I hadn’t intended to write a journal on this break as I assumed I would be too busy on a short break. What’s happened on this trip has become a bit of a surprise.
What struck me the most is the complexities of the people and their acceptance of the norm. To them not having a President seems almost to be acceptable but I guess to replace what is considered their great man is quite a task. Considering that he brought around some resemblance of civility.
The hotel I am staying within is the largest 5* in Beirut and is positioned adjacent to the famous Holiday Inn which became target practise during the dispute, or rather their civil war between West and East Beirut.
Whilst this hotel is just on the edge of the downtown area it fronts a view of the marina and out to the Mediterranean sea. However just in front is the memorial to Rafik Hariri who was blown apart in a car bomb in 2002. The exact location has a tribute built on the traffic island with the national anthem playing from weatherproof speakers. A memorial to him stands further back in a constructed area with formal gardens and a bronze effigy of him. Day and night there are two well-dressed men attending to the entrance of this memorial garden. The buildings in the vicinity all remain bombed out and shells of their former self. This is and will remain so as a mark of respect. Although the real estate must be worth something!
The areas of Beirut I have now seen are the route from the airport, which is a well-constructed freeway with over passes and tunnels. None are in disrepair and have been built in the last ten years. The routes rise above the streets and like Shanghai pass through the city at an elevation.
The main Corniche runs from Rauche, a district in the west round the coastline and way past downtown. Not having gone beyond Rauche I know this to be the area hit badly two years ago during the attacks from Israel.
From the hotel towards Rauche the Corniche runs with a wide paved area with high kerbstones to ensure motorists stay firmly on the road. Where there are access points they are blocked by concrete barriers. Those synonymous with roadblocks, Beirut has quite a number set at strategic locations and even the hotel has its own set with car barriers lowering into the road and x ray machines set in the roadway. Each access has its own security guard with modern bomb detection.
The Corniche has been crowded most evenings and was especially busy all day Sunday with its families and multiple single men who were mainly on the rocks fishing or swimming.
The people seem friendly irrespective of their religious persuasion and happy to chat. Although I am often confused for an American, but why not as they were here in their droves at one point.
Language seems not to be an issue with many people speaking English and French. My Arabic has got very ropey and has gone back to basics.
Beirut sits very much on the coast with hills surrounding the main downtown area. These are built upon and the 1.5 million population are predominantly housing themselves in high rise apartments. Those that survived the civil war still have all the marks with filled major holes or many multiple bullet holes. Life goes by for them and these are patched up or interspersed with new builds.