Lebanon: Playground of the Middle East

In terms of historical sights, Lebanon has surprisingly little remaining of its historical past, and the stuff that does remain pales in comparison to what's in nearby Syria, Israel, and Turkey, but there is still plenty to see, as well as Lebanon's more open atmosphere and beautiful location to make it a worthwhile visit.

Beirut is the capital and the heart of Lebanon. You don't come to Beirut for historical sights, but rather, you come to enoy the world-class shopping and cuisine, hot nightclubs, and gorgeous beaches. It also has the best hotels, and most of Lebanon is accessible from there.

Baalbek is Lebanon's greatest historical sight, a set of towering Roman temples that will impress the most casual visitor.

Sidon is a quieter town to the south with a large Phoenician temple and the famous sea castle, as well as some of the best seafood around.

Other things for the outdoor types include skiing at Faraya or partaking in a SCUBA excursion.

Quick Tips:

Beirut has the best hotel selection, and if you are going to stay in Lebanon for a while, it is best to stay there and make day trips from Beirut. With a few exceptions, like Villa Nadia in Tripoli, the hotel selection outside of Beirut is not spectacular.

Lebanon is not a large country, and a week would be plenty to leave you satisfied, but it is a long way to come for just a week. Combine a trip to Lebanon with a trip to Syria to get the best of it all. That way, you can have the fun of Lebanon combined with the history, culture, and impressive sights of Syria.

Best Way To Get Around:

Taxis in Beirut are a nightmare, and it doesn't get much better outside the country. The public transportation system is a mess because most people own cars. Arranging private rides costs a bundle and is only for those with money to spend. The best option is to rent a car. You can get cars from respectable companies like Avis for just /day. It will give you the most freedom and is time and cost-effective. You just have to keep your wits while on the road. Driving in Lebanon is a free-for-all.

Located just about 4km to the south of Tripoli and set among a set of olive trees, Chateau des Oliviers is more than just a hotel, it is an experience and its owner, the decidedly rotund Nadia, is the main act. The "Chateau," designed and decorated by Nadia herself about 30 years ago, is a large house decorated with some of the most eccentric pieces possible. Suits of armor, Mameluke-style chimneys, and paintings of naked women smoking water pipes are just a few of the things that adorn her walls. As you walk around, although the place does have a certain charm to it, looking at the pieces on display, you may be surprised when Nadia tells you that she was once a designer of haute-couture dresses in Paris before retiring to return to Lebanon to build a house for her and her two sons. When the sons left the house, one to Chile and the other across the street, Nadia decided to open her doors to guests and soon gained a reputation for having one of the most atmospheric places to stay in all of Lebanon.

Upon arrival, you may be forgiven for thinking that the villa has been completely shut down. The vines and grass are overgrown and an abandoned old car sits in the driveway. Nadia will tell you that she refuses to leave the house anymore, and thus has no use for the car. I, though, stood at the door for a good 10 minutes ringing the bell and was just about to give up when a plump, old woman appeared at the door. She said that she was in the garden and that she couldn’t hear the bell. I could immediately tell that this was going to be an interesting experience. Looking around the place, it seemed that nobody had stayed here in a good 10 years, but Nadia insisted that she had two guests just the day before. Granted it was winter, but the fact that Nadia couldn’t even remember where she put the keys (they were under the couch) left me with a few doubts about just how many people had passed though here recently. The advantage of all this, though, was that the rooms were seriously discounted, $75 for a double. All of the rooms are nicely furnished, with hot water and heat and balconies that overlook the garden.

After settling in, I soon found myself in a chair next to Nadia watching Mexican soap operas as she regaled me with tales of years past. In 1983, at the height of the Civil War, Yasser Arafat had made Tripoli his base and Villa Nadia became the base for foreign reporters, such as Jim Clancy from CNN. According to Nadia, she would have 30 or so reporters at one time, all sleeping on couches, and she was mother to them all.

Those days are gone now, and the only thing she worries about are the Syrian soldiers next door… "They’ll eat all my food!"

Byblos (Jbail) is another one of Lebanon’s costal cities that is booming with history but has surprisingly little to show for it all. That doesn’t mean, though, that the Lebanese government and tourist board haven’t put all their efforts into developing the site and turning it into the most tourist-aimed place in all of Lebanon. Having been another major coastal city for the Phoenicians, Byblos subsequently fell into the hands of the Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamelukes, and Ottomans. Today a large portion of the city has been excavated, and remains from the long history of Byblos have been found, restored, and put on display for all the tourists to see. Although the government, in its effort to preserve the old city of Byblos, has made it all seem a little too artificial, it is still hard not to get lost in its beauty and appreciate its charm. Also, it is probably the most archeologically interesting site after Baalbek in all of Lebanon.

Byblos is still a modern town, and the modern town has built up around the old, but once you enter into the old city area, all memories of the rush of modern Lebanon disappear. The old city consists of a few suspiciously well-preserved streets that run along the harbor. All along the streets of the old city lie numerous tourist shops that sell all the things you don’t need, but will probably buy anyway. In addition to the shops, there are a few snack stands where you can get shawerma, or falafel, if you are hungry. If you are there around lunch or dinner time, though, it is best to head over to the harbor area and sample some of the magnificent seafood at the Byblos Fishing Club or any of the other great restaurants along the harbor.

