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Post by onlymark on Sept 24, 2012 14:02:40 GMT
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Post by onlymark on Sept 24, 2012 14:03:26 GMT
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Post by onlymark on Sept 24, 2012 14:04:13 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 17:00:33 GMT
I'm glad to see that they managed to salvage a few of the classic buildings.
This Schlöndorff movie that was actually filmed in Beirut remains engraved in my mind forever.
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Post by mich64 on Sept 24, 2012 18:23:44 GMT
There is beautiful architecture old and new. It is more cosmopolitan that I would have thought but I am very naive and uneducated to this region of the world. I am assuming that there are no women where the men are swimming due to religious beliefs? Are there areas for women to swim or is just uncommon for them to do so?
I think your daughters are so fortunate to be able to travel to so many interesting locations at their age.
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Post by onlymark on Sept 24, 2012 18:41:51 GMT
They are lucky but they don't appreciate it yet. It was their thirteenth birthday while we were there and all they were bothered about is the touch screen phone we bought them each. However, it is expected and we are 'banking' these experiences for them for when they remember as they are older.
As regards the swimming (and as over 40% of the population are Christian but more than that percentage purely in Beirut itself), the element of religion does play a factor but it's more to do with the boys showing off in the water whilst the girls parade up and down the Corniche overlooking them. If the girls wanted to swim, I think they could even though they'd feel a bit uncomfortable with the amount of lads around.
K2, the very first part of that clip looks as though it was filmed exactly in the centre near the clock tower and from the photos, where the empty cafe's are (it was Sunday morning).
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Post by mich64 on Sept 24, 2012 19:27:27 GMT
Okay so a cultural difference. It is quite common here to see many more girls at the waterfront swimming and sun bathing and the boys strolling the promenade feeling awkward but wanting to join the girls cooling off in the water on a hot day.
Even your daughters absorbing a small amount is much more than most young ladies would normally experience, so good for them!
Beautiful photos Mark!
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Post by tod2 on Sept 25, 2012 8:00:51 GMT
Wonderful Mark! I could not have imagined Beirut looked so beautiful. Imaginings of old bombed out shells of buildings is all that came to mind....but this place is as beautiful as Lorenzo Marques used to be before the war. It has slowly crept back to tourist quality as I suppose Beirut has.
I was puzzled by the "walking mummies" but realize it must be a movie in the making ;D
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Post by onlymark on Sept 25, 2012 12:29:01 GMT
I only managed to see a little of not only the city but the country, but it does seem to have recovered quite well. I did feel somewhat claustrophobic though when in the middle of the city, the roads were narrow and the buildings tall. Plus very busy.
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Post by lugg on Sept 26, 2012 7:05:23 GMT
It is great to see how the city has been rejuvinated.
Are there many tourists visiting now ? I seem to vaguely recollect reading an article recommending Beirut as a city break ?
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Post by onlymark on Sept 26, 2012 9:32:55 GMT
To be honest I've no idea if many tourists are visiting now. I can't really say I saw many, but then again I wasn't really looking.
As a city break it would have quite an attraction and the visa on arrival system (VOA) for many nationalities means it's easy to enter. Not any budget airlines going there though.
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Post by bjd on Sept 26, 2012 11:00:52 GMT
I showed your photos to my husband, who spent 5 years in Beirut just before the civil war. He didn't recognize much, other than the clock tower.
I too was surprised at how quickly it was all renovated. But we spent a few years going to a Lebanese dentist and she said the whole country was being cemented over with new building. And if I'm not mistaken, Hariri -- the assassinated prime minister -- owned a big construction company.
My husband also said the place where the boys were swimming was not very clean and there were much better beaches further away.
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