Even though we'd already spent two nights here, today was really the first day we got to know Byblos. What a great town! It reminds me a lot of Buzios in Brazil. Lots of chic open-air bars, cafes and restaurants. There is a whole string of bars in an old alley that are especially cool, and when we walked home from dinner tonight, they were even lively on a Monday.
I was dragging a bit today with the stomach bug, but we went and toured the ruins here this morning. Byblos is actually the oldest port city in the world, and maybe even the oldest continually inhabited city (if you look it up, it's contested -- kind of like determining the world's biggest waterfall). It was a big base for the Phonecians, and the alphabet was invented here -- hence the town's name from the Greek word for book.
We saw yet another Crusader castle and a neat little ampitheater; one unique sight today was a Phonecian king's tomb underground. It was a bit overcast, so it was nice to have a break from the heat.
Shopped a bit in the old souk and got some souvenirs. Chamoun treated us to fajitas for lunch because I needed a bit of a break from Lebanese food. (Will say, however, I am nowhere near as weary of Lebanese food as I was of Chinese food last year!) We bid him farewell and thanked him for everything he did to make our trip outstanding.
Took a mid-day siesta and then met Elie and the gang at Edde Sands, a private beach club within walking distance of our hotel. Oh my. What a place! I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like it. Five pools, a private beach with beach beds and lounge chairs, restaurant, drink service, etc. I was sorry we didn't get there earlier to take advantage of our entry fee, but I really had to rally to leave the hotel room.
Frank and I cleaned up and caught the sunset from a landmark called Pepe's Fishing Club on the harbor, then we walked next door for another fantastic meal with 20 of our closest Lebanese friends. We had three kinds of calamari, tiny fried fish, delicious white grilled fish, and a spread of desserts I can't even describe. Amazing! The weather was absolutely perfect to be outside.
We are headed back to Beirut tomorrow morning for one last night in the city and are looking forward to a home-cooked dinner with Nibal and Tony. Not looking forward to the long flight home but so grateful for every experience we've had.
Stat Counter
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Mountains, Mosque, Mediterranean
We are currently stuck in Sunday traffic in Jounieh, Lebanon's version of Las Vegas, developed during the war when the Muslims controlled West Beirut and the Christians needed a coastal playground during cease fires. It wouldn't really be on my list of places to visit, but it's the departure point for a cable car up the mountain to Harissa and a Virgin Mary statue that overlooks the sea and city below. Gorgeous views and a fun ride right past condos and balconies with laundry hanging out to dry.
Once again, I am amusing myself by reading the signs: Tommy's Hotdog, Hotel Dallas, Joy Nightclub. It is amazing how many things are only in English, e.g., a sign for valet parking. I can't remember if I already mentioned US dollars are accepted anywhere along with the Lebanese lire. The ATM even asks which currency you desire. Since the exchange rate is fixed at 1500 LL to the dollar, it's relatively easy to calculate.
We are enjoying the soothing sounds of Kenny Rogers and Barry White as we fight the Sunday beach traffic. Chamoun loves American music, including Yanni, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie, Shania Twain and Garth Brooks. (Maybe Yanni is not American, but I couldn't leave him out. When was the last time someone asked you, "Do you like Yanni? I love him!")
Just went to Jeita Grotto, one of Lebanon's most popular attractions. Based on the tourist infrastructure and number of people there early on Sunday morning, I'd say it's easily the busiest spot we've visited on the trip. We were a bit cynical when we first heard about it, and even though it was on our itinerary, I thought iit was something we could skip. But enough Lebanese people told us not to miss it that we started to think it must be pretty spectacular. There is an upper cavern with the world's largest stalactite, and the formations were absolutely fascinating. The lower cavern is filled with water, so you take a short boat ride in teal green water to see that part. Definitely worth the visit, and they had tons of signs up asking visitors to vote for Jeita Grottos on the list of the New 7 Wonders of the World: www.new7wonders.com.
Yesterday was a true study in contrasts. There was a bit of hotel drama, and we were literally caught standing in the middle of the Lebanese enjoyment of a good argument. I can't remember if I explained that we were spending two nights in The Cedars, which is a popular winter ski resort. We knew it would not be hopping in the off season, but Lonely Planet said it was a nice place to spend a few days hiking in the valley, so I thought it would be relaxing to be in a smaller town. However, once we got there, it was so quiet that I started to wonder if we wouldn't be better off cutting it back to only one night. We were told it was too late to cancel the reservation, which was understandable, but after we got locked into the hotel for the night, waited 45 minutes for breakfast and spent our meal swatting flies, we decided to hit the road early, absorb the cancellation fee, and spend an extra night in Byblos.
After breakfast we packed up the car and went for a lovely hike in the Tannourine Valley. It was far less strenuous than our hike on Friday, with beautiful views, wildflowers and shady cedar groves.
We headed to Tripoli, and this is where things got interesting. Chamoun is Christian and had never been to Tripoli, a predominantly Muslim city. We have noticed a difference in the Muslim areas -- it's not overt, but these are generally the poorer areas, and amid the posters of Hezbollah leaders and women in head scarves, there are sometimes a few looks or comments that make us think we should pretend to be Canadian. However, we have been reassured by a number of locals that these areas are safe for tourists to visit, and I think the risk of actual violence toward Americans or Westerners is pretty low. Someone told Frank that Hezbollah would not want to jeopardize its political standing by doing something anti-Western that would upset the current peace and relative economic prosperity. While other Middle Eastern countries depend on oil, Lebanon depends on tourism.
Chamoun made it pretty clear he didn't understand why we wanted to go to Tripoli. Well, it's Lebanon's second-largest city, with an enormous Crusader castle (maybe 10 times the size of the one in Sidon), a bath built around 1333, famous soulks (markets) and supposedly the best pastries in Lebanon. He basically had a bad attitude about being there which made both of us feel a bit uneasy. It was also hot, crowded and dirty -- definitely not somewhere for an inexperienced traveler, but also not unlike places I've visited in Brazil or China.
Fortunately, we happened upon a lovely guide who was giving our gowns at the mosque. He had lived all over Europe, and we spoke Spanish as I fastened the Velcro on my gown and hood (major KKK overtones, wait till you see the pictures). His shift was ending, so he offered to show us around the landmarks -- a good thing, since otherwise we had only my Lonely Planet for orientation. We got a quick look at the mosque (completed in 1315 and still in use) did a speed tour of the castle with him, and I stuck my head in the old baths. Chamoun was clearly disgusted by the city's grime and ready to get out of there, so we did. We had lunch on the beach about 30 minutes south at a nice club with clear turquoise water and pebbly sand.
I almost hate to be so candid about the stuff yesterday because Chamoun has been a delight on every other day. And considering that he told us he had to run into the woods and flee his home under fire at night -- and couldn't return for more than a decade -- I know he has reason to have strong feelings. But it didn't give us hope the hard feelings and hostilities in this country will be ending any time soon.
