RHydes

To all those who enjoyed my initial note well here's another - to those who binned it immediately ...well bin this one too! I really am not sure where George Bush gets his information from regrading 'axis of evil'. I really could not fell safer here than is any part of the UK. You can go out at midnight and really there is not threat whatsoever. Try that in Brixton. The peoples reactions are mixed - I cannot describe them as friendly - but there again not unfriendly. I have met good and not so good - my main betes noires are the taxi drivers. What a weasly bunch they are ( mainly) they always try not to turn on the meter and when you forget to ask them - you get a price 2 or ... read more

Hi all - just quick note from Beirut where I have holed up for 4 days afraid to leave the building. Just Joking,,,,the city and country are lovely. The Lebanese have made great strides with reconstruction and the people are so welcoming. Beirut is chaotic, the driving is unbelievable but you feel so safe here. Army checkpoints are frequent but this adds to your sense of security. The women truly are beautiful. Outside Beirut there are some remarkable sites Roman, Greek, Muslim etc. Went to Baalbek yesterday they have the largest of all Roman temples. The mountains behind Beirut are beautiful and dramatic - would you believe they have a ski resort there with 20 or so lifts - just 1.5 hours from Beirut? The golden rule here though is not to mention the 'I' word.....Israel. ... read more