The main attraction of byblos is, of course, the archeological site. The entrance to the site is a small Crusader castle with an impressive bridge that leads up to the door. The castle itself is not too spectacular, but from the top you can get great views over the vast expanse of the archeological site and the old town. Coming down from the castle, you then enter into the main area of the site. In true Lebanese fashion, there is a path set up to guide you around the site, complete with signs at all the major ruins explaining to you just exactly what that pile of rocks used to be. Among the most impressive of the ruins scattered around the site, the most impressive is the Obelisk Temple, dating from the 2nd-millennium-BC and containing within it a few small obelisks. Also impressive are the Achemenid Persian Palace and the 3rd-millennium-BC "great residence." My favorite, though, is the Roman theater that, although it only has about six or seven tiers, has a very beautifully carved stage. Beyond those there are numerous other piles of rubble that are only decipherable with the help of the signs.

The Jeita Grotto is a little piece of Disneyland inside Lebanon. A series of spectacular gaves that cut deep into the mountains north of Beirut, Lebanon, has put all its effort into turning this natural wonder into the sort of tourist haven you imagine you would have found back on old Route 66. Still, besides all the cheese and pomp pumped into the site, it is well worth a visit because the caves truly are fantastic.

Just a 30-minute drive from Beirut, the Jeita Grotto is easily accessible as the start of a longer day trip to the north. You must keep in mind, though, that the site gets absolutely packed with tourists in the summer months, and your best bet is to show up just at opening (around 9am) to ensure that you have the cave almost to yourself. The area where you park isn’t the real entrance to the caves, but instead you have to walk past a few souvenir shops and cafés before you arrive at the ticket booth just below yet another téléphérique (gondola). The guides insist that you take the gondola up to the top, which is just ridiculous since it is probably a 500-meter walk, but that is the way it works. Upon arrival at the top, after your "magical" ride on the gondola, you will be ushered past a few more souvenir shops before entering into the actual cave area.

The initial entrance to the cave, where you must check all cameras, is a long concrete tunnel with sliding glass doors that looks like it is more the entrance to some secret military bunker than a cave. Once you pass through the concrete entrance, however, and land on the floor of the cave, all that doubt and sarcasm from before disappears. The cave really is gigantic, full of enormous stalactites and stalagmites. Not surprisingly, the path is set for you along a concrete floor, but looking up at the ceiling of the cave, it is easy to lose yourself in its wonders. The developers of the Jeita Grotto exerted enormous effort in lighting the cave in an impressive series of yellows, pinks, and blues that accentuate the curves and crevices of the cave. Pushing along through the 800m of the cave, it is funny to think that during the Civil War this was used by the Christian militias as a store for munitions. Once you have had your fill of the cave, you exit and then descend down to the lower cave.

The lower cave is smaller but equally impressive simply due to the fact that it has a river flowing through it. The Grotto has conveniently set up small motorboats with drivers who will take you a few hundred meters up the river so that you can get a good look at the size of the cave. Sure, it is a bit cheesy, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun.

Just north of Beirut in the happening suburb of Jouneih, home to thumping nightclubs and the Casino of Lebanon, lies Harissa, a towering hill that overlooks the whole bay of Jounieh and Beirut. And on top of this hill, keeping watch over Lebanon, stands a large statue of the Virgin Mary entitled Our Lady of Harissa. While the statue and sanctuary around it are lovely places, the real reason to come to Harissa is for some of the best views in Lebanon and for the cheesy ride up to the top.

In truth, you can drive up to the top of Harissa, but that really isn’t any fun at all; to do it the Lebanese way, you have to take the gondola (or téléphérique) up to the top and then ride the funicular the rest of the way. The gondola, obviously more than a few years old, is a bit of rickety structure that consists of small four-person carriages decorated with Almaza Beer signs that whisk you up to the top of Harissa, passing dangerously close to some of the apartment complexes on the way. The first part of the ride isn’t too spectacular, but once you get free of the seemingly endless development and into the last 100 meters, the views are spectacular.

Upon descending from the gondola, you then have to hop on an even more rickety funicular that jerks its way up to the top of Harissa. Once at the top, you then make your way into the sanctuary where you will find the towering statue of the Virgin Mary. The statue has a small chapel in the bottom and then stairs that wind their way to the top. If you want to climb up, you must keep in mind that these stairs aren’t meant for sightseeing, but rather for pilgrims. If the people slowly walking up to the top while reciting the "Hail Mary" aren’t signs enough, then there are actual signs (written in Arabic only) that remind you to respect the silence. You do not have to climb to the top though to get the great views. At the edge of the sanctuary, just past some cedars, you will find a lookout that will provide you with fantastic views of the sea below.

In addition to the statue, there is a large glass cathedral and a beautiful basilica that you can stop in. Still, though, you must keep in mind that this is one of the most religious sights in Lebanon and that it should be respected.

