Beirut

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D'you like the look of our swish hotel? Thought I'd push the boat out and treat wee Jules to some 5-star luxury, the gaping holes were good for catching the sea breeze during the balmy nights....

Most buildings in Beirut are pocked from the long civil war of the 70s and 80s but there's surprisingly scarce evidence of the recent conflict unless you venture into the Hezbollah-dominated suburbs in the southside; if you'd been hibernating you'd never know that Israel and Hezbollah had had a right square go. There are loadsa UN troops kicking about though, choppers regularly flying by and destroyers ruining the fishing for the locals.....

Contrary to the war-ravaged images propagated by STV et al, Beirut was trendy and cosmopolitan - we even sank a few Sex-and-the-City style - and you didn't need to look far to find Starbucks, Haagen Dazs or Dominos, a schweeet combo for weary travellers. Watching the sunset from Starbucks terrace - whilst devouring a chunky wedge of blueberry cheesecake - quickly knocks home-sickness on the head! If it's good enough for 50 Cent.....

It was in Byblos, an ancient Phoenician trading port, that we had another first - an interview with Lebanese TV. We were just admiring the harbour when a middle-aged yank, who turned out to be the Public Affairs Officer for the USA Embassy, coerced us (as the sole tourists) to describe why we were visiting a recent war-zone; naturally we replied that we were mad mental weegies who'd done several tours of duty in The Possil and this was gravy in comparison! Turns out the good ole U S of A is there to clean up the oil spill caused by Israel bombing a local refinery, ironic or what? Perhaps they could have intervened sooner.....maybe we could all learn a thing or three from Lebanese school kids.....

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Comments

[Gwen]

Hi you two Looks as if you guys are having a great time. the blogs are very funny, love the beirut hilton!! Keep them coming! Love Gwen :-)

[deleted_23233]

As seen on TV!
Jules didn't fancy a few shifts in the Starbucks while Dom catches up on the Sunday papers? Good to hear all's well.