Lebanon Road Rules

1. Don't break - ever - why would you? Just honk, people will move over. How dare they get in your way?!
2. Red Light? What Red Light?
3. This is Lebanon, do what you want!

4. Rosary - check, religious stickers - check. Make a cross at every Maria Statue we pass - check. You will now survive the crazy streets.
5. Cars going to opposite way of you is totally normal. You actually blinked twice?
6. Car not working? No big deal.
7. If you'd like to drive a taxi, get an ID. Any ID. Who cares if it isn't yours. They never said it had to be yours.
8. Do not tell a cab driver they do not know where you want to go so you'd rather not get in the cab. They may follow you. And yell at you. And not be happy. Cab drivers always know where you want to go. You must be crazy for thinking otherwise.
9. Taxis are impromptu tour guides if you get lucky.
10. Don't drive.

Possession by A.S.Byatt

"What is it? My dear? "
"Ah, how can we bear it?"
"Bear what?"
"This. For so short a time. How can we sleep this time away?"
"We can be quiet together, and pretend - since it is only the beginning - that we have all the time in the world"
"And every day we shall have less. And then none."
"Would you rather, therefore, have had nothing at all?"
"No. This is where I have always been coming to. Since my time began. And when I go away from here, this will be the mid-point, to which everything ran, before, and from which everything will run. But now, my love, we are here, we are now, and those other times are running elsewhere."

Breathtaking Views from our Backyard

Update 10/05/09

Since it seems like this piece will never get posted if I keep waiting until I get a chance to upload those 'breathtaking views' I was taking about, I'm just going to post it. Pics to come with some later post I suppose.

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08/22/09

On Day 2 we left the congested streets of Beirut behind and were off to Bazhoun - the village in the mountains where our family is from. Driving up there bordered terrifying, but I have decided that Lebanon traffic is getting a post all to itself. So for now, lets pretend we just teleported up to Bazhoun and got there safe and sound.

Our destination was this amazing 3 bedroom/2 bath grotto style home belonging to one of my uncles. South Africa Aunt greeted us and had the house stocked and ready. There were even seperate rooms for me and Cousin but we refused. What good is a vacation if you cannot have a sleepover? Even when you are over 20, staying in the same room is required for all-night gossip!

Our backyard terrace had a breath taking view. I sat outside staring out over the valley every day and hardly wanted to move. It was the perfect reading/writing/meditating spot. In Lebanon, a lot of people have a house down below for the school year, and then they come up into the mountains, to their summer vacation home, when it gets too hot. All I can say is - this is the life! If you want to find yourself - go on a vacation to the mountains of Lebanon.

Another perk of being in the mountain - and hindrance at the same time - is that everyone knows everyone, and it will be known that you are not from around there. Which is fine, all we had to say was: bint (daughter of) Robby, bint Ralph, bint Moussi, and everyone knew who we were. In order to be somebody you need to have a long line of family aparently. Fine with me, that just means I belong. And you really don't have to explain very much after you have said those few words. It is known - you are Lebanese. And being Lebanese means you will be entertaining every day - whether you want to or not. The same way anyone you ask for directions or anything else will invite you in for coffee - you'd better invite anyone who walks past your house and greets you in as well. It is the neighborly thing to do. Tip: ALWAYS have coffee and sweets handy. You'll need them.

In the village, we quickly met shop owners, neighbors, and friends. We were there before summer started, so there wasn't that much nightlife when we first got there, but we amused ourselves walking around Hasroun (the next village over) and visiting all kinds of tourist attractions during the day. The thing to do around here, which is what we did in our last week mostly - is to go to Hasroun and join the women walking up and down while the men drive up and down in their cars. Our last three nights MiamiCousin, SurinameCousin and I would go sit on the terrace at Los Amigos, a bar/lounge in Hasroun, and just talk and people watch. And we would actually see the same 10 cars driving up and down 4 times. Too funny. We met some of them as well when there was a one man show in Los Amigos on the third night. My dad's reaction: 'O it is still the same!?' And mind you - he is talking about 30 years ago. It is comforting that some things will never change. Next time I visit Lebanon, I will go after summer has started, and I hope I can still go sit on the terrace at Los Amigos, and just watch the cars go by night after night while drinking my glass of wine and listening to the chatter of familiar voices. It's nice to know you instantly belong in a place where you have never even been.

Can I be a student again please?!

Cousin and I visited the American University of Beirut before we left the city. All I have to say is – welcome to a beautiful campus and CAN I GO HERE PLEASE?

The campus overlooks the ocean, has beautiful walking paths, amazing architecture, people I think I’d like as friends and it is in the middle of Beirut! Spoiled me could even have her McCafe cappuccino's across the street! The Business School recently got accredited and the new building sits right on the ocean.

Cousin and I are in LOVE.

Taxi? Taxi? You're a .... taxi?

In Lebanon, you're funniest stories are sure to come from taxi adventures. When wandering in Lebanon, it may seem to you that every car is a taxi. Well you are right - to you Foreigner, they are. And they will honk at you and let it be known, sometimes even stopping two or three at a time. Even if you don't look like you need a taxi...you'll be honked at - just in case...

We experienced it all, from the guy with the SVU who instantly became a chauffeur when we walked out of our hotel (I guarantee you he was not a taxi. And for $10, he drove us 2 minutes away. Hmm...thank you?), to the cab driver who did not speak a word of English and made two stops along the road to see if someone else did and could talk to us, to a cab driver that cursed at us because we didn't want to get into his taxi without him knowing where our hotel was.