The Temples of Baalbek are the pride of Lebanon and are Lebanon’s most impressive, and noteworthy historical sights. In general, the sad story of Lebanon is that all of its historical sights pale in comparison to similar ones that can be found in nearby Turkey, Syria, or Jordan, but Baalbek is the one sight that Lebanon can claim as a unique and unlike anything else in the world.

Ture, the complex of Baalbek, consists of numerous Roman temples and monuments (nothing unique in that), but what makes the sight outstanding is not only the scale of the temples but their level of preservation. They, above all other Roman era temples, give you an absolute picture of how grand these temples, and the Romans who built them, actually were. Any visitor to Baalbek will stand in awe of the sheer size of the stones used to build these massive structures and will appreciate just how extraordinary they really are.

The area of Baalbek actually consists of a few different sights. The main one, and the only one you have to pay for, contains the Temple of Jupiter and the Temple of Bacchus. The temple of Jupiter is the larger and more singularly impressive of the two merely for its size. Even though it exists in a fairly ruined state today, it is easy to imagine just how grand the structure really was as you enter through the majestic propylon and the oddly octagonal-shaped antechamber. Once through to the main complex of the Temple of Jupiter, you will immediately be stuck by the shear size of the columns. They are some of the largest columns I have ever seen, only losing pout perhaps to the columns at the temple of Karnak in Luxor.
Continuing down from the Temple of Jupiter, you arrive at the smaller but much better preserved of the two temples, the Temple of Bacchus. Although it is smaller, the temple of Bacchus is perhaps more impressive because of its state of preservation. It takes very little imagination when looking up at the immaculately carved lintel or roof to picture just what this temple may have looked like almost 2,000 years ago. Entering into the inner chamber of the temple, the first thing you will see are signs that show you that this temple was a tourist attraction long before you ever arrived, because along the walls are engraved numerous names of travelers who passed this way in 1860 or earlier. On the western side, a plaque commemorating the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm further proves that people have been visiting this fantastic sight long before you.

Besides the temples, the main complex also contains a fantastic museum and the, now locked, Temple of Venus. For a bit of a change of pace, though, you must not forget to visit the old Roman quarry where you can see "the pregnant lady," a large stone that was carved but never moved. And I’ll leave it to you to figure out how they could have moved it…

Bcharré is easily the most beautiful town in all of Lebanon, and that is saying a lot. Set high up in the Lebanon mountains, the town is cool and green in summer and covered serenely in snow during winter. This Maronite town, sandwiched between the slopes of the mountain towering above and the cliffs of the Qadisha Valley below, provides some of the most dramatic views in the whole country and is the perfect place to stop on the way from Tripoli to Baalbek, except in the winter, when the road over the mountain is covered by 2m of snow.

Bcharré is most famously known as the birthplace of Gibran Khalil Gibran, the author, poet, and painter who penned such masterpieces as The Prophet. Although the author left the town at an early age, he returned later to build a house for himself to retire in. After his death, this house was turned into the Khalil Gibran Museum, a beautifully set up museum dedicated to the author. If you know nothing about Gibran, the museum will certainly peak your interest, and if you have read a few of his works, the museum will surprise you with the number of fabulous paintings on display. Most people know Gibran only for his writing, but he was actually quite the painter, admired by such people as Rodin, and the museum in Bcharré is the best place to see his work showcased. On a slightly more macabre note, you can also see the author’s tomb in the basement of the museum.

While the Gibran Museum is the best sight inside the town itself, there are still a few things outside of town worth a look, and one of these is the Cedar Reserve located a few kilometers up the mountain. The famous Cedars of Lebanon, once so plentiful, are now in serious danger and only exist in a few reserves around the country. The one near Bcharré is one of the most accessible and hosts a few hundred of the impressive trees. Just north of the Cedar Reserve also lies the Cedars Ski Area, the oldest ski area in Lebanon and the one with the most challenging terrain. It is not quite as developed as other areas in Lebanon, but it will be thrill enough for ski buffs.

If you come to Bcharré in any season but winter, you absolutely must have to take the road over the mountains towards Baalbeck. The road climbs the mountain at almost 3,000m and then winds its way down into the Bekaa Velley, providing you with absolutely stunning views.

Sidon (Saida) was once one of the great Phoenician cities, a port from which the Phoenicians set out exploring the vast Mediterranean Sea. Today, however, the only remnant of that era is a temple outside of town that was expanded by the Romans and eventually turned into a church. Sidon did become an important name in history again, though, when the Crusaders rolled into town in 1110 and built their famous "Sea Castle" out on an island in the harbor. The Sea Castle, coupled with the Phoenician temple, makes up the most important sight in Sidon itself, but when you throw in Sidon’s small section of winding souks and the chance for some fresh seafood, a trip to Sidon is well worth your time.

