more French and English here than my little Arabic. The Arabic I do know is at least helpful to read signs.

Rafiq Hariri and time for rest and relaxation

A statue of Rafiq Hariri stands in a memorial garden near the place where he was assasinated in 2004. He became Prime Minister in 1995 and was largely responsible for the rebuilding of Beirut city centre.

Zac is spending this last week mostly with family up north so I now can also have a well deserved break from touring. I wander a new unwalked district in the morning and then in the afternoon lay around the pool at the St Georges Yacht Club and read and order food and drinks. In the evening I go to the movies. Nice.

Little things I have noticed while here. Firstly people are generally shorter than me -  gotta love that. Guys ride bikes around street ring bells and selling bread with baked in handles and people drink date juice as much as orange juice. Everywhere including around the pool people are smoking nargilas. People drive to shops, restaurants, bars etc - they just stop at front door, hold up all traffic behind then and give keys and $2 to some kid to sort out the parking issue and traffic mess behind them. Car parks often have mirrors on trolleys, just to check under the car to ensure it is not going to blow every one up.

Ashrafieh and a $A5 movie

Wandered the streets in Ashrafieh, Beirut. During the civil war bombs and rockets wiped out a substantial portion of the areas architectural heritage. Now demolition teams tear down old houses and bulldoze hundred-year-old gardens which are replaced by tall apartment towers. There are no law to protect old homes and preservation is low on the list of things to do for the local politicians.

Went to movies for only $A5. Movie in English and subtiled in Arabic and French makes for a busy screen.

A young mum out with her toddlers, she walks two paces ahead of her two small Filipina maids who struggle to carry her kids and her shopping. Occasionally she turns around to goo at the offspring. Am I getting bent up over the maids? Are they just poor people making a living? Is this exploitation and are the parents setting a bad example for their children?

National Museum of Beirut and local taxis.

Up early to leave my cell and say au revoir to the night porter. Breakfast at Hallab, famous for Oriental sweets, onto Jounieh for Zacs dentist appointment and finally back home to Beirut after being away for two days.

Visited the National Museum of Beirut housing artifacts from prehistoric to the medieval Mamluk period. It is surprising there is anything left to see as the building suffered extensive damage in the war. Most of the artifacts were saved by being walled up in the basement and the mosaic floors were covered in a layer of concrete.

We did the travelling today around Beirut by taxis. Theses are usually beaten up old Mercs. There are no metres so you need to bargain before you even get in.

The first taxi of the day had a driver that said we can pay anything we like, then proceeded to show us all the medical bills he has to pay for his sick daughter. Our second taxi driver had many brothers in Sydney and wanted us to visit each of them on our return to Sydney. The last driver of the day drove at 100km an hour through side streets, up on the pavement and squeezed into gaps that could not house a cockroach. All the while followed by what seemed a very cool young dude, driving a brand new shiny black Merc. I think he used our taxi as a way of clearing a path for him.

Qadisha Valley, Bcharre the famous old cypress pine .....

A huge day. Up at 6am and off to Qadisha grotto, Qadisha valley, Bcharre, The Cedars, a church and a monastery or two and the Khalil Gibran museum. Finally saw a fabled Lebanon Cedar.

Picked an apple from a tree and picked up a old guy who supposedly had not spoken for twelve months. He had converted from from being a Maronite to a Muslim and wondered why in the little Christian village where he lived every one hated him.

The Lebanese take their confession very seriously. You can't even legally marry across the divide. Did see "Civil Marraige Not Civil War" in Beirut, so maybe thing will change. People seem very curious as to your religion and the rejection of belief in the existence of deities is hard for people to even contemplate.

Tripoli, La Mina and Otto Niemeyer

Left Beirut to stay in Tripoli for two nights. Trouble was that there was no room at the Quality Inn if you did not have a passport and I had left mine in the hotel in Beirut. Much hunting around found room at an Othodox Monastery in La Mina, the coastal city next to Tripoli. The monastery was happy to except my drivers licence as to proof of identity. I stayed in a cell repleat with crucifix and TV. I have not watched TV for two weeks and I was starting to get the shakes.