Taxis will take take you anywhere you want to go, even if they do not know where it is. Excuse me? How are you going to get there then? Sit back and try to relax, there are hundreds of people on the street. We can just stop and ask. Multiple times if need be...or I will just drive around, we are sure to find your destination! You live, you learn, and you ask before you get into a cab if they know where your destination is...

One cab driver, the one who could not speak English, kept saying Habibti (darling) to us and at some point asked us if we came from the US and starting chanting: Obama, Obama, yes, Obama, Obama good! It was too funny. Not too funny when he didn't give us change, supposedly not understanding us. Owh well, Cousin and I were alone on our way to the American University of Beirut, so it was a good laugh and we were just glad we made it in one piece. I really need to learn how to speak Arabic for when I come back...the whole time we kept wondering if we would actually end up at AUB and we just could not stop laughing. I am sure the cab driver amused himself.

One time we had a really good cab driver. Told us the price in advance, spoke English really well, even gave us all kinds of tidbits about Beirut on the way to our destination and pointed out sights. He gave us his phone number in case we wanted to go sightseeing and hire him for the day. And then my dad proceeds to tell me something along the lines of that he hopes we did not get kidnapped or so. DAD. You'll jinx it! Stop talking NOW. Thanks.

O, and then there was this time we got into a taxi that had a taxi id. With the wrong face on it...HAHA. Well Mr. Not-Cabdriver. Who are YOU?

This post is proof I survived all of my crazy taxi adventures. Don't let it scare you, it's actually not that scary, just funny. And the stories had to be told but please don't take them in the wrong context :) All there is to do is laugh.

Signing off from the back of another taxi, praying for our safe arrival and laughing out loud until we do,

Ms. Globetrotter

Downtown and the Rolex

After spending the afternoon in ABC mall where I bought the coolest outfit - which I am not sure will make it to the streets in Midwest USA- our first night took us to Downtown Beirut.

'Downtown' is the town square ...which is really more of a town circle. It includes a clock tower with a Rolex in the center of the circle, the most beautiful expensive boutiques in the streets which go out to every direction , and many chic restaurants lined up with waiters inviting you in at every step.

We had dinner at Al Balad, a restaurant I found in my Lonely Planet. After this afternoon I was determined to redeem myself and prove Lonely Planet was useful! Even if just ink on paper. The food was AMAZING. 1 point to Ms. Globetrotter and her Lonely Planet :) . We sat outside, because Uncle hates smoke, and there is not an inch of Lebanon that is smoke free. Whether it's mothers smoking an Arguileh with their children eating ice cream right next to them, or men smoking cigarettes with their father-in-law, tabacco is an unmissable cultural staple.

After eating way too much food, which, as Uncle noted, is one of the most healthy cuisines ever so it doesn't matter, we go back to our hotel. Cousin and I meant to go out, but are too exhausted, so just hang out. Tomorrow is another day.

Already in Love with Lebanon,

Ms. Globetrotter

Lebanon - If you had been there, you wouldn't have wanted to leave either...

Left Schiphol on Monday morning. Two flights and a stopover in Italy later, we were in Lebanon.

First thoughts:
Free seating on a plane - what is up with that?

People can smoke IN the airport?
Why is the airport one of the busiest ever at 3 am?
I feel under dressed. A little background info on this one: I decided to wear leggings and boots with a boyfriend shirt - dress. Well once we landed I felt super claustrophobic and hot and lost the leggings and boots. Leaving me in ballet flats and a shirt dress. Too much skin for 3 am airport. And too little make-up. Women always look fabulous here. Even at 3 am.

On to Beirut!

We get out of the airport after the immigration officer has extensively checked our passports to make sure we do not have an Israeli stamp in it. If you want to see the world, you have to pick one between Israel and Lebanon. We have a driver waiting for us and take off. I wait for the 'I'm in Lebanon' feeling, but that's kind of absent. I suppose getting onto a highway and into a hotel at 3am won't really give you a good sense of where you are though!

Day 1
The next day we get up and headed to lunch. Or that was the plan at least. I didn't get the memo that I was supposed to be the leader and know where everything was...whoops...didn't study up on my Lonely Planet enough! Note to self: Lonely Planets are amazing, but they are no GPS....you actually have to sit down and study them before you leave...walking and reading and navigating just doesn't go together. Also, it would help if you knew where you were on the map before you ventured out. Do they have Lonely Planet in electronic versions? If not Lonely Planet, it is time for an upgrade. Gen Y does not know how to read from paper. We are in the 21st century after all.

We were wandering with no destination and figured we would run into food...or Ms. Globetrotter here would figure out the Lonely Planet. WRONG. Can we take a cab out of this neighborhood we ended up in? It took some time, but we finally convinced Uncle it would be better if we took a cab. I think we would have wandered forever otherwise. Wandering forever on an empty stomach does not make me happy to be in Beirut...it just makes me wish a McDonalds would magically apppear on the corner. Yup, Ms. Globetrotter is spoiled and always wants to have food at her disposal or she gets crabby. Add heat, and the hotel restaurant is starting to sound good right about now.

We finally take a cab to Rue de Hamas, and find a cafe. Wonderful! I'm happy again and ready for the next adventure! I thought the cans of Diet Pepsi with Arabic writing and the hand written receipt were the coolest thing ever! We were off to a mall, but more about that in my next post. For now, we have every cab in the street honking at us as they drive by, and I suppose we will just get into one and hope we arrive safely.

Signing off from here, there and everywhere,

Ms. Globetrotter