The evening was spent in an extremely random outing as we drove approximately 30 minutes to another town to go out for pizza with Chamoun and his girlfriend, basically passing the night fighting traffic instead of enjoying the evening in one of Lebanon's hottest beachside towns. (The NYT called Byblos "the Cannes of Lebanon" if you want to check out their article from last December.) Considering the fact we'd forked over $75 to have an extra night here, little Lynsdog was not a happy camper. I told Frank it seemed like staying in Charlotte and going out in Gastonia or staying in Tallahassee and driving over to Quincy for a night out on the square.
Today was back on track, since I got perhaps my best night's sleep of the whole trip. We did the cable car and caves before driving up to a ritzy hilltop suburb to meet Elie and 30 of his friends/family for lunch at Mounir, one of the best restaurants in Lebanon. (A Lebanese guy who owns Aria and Sonoma had suggested it to me, so I was jonesing to dine there and couldn't believe that was where Elie invited us.) It has beautiful landscaping -- lush colorful flowers and waterfalls -- and an amazing view of the sea and city below. The restaurant itself is enormous, but it was packed with long tables of big groups out for a leisurely Sunday lunch, complete with a hidden playground where the nannies can supervise the kids while their parents eat. Once again, Elie was the perfect host, making sure we had our fill of the delicious food -- mostly the traditional dishes we've been having, including the lemoniest, freshest perfectly salted tabbouleh I've tasted, and more of Frank's favorite, raw kibbeh. He also loved the mixed grill, which his grandmother used to make -- chicken, lamb and beef kebabs, cooked over hot coals at the entrance. Frank says the best part is the bread that soaks up the juices from the meat.
Elie's friends and family are delightful, especially his older nephew, who looked like a Lebanese Gordon Gekko from Wall Street with his navy suit, slicked-back hair and Ray Bans. I had a great time chatting with an older gentleman named Walid, a Lebanese political science professor. As usual, there was more food than anyone could have possibly eaten, and we finished with piles of grapes, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon and some kind of soft cheese/yogurt drizzled with honey. Looking at the view from the table during the meal, it was hard to believe it was real.
Wish we could live it up in Byblos tonight, but we are beat! Lunch lasted from 1 to 4:30, and then we walked to Elie's sister Yola's nearby villa, with more breathtaking views, this time toward the east. Her late husband was a notary, which is more like a judge here, and it was neat to see the inside of such a beautiful home. In typical Lebanese style, they insisted we must extend our stay and spend a few nights at their house, but we said we need to go back to work and earn the money to return next year.
All of Elie's friends are impressed with how much of the country we've explored in just a week -- they say we've seen more of Lebanon than many Lebanese! Can't imagine there is another country with this much geographic diversity packed into such a small area (not to mention the friendly people and delicious food), and we intend to make the most of our last two days.
Once again, I am amusing myself by reading the signs: Tommy's Hotdog, Hotel Dallas, Joy Nightclub. It is amazing how many things are only in English, e.g., a sign for valet parking. I can't remember if I already mentioned US dollars are accepted anywhere along with the Lebanese lire. The ATM even asks which currency you desire. Since the exchange rate is fixed at 1500 LL to the dollar, it's relatively easy to calculate.
We are enjoying the soothing sounds of Kenny Rogers and Barry White as we fight the Sunday beach traffic. Chamoun loves American music, including Yanni, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie, Shania Twain and Garth Brooks. (Maybe Yanni is not American, but I couldn't leave him out. When was the last time someone asked you, "Do you like Yanni? I love him!")
Just went to Jeita Grotto, one of Lebanon's most popular attractions. Based on the tourist infrastructure and number of people there early on Sunday morning, I'd say it's easily the busiest spot we've visited on the trip. We were a bit cynical when we first heard about it, and even though it was on our itinerary, I thought iit was something we could skip. But enough Lebanese people told us not to miss it that we started to think it must be pretty spectacular. There is an upper cavern with the world's largest stalactite, and the formations were absolutely fascinating. The lower cavern is filled with water, so you take a short boat ride in teal green water to see that part. Definitely worth the visit, and they had tons of signs up asking visitors to vote for Jeita Grottos on the list of the New 7 Wonders of the World: www.new7wonders.com.
Yesterday was a true study in contrasts. There was a bit of hotel drama, and we were literally caught standing in the middle of the Lebanese enjoyment of a good argument. I can't remember if I explained that we were spending two nights in The Cedars, which is a popular winter ski resort. We knew it would not be hopping in the off season, but Lonely Planet said it was a nice place to spend a few days hiking in the valley, so I thought it would be relaxing to be in a smaller town. However, once we got there, it was so quiet that I started to wonder if we wouldn't be better off cutting it back to only one night. We were told it was too late to cancel the reservation, which was understandable, but after we got locked into the hotel for the night, waited 45 minutes for breakfast and spent our meal swatting flies, we decided to hit the road early, absorb the cancellation fee, and spend an extra night in Byblos.
After breakfast we packed up the car and went for a lovely hike in the Tannourine Valley. It was far less strenuous than our hike on Friday, with beautiful views, wildflowers and shady cedar groves.
We headed to Tripoli, and this is where things got interesting. Chamoun is Christian and had never been to Tripoli, a predominantly Muslim city. We have noticed a difference in the Muslim areas -- it's not overt, but these are generally the poorer areas, and amid the posters of Hezbollah leaders and women in head scarves, there are sometimes a few looks or comments that make us think we should pretend to be Canadian. However, we have been reassured by a number of locals that these areas are safe for tourists to visit, and I think the risk of actual violence toward Americans or Westerners is pretty low. Someone told Frank that Hezbollah would not want to jeopardize its political standing by doing something anti-Western that would upset the current peace and relative economic prosperity. While other Middle Eastern countries depend on oil, Lebanon depends on tourism.
Chamoun made it pretty clear he didn't understand why we wanted to go to Tripoli. Well, it's Lebanon's second-largest city, with an enormous Crusader castle (maybe 10 times the size of the one in Sidon), a bath built around 1333, famous soulks (markets) and supposedly the best pastries in Lebanon. He basically had a bad attitude about being there which made both of us feel a bit uneasy. It was also hot, crowded and dirty -- definitely not somewhere for an inexperienced traveler, but also not unlike places I've visited in Brazil or China.
Fortunately, we happened upon a lovely guide who was giving our gowns at the mosque. He had lived all over Europe, and we spoke Spanish as I fastened the Velcro on my gown and hood (major KKK overtones, wait till you see the pictures). His shift was ending, so he offered to show us around the landmarks -- a good thing, since otherwise we had only my Lonely Planet for orientation. We got a quick look at the mosque (completed in 1315 and still in use) did a speed tour of the castle with him, and I stuck my head in the old baths. Chamoun was clearly disgusted by the city's grime and ready to get out of there, so we did. We had lunch on the beach about 30 minutes south at a nice club with clear turquoise water and pebbly sand.
I almost hate to be so candid about the stuff yesterday because Chamoun has been a delight on every other day. And considering that he told us he had to run into the woods and flee his home under fire at night -- and couldn't return for more than a decade -- I know he has reason to have strong feelings. But it didn't give us hope the hard feelings and hostilities in this country will be ending any time soon.