The Sea Castle is obviously the most major of the sights in Sidon, and for good reason. Its dramatic location out on an island in the harbor with a narrow manmade bridge connecting it to land makes it completely different from any other Crusader-era castle in the region. The castle itself is fairly ruined, but it is still fun to climb around, and when you take into the fact that it was built on the sight of an old Phoenician temple, it makes for an impressive sight. Standing atop the fortifications, breathing in the sea air, and staring back across the harbor to Sidon, you are easily transported back to Crusader days. From the Sea Castle, you can look down at a large old Ottoman Khan built on a small manmade peninsula in the harbor. This khan is the sight of the best restaurant in Sidon, the Rest House. Don’t be fooled by the name, the Rest House is extremely classy and serves up some of the best seafood in Lebanon. As you walk in, you will see large display of freshly caught fish on ice that you can have fried or grilled (it will be served whole of course), and when accompanied with some Lebanese meze (hummous, tabouleh, baba ghanoush, etc) and a bottle of Almaza Beer, it is as good a lunch as you’ll get anywhere.

Just outside of Sidon lies the Temple of Eshmoun, a Phoenician temple that is remarkable merely for the fact that it is more than just a bunch of crumbled columns. Admittedly, the Persians, Romans, and Byzantines all added their own touches throughout the years, but much of the original Phoenician structure survives. As you enter, there are ruins of an old Byzantine church on your right that have some mosaics, but the main attraction really is the temple complex built into the side of a cliff, inside of which is a beautiful throne with griffins carved on the sides. Climbing atop the temple, I came upon the cutest group of local kids who were playing "school." "And what are the numbers in French?" asked the "teacher" to which they all replied, "un, deux, trios…" Watching them, I completely forgot about the temple.

Set dramatically in the Druze heartland of the Chouf Mountains, Beit ed-Dine is a beautiful 18th-century palace constructed by the rebel ruler Emir Bashir Shihab II. It is now a large monument to Druze culture and one of the singularly most impressive historical monuments in Lebanon, a must-see for all visitors to Lebanon.

The palace, while not as impressive as other palaces throughout the region, is unique in that is was established by such an eccentric character as Emir Bashir, a ruthless man who backstabbed about everyone he met until the Ottomans deemed him too much of a threat and exiled him. Beit ed-Dine is a palace as eccentric as its builder and took over 30 years to be fully completed. It consists of a large outer courtyard surrounded by an arcade full of rooms that now host a Rashid Karami Archeological and Ethnographic Museum. The museum consists of numerous dioramas showcasing traditional Druze dress, Roman and Canaanite pottery, as well as weapons and various artifacts from the late Ottoman period. Perhaps the most interesting are the numerous old photographs of local Druze.

From this outer courtyard, you then enter the main part of the palace, which is divided into two floors. The bottom floor, which was one the stables and barracks hosts a mosaics museum that displays some extremely impressive (and large) mosaics, most of which came from the 5th-century Byzantine church at Jiyyeh.

It is the top floor, though, that contains the most impressive parts of the palace. This is the area of the palace where the Emir lived and would meet with various visitors who were seeking council. In the middle lies a large courtyard with a fountain. The courtyard is then surrounded by numerous meeting rooms, all which are kept locked. You have to find the curator, who will open them up for you. Each of the rooms is elaborately decorated with wood and stained glass. Proceeding out of the courtyard, you eventually stumble upon the baths of the palace, an intricate network of hot, cold, and warm rooms. Next to the baths you can find the tombs of Emir Bashir and his wife, although they are kept locked.

If you return to the courtyard, you can climb up a small set of steps onto a patio that provides you with great views of the Chouf Mountains and the valley below filled with various species of pine. This is perhaps the nicest sight in the whole palace.

Tripoli is the historic main city of Lebanon, the city that, until the French period, was the main port of Lebanon and one of the largest in Greater Syria. That all changed, though, during the French Mandate. The French, wanting to establish a majority Christian state, overlooked Tripoli for Beirut as a candidate for the new capitol because of its majority Sunni Muslim population. Today, though, Tripoli maintains much of its spirit and is the most historically interesting city in Lebanon. With old souks, mosques, a Crusader castle, and a friendly atmosphere, Tripoli is perhaps my favorite city in Lebanon.

Because of its position far to the north and because of its majority Muslim population, Tripoli thankfully escaped most of the ravages of the Civil War. Today, it is divided into the medieval town and the modern town, two towns with completely different atmospheres. The modern town (al-Mina), located out on a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean, is a city in the vein of Beirut. It has towering office buildings and apartment complexes, chic restaurants and shops, and a much more modern flare. While there isn’t much in the way of history to see here, al-Mina is worth a visit for its restaurants and because of its lovely Corniche. The Corniche, though not as large as Beirut’s, is equally as interesting and the perfect place for an evening stroll on summer evenings, when local families come out to do the same.

The Medieval city, dating from back to the Crusader era, when the city was a Crusader stronghold, is the far more interesting sight in Tripoli. The city itself is not as large as ones you will find in Aleppo or Damascus, but it is still an impressive sight. Its compactness makes it a little less intimidating than other old cities in the area and makes it so you can see all the sights in a day. There is no real way in which one should approach the old city, and the best thing to do is just wander - eventually you will stumble upon all the things you want to see. The city contains a number of mosques, the most impressive being the Great Mosque, as well as numerous khans, churches, and baths. One khan worth seeking out is khan es-Saboun (the Soap Khan) where you can see traditional soap-making practices and pick up any one of over 100 scented soaps for people back home (the mint and jasmine are my favorites).

