Alleged Terrorist Organisations Make the Best Ice Cream

Middle East » Lebanon » Beirut
May 15th 2007

Published: August 6th 2007

Tripoli - Beirut By the end of our first day in Beirut we have found ourselves sat in a tent making polite conversation with alleged terrorist leaders, sharing tea with teenagers while being shown posters of martyrs, watched an Arab megastar filming a Coca Cola advert, passed numerous civil war bomb sites alongside brand new boutique shops, been searched by soldiers with machine guns & tanks, ea... Read Full Entry

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Tim Cox

Mingalaba

Kia Ora & welcome to our blog; It may look like we've given up on the travels, but there will be more.... one day. Left the UK in the mid 1990's with plans for a year or so of exploring. Finally made it home again eleven years later, only to set off again soon after. Got lost along the way with a couple of years travelling in Asia, a year living, working & travelling to all corners of Australia & the rest travelling & later living & getting married in New Zealand. Highlights in no particular order include; Syria (x2) , Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Nicaragua, China (x2), Burma (x3), Viet... full info

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The Cedars

Lebanon's emblem is the Cedar - as featured on the flag. Here is the flag & the trees, high in the Qadisha Valley.

Heat & Light

These clear glass 'bulbs' on the ceiling provide a source of light & heat for the hammam; Tripoli

Razor Wire

There's a lot of it about; Beirut

Hammam

A disused hammam in Tripoli. It must have been beautiful in it's day. Tripoli

Martyr's Square

Beirut

Making Soap

A family business for generations; Tripoli

Tanks

Beirut

Holiday Inn

Bullet & mortar holes still showing: Beirut

Place D'Etoile

Armed soldier & clocktower; Downtown Beirut

Protests

Billboars showing previous events; Downtown Beirut

Martyrs & Leaders

Inside a tent at the camps. Note the posters of martyrs & the Hezbollah scarf; Downtown Beirut

More Columns

Balbeek

Graffiti

Balbeek

Big

I wish you could see how big this piece of stone is; Perhaps the biggest in the world. No one knows how they moved it; Balbeek

Bcharre

Qadisha Valley.

Wide

And this fallen column is very wide; Balbeek

Hariri

Another poster. Father & Son. Beirut

Face

Carving; Balbeek

Beirut Street

Fairly normal scene - minor roadblock, billboard of Hariri, photos from his funeral. This is outside a TV company that he owned. Beirut

Smoking is Cool

Advert on the left - this is in a young teenager's hangout. All the young people smoke. Beirut

Ceiling Carvings

Balbeek

16th May 2007

Maj
non-member comment

Looks cool
I cant believe its the same lebanon I see in the news and papers. It looks beautiful and thats why I have put it in my next destination list. Nice work Tim and carry on mate.

17th May 2007

deleted_899
deleted_899

good entry
I liked your blog because you didn't get all political, and you didn't lap up everything those kids told you - you realise there are two sides to every story, unlike some others on Travelblog.org. Well done.

18th May 2007

roy
non-member comment

a very interesting entry
enjoied reading it. what's your nest destination? are you going to israel at some point?

19th May 2007

Mingalaba
Tim Cox

Israel
We couldn't go to Israel this trip as we then wouldn't be allowed into a number of other countries (that don't recognize or like Israel). Perhaps next time....

23rd May 2007

Jon Rowe
non-member comment

good stuff
very interesting Tim, possibly your best post yet. I find it very depressing that I'm reading this sat at the same desk as I read your first post.....

6th September 2007

Paul
non-member comment

You are ingnorant
You go to Lebanon and critisize the Lebanese for not wanting to hear about your friend who married an Israeli? For that you say they are not interested in what you have to say and think they are the center of the Universe? Israel attacked Lebananon and killed over a thousand people, a great number of them innocent women and children. Get a grip. Read some news and get some facts before you make such ignorant statements. I give the kids credit for having restraint with you.

6th September 2007

Mingalaba
Tim Cox

I am ignorant
Anyone who has read anything I have written will know this to be true.

28th April 2008

doctor38
non-member comment

I found some of what you said is really interesting like "It's hard to have an open minded discussion with anyone here, it would certainly be interesting to hear the Israeli side of the story" and "they are too absorbed in their own worlds where they are always the centre of attention" I am sure people can refer to you with the same accusation like you are too absorbed into you own world. It would like to point out to you that the Arab and Palestinian view are seldom presented in American Media. only the isreali side have is heard often and load. The American Media is too biased and unbalanced Having an open mind is a 2 way street and I ask of you also to have an open mind. Look at the other side of the story and see these 2 web sites one is an American and the 2nd is an Isreali http://www.ifamericansknew.org/ http://www.btselem.org/English/ Thanks and good luck

1st May 2008

Mingalaba
Tim Cox

In reply to doctor38
It's always intersting to provoke a reaction; I'm not sure if it's assumed that I'm American or that I'm only aware of the American media. Neither are true. I would like to think that simply by going to the Middle East, against the advice of many, I've proved that I am perhaps a little more open minded about the politics of the region than some. Although I've tried not to get too political I would go as far as to suggest that I've shown more signs of support for Palestine than for Israel. My comments about the 'self absorbed' in Beirut was quite specifically about a group of very young people we found ourselves spending time with. I know that their opinions aren't a reflection of the whole population; those teenagers, who have just recently known war, have every reason to want to be absorbed in their own world & concentrate on enjoying themselves...

24th January 2009

Nansy
non-member comment

As i know, Rafik Hariri was never a president of Lebanon.

24th January 2009

Mingalaba
Tim Cox

Rafik Hariri
Always good to get constructive feedback. Rafik Hariri was the Prime Minister of Lebanon, sorry to all those I offended by getting my fact so terribly wrong.

7th August 2009

Dylan
non-member comment

Inspiring
Tim this is fantastic, you need to submit you writing to newspapers. Thanks so much for inspiring for my next trip I can't wait.

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Alleged Terrorist Organisations Make the Best Ice Cream

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