I'm sorry but understanding takes too much effort

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It should take around a couple of hours to get to Beirut from the Syrian border but on the outskirts of Lebanon’s capital things changed. Soldiers patrolling the main road, helicopters flying above. Traffic going nowhere. I knew Lebanon had some problems but tanks, Machine guns the whole way? Was this the right decision to divert the Middle East journey?

Lebanon is one of the most confusing countries in the world. So many religions, politics that is too difficult to understand. Friendly people who think that once its problems are solved a great deal of the world’s problems will be resolved too. I arrived here a week before the elections. Like probably every election in this area it’s the most important election in the countries history.

At the border with Syria I was greeted by the friendliest border-crossing guy yet. Full of smiles and laughter. But still I had to change money as the VISA can only be paid in Lebanese Lira. So for the first time I exchanged money through a wired fence with a guy on the other side of the border.

Whilst in the traffic jam watching the day turn to sunset, the helicopters still flying above I realised why the country was on high alert. Joe Biden a guy who wanted to be president but didn’t become president and is now working for the president. Yeah that guy? He was here to say to the Lebanese people that US’s support to Lebanon will rely on the result of the election coming up in a fortnight. (Meaning if Hezbollah win than no support to you guys.)

So I was here for the lead up to the election and making sure I was outta ‘ere before the result came out (actually I was in Israel when the result came out. umm) So throughout my stay I would walk past political speeches shown on TV’s along the streets and never too sure who most of them were. You can tell when it’s Hezbollah by the forceful way the main guy speaks and his insistent finger pointing.
I’d also drive past billboard signs saying ‘I Vote 4 Change’ with a cool guy with sunnies and sexy woman with the message written in French. Another saying something like ‘be beautiful and vote’ with sultry lipsticked up lips. Most, if not all parties are religious based so there seems to be no policies. Just vote for your religion, which is town based anyway. And the towns are religious based too. Ohhh its too much to explain.

I came here for two reasons one was Lebanon has some of the best-preserved ruins in the world and two for the ladies. I read an article some time ago on the shortage of men in Lebanon. The article said that a lot of men go overseas to work and only come back in the summer or Christmas period so its pickup season for the Lebanese heritage. I was here just prior to summer so the only guaranteed competition would be men in construction.

This is one quick thing I noticed about Beirut. It is a city of contrasts and no more so than its buildings and construction. Through civil wars and with Syria’s occupation, Hezbollah and Israel all incorporating themselves into Lebanon’s history. The construction game is big business leaving the city with Chic to bombed out. It shows their never say die attitude to living life. Always on the move (except the traffic - up there with the worst in the world)
The best example of the past and future is near the promenade where the old Holiday Inn still stands completely bombed out and in front of that is the InterContinental Phoenicia. A slick 5 starer that was built with less levels so now snipers won’t have a reason to base themselves there if another war starts. The only other place I have seen scenes like this is in Bosnia where they seem to make the best out of a bad situation.
When you get to Gemmayzeh you can see the best example of redevelopment and their live life attitude. On Gemmayzeh St they incorporate the two with some really classy bars made out of scared remains of a bombed out attack. It does give a different feel to going out. But my only problem with this whole going out thing in Beirut is that it doesn’t start till 11pm and the drinks cost an absolute fortune. Looking at $8 a beer and $15 a rum and coke. But that is for a reason. See in Lebanon it’s not a drinking culture so you are there to socialise and enjoy your one or two drinks. This means the bars need to put the price up to make a profit.

Beirut and later on Tel Aviv have a clear advantage with its nightlife. And that is it’s the only real nightlife spot in the Middle East. Because of this they have no challenges and after 4 months of Muslim influenced countries the sight of figured girls is more a relief than anything. So is it right of me to say that Lebanese women are some of the hottest women I have seen? It’s a bit like Paraguay after going in Bolivia and Peru for 7 weeks prior. I’m not sure if my judgment is best… but still… they are hot!!

But Lebanon is getting a lot of outside funding, all politically based and internationally financed, all based on religion? Confused still? So shall we attempt to explain? No but I’ll try and incorporate it with the Lebanese sites.

Most sites can be seen as a day trip from Beirut and my first stop was Byblos. Driving on a Sunday there were around 6 blue and white buses promoting some political party with white flags with cedar trees on it. Tooting its horns, streamers flowing off the side. Byblos is one of the oldest continually inhabited towns in the world. It was nothing too special too apart from its significant history to Lebanon. It’s nice enough to fill in the time.

The following day I went to Tyre (Sour) to the south. This is strong Shiite territory, which means the area is influenced, financed and supports Hezbollah, which in turn is supported by Iran. (Can’t be bothered to understand, yeah?) On the way there would be checkpoints with barrels painted red and white. Never got checked over but the post was set up for an attack. The billboards have photos of Martyrs and hero’s of Iran’s Revolution.

