I have had the pleasure of visiting Lebanon four times. It is a beautiful Country full of mountains and bordered by the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. I was surprised that the land is so green and there are so many rivers. I had always thought of the middle east as being dry and barren.
My first impression of Beirut was a scary one. Coming from the United States, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When we landed at the Beirut International Airport, there was no walkway that led from the plane to the airport. We disembarked right onto the runway. A bus quickly picked us up and drove us to the terminal. My first impression of this place was scary because there were armed soldiers everywhere. This was not something I was used to.
I learned very quickly that it’s not ’’what’’ you know but ’’who’’ you know in Beirut. Instead of waiting in line to go through customs like everyone else, we were swept through the crowd and placed in the front of the line because we had a friend meet us there who was a high ranking official in the Lebanese Army. Once through customs, the difference between my home land and this country was very evident; the people.
We were there to visit family and the whole gang showed up to greet us at the airport. When I say the whole gang, believe me I mean it. There were five cars of people there just to meet us. When we reached the house, we were bombarded with visitors. Well wishers who were just as curious about me being an American as I was about them being Lebanese.
One very important thing to know if you are planning a trip to Lebanon is their customs. They are very religious people. There are some men who are uncomfortable with physically touching women. Even when it comes to handshakes. I learned this the hard way. The best advice I can offer is, when you are introduced to someone, wait to see how they greet you. If they extend their hand to you, then shake it. If they cross their hand over their chest and bow, then you do likewise. Also, ladies, when someone enters the room, man or woman, it is customary in Lebanon to show your respect by rising to greet them. It is considered very rude to remain seated, even for us ladies. It took a few days to get used to these customs but once I did, I was accepted with open arms.
For the six weeks we were there, we were taken to many beautiful sights and some not so beautiful sights. In Beirut, ’’Hamra’’ is the main street. It is lined with small shops where you can buy anything from clothing to flowers. It also has numerous outdoor cafes and world famous Lebanese sweets. Most of the shopping we did at Hamra was window shopping because it was a bit on the expensive side.
We had many outdoor picnics at the beautiful rivers and beaches. Where else can you swim in the sea and look up to see snow covered mountains? There are many museums and historical sights to see. The downtown area is littered with buildings that have holes in them from the many years of war. There is a lot of construction going on, but it will take many years to rebuild what was formerly known as the ’’Paris of the Middle East’’.
Beirut is divided into two sections; East and West. The West side consists mainly of Muslims and the East side is mainly Christians. It is very apparent which side is which. The West side is more conventional and old fashioned, while the East side is very modern and even has casinos. During our stay there, I realized just how much we take for granted when we are home. Running water and electricity for example. In Beirut, your water and electricity are rationed. We had electricity only six hours at a time. One day you would have it for six hours in the morning and the next day you would get it for six hours in the evening. Most Lebanese people have generators to compensate for down times. The same with water. Most people have a tank to use when the water runs out. Of course, if you are staying in a hotel, there are no such limitations.
One of the things I like most about Beirut is the lifestyle and laid back atmosphere. Most offices are only open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. After that, employees go home for a nice meal and a nap. When they awake they go to a place called ’’Manara’’. Manara is a strip of beach that has concrete sidewalks. There are chairs and tables set up with vendors who sell drinks and snacks. Some people bring cards and play well into the night, while others walk or jog. There are also many fast food places to eat across the street from Manara such as KFC, Pizza Hut and even a McDonald’s.
I have had the pleasure of visiting Lebanon four times now and I have enjoyed each time equally. I titled this article A nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there because although the Country itself is beautiful, and the people are wonderfully friendly, I am spoiled and I don’t think I would be happy for long without the comforts of the good ole USA.