To break-up the 4.5 weeks Steve was on his own in Dubai, he wanted to get out of Dubai and see more of the region. Fellow American Scott Grishom and Steve decided to head to Beirut. It wasn’t an easy choice as the country still lacks stability; Hezzbolah and the Lebanese government squared off as recently as May.
Steve and Scott had a terrific time walking the streets of Beirut, taking a gondola up the mountains to see the sites, exploring the famous grotto, seeing the ruins of Byblos, one of the world’s oldest cities, and taking a self-guided tour of the The American University of Beirut.
Beirut is a wonderful city and used to be considered the “Paris of the Middle East.” However, the scars from 15 years of civil war are evident. Buildings are sprayed with shell holes and occasionally one stumbles on a burned-out building. The people are resilient; the newly renovated downtown was vibrant with life. Steve and Scott enjoyed the restaurant culture (they both love Lebanese food) and smoking shisha at sidewalk cafes. Both were glad to have made the trip.
Beirut is a wonderful city and used to be considered the “Paris of the Middle East.” However, the scars from 15 years of civil war are evident. Buildings are sprayed with shell holes and occasionally one stumbles on a burned-out building. The people are resilient; the newly renovated downtown was vibrant with life. Steve and Scott enjoyed the restaurant culture (they both love Lebanese food) and smoking shisha at sidewalk cafes. Both were glad to have made the trip.
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