Blogs from Lebanon, Middle East - page 12

So David and I went to the south of Lebanon this weekend, with Fouad and our Lebanese friend Ali. We required permits to go into this part of Lebanon because it is the area that borders Israel. Israel and Lebanon have had a turbulent history from the day Israel was created, which I'm sure you can google if you wish to know more. Israeli forces have occupied parts of Lebanon since 1978, only withdrawing fully in 2000 due to Hezbollah's resistance. I say fully, but actually there is a small part of South Lebanon, including a village, that is still occupied, as it has been since Israel invaded the Golan Heights (Syrian) in 1967. This continued occupation of Lebanese territory, and the persistent threat along the border, is why Hezbollah still exists, and why the UN ... read more

YUMMMM!!!!! This is one of my favorite casual lebanese restaurants in Beirut. This particular place attracts crowds of all ages, and is known for its tasty food, friendly ambiance and not-so-expensive lebanese food! I have rarely passed by this place, at any time or any season and seen it not busy! Actually, a lot of times, they ask you to wait around for them to find you a table to seat you...but its definitely worth it :) The restaurant is designed like an old lebanese house..they have wooden panels in the walls, old photographs on the walls, rustique ceramic tiles on the ground..even the bathrooms are nice to check out!! All in all, this place has it all! Delicious inexpensive lebanese food, friendly waiters and good shisha :) Favorite dish? Ooohh! That's a hard question..but make ... read more

Beirut Well, where to start? We arrived in Beirut on Sunday night, dropped our bags off at Fouad's flat and immediately went out to a bar and had a lock in with his friends and the bar owners. In fact we've done that several times this week at a couple of other bars too, Fouad seems to know everyone! Or rather, everyone seems to know everyone. But it's been really fun and Lebanese people are all very friendly and chatty and want to know where we're from and what we are doing here and have we been to this place or that place oh and by the way have you met so-and-so come on I'll introduce you... We spent a couple of days dotting around Lebanon in a hired car (Fouad drove, I'm really not up ... read more

Beirut is a city of contrasts and one undergoing rapid change. On the one hand you have tall, modern apartment buildings, ubiquitous with any city in the west, on the streets below numerous sleek designer stores compete for your Lebanese Lira. On the other hand though you have the bombed out and bullet riddled remains of a civil war era concrete shell, an armed military presence on most corners in the city and check points on the country's roads. Beirut is not a great city for tourists in my opinion, not too much to do and keep you occupied apart from walk around and soak up the atmosphere. I'm sure it is a fantastic place to live in though as the night life is meant to be fantastic, given my poor travelling status I was reduced ... read more

So next stop Lebanon. Having spent a wonderful few days relaxing in Damascus, it was time to pack up all of our belongings in the world into our very little bags again to get back on the long and winding road. This time we went for a little luxury (as I was getting bored of slumming it all the time - yes all it is Dee speaking this time around) and we got a service taxi to bring us over the border from Damascus all the way to Beirut. Although Lebanon and Syria are two separate countries, the capitals are actually closer than you think with the whole journey taking us about 3 hours in total and the taxi costing just a little bit more than a much longer bus journey. So all in all, I ... read more