At 4.45am awoken by the faithful called to prayer by the surrounding mosques. Got back to sleep then woken this time by church bells ringing their faithful.

While in Tripoli checked out the Otto Niemeyer Fair site in Tripoli. Loved the arch.

After dinner walked along The Corniche at La Mina to watch the setting sun. On Sundays so does every other Tripolitan. The corniche was packed with families picnicing, kids riding bikes, teenagers on mini scooters, mums and dads promenading and parked cars, door open and music blaring filled with local lads showing off and checking out the talent.

St Georges Yacht Club and kitten heels

A relaxing day around the pool at the St Georges Yacht Club. It is a French colonial hotel built in 1932 and expanded in the 1950's. It was once the most luxurious hotel in Beirut but the hotel was destroyed in the civil war and remained a ruin for 30 years. It was finally being restored in 2005 when Rafik Hariri was killed in a bombing in front of the hotel. The bombing destroyed the hotel again! Love this place as the pool is surrounded by not only the bombed out St George but can see the still gutted Holiday Inn behind the new Phoencian Hotel. Love it.

Beirut Souks, great food and entertainment

Finally some rain so that ended my idea of a day by the pool at the St Georges Yacht Club. Instead I explored Beirut Souks. This is a major shopping area in downtown Beirut. The souks sustained irreparable damage during the civil war and now have been rebuilt to their original grid plan and location while maintaining the landmarks and street names. There are now 100s of shops, selling every conceivable label and still more to be built. Quite amazing considering what was left of this area after the war. Wish Mr Westfield had visited Beirut before he started transforming our shopping districts. Beirut Souks is beautiful and highly chi chi.

The food in Lebanon is fabulous and very wide ranging in style and price. Where I am staying in Beirut prices are similiar to Sydney. My favourite Italian last night cost about $34 Aussie. This is for prosciutto and melon, pasta of the day and a glass of local wine. The similiarity is in price only. The food and presentation is like 'cafe e cucina'. I could eat here seven days a week. At a little cafe in Baalbek, that has been operating for decades and run by really cute little old men, the tables are jammed together, covered in plastic for easy clean and the menu choices are just a few dishes they have bubbling on the stove. You eat for about $10. Flavours were straight from Allah himself. Difficult to have a bad meal here.

My little hotel has a bar area and each weekend groovy young things put on events. Last weekend it was some dudes with oud and tablas and this week a DJ and a singer. Very interesting and a great nights entertainment.

South to Jezzine, Tyre and then only 43 kms to Israel but we can't get in!

Another big day. Firstly south and up into the mountains to Jezzine, a summer resort and tourist destination for South Lebanon. There is also a waterfall but in early autumn it was more of a trickle. I then Googled the place and it is also famous for the Battle of Jezzine which, "in 1941 was part of the Australian Army 7th Divisions advance on Beirut during the five week long Syria-Lebanon campaign by the Allies against Vichy French forces."

After lunch and onto Tyre (Sour) to check out some ruins including its Roman Hippodrome.

At Tyre we saw a road sign '43km Palestine'. What a pity we could not travel on down to Israel for dinner in Haifi. I hope one day the security situation will alow the Levant to have open borders.

Then back to Beirut for me and north of Tripoli for Zac and his 500 km round trip!

Hamat, Carry On Up The Mountains and our very own imports.

Another long lunch in Byblos (Jbail) with Roland and Zac discussing love and life over great food and wine. Then we moved onto 'Saydet el Nourieh', a beautiful Marian shrine and Greek Orthodox monastery in Hamat that overlooks the Meditteranean. The shrine is a popular Christian pilgrimage site but also has a most beautiful view of the bay.

I think we are addicted to the magic of the villages in the Mount Lebanon mountains. We drove to Douma, a village located about 1000m above sea level. These beautiful stone houses are surrounded by olive orchards, grape vines and apple trees and have commanding views over the valleys often to other villages on the other side also surrounded by gardens of cypress pine and roses. Too gorgeous.

