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.