!!!! MIDDLE EAST EXPLOSION!!!!

LEBANON

Day 20 June 21, 2012

I am in my 36th hour in the Middle East, and a good ride thus far it has been. Upon my arrival, I linked up with my American friend Dan, and his wife Amelia, both graduate students at Yale, who are living/studying in Beirut for the Summer. I met Dan during my two days stay in New Haven, Connecticut, at the onset of this trip. Like Brian, who I stayed with in Belgium for a few days, Dan and I were introduced through Lupe, who I met 5 years ago while backpacking through Latin America. We as people are all linked, and the events in our lives are interrelated. More and more, I have appreciation for my decision to skip a night in NYC to visit New Haven and Lupe. Sometimes the smallest decisions make a powerful difference as the events in our lives play out.

I spent my first afternoon roaming the streets of Beirut. Prior to the Civil War (1975 - 1990), I can imagine the beauty this city possessed, previously dubbed the "Paris" of the Middle East. Like its effects on most countries, war ravaged the splendor Beirut once had. But the charm of the city does not escape me, and I have already adapted a liking for the place.

I spent my first evening sharing dinner and drinks with Dan, Amelia, and another American, Chris, who works as a consultant in Beirut, and lives with his wife who works for the UN. We had a light hearted discussion surrounding the current state of Lebanon, as well as the interesting paths my new friends have taken to get here, which in short, includes about 5 years cumulative living in countries such as Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. I walked away from our conversation with a hint of envy of their lifestyle, as well as their handle on the Arabic language and Middle Eastern culture and customs.

The following morning, just 24 hours after my arrival, I talked at length with Dan's roommate about a possible route through Lebanon. Muhammed is Lebanese, and works as a journalist for the "Daily Star", a newspaper on current affairs in Lebanon, but written and distributed entirely in English. After our discussion, Muhammed invited me to return later for dinner and drinks, which I take to be an honor, and plan to accept. For now though I have other matters at hand.

I set off Northeast of Beirut headed for Baalbek, a town nestled in the Bekka Valley near the Syrian border. Although it is well known for having some of the largest and most preserved ruins in all of the Middle East, Baalbek is notorious for its role as the headquarters of Hezbollah. "The Party of God", as the translation goes, is infamous for their acts of violence in the region, most notably those directed towards Israel. Although now an active, elected party in the Lebanese government, their tendency towards destruction and instability continues at times, and the US government, and others, have labeled them a "Terrorist Organization". Although their tactics are not ideal, especially towards Western standards, the radical group with links to Iranian state sponsorship nevertheless provides aid and social projects to groups of people who would otherwise have nothing. Although I do not agree with their violence, and it should certainly be condemned, their meritorious activities can be argued by some. The complexities of the numerous organizations fighting for a cause in Lebanon cannot be summed up here, and I will not make an attempt to do so. I will state only that the lines between good and evil can be blurred and murky. Look no further than my own government in the U.S., who would argue their intentions are always for the greater good, whereas the informed would challenge this notion. Due to the sensitivity of the Hezbollah subject, I did not actively seek any party members, nor did I address this topic with anyone during my stay in Baalbek.

The reputation of Lebanese cuisine preceded my arrival, and it has not disappointed. From falafels to foul, shwarma to middle eastern salads, hummus, dates, cherries, pita and the like, my pallet has had plenty of excitement. Going hungry is certainly something I have nothing to worry about, and I look forward to each meal, and every snack in between.

As for dining with others, I now find myself alone. I price checked 3 hotels before I settled into Baalbek, and none of them had guests, completely empty! This is mainly due to the ongoing conflict in neighboring Syria, as well as the travel warnings issued by many countries to stay away from Lebanon (although I don't feel the latter is deserved). And now, as I dine on another savory meal, the restaurant has not even a single patron other than myself. The owner of the establishment, who has three kids studying in America, has offered plenty of entertainment however. His favorite catch phrase, "Your Welcome", has been repeated several dozen times, and precedes all of my "thank you's". Although I have not been alone on the trip much thus far, I welcome this moment.