Looking at the locals and our very own Sydneyside Lebs and it seems that we imported all the hot Lebo look into Oz and left behind a generally nice looking people but they just don't seem to be able to carry off the same swagger and the hottness as our local habibs. Then again Anglos also seem to look a bit better too after a few generations of strong sun, syllable assimilation and weak consonants.

Sunrise, driving and The Help

Started the morning in the Bekaa Valley and watched the sun rise over the Anti Lebanon Mountains to our left and and its first light strike purple on the tops of the Mount Lebanon mountains on the other side of the valley. Magnificent.

Back up and over the mountains to Beirut. Cars overtaking on sharp bends, truck over turned, farmers vehicles stradling the white line and vehicles heading straight for us on the wrong side of a divided highway! Driving here is a continual white knuckle event.

You see them walking dogs, carrying shopping, managing children. Usually a few steps behind the employer. Sitting at a side table. Dressed in a cheap ubiquitous uniform. The young girls come from Philipines, Sri Lanka and Africa. The maids.

Apple Orchards, Bekaa Valley and Baalbek

Up early to catch 6am bus to Tripoli well that is what time they told me first bus leaves. No one at bus terminal 5 at Charles Heloue except shady looking Syrians who kept wanting to shine my suede shoes. Eventually left at 7.15am. Got to Tripoli and met up with Zac and we drove the long and winding roads over Mount Lebanon mountains and into the Bekaa Valley and down to Baalbek.

High in the mountains the apples were ripe in the orchards and so close to the narrow roads you could pick them from the moving car. Fresh apples and cider were sold on the side of the road. The scenery was breathtaking and the mountain air was cool, crisp and sweet so we picked up some smelly hitch hicking farmers for some added local colour and flavour.

Baalbeck was incredible, with extremely impressive and outsized Roman ruins of the once mighty city of Heliopolis. We toured the complex in the late in the afternoon so to enjoy the beautiful light from the setting sun. No one one around so it seemed obligatory to take a few Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden style pics for a private collection. We stayed in a faded grandeur hotel where the water rarely worked and the majordommo kept wandering in and out of our room wanting to know if he could do anything to make our stay more comfortable.

Drove to Zahle for dinner and a promenade.

Hezbollah, Syrian border and a soldier.

24 hours later and fit and well and after an embarrassing moment at a luxury seaside resort which I will not discuss.

Today bright eyed and bushy tailed again and ready for breakfast at "Pauls", a French style bakery that has been operating come hell or highwater since 1889. No mean feat in this part of the world. In the car and back to the Dahieh district of South Beirut trying to get into trouble with hot looking Hezzbollah but they seemed uninterested in us. The shops and street life in these crowded suburbs are amazing. Chickens are killed in front of you, (halal), then plucked and cleaned to take home. Is this a Steggles?

We then travelled north to near the Syrian border to see if any mischielf was to be had there. Once again all quiet.

We had a leisurely anniversary lunch at a mountaintop restaurant over looking the beautiful Hells Valley or Devils Valley or something like that and then drove through tiny mountain villages having to stop occasionally to let a shepherd pass with his brown faced, fat tailed, sheep.

Finally we got some military action when we gave a lift to a soldier who was hitch hicking from his village to his barracks in Tripoli. He thinks we are far too cautions drivers as we follow road rules!

Eddesands Wellness Hotel & Beach Resort

A days break from touring for a well earned rest and recreation arvo at Eddesands resort. Nice one.

Evening back in Beirut.

Beirut in 14 kilometres

14 kilometres later (I measured it with my shoe laces on a map), sore feet and near heat exhaustion, I now have a much better feel for the city. I have been stopped by the army twice for photographing things I should not have and managed to get out of trouble with my best "ana isme gordon sekin bi sydney" routine. Apparently my accent is shocking/hilarious.