Hovering above the old city is the Citadel of Saint Gilles, a Crusader castle named after Raymond Saint Gilles, the Crusader ruler of Tripoli. While the castle itself is not as impressive as those found in Syria, it still is worth a visit and its position above the city makes for great views.

Other than that, there is not much more to do than walk and perhaps stop at the Hallab Bros. sweet shop for the best sweets in the Arab world.

Beirut is the thumping heart of Middle Eastern nightlife, and BO18 is the center of this chaotic scene. Located in a makeshift bunker in the middle of an abandoned parking lot 2m north of central Beirut, BO18 has come to symbolize everything Beirutis want their city to be. Any Beiruti will brag to you about how BO18 is the equivalent of any club in New York, London, or Berlin, both in terms of style and hedonism. A trip to BO18 is a must for any young and wild visitor who wants to experience Beirut lifestyle to the fullest.

The club itself, although it opens at 9pm, doesn’t even get started until about 1am, and if you show up at 1am, don’t be surprised if you are the only one there. Beirut’s most fashionable won’t even show up until 2am, and the club will only hit full swing around 3am. Thus, if you are going to include BO18 in your late-night plans, it is best to start your evening elsewhere. A typical Beirut night out will start with a fancy late dinner (i.e. 10pm) at any number of elegant restaurants in Achrafiye. From there, many Beiruits will flock to the BCD and Place d’Étoile for a few beers, arak, and argileh at any number of the outdoor cafés where they can see and be seen.

Arriving at the club at about 2am, you are sure to find a line outside of the tunnel leading into the club. Whether or not you pay a cover charge depends on a few things: 1) How you are dressed (the fancier, the better), 2) How foreign you look (foreigners often get in easier), and 3) how many women you have with you (this is the most important. Often single men will not be let in, so unless you have a lady on your arm, be prepared to wait and to pay).

Once inside, the club is not terribly large, but it is designed much in the style you would have imagined Hitler’s bunker to look like, completely dark and with no real dance floor. Instead of a dance floor, what you actually have is a bunch of benches that fold down and turn into tables for dancing. Nobody dances on the floor, all dancing is done atop of these benches.

As the night goes on, the techno music pumps louder, and you will be forgiven for thinking that you really are in London and not Beirut. With the amount of alcohol flowing, the short skirts, and the wild dancing, it isn’t exactly what most people imagine Lebanon to be.

The climax of the whole evening comes when the sun starts to rise. As the sun rises, the roof of the bunker opens, letting in the golden rays of sunshine and illuminating the whole crowd of dancers. The experience is quite surreal and has to be experienced to believed. If you are planning on a night at BO18, don’t plan anything early the next day. You won’t make it.

There is no other way of saying it—Beirut has the most irritating, frustrating, and annoying taxi system of any other city in the world that I have visited, and that includes Cairo. Nowhere else have I seen a taxi system so unfriendly to tourists and so complicated that even locals are constantly frustrated by its inefficiency. That is why I have created this entry: to warn you of the absolute ridiculousness of the system and to give you the benefit of my Beirut knowledge so that you may come armed, and I do mean armed, since I actually have had a Beirut cabbie get violent with me.

On the surface, the system seems rather straightforward. When taking a taxi in Beirut, you have two options: service and taxi.

Service Taxis work like service taxis in other parts of the world. You flag down a taxi, tell him where you are going, and ask if he will take you there bi-servees (in Arabic). If he agrees, then you pay him 1,000 LL ($0.75), and he has the right to pick up other passengers going in the relative same direction as you.

Regular Taxis work like normal taxis. You pay for the whole car, and the driver takes you to the destination directly.

Simple, right? So you would think. There are about a hundred other factors that come into play here that make Beirut taxis veritable nightmares. We’ll start with the regular taxis. If you are in a hurry or are traveling with four or five people, you will want to take a regular taxi. You will have no problem finding a taxi to take you where you want to go, but the problem comes in when it is time to pay. Taxis in Beirut have no meters; thus, you are expected to know what the appropriate fare is, and if you pay too little, you will find out very quickly from the cabbie, who may fly into a violent rage—as has happened to me—and physically try to take money from you. The starting fare for a taxi is 5,000 LL. This will get you most places in the city, provided there is no traffic, but if there is traffic (as there almost always is), then you have to throw in a couple thousand more. But wait—it gets more complicated. The price you pay also depends on the state of your cab. The majority of cabs in Beirut are busted old Mercedes, but there are also nicer cabs. If you flag down one of these nicer cabs, usually a newer American car or Mercedes, then you had better be prepared to pay for it. If you hand them 5,000 LL, you will immediately be met with a whole slew of excuses as to why they need more cash: "But this isn’t an old car; this is new and comfortable!" is the plea you will invariably hear. For this reason, I stick only to the busted old Mercedes. Also, you have to be aware that, unless you speak perfect Lebanese Arabic, cabbies will recognize you as foreign, and when that happens, exploitation is just around the corner. They may try to tell you "10,000" for a five-block trip. If this is the case, you just have to throw the amount you think is right at them and walk away.