Day 24 - June 25, 2012

I have been falling in love with Lebanon since the moment I arrived. I am now on my 6th day in the country, and I continue to be intrigued, impressed, and awed with the people I meet, the history I hear, the sights I see, and the cuisine I taste. For a country so small, it packs enough culture and history into its tiny little borders to stimulate all of the five senses. A long term stay in this country is certainly something I see as a viable option in my future.

After one night in the lion's den of Hezbollah, I continued across the Bekka Valley and over the Mt. Lebanon Range. On this drive, I passed through an impressive wall of plowed snow/ice, offering credit to the notion that this region is a ski hub of the Middle East. The Middle East is not normally something one would associate with ski season, but fear not, for it is true here 5 months of the year.

As I descended from the upper Mt. Lebanon Range, I passed through the ski town of Cedars, named after the tree that is emblazoned proudly on the national flag of Lebanon. I settled into the stunning town of Bacharre, which sits on the precipitous edge of the Qadesha Valley, where I would decompress for two nights.

It is here my love affair with Lebanon began to blossom. Immediately after my arrival in Bacharre, I set off for a hike and descended the towering cliffs, lowering myself deep into the valley. After 4 hours of trekking along the valley floor, I scaled the imposing walls, reemerging in the small village of Blaouza. I hitchhiked from here to the village of Hadchit, and finished my journey the way it began, on foot.

This scenic hike alone would have made a great day on any other day, but this day was not yet complete. As I returned to the Tiger hostel, I met three other travelers, Aaron, Saskia, and Julie, who are American, Dutch, and Danish, respectively. I would spend the next 2 days/nights in Bacharre with this group, as well as a local Lebanese man, Nassim. These friends would define my time in Lebanon.

Something I've recognized through the years of traveling is the experience and fondness I have from a place is shaped less by the sights and sounds I see, and more by the people and interactions I have. I would have had amazing things to say about Bacharre regardless of the travelers/locals I met; however, meeting these new friends accentuated the moments, and Bacharre will always be remembered as one of my favorite travel destinations. It really was special to me. During my time here, I was also led to the legendary writings of the artist Khalil Gibran, who was born in the area. His teachings apply to all mankind, and can bring light to the cloudiest of days (read "The Prophet"). Much can be learned from his message.

Nassim was an excellent guide of Bacherre, and given the time I could see us being great friends. We share a lot in common despite our different cultures and upbringings. I could feel his genuine hospitality, as I have noticed in many of the Lebanese I meet. As a group of 5, my new friends and I set off for all sorts of fun in the village; from secluded spots for sunset overlooking the valley, to dining on the best Lebanese food I've had to date; from a night out at the karaoke pub, to a night spent drinking tea and talking at Nassim's home. I was also introduced to Nassim's sister, Mariane, who studies architecture in Beirut. Mariane is a very intelligent and strikingly beautiful girl. She turned down several modeling offers in Beirut to focus on a more serious career path in Architecture. She speaks multiple languages (Arabic, English, French, and Spanish) and has a passion for travel, which she is still in the early stages of pursuit. In the future she wants to travel more and see the world, and I would be more than delighted to cross paths with her again. Nassim himself studied Financial Organization in Beirut, and is now operating an import/export business in Bacharre distributing sheesha pipes and supplies. He wants to launch more businesses in the future. It was a great experience receiving the local touch from these two, and they really made my time here.

After a few days of fun in Bacherre, and after a vow to return, maybe very soon, I set off with Saskia and headed back to Beirut. Saskia works/worked for a BioMedical research organization that she helped launch. She was very successful with this, but like most ambitious people who are over worked, she found a growing dissatisfaction building within her. A year ago, she left it all behind, and has been traveling ever since. The company she helped develop wanted to retain her in some capacity, so they offered her a role to stay on in a limited manner, thereby still paying her in her absence. She now pursues those things (travel/language ambitions) she always talked about, but never went for. Now, she says, "I couldn't be more free". I am happy for Saskia, that is after all, what we all want in life, true freedom. And not just the freedom of choice, but to exercise that choice and experience true freedom. There is a difference. I can have the freedom to do this, or to do that, but unless I actually act, and exercise that freedom, I am merely a prisoner within myself. This goes for all of us.

