Twitter and email messages coming from Haiti are somewhat worrying. Extremely bad weather and violent robberies of people I know. It always gives a strange feeling when those things happen while you are far away enjoying a holiday. Especially this time, because many people in Haiti thought it was me who would be in danger by going to Lebanon for a vacation. Because I must confess that I didn't expect Lebanon to be this calm and relaxed. Since I am not an expert of the Middle East, let alone Lebanon, I can't say whether this atmosphere is 'normal' or whether this is part of the spring time where people are normally better humoured with the rising temperatures and flowers opening up. All I can say is that I, as a solo female traveller, feel extremely comfortable. There hasn't been a single whistle or sound made by a man or any other in appropriate gesture to get my attention to buy something or enter into a conversation.
Today I didn't do much. Or better - today I was a lazy tourist. I have been walking around, sitting, reading, eating, drinking.. At a certain point I ended up at the 'Beirut Souk', which is the opposite of what you expect when you think about the Arab world and a souk. It is a ultra modern shopping mall with exclusively high brand labels. You can find all the shops from Dior, Chanel, to Louis Vuitton and expensive jewelry stores. It is quite massive. On a random Thursday morning like today there are hardly any visitors and I wonder when there will be sufficient visitors to sustain those shops, especially in the light of the global economic and financial crisis and the dwindling tourists to the region. They are about to finish the construction of the last shops but I would be very surprised if all of them keep their doors open in the next 1-3 years. It is clear that this huge 'souk' is based on the hypothesis that there is money to be spent, because this high concentration of stores is quite something.
Yesterday I had a fantastic day. I went with a friend of a friend to the South. Via Sidon, where we visited the Soap Factory, we went to Tyre, which is in the Southern part of Lebanon where the UN troops are located. Listening to the various stories I wonder whether this UN mission will ever come to an end. Being in this part of the country, I realize how complex the situation here is. It feels fragile, while at the same time on a day like yesterday it is 'just another day' where people live their lives and enjoy the start of the spring. We drove through many villages in the South where the Hezbollah is strongly rooted. And again I had to remind mysef where I am, because without someone in the car telling me the history and the presence of Lebanon you have just no idea about the complexities. The scenery is passing from beaches to forsests, from mountains to plains. Beautiful landscapes. At the same time it is puzzling and just impossible for someone like me to understand anything of the life here. Therefore I absorb, I observe, I sense, but dont even try to connect the dots.
Tonight I enjoyed the pleasant temperature at El Hamra, the burstling street of Beirut. Eating a wonderful red lentil soup with tasty bread. Families enjoying their evening out. Young men showing off their cars and old men sitting and talking with each other.
Tomorrow is another day again in this place that is mysterious to me. While I start my night, I hope that things in Haiti stay under control for the rest of the day..
Today I didn't do much. Or better - today I was a lazy tourist. I have been walking around, sitting, reading, eating, drinking.. At a certain point I ended up at the 'Beirut Souk', which is the opposite of what you expect when you think about the Arab world and a souk. It is a ultra modern shopping mall with exclusively high brand labels. You can find all the shops from Dior, Chanel, to Louis Vuitton and expensive jewelry stores. It is quite massive. On a random Thursday morning like today there are hardly any visitors and I wonder when there will be sufficient visitors to sustain those shops, especially in the light of the global economic and financial crisis and the dwindling tourists to the region. They are about to finish the construction of the last shops but I would be very surprised if all of them keep their doors open in the next 1-3 years. It is clear that this huge 'souk' is based on the hypothesis that there is money to be spent, because this high concentration of stores is quite something.
Yesterday I had a fantastic day. I went with a friend of a friend to the South. Via Sidon, where we visited the Soap Factory, we went to Tyre, which is in the Southern part of Lebanon where the UN troops are located. Listening to the various stories I wonder whether this UN mission will ever come to an end. Being in this part of the country, I realize how complex the situation here is. It feels fragile, while at the same time on a day like yesterday it is 'just another day' where people live their lives and enjoy the start of the spring. We drove through many villages in the South where the Hezbollah is strongly rooted. And again I had to remind mysef where I am, because without someone in the car telling me the history and the presence of Lebanon you have just no idea about the complexities. The scenery is passing from beaches to forsests, from mountains to plains. Beautiful landscapes. At the same time it is puzzling and just impossible for someone like me to understand anything of the life here. Therefore I absorb, I observe, I sense, but dont even try to connect the dots.
Tonight I enjoyed the pleasant temperature at El Hamra, the burstling street of Beirut. Eating a wonderful red lentil soup with tasty bread. Families enjoying their evening out. Young men showing off their cars and old men sitting and talking with each other.
Tomorrow is another day again in this place that is mysterious to me. While I start my night, I hope that things in Haiti stay under control for the rest of the day..
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