Because of all the problems surrounding taking regular taxis, I suggest that you take service taxis. They aren’t that much slower, and they are much easier. This still doesn’t mean that they are hassle-free, though. The way to do service taxis is to stand on the side of the road and wave down a taxi. When they pull up, you shout your destination and "bi-servees" at the driver. If he agrees, you get in and pay him 1,000 LL. Sometimes, though, if there is a lot of traffic or if it is late at night, the driver may ask you serveesayn?, meaning that he wants you to pay for two seats, or 2,000 LL. You can either chose to do this or wave the taxi away. The one good thing about Beirut is that there are so many taxis that you rarely have to wait too long, and you can almost always find someone to take you bi-servees.

That is not the end of it, though. Some cabbies still might try and pull out a few more tricks. For example, I once hailed a taxi, and he agreed to take me as a service taxi to the museum. When we arrived, I handed him the service fare, and he immediately started yelling. He said that since he didn’t pick up anyone else along the way, I had to pay the full fare. I told him that was ridiculous and that it isn’t my fault that he didn’t pick anyone else up, at which point I started getting out of the car. He then tried to pull me back into the car, but I shrugged him off. As I walked away, he got out of the car and started shouting all sorts of stuff about my mother.

Admittedly, that violent aggression only happened once, and I think it is rather rare, but that doesn’t mean that you still might not have other things to contend with, like the time I got a cabbie who didn’t know where he was going. I was going to the Charles Helou bus station, a huge landmark in Beirut that everyone knows—everyone except this cabbie, that is. Thus, I ended up having to give him directions. While giving him directions, I asked him where he was from. He replied "Tyre" (in the south). I then asked him how long he had been in Beirut. "Three days," he replied. The cabbie was actually very nice, and I didn’t mind at all, but if I had been any other tourist who didn’t speak Arabic or know his way around, I could see how it could be quite frustrating.

It is sad that the Beirut cab system is so horrid, because it really reflects so poorly on the city. Apart from the cabbies, the Beirutis are great people and extremely helpful to foreigners. In fact, I have seen cases of Beirutis sticking up for foreigners in cabs, making sure they don’t get ripped off. If you are in Beirut, though, taking a cab is unavoidable, and all I can really recommend is that you bring your patience and a sense of humor; otherwise, one bad cab experience could ruin your whole trip.

And since I don't have any pics of Beiruti cabs, just enjoy some more pics of Lebanon.

“Skiing? In the Middle East? But isn’t it all desert?”

That is usually the response I get when I tell people about my ski weekend in Lebanon. Yes, Lebanon is in the Middle East, but the fact is that it is a mountainous country that boasts a couple of world-class ski areas that will entertain even the most experienced skiers. Faraya is the gem of the burgeoning Lebanese ski area, with the most lifts and best terrain. While not the equivalent of most areas you will find in the US or Europe, Faraya still has a unique feel that will impress even the most hardened skier.

Faraya is just a 1-hour drive from Beirut, making it a perfectly reasonable day trip if you have a car, and it is its location that makes it so spectacular. In late January in Beirut it is perfectly possible to be walking on the coast of the Mediterranean in a T-shirt, but just 1 hour and almost 3,000 meters later, you are on a snow-covered peak that looks like it belongs more in Switzerland than Lebanon.

If you are like me, you most likely didn’t come to Lebanon with the specific idea of going for a ski and thus did not bring your own equipment. This is nothing to worry about, however, because the Lebanese realize that most people don’t come to Lebanon to ski and therefore they make the rental of all necessary ski equipment not only possible but extremely easy. Along the road to Faraya you will come across numerous ski shops where you can not only rent skis, boots, and poles, but snow pants, jackets, helmets, goggles, hats, and gloves as well. Surprisingly, the quality of the equipment is quite good. Unsurprisingly, the shops farthest from the mountain may offer the best prices, but you may end up on 5- to 6-year-old skis. My suggestion is that you just rent from the rental shop at the base lodge of Faraya Mountain. It may be the most expensive place around, but their equipment and selection is the best, plus it is the most convenient. Even though their prices may be the highest, they are nothing compared with what you will find in the US or Europe. You can rent a whole ski outfit (skis, boots, poles, gloves, pants, jacket, and goggles) for just $20/day.

Once you have obtained all your equipment, an access pass to the four peaks of Faraya will cost you another $20, still making it cheaper than a day out at most resorts in the US or Europe. The mountain itself is one unlike any others I have skied before. Although the mountain itself is almost 3,000 meters tall, snow only falls on the top 800 meters, meaning that the actual vertical ski terrain is not comparable to the US, but what it lacks in height, it makes up for in area with 12 full lifts. There are also no trees on top of the mountain and no real marked runs, which means that you are free to ski where you want, and if you are an advanced skier like I am, you may find yourself doing a bit of hiking off trail to get to the real steep and challenging runs. The snow is not the sort of powder that you will find in Utah or Colorado, rather it is more similar to the kind of finely packed snow you will find in the mountains of Vermont, making the skiing in Lebanon perfect for lovers of technical skiing.