On my arrival to Beirut, Saskia and I parted ways, and I once again linked up with Dan and Amelia. This time, they brought with them Dan's sister, Kathleen, who is visiting from the states. Kathleen, a nurse from Portland, Maine, joined me on the "Walk Beirut" tour, held every Sunday. It was very informative and offered a deeper understanding of the history of the streets. I can now see more than just the physical scars from the war, and the modern glitz going up in downtown Beirut.

Today (Monday, June 24th), Kathleen and I set off for the Beiteddine palace, from the Ottoman Empire, which is nestled in the Chouf mountains. Although the palace was closed on our arrival, the day was not uneventful. We spent the following six hours hitchhiking to different villages and visiting several, interesting, if not peculiar cultural museums along the way. After five different hitchhikes, a public bus, and a "servees" (shared) taxi, we arrived back in Beirut. I will rest here for the night before setting off again in the morning, this time heading further North towards Tripoli. It certainly was a fun filled day with my new friend. I had not hitchhiked this much since 2010, when Julie (my friend from Copenhagen who I reunited with at the onset of this trip) and I crossed from Southern Israel to Jerusalem in five or six different cars. I always find it interesting the fun things I do with relative strangers. Hitchhiking, although not at the top of most peoples to do list, came with relative ease in Lebanon, and was joined with friendly greetings from each ride. It brings me great joy to experience the more adventurous side of life. I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.

Day 26 - June 27, 2012

Tripoli, the 2nd largest city in Lebanon, is often ravaged by fighting in the streets. And not just the type of fighting characterized by hand to hand fisticuffs, no, these battles involve guns and mortars. Due to its proximity with the now war torn Syria, as well as volatile Palestinian refugee camps, Tripoli's current state is marred with violence, despite the relative stability of Lebanon as a whole compared to its past. Just in the last few weeks, battles have erupted in Tripoli as two neighboring factions' battle for supremacy. I received mixed advice about a visit to the city, some warning me to stay far away, others saying I shouldn't have a problem. Ever the investigator, I took the advice of the latter, and decided to see the situation for myself. Although some may view this action as reckless, I rode into the city with a clear head, and the presence of mind knowing my chances of getting caught in a gunfight were just as likely as stumbling upon one in the wrong neighborhood of my own hometown of Atlanta. However, I drive to work in downtown Atlanta every day without fear, so why carry it with me here?

I did not witness any violence, no gun fights, no mortars, no factions scrambling for position, and no innocent residents scurrying for safety. Yes, perhaps luckily, the situation was stable during my 24 hours visit. In fact, the closest I came to being shot was by a clumsy security agent carrying his machine gun, who stumbled onto the bus as I prepared to exit the city. Since the official was joining us on the ride back to Bacherre, I can only imagine he was off duty, and his weapon was un-loaded, I hope. Nevertheless, no evil was bestowed upon me and I continued on my journey.

I am now back in Bacherre, which I will dub as my favorite city/village in Lebanon. Although it has only been three nights since I departed, the allure of the laid back vibe, and scenic, snow spotted mountainous landscape was too much, and drew me in for one more visit before I leave Lebanon for good. I have already linked back up with my Lebanese friend, Nassim, and Julie, the Danish girl I befriended on my first visit. I look forward to a fun filled, relaxing evening, before continuing back to Beirut tomorrow, and in a few days onto the next destination in this quest.

Day 28 - June 29, 2012

Well, here I am on my final evening in Lebanon. It only took 10 nights to fall in love with this tiny country. I was received warmly by most people I met, genuine kindness found all too rare sometimes in the West, but more common in countries with troubled pasts.