Zac is up north for family duty and mosque day so I have the day to myself to explore the city. Walked from Gemmayzeh heading west and visited the still being refurbished Beirut Synagogue, walked through Hamra and onto Raoucheh for the obligatory picture of the rock arches that sit just offshore. After a Starbucks iced coffee and a sit in glorious airconditioning I then meandered home via The Corniche watching the kids swimming in the sea and the hotties jogging past.

Loved the musical cacophony of completing muezzins for noon prayer. I gave alms to the poor sitting hopefully in front of the many mosques and popped into Missoni to see what was on sale. Nothing.

Sabra and Shatila, South Beirut and Sidon

His brother was killed during the Sabra and Shatila massacre and he wears a leg splint after being shot by the Israelis during one of the invasions. Zac befriended him in a bar. So today we are with Yasser, a Palestinian, who gave us a tour of the Sabra and Shatila refugee camp and Dahieh (South Beirut), a mainly Shi'ite Muslim district and Hezbollah stronghold, bombed into rubble during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict but now partially reconstructed by Iranian money.

Hard to know what to say except I felt like a "Time" correspondent.

We kept travelling south and onto Sidon and explored a sea castle built by the Crusaders where much of the material was scavenged from an earlier Roman temple. We wandered the old vaulted souk and bought some handmade olive oil soap.

Some shifty boys tried to get us to visit a hamman which was really their bathroom! Hard to know what to say about this except I felt like Kenneth Williams in a Carry On movie.

Maronite Monasteries, Byblos and Batroun

Met up with Roland and then we spent the morning visiting various Maronite monasteries in the mountains around Batroun. Sainte Rafqa and Blessed Brother Estephan Nehme were the main focus. Blessed Brother Estephan body lays on a glass coffin in the Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justina and supposed has not decayed since his death. We could not get close enough to verify this though.

After all this goodness we drove down to Byblos for a long seafoood lunch overlooking the Mediteranean.

In the late afternoon we pottered around the old city of Byblos which is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Checked out the old fishing harbour and a quick explore of the crusader castle and that was about it for the day. We need to return  sometimeto see the remains of Roman temples and Phoenician ruins.

Drove back to the cacophony of Tripoli before returning home to Beirut.

Jeita Caves and Jounieh

Caught the 7am bus to Jounieh which is about 15kms north of Beirut. The driver promised to let me off at KFC but I was dropped off at Burger King! After a few phone calls I manged to be found.

Poked around Jounieh, among other things it seems to be the seaside playground of the face lift and the animal print. Took the Le Telepherique to Harissa where a huge white statue of Our Lady of Lebanon dominates from the mountain top.

Afterwards we checked out the amazing limestone caves at Jieta. They say they were once inhabited by prehistoric man but I also read that as recently as the mid 1990s they held rocket propelled grenades, shells, howitzer platorms and ammunition all packaged up and safe for the Christians to fire at the Muslims and Palestinians. This part was not mention on the tour that I was on.

I decided to take a bus back to Beirut rather than Zac having to battle the traffic. We stood on the side of the highway and hurled ourselves in front of a passing bus and I hopped in. There were no published fares so the cost is whatever the driver can get you to pay through intimidation. I was probably ripped off but the $2 I paid had to be closer to the truth that the $10 he wanted. When I was finally allowed out at my stop I was then pounced on by other drivers to take me to Damascus!

Hello Kifak Ca Va Beirut

I arrived 24 hours ago and met by Zac at Beirut airport. Staying in Saifi Gardens a little hostel tucked away in the Gemmayze district in the heart of Beirit. After checking in we hit the streets.

Wandered down Rue Gouraud filled with cool little bars and found a place to eat then onto Martyrs Square to explore the Mohammed Al Amin mosque and what a chandelier!

Today we drove to Tripoli and a poke around North Lebanon and so it seemed did everyone else. Let me say that driving here is definitely not for the feint hearted. Decided against the whole iPhone thing and got a cheap cell and Lebanese number so now Zac and I can find each other when we get lost.

Bravely returned home by bus.