The evening was spent in an extremely random outing as we drove approximately 30 minutes to another town to go out for pizza with Chamoun and his girlfriend, basically passing the night fighting traffic instead of enjoying the evening in one of Lebanon's hottest beachside towns. (The NYT called Byblos "the Cannes of Lebanon" if you want to check out their article from last December.) Considering the fact we'd forked over $75 to have an extra night here, little Lynsdog was not a happy camper. I told Frank it seemed like staying in Charlotte and going out in Gastonia or staying in Tallahassee and driving over to Quincy for a night out on the square.
Today was back on track, since I got perhaps my best night's sleep of the whole trip. We did the cable car and caves before driving up to a ritzy hilltop suburb to meet Elie and 30 of his friends/family for lunch at Mounir, one of the best restaurants in Lebanon. (A Lebanese guy who owns Aria and Sonoma had suggested it to me, so I was jonesing to dine there and couldn't believe that was where Elie invited us.) It has beautiful landscaping -- lush colorful flowers and waterfalls -- and an amazing view of the sea and city below. The restaurant itself is enormous, but it was packed with long tables of big groups out for a leisurely Sunday lunch, complete with a hidden playground where the nannies can supervise the kids while their parents eat. Once again, Elie was the perfect host, making sure we had our fill of the delicious food -- mostly the traditional dishes we've been having, including the lemoniest, freshest perfectly salted tabbouleh I've tasted, and more of Frank's favorite, raw kibbeh. He also loved the mixed grill, which his grandmother used to make -- chicken, lamb and beef kebabs, cooked over hot coals at the entrance. Frank says the best part is the bread that soaks up the juices from the meat.
Elie's friends and family are delightful, especially his older nephew, who looked like a Lebanese Gordon Gekko from Wall Street with his navy suit, slicked-back hair and Ray Bans. I had a great time chatting with an older gentleman named Walid, a Lebanese political science professor. As usual, there was more food than anyone could have possibly eaten, and we finished with piles of grapes, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon and some kind of soft cheese/yogurt drizzled with honey. Looking at the view from the table during the meal, it was hard to believe it was real.
Wish we could live it up in Byblos tonight, but we are beat! Lunch lasted from 1 to 4:30, and then we walked to Elie's sister Yola's nearby villa, with more breathtaking views, this time toward the east. Her late husband was a notary, which is more like a judge here, and it was neat to see the inside of such a beautiful home. In typical Lebanese style, they insisted we must extend our stay and spend a few nights at their house, but we said we need to go back to work and earn the money to return next year.
All of Elie's friends are impressed with how much of the country we've explored in just a week -- they say we've seen more of Lebanon than many Lebanese! Can't imagine there is another country with this much geographic diversity packed into such a small area (not to mention the friendly people and delicious food), and we intend to make the most of our last two days.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Qadisha Valley
The drive over the Cedars Pass was beautiful, and we stopped to put our feet in some patches of snow that remain on top. The road stays closed for much of the year, and it was still pretty chilly and windy at the top. Bought some almonds from a vendor who runs a little convenience store out of his station wagon; guess he drives over to wherever the tourists stop for photos.
Frank and I spent some time trying to find a word to describe the Qadisha Valley. Mine was "majestic" and his was "surreal." It is one place I almost wish we had a video camera because it's impossible to capture it all. I think we hiked for about three hours, leaving the car at one point, going down into the valley, and then climbing back up at another location and getting a taxi back to the car. The climb back up was pretty strenuous, but the views the whole time were spectacular. Along the way, we visited a number of monasteries, listening to mass being sung at one and visiting a cave that is home to a hermit from Colombia. Qadisha is a Semitic word for "holy," and the valley was a refuge for persecuted Christians for centuries.
We visited the Khalil Gibran museum this afternoon, which was a bit of a bust. Mostly art (portraits of a few contemporaries like Rodin and Jung); the burial shrine in a cave was the best part. I was intrigued by a book of his love letters but elected not to purchase them for $29 or a copy of The Prophet for $20. He was born here in Bsharre even though he spent much of his life in New York and Paris.
Headed to dinner tonight at a restaurant beside a waterfall that I hope is the place Steve remembers from the '80s. It was a toss up between that and the Mississippi Restaurant -- another contender for best American business name.
Frank wanted me to be sure to mention the occasional blackouts. The lights went out briefly just now when he was in the shower. It is usually only for a few seconds.
Currently enjoying a bottle of our Kasara chardonnay for happy hour.
Frank and I spent some time trying to find a word to describe the Qadisha Valley. Mine was "majestic" and his was "surreal." It is one place I almost wish we had a video camera because it's impossible to capture it all. I think we hiked for about three hours, leaving the car at one point, going down into the valley, and then climbing back up at another location and getting a taxi back to the car. The climb back up was pretty strenuous, but the views the whole time were spectacular. Along the way, we visited a number of monasteries, listening to mass being sung at one and visiting a cave that is home to a hermit from Colombia. Qadisha is a Semitic word for "holy," and the valley was a refuge for persecuted Christians for centuries.
We visited the Khalil Gibran museum this afternoon, which was a bit of a bust. Mostly art (portraits of a few contemporaries like Rodin and Jung); the burial shrine in a cave was the best part. I was intrigued by a book of his love letters but elected not to purchase them for $29 or a copy of The Prophet for $20. He was born here in Bsharre even though he spent much of his life in New York and Paris.
Headed to dinner tonight at a restaurant beside a waterfall that I hope is the place Steve remembers from the '80s. It was a toss up between that and the Mississippi Restaurant -- another contender for best American business name.
Frank wanted me to be sure to mention the occasional blackouts. The lights went out briefly just now when he was in the shower. It is usually only for a few seconds.
Currently enjoying a bottle of our Kasara chardonnay for happy hour.
Baalbek Sunset, Sunrise
Yesterday we went to the ruins at Aanjar, remains of an Arab civilization called the Umayyads. It was a city built around 700 AD that flourished for only a few decades because the Umayyads were conquered by other Arabs. We had a really nice guide who added a lot of perspective -- I have noticed all of the guides seems to be older gentlemen and theorize this is because if no tourists come, you just sit around and talk with your buddies all day. It's amazing how empty most of these sites are.
The Umayyads were ruling from Damascus, so Aanjar was just one of their cities. The guide said their empire even stretched to Granada, so it reminded me of my time in Southern Spain and made me feel like I am starting to connect the dots from my travels.
The brochure from Aanjar is one of the best I've ever picked up at a historical site. It calls the Umayyads "early recyclers" because they helped themselves to ruins from Roman and Byzantine civilizations. This is evident in the fact one of the columns in the palace area is dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Latin. I think the defeat of the Umayyad dynasty and the rise of the other Arab group may have had something to do with the split between the Shiites and Sunnis over the successor of Mohammed, but it was not completely clear, and sometimes my questions just confuse the guides.
