Moving Forward...

Al-Khiam Detention Center: Our guide was held and tortured here himself by the SLA (South Lebanese Army, allies of Israel) for over 4 years. He serves as a guide to the complex ever since. Now that I call strength.

Very much so.

Fatima Gate: the border between Israel and Lebanon. No pictures allowed…

Beaufort Castle.

Oregano sandwiches on the go. The old woman aged beautifully.

“To which massacre?”, the woman replies. We’re puzzled. They have two massacres in Qana. Again, a survivor shows us around and with him I flip through the most horrific set of photos ever: fathers holding up arms and heads of children, burned women. I buy his dvd to help support him, not to see more of it.

Beit ed Dine – President of Lebanon’s mansion in summer.

Awkward how the worst things can happen in the most beautiful places.

Daytrips from Beirut.

Impressive and quite intact ruins of Baalbek.

The largest Roman pillars in the world, meant to keep the locals from reverting to this new thing called Christianity.

Baalbek is also headquarters of Hezbollah.

Small theater in Byblos (Jbail). See golden shoe for sizing .

Byblos flowers.

I ran into and joined this schooltrip at Jeitta, which was fun. No pictures of the grotto allowed; it was spectacular.

Right after the Doha-peace agreement, I boarded the bus for Beirut. Good decision. Beirutis are celebrating their newfound peace in every possible way. There are not too many highlights to be seen in the city, it is the beautiful people and the atmosphere you’re after. And there is more than plenty of that.

Beirutis celebrating peace by waving the flag.

Beirutis celebrating peace through fireworks.

Beirutis celebrating peace through huge festivals with Arabic popmusic.

Pigeon’s Rock, the only ‘natural’ feature of Beirut.

Picture-perfect Habib family – Pakistanis love to dance.

Dubai-teachers out in Beirut for the weekend.

Nargileh and a gun. Lebanon in a nutshell, I guess.

American University of Beirut. Very American campus-architecture, too.

Waterfront boulevard: the Corniche of Beirut.

Fishermen along the Corniche.

As often, I’ve got the whole National Museum to myself. Nice!