It is obvious that the mountain is more tailored to beginners, and beginners or intermediate skiers will find the mountains highly entertaining, but for the advanced skier, there may be some effort involved. Still, though, I consider myself a very advanced skier and I was able to find things that challenged me a bit, I just had to search for them. Because this is Lebanon, the skiing is not nearly as regulated as in the US or Europe - you are basically free to do what you want. Thus, I found some of the best trails on the mountain just by taking a brief hike to various precipices scattered on the mountain that would satisfy my lust for verticality and speed.

While the skiing itself overall is not on par with anything I have skied in Europe or the US, there is one thing that will make Faraya stand out over all other mountains in my mind and that is the views. From the top of how many other mountains in the world can you stare down at the Mediterranean Sea? The fact that you can stand there in the biting wind on the highest peak of Faraya, hiding from the cold in your winter jacket and peer down at the Beirut Peninsula jutting out majestically into the Mediterranean, makes Faraya a ski experience unlike any other and a must for a ski bums who happen to pass through Lebanon. Plus, you get to go home and tell all your friends at home how you went skiing in Lebanon and dispel all their beliefs about the Middle East being a barren desert.

Beirut is more than just a historical site; it is an experience, a city like any other on earth. For most of history, Beirut was just a small fishing village on the Lebanese coast, overshadowed by more important ports to the north and the south, but during the French mandate period, Beirut became the symbol of an independent Lebanon. With independence in 1946, Beirut flourished and symbolized the hopes and aspirations of the Lebanese people. With a world-class casino, a fashionable downtown, and sunny beaches, Beirut was a world-class city until the civil war that broke out in 1975 left the once named "Paris of the Middle East" in rubble. Nowadays, sadly the word "Beirut" only conjures up images of ruined buildings, bombings, kidnapping, massacres, and war. However, with 14 years having past since the last bullet was fired, the face of Beirut has changed. With the war behind them, the Lebanese have worked hard to return Beirut to its former glory, and it is well on its way. The downtown area, which was completely leveled during the war, has been completely rebuilt. All over the city, buildings full of mortar and bullet holes are being replaced with five-star hotels and world-class restaurants. Today, Beirut is thriving, cosmopolitan, and fashionable. Its fans see it as a bastion of modernism and culture in the stifling atmosphere of the Middle East; its critics see it as a fake, a facade covering deeper social problems. Love it or hate, Beirut is something that has to be experienced.

Modern Beirut is divided into three main parts, West Beirut, East Beirut, and downtown.

West Beirut was the traditional Muslim side of town during the civil war and the site of some of the more infamous events of the war, such as the Holiday Inn bombing. Although numerous remnants of the war remain, such as the ruined skeleton of the Holiday Inn, West Beirut has reestablished itself as home to great shopping, the beautiful Corniche, and most famously, the American University of Beirut. The heart of West Beirut lies on Hamra Street, where you will find the majority of hotels, as well as a large number of classy shops and cafés. If you head down the hill to the north from Hamra Street, you will end up on the Beirut Corniche, a large walkway that extends along the whole north side of West Beirut. One of the best times to head down to the Corniche is in the morning; when the sun is low, the Corniche is full of exercising Beirutis, and the Mediterranean looks magical. Summer nights along the Cornihce, though, are a typically Lebanese experience. In the summer, Beirutis from all over town flock to the Corniche for evening strolls. Street vendors selling ears of corn and loving couples vie for space as trendy young men eagerly drive by in their brand-new Mercedes. All along the edge of the water you’ll find makeshift argileh cafés, where you can sit and smoke a water pipe while looking out over the sea for just over $1.

Rouché, located on the western end of West Beirut is the home of the most spectacular sight in Beirut, the Pigeon Rocks. The Pigeon Rocks are a set of large rocks protruding out of the sea below the cliffs of Rouché. Any visit to Beirut requires that you spend at least one evening at any of the numerous cafés here watching the sun slowly sink into the horizon of the sea. When accompanied with an argileh, Almaza beer, or some Kefraya wine, it is a magical sight. Then, after watching the sunset, the swank shopping area of Verdun is just a short walk away in case you are in the mood for high fashion.

Downtown (or Beirut Central Distict) symbolizes the desire of the people of Beirut to recapture the glory of their city. Located on the edge of the Green Line, the line that separated East and West Beirut, the BCD witnessed most of the destruction of the Civil War. Most of its beautiful Ottoman and French buildings were destroyed, along with many mosques and churches. Today, however, the BCD is the sight of the most ambitious rehabilitation project in Lebanon, and it has been a raging success. The lovely Place d’Étoile, with its clock tower and outdoor cafés, has been beautifully rebuilt and recalls images of numerous towns around Europe. The BCD then spirals out from the Place, with numerous pedestrian walkways full of cafés, ice cream stands, and classy stores. On Friday and Saturday nights, this is the place to be if you don’t want to indulge in the clubs of East Beirut. On weekend nights, the BCD floods with all varieties of Beirutis who come to be seen in their latest fashions and who come to chat and smoke argileh with friends. All in all, it is my favorite part of Beirut and must-see for all visitors. In addition to the shops and cafés, the BCD also has a few of Beirut’s historical sights, such as a set of Roman baths, the majestic Omari Mosque, and the Cardo Maximus. The mosque is worth a visit, but the others aren’t exactly spectacular but do serve as a nice reminder of Beirut’s past.

