To my amazement, before touching down most passengers were already standing up, trying to haul down their belongings from the overhead compartments despite the insistence from the flight attendants to immediately return to their seats. The poor pilot and flight attendants were no match for the strong willed passengers, eager to disembark and touch the soil of their beloved homeland.
Finally the plane landed, to a thunderous clapping and cheer throughout the plane. I always wondered why Beirut was the only airport in the world where I hear applause upon arrival!
It has been eleven long years since I last visited Lebanon, so when I first saw the new airport, a surge of delight and pride enfolded me. My sister picked me up amid the sea of families in the arrivals hall.
The drive up to the mountains was a delight, the breathtaking scenery; the sunshine and smell of wild flowers and earth were exhilarating. The huge contrast and differences between houses along the road was striking. On your right hand side is a grand luxury villa in a masterfully landscaped setting, and further down the street you see a hidden, worn-down house in desperate need of renovations and salvaging.
On the first morning at my sister's house I wandered down the stairs around 7:00 a.m. for my first cup of coffee, to find the house already buzzing with activities and visitors chatting, turned back on my heels and ran upstairs to shower and change!
Visiting relatives in my village were my first priority over the next several days. One visit that left me sad was to one of the relatives, an 80 year old sick lady who lived with her three grandsons in a home with two small rooms and an even smaller kitchen. She invited us to sit on a worn coach while one of her grandsons was occupying a bed in the corner recovering from ear surgery. I heard that she passed away a few weeks after I left.
Going to downtown Beirut was a fascinating yet depressing experience. Walking on deserted streets and witnessing the gloom reflected among the expensive designer shops, and restaurants was heartbreaking. So much money and creativity was invested and wasted, and the statue of martyrs is still standing; surrounded by misery and hope!
My trips to a few of the most beautiful and famous places in Lebanon - Zahle, Junieh, Harisa, El Arz, and others, were unforgettable experiences. On of my favorite things to do was to go to a traditional Lebanese restaurant for dinner. It's not just a simple dinner where you sit, have your meal, and be gone. It is an event that could take up to 5 hours, starting with the many mouth-watering appetizers with Arak and Argili, followed by the Mashawi, then moving to a different table where all sorts of fruits are displayed in an artful way, making you wish that you did not indulge on the dinner itself. The display of food in some of the restaurants is an art by itself and the outing is a special treat. On the drive back home, I thanked God that I had a few drinks earlier in the night, because alcohol is one variable you don't need when driving on the winding mountain roads of Lebanon.
Cottages on the lake in Canada, near where I live, are known as a hide-away heaven to escape to in the summer for a relaxing vacation or just on weekends, when weather permits. I found in Lebanon a lot of people, or at least those who can afford it, escape to a mountain house in the wilderness. It is a beautiful way to just relax, tend to your gardens and vegetables, or invite people over for a brunch, or a BBQ and card games afterwards. The scenery is breathtaking and the serenity of these places are a safe refuge from the crowded places, and from the awfully bad news that seems to constantly plague Lebanon.
Source: Ya Libnan Exclusive
Tags: Culture, Downtown Beirut, harisa, Hezbollah, Lebanese, Mezza, Mountains, Restaurants, Solidere, Tourism, Tradition