We tasted wine at a winery called Ksara, which was started by Jesuits and is now owned by Lebanese businessmen. The neatest part are the ancient caves, which were rediscovered at some point in the 1800s and are a perfect environment for storing wine. They told us Lebanese wine production benefitted greatly from the time the nation spent under the French mandate. Naturally I bought a few bottles, which may be consumed before we make it home! I took notes of the ones I liked most and will be curious to see what we can find at home.
Lunch was in Zahle, known as "the bride of the Bekka Valley." We had schwarma, which are basically meat wraps. It had lamb, onion, mint and tomatoes, drizzled with a tasty sauce. Chamoun also got us a fried chickpea one, but I could only eat a few bites because I was so full from the lamb.
We arrived at Baalbek around 3 p.m. and checked into the historic Palmyra Hotel, a colonial-era relic that has hosted a number of famous guests. Their photos line the walls, along with black and white snapshots of the ruins and drawings by Jean Cocteau. I need to Google him, but I guess he is a notable French artist; his work reminded me a wee bit of Picasso and Dali, so I assume he was a contemporary. The manager, who has worked there since 1955, told us Charles de Gaulle spent three years living in room 30 during WWII when his troops were camped nearby. I would not recommend staying there if you have a low tolerance for dust, but I absolutely loved it. Our room overlooked the ruins, and we had both dinner and breakfast on a nice balcony off an enormous upstairs living area. We practically had the whole place to ourselves.
Baalbek is home to some of the largest and best preserved Roman ruins in the world. It was a site for sun worship in Phonecian times, and when the Greeks conquered the area, they named it Heliopolis (city of the sun). Construction on the Roman temple began in 60 BC, and what I found most interesting about the site is the way it demonstrates the shift in the Roman empire from polythiesm to Christianity. There are three temples -- Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus. The guide pointed out several spots where you can see how work was unfinished, for example, a relief of Cupid never fully carved because the beliefs had changed. The columns of Jupiter, the largest temple, are the biggest columns in the world, but only six remain standing. The Bacchus temple is the best preserved, and even though it is smaller than Jupiter, it is actually larger than the Parthenon. We spent about an hour after the tour just sitting around marveling at it all and enjoying the fact we were own our own time and didn't have to hop back on some tour bus.
Had a few "Lebanese moments" (to quote Neil's Aunt Jackie) when we were waiting to cross the street to the hotel and saw a succession of four beat-up old Mercedes drive by with women wearing head scarves. Contrast later that evening when we saw two women, one with curly blond hair, driving a new red BMW with the top down.
One thing that amuses me is the way some businesses seem to use English words in their name to add class and panache. My favorites so far were Jewelry Florida and Barbie shoes. It is precious to see the little kids staring at us, and after I say "hello," they say "what's your name?" or something else they've learned in school. We are grateful French is still used for greetings and casual conversation, since I can say "bonjour" and "merci" much better than their Arabic or Lebanese equivalents.
Today we are driving over a mountain pass to arrive at the Cedars, a popular ski resort near the Qadisha Valley. We had a low tire this morning, which worried Chamoun a bit since it is Friday and many stores are closed for the Muslim holy day. As we tried to find a tire shop, Chamoun said, "Frank, your job looking left and right, see if anyone open." They determined there isn't a hole, so we aired it up and hit the road again.
Just made a quick pit stop at a monastery run by some rogue nuns who broke with the local Maronite bishop and literally built their own convent. Girl power! Chamoun knows them and promised they wouldn't mind the drop-in visit. It's even better than Quincy!
Better stop typing before I get car sick!
The Umayyads were ruling from Damascus, so Aanjar was just one of their cities. The guide said their empire even stretched to Granada, so it reminded me of my time in Southern Spain and made me feel like I am starting to connect the dots from my travels.
The brochure from Aanjar is one of the best I've ever picked up at a historical site. It calls the Umayyads "early recyclers" because they helped themselves to ruins from Roman and Byzantine civilizations. This is evident in the fact one of the columns in the palace area is dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Latin. I think the defeat of the Umayyad dynasty and the rise of the other Arab group may have had something to do with the split between the Shiites and Sunnis over the successor of Mohammed, but it was not completely clear, and sometimes my questions just confuse the guides.
We tasted wine at a winery called Ksara, which was started by Jesuits and is now owned by Lebanese businessmen. The neatest part are the ancient caves, which were rediscovered at some point in the 1800s and are a perfect environment for storing wine. They told us Lebanese wine production benefitted greatly from the time the nation spent under the French mandate. Naturally I bought a few bottles, which may be consumed before we make it home! I took notes of the ones I liked most and will be curious to see what we can find at home.
Lunch was in Zahle, known as "the bride of the Bekka Valley." We had schwarma, which are basically meat wraps. It had lamb, onion, mint and tomatoes, drizzled with a tasty sauce. Chamoun also got us a fried chickpea one, but I could only eat a few bites because I was so full from the lamb.
We arrived at Baalbek around 3 p.m. and checked into the historic Palmyra Hotel, a colonial-era relic that has hosted a number of famous guests. Their photos line the walls, along with black and white snapshots of the ruins and drawings by Jean Cocteau. I need to Google him, but I guess he is a notable French artist; his work reminded me a wee bit of Picasso and Dali, so I assume he was a contemporary. The manager, who has worked there since 1955, told us Charles de Gaulle spent three years living in room 30 during WWII when his troops were camped nearby. I would not recommend staying there if you have a low tolerance for dust, but I absolutely loved it. Our room overlooked the ruins, and we had both dinner and breakfast on a nice balcony off an enormous upstairs living area. We practically had the whole place to ourselves.
Baalbek is home to some of the largest and best preserved Roman ruins in the world. It was a site for sun worship in Phonecian times, and when the Greeks conquered the area, they named it Heliopolis (city of the sun). Construction on the Roman temple began in 60 BC, and what I found most interesting about the site is the way it demonstrates the shift in the Roman empire from polythiesm to Christianity. There are three temples -- Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus. The guide pointed out several spots where you can see how work was unfinished, for example, a relief of Cupid never fully carved because the beliefs had changed. The columns of Jupiter, the largest temple, are the biggest columns in the world, but only six remain standing. The Bacchus temple is the best preserved, and even though it is smaller than Jupiter, it is actually larger than the Parthenon. We spent about an hour after the tour just sitting around marveling at it all and enjoying the fact we were own our own time and didn't have to hop back on some tour bus.
Had a few "Lebanese moments" (to quote Neil's Aunt Jackie) when we were waiting to cross the street to the hotel and saw a succession of four beat-up old Mercedes drive by with women wearing head scarves. Contrast later that evening when we saw two women, one with curly blond hair, driving a new red BMW with the top down.
One thing that amuses me is the way some businesses seem to use English words in their name to add class and panache. My favorites so far were Jewelry Florida and Barbie shoes. It is precious to see the little kids staring at us, and after I say "hello," they say "what's your name?" or something else they've learned in school. We are grateful French is still used for greetings and casual conversation, since I can say "bonjour" and "merci" much better than their Arabic or Lebanese equivalents.