As a tourist you are treated like one. Friendly, open and helpful. The main site here is the Roman Hippodrome. It is the largest preserved Hippodrome in the world and to get here you have to walk around the Al-Bass Palestinian camp. They are not camps anymore with high unit blocks dominating the town. Unfortunately you are not allowed in, me and two guys walked near it and was told no. Near the guards a sign said along the lines of “FOREIGNERS NOT ALLOWED. IF CAUGHT INSIDE WITHOUT PERMISSION YOU WILL BE ARRESTED”. There is a brilliant collage of power lines around this area too. Around 20000 spectators the Hippodrome could hold and it gives a different look and feel to what a ruined site is.

Baalbek was next and to find out where its stronghold leans towards just walk to the entrance of the Baalbek ruins. There you’ll be greeted by people trying to sell you yellow Hezbollah t-shirts for $3US. At the ticket booth I went up to the guy and noticed that Lebanese citizens get $5 off compared to foreigners (students included) So I go up and say “One Lebanese citizen please” He looked at me, I smiled and he got the joke and gave it to me anyway. There’s quite a bit to see here. But the most impressive sites are the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter.
Jupiter have the largest columns in the world. 6 remain standing at 22.9m high and 2.2m wide. Bachhus they say it’s the most beautifully decorated of Roman Temples. But without its colour and is yellow Brown look its okay I suppose. What’s more interesting is looking the various early explorers trying to out do each other by putting their names on the temple in what seems impossible to get to locations.

After Baalbek I had enough of Beirut and decided to move towards the mountains. On the way I stopped off at Tripoli, which is a heavy Sunni Muslim, area and the difference to Beirut is immediate. From a European feel Beirut, back to the Middle East. The mountains on the other hand are mostly Christian. I decided to stay a few nights in Bcharre. A main base for Lebanon’s skiing and to visit the Cedars.

The Cedar Tree is the green tree shown on the Lebanese flag. And it was the main reason this area prospered when they were around. The temple of Solomon in Jerusalem (1st one) was made of this wood and some sarcophagi discovered in Egypt were made from Cedar. It is what made Byblos such an important port of the world. Nowadays there are very few left and the last remaining trees are said to be around 1000 years old. Standing in and around 2000m up in the mountains it is also a good hiking area for the day. It has views of the mountains that seem to not belong, to the view of the Mediterranean to help get your bearings right.

Whilst in Bchere me and this Melbourne guy were lucky enough to bump into a local guy who lived in Sydney for 18 years. He was happy to chat about general things whilst his family and friends wanted to talk more serious about their problems. One said “You know what will happen if Hezbollah wins? Israel will come over and bomb us.”

They would talk about how everyone should have the right to choose their religion but Jews this, Shiite that. There also seemed a whole bunch of jealousy and judgment towards us in general. They were nice people but we did get questioned pretty hard. It was at this point I had enough? I asked, “When you came back from Australia did people think you were rich?” (I said it nicely and at a random time of the conversation). There was also the feeling that the world should know what there problems are. We were also judged on our lack of religious knowledge.
He had been back in Lebanon for 18 years. His son who was born in Australia seemed to be asking questions to help scheme a way to not work and get paid when he returns to Australia. And I heard them say that the opportunities are not available in Lebanon.

Contrasting that point of view was in Tripoli where I met a guy who came back from America working at a computer shop. I said “It seems like Lebanon is a place with opportunities if you want to take it?” (I based that on the hostel situation, here it’s dreadful - especially in Beirut. Easily could start a franchise here.) He replied “Oh yeah I am earning more money here than I would in America. But people here don’t want to put the effort in. They don’t want to make the long hours and put use into those hours. I work 12 hours 6 days a week. And come in on the 7th day.” (I came to speak to him to buy an external hard drive to move my itunes over from my hard drive only to delete the itunes from both hard drive and external.)

I left Beirut with my last memories of tanks driving by, vehicles transporting soldiers to the north. Election campaigns in full swing. And a flight over to the Jordan capital Amman. When I left I gained a bit of knowledge of what Lebanon is about but still confused. I knew more about Hezbollah and knew if they win it than it would not be good for Israel. One week later when I was in Israel Hezbollah lost some of its power and I still don’t know what the hell is happening politically. All I know is that Lebanon’s ruined sites are as impressive and with the result that just came through maybe Lebanon, the people of Lebanon can have their wish and think for themselves. Or maybe I just don’t understand.

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Photos

Tyre
Roman Hippodrome the world largest

Byblos
Church of John the baptist

Beirut Contrast
Former Holiday Inn background.

Baalbek
Power lines anyone