Crossing Martyr’s Square and the Green Line from the BCD, you arrive in East Beirut, the traditionally Christian area of town. Many visitors to Beirut skip by East Beirut because it lacks the beautiful sea views of West Beirut and the history of the BCD, but Beirut still has plenty to offer. It is the more upper-class part of Beirut and therefore has some great shopping, namely at the ABC Center. It is also host to Beirut’s best and most stylish restaurants. Here you will find everything from Lebanese food to sushi bars to Indian, all of them sure to please your taste buds, but not your wallet. East Beirut is also home to one of the hidden gems of Beirut, the Sursock Museum, a privately owned home that serves as a beautiful gallery of contemporary art. The main reason, though, that people flock to East Beirut is for Rue Monot, which boasts the highest concentration of clubs and bars in Beirut. From Thursday night to Sunday night, Rue Monot is full of hip Beirutis strolling the length of the street and lining up outside clubs. On Rue Monot there are clubs for all tastes. Crystal is a pumping nightclub with music as loud as the clothes, Leila Braun is a chill and trendy bar, and there is even an Irish pub. If you enjoy nightlife, Rue Monot is your spot.

Also worth mentioning is the National Museum. Located a bit south of the BCD, the National Museum is a beautifully organized museum that showcases artifacts from Lebanon’s diverse history. From Phoneician statue, to Roman mosaics to Ottoman Coins, the museum has an impressive collection, as well as a very interesting video that shows you how badly the museum was destroyed during the war and the lengths they went to preserve the artifacts. For example, they literally built brick walls around the large statues that could not be moved.

And that is Beirut. Visit and decide for yourself…

On the surface, Lebanon seems to be a country full of people who have completely forgotten their troubled past, a country that has decided to move towards the future as a united country. On the surface, it is a country that seems to be swimming in wealth and prosperity. Upon arrival in Beirut, you would be forgiven for not even realizing that there was ever a civil war here because the city has recovered so well and the people seem to be living in such harmony. Sadly, this is just all on the surface.

If you are not familiar with the region, it might be hard to recognize all the divisions that still exist in the country. If you aren’t familiar with the history of Lebanon, then you might not think anything of it when you see a kita’ib (the old Lebanese forces) poster or an Amal (a Muslim militia) flag because you are unaware of what they stand for, but signs exist all around Lebanon of the bitter distrust that lies in the country among the Christian, Sunni, Shiite, and Druze communities. Most tourists to Lebanon come, take advantage of all its sights and nightlife, and then leave without any real sense of just what it is to be Lebanese these days, which is just sad, because it is a fascinating country that has plenty of opinions - that is why I encourage you to just talk to the Lebanese.

The Lebanese are very opinionated people and often won‘t hesitate to share their opinions, and the most interesting thing about Lebanon is that you will hear a whole range of opinions, some of which you may agree with, some you may not. You may be surprised at the brashness of some of the answers you receive, but it is all part of the modern Lebanese identity. It is a country that is still very much divided, but it is a country united in one thing, the fear of another civil war.

The Lebanese aren’t reluctant to talk about what they call "the time of the events," and you will most likely hear some incredible stories that will let you see just what these people went through. I remember one man in particular, Antoine. He was a Greek Catholic cab driver who was working at Middle East Airlines when the war broke out. He joined up with the Christian militias and started fighting the Palestinians. A few years into the war, he was thrown out of a three-story window and broke his back. His spine is now a metal rod.

Down in Tyre, you can talk to some Shiites who will tell you about how they would go for days without power after the Israelis bombed the power plants. They would then rebuild the plant and a few days later the Israelis would bomb it again.

Each person has a different story, and each person has a different view. You will find Christians who will tell you about how the Syrians are ruining their country and then you will find a Muslim who will tell you about how the Syrians were the only force that made it possible for the war to end and that they are the only force who will stop the Christian forces from taking complete control of the country.

A cab driver in Beirut, and a Muslim one at that, once went on about how much he loves George Bush because he believes that every country in the world should have democracy and that sometimes it needs to be spread by force. "I wish he would come to Lebanon!" He exclaimed.

In the suburbs of Beirut, you can find Armenians who will tell you about how their grandparents had to flee their homes in southern Turkey and come to Lebanon, and then in another suburb on the complete opposite side of town, you can find a Palestinian who still remembers when the Christian militias, with the help of Israel, invaded the Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in 1982 and murdered almost every Palestinian in the camp.

Lebanon is a country full of numerous sects of people, all of them with their own take and own view on just what Lebanon is and should be. While some of the tales may be grim, you will also see how much each one of these people, whether they be Druze, Christian, or Muslim, love their country and how they just want to see it succeed. To miss out on the opportunity to learn so much about such a fascinating country would be a crime, and since most Lebanese speak English or French as well as Arabic, there is no excuse to miss out. So just go for it and talk to the Lebanese.