Lebanon is a special place, an uncommon country with 18 official religions, split roughly half Christian, half Muslim. Despite their troubled history, it is a living example of the two religions coexisting, tolerant of each other. I have not made my final visit here, and I will encourage everyone I meet to make it apart of their travel itinerary.

My last three days in the country were much like the first seven, excellent! I spent my final night in Bacherre with Nassim, Julie, and more of Nassim's friends, including "Uncle" Johnny. Johnny ([email protected]) is the #1 tourist guide in the ministry of tourism. He speaks seven languages including English, French, Arabic, Italian and Greek. Although he is an international tourist guide, I need not pay for his services. As a teacher, he spoke of the ancient history of the region, which, as a history fan, I found to be very interesting. Then, after dinner, he escorted Julie, Nassim and I in his antique 1970 Mercedes, a gift from his grandfather, to a church perched high on the mountain top where we could see the lights of many cities/villages in the distance. It was spectacular, and the perfect way to cap the evening, and my time in Bacherre.

The following morning, Nassim, in route to Beirut to pick up his father, gave me a lift to the ancient city of Jbail (Byblos). Julie and Nassim's sister, the delightful Mariane, joined us on the ride. To my surprise, as I exited the car in Jbail, Mariane decided she would spend the afternoon with me, and we set off together.

We visited the ancient ruins of Jbail, which I was allowed in at the Lebanese local price. I have long been confused by others who cannot accurately identify my ethnicity (although it is quite obvious to me). I took great pleasure in this mistaken identity, as I guess my bearded look is working for me. Jbail is the site of many ancient civilizations, each one building over the ruins of the other, and the most recent during the French mandate (the 20 year period during the two great Wars of the World).

Mariane guided me through the site, which she is very familiar with as it was the focus for an architecture project at University. We spoke at length about everything under the sun, from relationships to religion, culture to cuisine, travel, language, and life. Sometimes you meet people on your adventures through life and wish there was more time to spend with them. I feel strongly about this with Mariane, as I believe we would make amazing friends. She will be in my memory long after I leave Lebanon.

We parted ways at Juniyah, hopefully not for the last time, and I continued back to Beirut. I found Saskia, Julie, and Nassim at the Saifi hostel, and we took lunch. I bid Nassim farewell, as he was a blessing on my time in Lebanon. He has a great family (I met his sister, younger brother and mother), and I wish them all the best.

Julie and I finished the evening with a long walk down the famed Corniche in Beirut, and even took in the Germany vs. Italy Euro cup match, which was being broadcast on very television in the city (the country is full of fútbol fanatics).

Today (Friday, June 29), Julie and I met Saskia for breakfast and we had our goodbyes with her too. The Bacharre gang is all going their separate ways. Fast friendships are forged on the open road, and fond farewells are always an inevitable part of the process. I do not depart these friends with sadness or melancholy, only fantastic memories that are now a part of my life. I leave them feeling fulfilled, content with our time together and the moments we shared. Julie and I visited the stunning caves of the Jeitta Grotto on the outskirts of Beirut, and then we too went our separate ways, as she begins the long trip back to Denmark. None of the friends I made on my trip to Lebanon are in Beirut tonight, and after tomorrow afternoon, neither will I.

I travel, through darkness and light, I pass through this world, seen or unseen, it matters not, for I am alive. I am gripped not by fear, nor by time, I exist in the present, contained not by the past, and controlled not by the future. I live in appreciation of all those around me, as they are now a part of me.

Tomorrow afternoon I will continue on my adventure. I have booked the next leg of this journey. The smallest decisions in life can shape the bigger picture of one's existence. From a brief meeting in New Haven with Lupe, I was led to Lebanon. And in cultivation of that thought, I came across a book while visiting Ylva in Sweden, which caused a seed, planted in my mind in Africa two years ago by my Iraqi-British friend, Mr Bajalan, to sprout. Follow that?? Tomorrow afternoon, I will board a flight for IRAQ, I am Kurdistan bound!!!