Today we are driving over a mountain pass to arrive at the Cedars, a popular ski resort near the Qadisha Valley. We had a low tire this morning, which worried Chamoun a bit since it is Friday and many stores are closed for the Muslim holy day. As we tried to find a tire shop, Chamoun said, "Frank, your job looking left and right, see if anyone open." They determined there isn't a hole, so we aired it up and hit the road again.
Just made a quick pit stop at a monastery run by some rogue nuns who broke with the local Maronite bishop and literally built their own convent. Girl power! Chamoun knows them and promised they wouldn't mind the drop-in visit. It's even better than Quincy!
Better stop typing before I get car sick!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Into the Mountains
Checked out of Beirut hotel yesterday morning; took some pictures from the roof for Steve. He remembers being up there with a bunch of fellow journalists after the Feb. 6, 1984 Moslem uprising that drove government troops out of west Beirut. (He was the UPI Beirut bureau chief and is now a colleague of mine at the bank.) I am pasting from what he emailed me about that night before the trip: "That was the event that precipitated the withdrawal of the Marines and other Western forces. We were up there at night, and I could see three battles going on simultaneously. Christians and Moslems were firing at each other across the Damascus highway a couple of miles away, while traffic roared down both lanes. The tracers almost looked sublime. Nearby, up in the Shouf, the Druze were exchanging mortar fire with Phalangists up in the mountains of east Beirut. Then all of a sudden, the USS New Jersey opened up with its 16-inch guns a few miles off shore, firing into the Shouf in defense of the Christians. The whole night sky was lit up -- have never seen a sight like it. We were mezmerized. I was standing alongside our photographer and we saw tracers coming at us from the Damascus highway battle. They seemed to be arcing up lazily. We thought they looked beautiful, then realized we'd better duck! Bullets were hitting the side of the hotel. It was insane ...
I was asleep in my room the next morning when a fighter jet from the Lebanese Air Force (they had about 5 planes) roared right over the hotel and broke the sound barrier, heading for a landing, no kidding, on the coastal highway north of the city."
I think there was more, but it got truncated. Perhaps Steve will write a special guest column for my blog after he reads my travelogue. His perspective and reflections were invaluable during my trip preparations.
Drove into the Mt. Lebanon range and visited Chamoun's home. Was at least 10 degrees cooler -- a welcome change. Met his mom and dog Caesar. His family had to flee during the war in 1975 and remained in Byblos for about 15 years. I had skipped breakfast but ate fresh cherries and mulberries and plums from his garden. Sublime!
Dropped by a monastery built in the 1840s and met the one priest still in residence. Upstairs bunks used to sleep at least 20 monks. Would be a great place to stay if you were backpacking. The priest let us into the secret cellar where the monks used to hide when Christians were being persecuted; we entered through a trap door in the floor and went down a short staircase. The cellar stays cool in summer and warm in winter. They still grow grapes there for wine, but now the priest has to hire laborers to help with the farming. View from the bell on the roof reminded me of how I imagine Tuscany looks.
Walked a bit in the Cedars Reserve, the country's largest protected forest. Chamoun is an expert hiker and nature guide and explained the Lebanese cedars are the shorter, fatter ones while the Moroccan cedars are taller and more slender. They call the Lebanese trees Cedars of God because the pine cones grow up toward heaven, unlike most coniferous species. The purple and gold wildflowers are gorgeous amid the dark green trees.
Lunch was one of the coolest eating experiences we've had. We stopped at a local bakery, and the owners (a couple in their 70s) fired up the oven and rolled out dough to make us a sort of thin, crispy flatbread pizza -- one with lamb and spices and one with cheese. It was served with fresh mint, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. We wanted something light, and it hit the spot.
Visited Beittedine Palace, built in the 1700s by Emir Bashir, who ruled Lebanon during the Ottoman empire. Reminded me a bit of the Alhambra -- unbelievable mountain setting looking down over a lovely valley with rose gardens in full bloom and courtyard fountains. Highlight was probably the elaborate bath rooms -- wish we'd had a guide to learn more about how they worked, but one was not available. It looked incredibly sophisticated for the era, complete with some sort of enormous water heater.
Visited the village of Deir al Kamar, which was largely created during the rule of Fakhreddine, the first ruler to unitfy Mt. Lebanon with the coastal cities in the late 1500s. He was exiled to Tuscany in the early 1600s for creating an alliance with the Medicis (threatening the Ottomans' hold on Lebanon) but brought back much of what he learned in Italy, including ways to enhance silk and olive oil production.
Side note: we are currently driving on a two-lane road and just got passed on both the left and the right simultaneously. Traffic fun continues.
Watched the sunset and had a light dinner of mezze in the courtyard of a smaller palace built for one of the emir's sons. It is now a hotel with rooms for the bargain price of $300 and $600 suites. Lots of what looked like wealthy Saudis watching their kids in the pool. Gorgeous setting, but we checked out the rooms and thought the price was a bit steep.
Then again, Frank and I both had evening showers that we ranked as some of our worst ever -- an odd handheld contraption in a corner that was basically just a drain and a shower head. Thank goodness I tried it again this morning with hot water and figured out how to hang up the handheld spout on the wall. Scratchy, crunchy towels completed the experience. But it was a quaint, clean family-run inn and a nice place to spend the night.
We are now in the Bekaa Valley, the nation's major farming region. Just made an unexpected stop at a Jesuit monastery and farm where they produce dairy products distributed all over Lebanon. Bought some olives and eggplant in oil (grown on the farm) and and cherry liqueur. Snapped a quick pic of the Syrian border. Now we are headed to a winery and two sets of ruins -- Roman at Baalbak and Umayyad (Muslim civilization) at Anjar. Another awesome day is unfolding!
I was asleep in my room the next morning when a fighter jet from the Lebanese Air Force (they had about 5 planes) roared right over the hotel and broke the sound barrier, heading for a landing, no kidding, on the coastal highway north of the city."
I think there was more, but it got truncated. Perhaps Steve will write a special guest column for my blog after he reads my travelogue. His perspective and reflections were invaluable during my trip preparations.
Drove into the Mt. Lebanon range and visited Chamoun's home. Was at least 10 degrees cooler -- a welcome change. Met his mom and dog Caesar. His family had to flee during the war in 1975 and remained in Byblos for about 15 years. I had skipped breakfast but ate fresh cherries and mulberries and plums from his garden. Sublime!
Dropped by a monastery built in the 1840s and met the one priest still in residence. Upstairs bunks used to sleep at least 20 monks. Would be a great place to stay if you were backpacking. The priest let us into the secret cellar where the monks used to hide when Christians were being persecuted; we entered through a trap door in the floor and went down a short staircase. The cellar stays cool in summer and warm in winter. They still grow grapes there for wine, but now the priest has to hire laborers to help with the farming. View from the bell on the roof reminded me of how I imagine Tuscany looks.
