Lebanon -- Oct. 24, 2012
Unbeknownst to us these were the headlines on the BBC the day before before we flew to Beirut Lebanon.The Lebanese army has deployed on the streets of Beirut and Tripoli in a bid to calm deadly tensions. One of the top government officials had been assassinated in Tripoli. The army is a widely respected institution in Lebanon that has often been required to stand between the country's diverse political and religious factions. Since it is not possible to photograph military personnel this photo comes from a press release.Had we flown directly from Canada I think that we would have been taken aback by this site in Tripoli but sadly it is not an uncommon sight in the Middle East. Since then there have been no further issues in Lebanon. Although any calm is only on the surface, we feel confident that unless one is in a war zone there is little likelyhood that the conflict will impact our safety
The area we had booked a hotel in was appealling -- shops and restaurants frequented by a cosmopolitan crowd, but that's where the appeal ended. The next time you visit Beirut, DO NOT book a room at the Hotel Grand Versaille.
Our travel agent was not aware of it, but the place reeks of mold, mildew and smoke. We had to sleep with the window wide open in order to not suffocate from the aroma, and the place is not on the real cheapo end of the scale at $90.
Needless to say, we split as quickly as possible. This hotel had seen much better days and we were happy to head out of Beirut as soon as possible since our life is already being lived among the noise and pollution of a large city. We had rented a car at the airport and now headed north, ultimately headed for cool reprieve from the 30+ degree days we were still experiencing in Cairo -- we had a guidebook but had little idea what was in store.
That's when we realized that it is difficult to get from here to there without frequently asking for directions because roads randomly divide and disappear with no indication of the where the road you are on goes, kind of like the Tennessee backcountry, if there is any road sign it is unreadable. Fortunately, unlike Egypt, it is easy to find people who speak English. After some dead ends and circling around we found the Jeita Grotto.
Although we have been in other caves we were overwhelmed by the magnificent sight. Fantasy must get its inspiration from natural wonders like this. Although there were others around they weren't in large groups so we had the chance to linger. Unfortunately it was forbidden to take pictures so this is compliments of the Internet, one of many. Evidently there are coloured light show and concerts in a cavern which holds 1000.
Then straight to Tripoli, where we began to wonder if this holiday was going to be the reprieve from the hectic pace we were hoping for. It was the day before Eid -- reflect on what it is like at a mall just before closing on Dec. 24th. The hotels listed were in the old city, where the markets are. We spent more than an hour literally getting nowhere. Finally Blaine, was able to use the common Middle Eastern strategy of finding a one way street where we could head in the wrong direction in order to get to a street where the traffic was moving. By this point it was quite dark. Both the sun had decided to set at 4:45, and Blaine's cheeriness had been scorched even earlier.
After many questions, numerous false strarts and multiple times being in the same place we found a hotel --In trying to locate the Quality Inn, we drove past it 4 times before seeing the huge sign lit up.
There was nothing to attract our interest in staying more than overnight here; other than the really nice four storey Quality Inn, with its pool, sauna, gym, clean, free breakfast, $80, more expensive than what we usually pay, but away from the hectic pace. We truly appreciated the quiet, a light sprinkling of rain and this view out the back. It was very quiet, meaning the hotel was essentially ours, since the 'events' in Syria and Lebanon had reduced tourism considerably. Of the seven cars in the parking lot, four were staff. The newlyweds with the still garlanded BMW probably had a whole floor to romp naked and undisturbed.
There was nothing to attract our interest in staying more than overnight here; other than the really nice four storey Quality Inn, with its pool, sauna, gym, clean, free breakfast, $80, more expensive than what we usually pay, but away from the hectic pace. We truly appreciated the quiet, a light sprinkling of rain and this view out the back. It was very quiet, meaning the hotel was essentially ours, since the 'events' in Syria and Lebanon had reduced tourism considerably. Of the seven cars in the parking lot, four were staff. The newlyweds with the still garlanded BMW probably had a whole floor to romp naked and undisturbed.
We took advantage of the free WiFi and took the risk of booking another hotel, sight unseen, at Bcharre (pronounced Besharry), in the mountains. While asking for directions frequently, we were able to find the route with little difficulty and spend a relaxing day meandering up the mountain, Blaine stopping to converse and Mary-lyn revelling in the autumn scenery with the camera, amazed at the terraces of trees and vines (apples, persimmons, grapes)
mary.lyn.hopper@gmail.com
