Lebanon

War Torn Building - Beirut

Pre-conceived notions are something that we all are guilty of at some time or other, thinking of Lebanon before we arrived, I guess I was and I think Megan was as well.  We both had memories of the TV pictures and radio reports over the years and we were nervous as well as excited by the prospect of seeing Beirut and meeting the people who live there and in the country as a whole.

We got off to a very interesting start.  First hurdle Late arrival at the airport, then taxi drivers; we were besieged, well two anyway, $50 downtown!  Me ignoring them and saying ‘too much money’ through our negotiating team, Megan, till we arrived at $25, change in dollars, yes, OK.  Taxi, not the guy we negotiated with, driver very poor English, didn’t know where we wanted to go, dropped off at the UN building (near where we were staying), no dollars change, big discussion, more negotiation, successful outcome.  Then we experienced the legendry Lebanese hospitality.  First a guard/policeman came across to help, then a smart couple, in the end we had about eight people round us, our phones didn’t work so one girl telephoned Stuart, our couch surf host and he came to find us and take us home, phew!

Bullet Ridden Statue Martyrs Square

Beirut is a big, noisy, dirty city, difficult to get around but we walked a lot through the new downtown quarter with designer shops, visited a museum and saw some of the buildings damaged by the troubles, The Holiday Inn where the journalists stayed is just a shell covered with bullet holes.  Every where we went the people said welcome to Lebanon and passed the time of day talking about their country and the UK, very friendly and warm.

Look How Tall It Is

Baalbek

To escape Beirut was the next option; but how, bus, train, taxi?  Taxi too expensive, no train system, buses difficult to the region we wanted, so brace ourselves, hire a car, reasonably cheap.  We found good accommodation, hostel for two nights and hotel, off season rates, for three.  We stayed in Bcharré up in the mountains, we walked, we visited Tripoli and Baalbek.  The walking in Qadicha Valley is through a deep ravine with ancient churches and caves where hermits lived and some still live, the valley is very green and beautiful, not at all like we expected from the Middle East.

Driving is - how can I describe it? Interesting, you need nerves of steel and eyes in the back, side and maybe even the top of your head.  How we got the car through Beirut (twice), Baalbek, Tripoli, round the mountain roads and the highways without a scratch, was through a slice of luck and a huge amount of skill. Baalbek in the Beka’a Valley is the head quarters of Hezbollah, we passed through an area covered in their flags before negotiating our way through the town to almost stumble on the ancient ruins (Heliopolis), fantastic perhaps the best we have seen, including Ephesus!  

The Cedars

Wood Sculpture - The Cedars

Tripoli is a great place, we saw the Crusader Citadel and walked through the old quarter, everyone smiled and said hello, looked into a bakery where they were cooking flat breads, the man invited us in to see them working, talked, invited us for coffee, the coffee seller came round and we all had small, strong, sweet coffee out of small plastic cups, conversed in broken French a little English and lots of hand waving, looked in the oven with burning wood inside, ate the bread, lots of smiles and laughing, what more can you say.  We were walking a route in a guide book, but were soon taken in hand by Lebanese guy, a teacher, great English, he took us round ‘his quarter’ visited his mosque and talked about Lebanon and in particular the problems in Tripoli which erupt every few days with fighting in the streets between supporters of different politicians – guns and bloodshed.  He says Tripoli is fantastic with lots of places to visit, down the road in Byblos (where we also went) they have lots of visitors as the Christians keep the peace so people go, in Tripoli they don’t because of the fighting, he was very disgusted. 

Wood Burning Bread Oven

Well here we are about to leave, flying to Jordan, our impressions of Lebanon are very good, for a while you forget your unease in the warmth of the people, the only time Megan was scared was when close to steep drops (lots of those) and both of us when in the car, heart in the mouth jobs!

Almost Complete Temple Baalbek

Sea of Clouds

There and Back Again

Safranbolu

 We decided to visit more of Turkey, so with a little reluctance left Istanbul to go east, returning in a few days.  So with bus ticket grasped firmly in the hand we set off for Safranbolu near the Black Sea coast.  It is an old town famous for its historic Ottoman houses, a large proportion of which have been restored.  We were not disappointed, the ‘old town’ down the hill from the ‘new town’ is full of the restored Ottoman houses and many traditional crafts are still carried out.

We couch surfed with a young guy, it was his first attempt at being a host, and we did wonder why he didn’t have any reviews. We needn’t have worried as he was very attentive and looked after us very well, that is the Turkish way, very hospitable.

Safranbolu Mosque

 

However, we could not stay more than two nights as he was off to see his brother for a few days.  ‘Moving on’ seems to be a recurring theme, or maybe that is what this is all about.  So off we went, seen off at the Otogar (bus station) by Fikret (our host) bound for Ankara.  Many Turkish people say it is not worth visiting, but we wanted to see the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, and with the help of Ayse and Cengiz we stayed with a friend of theirs, now also a friend of ours, Yusuf.

Ankara old town

We have found the people here so friendly and hospitable, opening their homes and lives, sharing their food and conversation, this is not just the people we have stayed with but people we meet on the streets and in markets, shops and museums, it will be with a very heavy heart when we leave on Monday.  Yusuf opened his home to us, from meeting us at the otogar to dropping us off at the train station, visiting Ankara’s old town the first evening and taking us to his University Association wine, nibbles and conversation evening the second, nothing was too much trouble.  The visit was full of excitement as well; we woke up the first morning to a flood in the hall in the apartment - a burst pipe – a small one but it was still wet!  So as true Helpxers we leapt into action mopping and scooping the water up, till the leak was found and the area was dry, Yusuf turned off the water and we had breakfast.  Yusuf we hope all is well and the problem has been cured. 

A Chimera in the museum

So we have returned to Istanbul and will probably return again in the future, we recommend this city to anyone, it seems to have everything a city should have, sights to die for, good transport, great people, fabo food, ferry trips, holiday islands, and loads more.  The holiday islands are the Prince’s Islands (Adalar) about 45 mins ferry ride into The Sea of Marmaris, there nine islands four of which the ferry stops at, we went to Heybeliada for a swim and lunch, fish just speared by our host, yummy, a great day out. 

Last Turkish swim

Lunch Venue

The strangest things happen in life, out of Istanbul’s 17 million inhabitants, and I don’t know how many visitors, we met a Helpx friend, an Australian girl from Ayse and Cengiz’s, there was a tap on Megan’s shoulder in the Museum of Modern Art, and there was Brigitte, and here she is in the apartment playing scrabble with Meg – what a small world!

A reunion cup of cai

So here we are treading water, waiting till Monday night comes around and our flight to Beirut, we will be there for 10 days then onto Jordan for 8 days, talk to you soon.

Istanbul skyline