Walked a bit in the Cedars Reserve, the country's largest protected forest. Chamoun is an expert hiker and nature guide and explained the Lebanese cedars are the shorter, fatter ones while the Moroccan cedars are taller and more slender. They call the Lebanese trees Cedars of God because the pine cones grow up toward heaven, unlike most coniferous species. The purple and gold wildflowers are gorgeous amid the dark green trees.
Lunch was one of the coolest eating experiences we've had. We stopped at a local bakery, and the owners (a couple in their 70s) fired up the oven and rolled out dough to make us a sort of thin, crispy flatbread pizza -- one with lamb and spices and one with cheese. It was served with fresh mint, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. We wanted something light, and it hit the spot.
Visited Beittedine Palace, built in the 1700s by Emir Bashir, who ruled Lebanon during the Ottoman empire. Reminded me a bit of the Alhambra -- unbelievable mountain setting looking down over a lovely valley with rose gardens in full bloom and courtyard fountains. Highlight was probably the elaborate bath rooms -- wish we'd had a guide to learn more about how they worked, but one was not available. It looked incredibly sophisticated for the era, complete with some sort of enormous water heater.
Visited the village of Deir al Kamar, which was largely created during the rule of Fakhreddine, the first ruler to unitfy Mt. Lebanon with the coastal cities in the late 1500s. He was exiled to Tuscany in the early 1600s for creating an alliance with the Medicis (threatening the Ottomans' hold on Lebanon) but brought back much of what he learned in Italy, including ways to enhance silk and olive oil production.
Side note: we are currently driving on a two-lane road and just got passed on both the left and the right simultaneously. Traffic fun continues.
Watched the sunset and had a light dinner of mezze in the courtyard of a smaller palace built for one of the emir's sons. It is now a hotel with rooms for the bargain price of $300 and $600 suites. Lots of what looked like wealthy Saudis watching their kids in the pool. Gorgeous setting, but we checked out the rooms and thought the price was a bit steep.
Then again, Frank and I both had evening showers that we ranked as some of our worst ever -- an odd handheld contraption in a corner that was basically just a drain and a shower head. Thank goodness I tried it again this morning with hot water and figured out how to hang up the handheld spout on the wall. Scratchy, crunchy towels completed the experience. But it was a quaint, clean family-run inn and a nice place to spend the night.
We are now in the Bekaa Valley, the nation's major farming region. Just made an unexpected stop at a Jesuit monastery and farm where they produce dairy products distributed all over Lebanon. Bought some olives and eggplant in oil (grown on the farm) and and cherry liqueur. Snapped a quick pic of the Syrian border. Now we are headed to a winery and two sets of ruins -- Roman at Baalbak and Umayyad (Muslim civilization) at Anjar. Another awesome day is unfolding!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Beirut Birthday
Yesterday was our full day in Beirut -- and Frank's birthday! -- so we made the most of it. We had given Chamoun the day off because we realized we could navigate the city on our own and thought he would enjoy the free time before we hit the road today. We left the hotel pretty early and walked around our neighborhood, Ashrafiye. It's a Christian area in east Beirut that was home to a pretty wealthy, educated population when the war started, and it's a part of the city that supposedly still shows more French influence. There are a number of fabulous old mansions built in the Lebanese/Ottoman style, and we found a few gems, but most have not been restored or maintained since the war.
The main thing I wanted to see was a museum in one mansion; unfortunately, it was was closed due to construction of a new condo tower nearby. We later heard those condos are selling for $20 million, so it sounds like the rebound is well underway.
Construction was the theme of the day. We were blown away by the amount of building going on in the downtown area -- and what's been completed already. I've mentioned Rafik Hariri, the Sunni who was prime minister in the 90s/early 2000s before being assasinated by a car bomb on the Corniche in front of the landmark old yacht club. (Incidentally, his assasination also sparked demonstrations that led to the final withdrawal of Syrian forces around 2005.) He made his money as a developer in Saudi Arabia, and he and others formed a development corporarion called Solidere that seems to have had sort of eminent domain powers over the reconstruction of downtown. If you ask me, it's been beautifully done, and the new construction includes a landmark mosque that is now a signature image for Beirut. However, he and his partners are criticized for making a fortune from the project while shorting others on what their land was worth -- not to mention the conflict of interest with his public office. But it seems to me he was a huge force in getting Lebanon on the positive track where it is today, and he was popular among the Christian community as well. Anyway, just outside the mosque Frank and I visited Hariri's memorial -- which also memorializes the seven bodyguards killed with him. Then I suited up in an abeyya (head to toe black polyester; they keep them at the entrance) and we went in the mosque. Yes, we got a photo -- in a corner when no one was looking so we weren't disrespectful. The place was almost empty since it was between the five daily prayer calls, but I thought it was peaceful and full of God's presence.
We walked all around the new part of downtown, including a souk project that is basically an outdoor mall of extremely high end shops -- at one point, we passed La Perla, a Porsche dealership and the new Four Seasons. Jackhammers and construction cranes were everywhere. Lebanon is sort of a playground for the more conservative countries in the Middle East and -- hard as it was to believe in yesterday's sweltering 90-degree temps, they come here to escape the heat in other countries! (It really is much cooler in the mountains, as we experienced for ourselves today; many Beirutis escape to the mountains for the summer, commuting to work in the city.)
We walked down the seafront Corniche a bit, but it was so fiercely sunny, I was worried my lily white complexion was frying to a crisp (I swear we saw some German guys getting third-degree burns at the resort pool in Tyre). So, we hopped in a taxi and did a quick drive-by of AUB (American University of Beirut) and then went to lunch at Le Chef -- a landmark in Gemmayze visited by Anthony Bourdain and recommended by Food and Wine. It was exactly what I'd hoped -- a tiny hole in the wall full of locals eating some of the best food we've had. We loved the stewed eggplant with tomatoes and rice; also had perhaps the best fattoush (salad with crispy pita -- I see this becoming my summer staple!) I've tasted and some good artichokes with other veggies. Also lamb kebabs with yummy garlic yogurt.
Walked from there to the National Museum, which I enjoyed as a break from the heat as much as anything else. They have relics from all of the ancient cities here -- things like sarcophagi, religious relics, ancient glass, etc. The best part was a mini-documentary about the 1990s restoration of the museum and how they protected some of the larger items by encasing them in concrete during the 15-year civil war.
We freshened up and met Chamoun and his girlfriend at a Sunni beach club that was highly recommended by both Lonely Planet and a friend of a friend of Frank. Oh, my. Chamoun had never been there, and somehow I missed the fact they do not serve alcohol. Nothing like toasting your birthday with a near beer! Chamoun and Paula brought a cake, and it was such a lovely surprise. We watched the sun set over the water and then drove about 25 minutes to a suburban area to meet Leigh Ann's dear client and friend Elie, a developer from New Orleans who left Beirut at age 17 and is here visiting his family. He invited us to join them for dinner -- as an intimate warm-up to the 30-40 person Sunday lunch to which he also invited us.
