The Cedars

Took a trip to the Cedars with Phoebe and Zev and our lovely driver Fouad who can barely speak a word of english, used to be in the army and was once known as "Father of the Skulls".

It was really shitty weather, pretty much rained the whole time that we were out, but it made for a cosy ride in the 4WD and besides, anyone with a name such as our drivers had to be of interest. He's a rather hyperactive man, almost like a 5 year old, but that was really good for us because it meant that he had a lot of energy to be taking out into castles and up and around lots of different small sites around and on the way to the Cedars.

We started the day off at Mussaylha Fort which was built around the 17th Century. Being that it is Winter in Lebanon and most tourist sites are closed, we got the keys to this one and went in on our own. It wasn't as big inside as it looked from the outside, but there were underground bunkers and stunning views from the top. After that, we went and ate a traditional Lebanese breakfast of Kneffe be Jeben which is made from cheese and served in Kaek which is really firm thin bread covered in sesame seeds and then topped with sugar syrup. If you ever get the chance, get your hands on some. You can find it in Australia at Balhas Bakery on Sydney Road in Coburg.

So, being that I'm in the Middle East, I've wanted to get some photos with soliders and or a gun since I got here, but it isn't really the done thing. We asked dear Father if he knew any way that we could get photos and turns out he knew someone in a small village that was on our way. We got there and managed some awkward minutes sitting with these soldiers in a room around a heater. By this stage, we're getting up into the mountains and it's getting pretty cold. He asked them if we could take some photos and they obliged. I have never laughed so much at the ridiculousness of watching my two friends holding an AK-47 for photos and then having to hold one myself and look like I knew what I was doing with it. We got a few photos here and there within the place and with some of the soldiers too and I don't think we could have been happier with the outcome. The slogan for the day and the rest of our trip here has become "Only in Lebanon".

Eventually we got up to the Cedars of Bcharre and it was very cold and wet and most of the kiosks were closed. It was so closed that a store keeper urged us to climb the fence to go in to the park to see the Cedars. They are beautiful tall and some very old (200 years) trees. We didn't last very long in the rain, and we were hungry so we got on down the mountain again to get some food.

I've had an interesting time with going out to eat here. Not much luck in the first few weeks - ate some terrible food, but since then my luck has changed. We went out for Mezze in a town called Batroun and then called it a day. All round success I think.

Piece of Cake for a Riot?

Went out to Beirut today with mum - went shopping and out for lunch was really very nice and at times it was reminiscent of Melbourne, that is except for all the Lebanese people everywhere! ha

So we went down to this cake shop to pick up a cake we'd set aside earlier in the day (being that I love cake and all) and we're waiting for a taxi outside the cake shop in Achrafieh in Beirut and seems I didn't notice that a crowd of men was gathering. By the time I noticed, all hell had broken loose. I'm not sure exactly what the story was and I've heard a few that don't make much sense, but all I could see was about 30 men crowded around an expensive silver mercedes with a female driver and not letting her pass. That didn't go so well, and she tried to drive out through them, at which point they started beating her car and running after her. Meanwhile a little to the left a fight breaks out amongst a group of some of the men and there are police sirens, but not police cars, there are soldiers standing around but they are heavily out numbered by the men causing trouble, therefore they are doing nothing to help the situation but staring at the sky thinking about god knows what. Who knows what happened after that and whether it got worse or better. Thankfully for Mum and I our taxi came and we got out of the mess as quickly as possible.

It was an interesting situation to be in. Really rather scary because you have no idea what is going on, and also because there were so many people involved, and unlike in Australia it had nothing to do with late night drinking. It was at 6pm in the evening in a crowded area right near a shopping mall that was filled with families and children. Just goes to show how quickly things can turn and the differences in culture...to see who would band together with who. The woman in the car got out at one point which was a stupid thing to do, considering she was surrounded by men who were attacking her anyway - but she managed to get back in and try and drive off...(which could have been comical from an outsiders point of view, because the traffic in Lebanon is so bad, that you can only really "drive off" for 5 meters...) had she not gotten through that traffic, this may have been a different story entirely.

I'm just glad my cake got out okay.