The restaurant was a chic spot called Babel that was straight out of Vegas. It's a new hot spot known for having an innovative take on and beautiful presentation of the Lebanese classics. Elie's wife, sister, son, nephews and a friend were there, and we feasted (there is seriously no other word for it) on three courses -- cold mezze, hot mezze and mains. Elie kept piling my plate with something new: "You have to try this." "Have you had schwarma yet? This one is a wrap." "You've had hummus, right, but have you had it with meat?"
The highlight for me was finally getting to try the raw kibbeh Frank has raved about so much. One of his faves was the chicken livers, which he said he had forgotten since his grandmother last made them for him 20 years ago.
To sum up the meal: I even needed two plates for dessert. They brought out a flaming chocolate cake as the piano played happy birthday. That was joined by the rest of our other chocolate cake, two Lebanese desserts and a mountain of fresh fruit. Holy cow. Thank goodness we washed it all down with arak to aid digestion!
As if treating us to a fabulous dinner wasn't enough, Elie and his nephew couldn't believe we hadn't been bar-hopping yet, so they took us to Capitol, an outdoor rooftop bar overlooking the mosque, and the Beirut location of the Buddha Bar. I am pleased to report they serve caipirinhas in both locations!
They dropped us off at our hotel at 2 a.m., and we called Leigh Ann from the car to thank her for the connection, putting an end to a pretty cool Beirut birthday.
The main thing I wanted to see was a museum in one mansion; unfortunately, it was was closed due to construction of a new condo tower nearby. We later heard those condos are selling for $20 million, so it sounds like the rebound is well underway.
Construction was the theme of the day. We were blown away by the amount of building going on in the downtown area -- and what's been completed already. I've mentioned Rafik Hariri, the Sunni who was prime minister in the 90s/early 2000s before being assasinated by a car bomb on the Corniche in front of the landmark old yacht club. (Incidentally, his assasination also sparked demonstrations that led to the final withdrawal of Syrian forces around 2005.) He made his money as a developer in Saudi Arabia, and he and others formed a development corporarion called Solidere that seems to have had sort of eminent domain powers over the reconstruction of downtown. If you ask me, it's been beautifully done, and the new construction includes a landmark mosque that is now a signature image for Beirut. However, he and his partners are criticized for making a fortune from the project while shorting others on what their land was worth -- not to mention the conflict of interest with his public office. But it seems to me he was a huge force in getting Lebanon on the positive track where it is today, and he was popular among the Christian community as well. Anyway, just outside the mosque Frank and I visited Hariri's memorial -- which also memorializes the seven bodyguards killed with him. Then I suited up in an abeyya (head to toe black polyester; they keep them at the entrance) and we went in the mosque. Yes, we got a photo -- in a corner when no one was looking so we weren't disrespectful. The place was almost empty since it was between the five daily prayer calls, but I thought it was peaceful and full of God's presence.
We walked all around the new part of downtown, including a souk project that is basically an outdoor mall of extremely high end shops -- at one point, we passed La Perla, a Porsche dealership and the new Four Seasons. Jackhammers and construction cranes were everywhere. Lebanon is sort of a playground for the more conservative countries in the Middle East and -- hard as it was to believe in yesterday's sweltering 90-degree temps, they come here to escape the heat in other countries! (It really is much cooler in the mountains, as we experienced for ourselves today; many Beirutis escape to the mountains for the summer, commuting to work in the city.)
We walked down the seafront Corniche a bit, but it was so fiercely sunny, I was worried my lily white complexion was frying to a crisp (I swear we saw some German guys getting third-degree burns at the resort pool in Tyre). So, we hopped in a taxi and did a quick drive-by of AUB (American University of Beirut) and then went to lunch at Le Chef -- a landmark in Gemmayze visited by Anthony Bourdain and recommended by Food and Wine. It was exactly what I'd hoped -- a tiny hole in the wall full of locals eating some of the best food we've had. We loved the stewed eggplant with tomatoes and rice; also had perhaps the best fattoush (salad with crispy pita -- I see this becoming my summer staple!) I've tasted and some good artichokes with other veggies. Also lamb kebabs with yummy garlic yogurt.
Walked from there to the National Museum, which I enjoyed as a break from the heat as much as anything else. They have relics from all of the ancient cities here -- things like sarcophagi, religious relics, ancient glass, etc. The best part was a mini-documentary about the 1990s restoration of the museum and how they protected some of the larger items by encasing them in concrete during the 15-year civil war.
We freshened up and met Chamoun and his girlfriend at a Sunni beach club that was highly recommended by both Lonely Planet and a friend of a friend of Frank. Oh, my. Chamoun had never been there, and somehow I missed the fact they do not serve alcohol. Nothing like toasting your birthday with a near beer! Chamoun and Paula brought a cake, and it was such a lovely surprise. We watched the sun set over the water and then drove about 25 minutes to a suburban area to meet Leigh Ann's dear client and friend Elie, a developer from New Orleans who left Beirut at age 17 and is here visiting his family. He invited us to join them for dinner -- as an intimate warm-up to the 30-40 person Sunday lunch to which he also invited us.
The restaurant was a chic spot called Babel that was straight out of Vegas. It's a new hot spot known for having an innovative take on and beautiful presentation of the Lebanese classics. Elie's wife, sister, son, nephews and a friend were there, and we feasted (there is seriously no other word for it) on three courses -- cold mezze, hot mezze and mains. Elie kept piling my plate with something new: "You have to try this." "Have you had schwarma yet? This one is a wrap." "You've had hummus, right, but have you had it with meat?"
The highlight for me was finally getting to try the raw kibbeh Frank has raved about so much. One of his faves was the chicken livers, which he said he had forgotten since his grandmother last made them for him 20 years ago.
To sum up the meal: I even needed two plates for dessert. They brought out a flaming chocolate cake as the piano played happy birthday. That was joined by the rest of our other chocolate cake, two Lebanese desserts and a mountain of fresh fruit. Holy cow. Thank goodness we washed it all down with arak to aid digestion!
As if treating us to a fabulous dinner wasn't enough, Elie and his nephew couldn't believe we hadn't been bar-hopping yet, so they took us to Capitol, an outdoor rooftop bar overlooking the mosque, and the Beirut location of the Buddha Bar. I am pleased to report they serve caipirinhas in both locations!
They dropped us off at our hotel at 2 a.m., and we called Leigh Ann from the car to thank her for the connection, putting an end to a pretty cool Beirut birthday.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Roman ruins, Crusader castle and a big ol' walk through Beirut
Wow! What a day. Our driver/guide Chamoun met us at 8 am -- actually, I was asleep because we didn't know when he was arriving, so he very kindly waited while we had breakfast. He will be with us all week and is really more of a hiking guide. We know that because of the half-inch thick packet of articles about himself -- in French, English and Arabic -- he had for us in the car. He is an ultra-marathoner and ran about 90 kilometers from the Syrian border recently. We were very impressed with his careful driving, and he apologized for the Beirut traffic bedlam: "Sorry about the traffic; you know in Lebanon everyone makes their own way." He has been to the States a few times, including a visit to an American girlfriend in Tennessee. I got a big laugh when he told us "her father did not like me. He is a redneck person."
BTW, Chamoun's pick up sign for us said "Mr. Chatman and Mrs. Snipes." I laughed even harder than I did yesterday when the one at the airport said "Mr. Chatman and Mr. Smith."
Given the fact Chamoun's last clients were 24 men from Dubai who asked him to pick up eight prostitutes and some of the renowned Bekka Valley hashish, I'd say he's in for an easy 10 days with us.
First stop was Tyre, one of the country's southernmost cities -- only about 12 miles from the Israeli border. Tyre and other parts of southern Lebanon are mentioned in a few Biblical stories, and King Hiram of Tyre supposedly supplied Solomon with cedar wood to build his temple in Jerusalem. We were invited to peek into a 250-year-old house under revovation for some wealthy person -- new construction by Tyre srandards because the city dates back to 3000 BC. The water views from the home's balconies were gorgeous. From there we walked around the harbor full of fishing boats then headed to site one of the city's Roman and Byzantine ruins. A long colonnaded road leads to the southern harbor, used when Egypt controlled Tyre -- which I believe was before both the Phonecians and the Greeks. (Wishing I'd brushed up more on my ancient/world history before this trip -- Mr. John would be in heaven.) The pictures may begin to do it justice, bit quite simply it was awesome and picturesque at every turn. We were particularly intrigued by the ruins of a rectangular arena they think was a pool used for a spectator water sport.
I must say I feel about as tacky touristy as it gets walking around in my hot pink hat, but it was a necessity -- the sun was really beating down, and a black pashmina in my backpack from another trip really saved the day (or at least my neck/shoulders from sunburn).
Ruins site two was equally impressive -- inland, but with a huge necropolis (burial ground) and (according to Lonely Planet) "the largest and best-preserved Roman hippodrome in the world." It once seated 20,000 for chariot races.
We lunched with Chamoun at a very nice resort restaurant. Sadly, the beaches in Tyre are some of the country's best, but tourism is still down given the travel warnings many countries still maintain. Our lunch of hummus, fried kibbeh, chicken kebabs, calamari sauteed with garlic/parsley/lemon and fattoush (salad) was delicious. They even brought "free" dessert (I'm sure the price was factored in there somewhere) of fruit and ground pistachios with cream and cake soaked in something yummy.
On to Sidon, which is actually at least 1,000 years older than Tyre and may even date back as early as 6800 BC. There are interesting stories in the guidebooks about how both Sidon and Tyre were conquered by Alexander the Great. Sidon rose because of its trade of murex -- a mollusk that produced a purple dye. (Is this reminding anyone of "Lydia, a seller of purple cloth"??) We toured the sea castle built by the Crusaders; Sidon changed hands at least five times during the Crusades. We then walked through what seemed a never-ending maze of covered souks, but most of the stalls were closed since it was by then about 5 pm. There was a very well-restored khan (travellers inn) with two stories -- visiting merchants and others slept upstairs and left their horses downstairs. The late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was a Sidon native; his family and other philanthropists have beautifully restored some of these sites, including was a soap factory, our tour of which was actually much more interesting than it might sound!
Then back to the hotel, where I was determined to make it up until at least 9 pm. We went on a two-hour walk that included a few unexpected turns, but it was still fun. Not many street signs to be found (though the ones they do have are, thank God, usually in French too) so navigation is challenging.
TV news coverage is wall to wall on this Israel/Turkey incident, but more on that later -- the political comments are certainly eye-opening.
Thanks for reading along -- feel very lucky and grateful to be here!
BTW, Chamoun's pick up sign for us said "Mr. Chatman and Mrs. Snipes." I laughed even harder than I did yesterday when the one at the airport said "Mr. Chatman and Mr. Smith."
Given the fact Chamoun's last clients were 24 men from Dubai who asked him to pick up eight prostitutes and some of the renowned Bekka Valley hashish, I'd say he's in for an easy 10 days with us.
First stop was Tyre, one of the country's southernmost cities -- only about 12 miles from the Israeli border. Tyre and other parts of southern Lebanon are mentioned in a few Biblical stories, and King Hiram of Tyre supposedly supplied Solomon with cedar wood to build his temple in Jerusalem. We were invited to peek into a 250-year-old house under revovation for some wealthy person -- new construction by Tyre srandards because the city dates back to 3000 BC. The water views from the home's balconies were gorgeous. From there we walked around the harbor full of fishing boats then headed to site one of the city's Roman and Byzantine ruins. A long colonnaded road leads to the southern harbor, used when Egypt controlled Tyre -- which I believe was before both the Phonecians and the Greeks. (Wishing I'd brushed up more on my ancient/world history before this trip -- Mr. John would be in heaven.) The pictures may begin to do it justice, bit quite simply it was awesome and picturesque at every turn. We were particularly intrigued by the ruins of a rectangular arena they think was a pool used for a spectator water sport.
I must say I feel about as tacky touristy as it gets walking around in my hot pink hat, but it was a necessity -- the sun was really beating down, and a black pashmina in my backpack from another trip really saved the day (or at least my neck/shoulders from sunburn).
Ruins site two was equally impressive -- inland, but with a huge necropolis (burial ground) and (according to Lonely Planet) "the largest and best-preserved Roman hippodrome in the world." It once seated 20,000 for chariot races.
We lunched with Chamoun at a very nice resort restaurant. Sadly, the beaches in Tyre are some of the country's best, but tourism is still down given the travel warnings many countries still maintain. Our lunch of hummus, fried kibbeh, chicken kebabs, calamari sauteed with garlic/parsley/lemon and fattoush (salad) was delicious. They even brought "free" dessert (I'm sure the price was factored in there somewhere) of fruit and ground pistachios with cream and cake soaked in something yummy.
On to Sidon, which is actually at least 1,000 years older than Tyre and may even date back as early as 6800 BC. There are interesting stories in the guidebooks about how both Sidon and Tyre were conquered by Alexander the Great. Sidon rose because of its trade of murex -- a mollusk that produced a purple dye. (Is this reminding anyone of "Lydia, a seller of purple cloth"??) We toured the sea castle built by the Crusaders; Sidon changed hands at least five times during the Crusades. We then walked through what seemed a never-ending maze of covered souks, but most of the stalls were closed since it was by then about 5 pm. There was a very well-restored khan (travellers inn) with two stories -- visiting merchants and others slept upstairs and left their horses downstairs. The late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was a Sidon native; his family and other philanthropists have beautifully restored some of these sites, including was a soap factory, our tour of which was actually much more interesting than it might sound!
Then back to the hotel, where I was determined to make it up until at least 9 pm. We went on a two-hour walk that included a few unexpected turns, but it was still fun. Not many street signs to be found (though the ones they do have are, thank God, usually in French too) so navigation is challenging.
TV news coverage is wall to wall on this Israel/Turkey incident, but more on that later -- the political comments are certainly eye-opening.
Thanks for reading along -- feel very lucky and grateful to be here!
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