View from my room in Sheraton Verdun in Beirut, very big room , actually a mini suite, very near to Raousha and Cornish El Mazraa.
Waw..the view at east Beirut from Manuella fish restaurant, which is also amazing, it must have been more than a 1000 people dining at once, you still can not keep pace with the waiters quick and pleasant service.
In Jounya, going UP to Harisa, where a statue of Virgin Mary looks over everyone, and the prayer in the chapel together with lighting of some candles is well known to bring health to the ill or love to those who seek a faraway lover. Behind me are two Iranian men, there were three bus loads of Moslem pilgrims from Iran! We love Settena Mariam ...proof ..not just sayings..
Going UP is a great view, a bit of Rockabybaby on the tree top does not shake confidence of safety, accidents never recorded here, Remember...Mar Harisa... guards you.
Immaculate part of Beirut is all below you now, buildings and roads get smaller and smaller.
Two thirds of the way up you change into this beautiful red cable train.
Once you'r UP at the top, you feel the cool fresh air, the ZONE sign posts tell you the menu of activities that you can do, my choice was not on the menu though...... shooting photos.
Here we are, the statue looking over Jounya see, the Basilica, among Cedar trees.
Jounya mountain, coast view, and peer, all are beautiful ........nothing looks like that in the whole middle east.
Time out, we have to go all the way down again, very soon we will be at Rafik El Hariri Air Port and leave Lebanon, flight MS 712 will take me back to Cairo.
Impressive views on both sides again, the clouds were beginning to be particularly impressive.
I am really thinking, i have to come back here....for a longer vacation.. not just few days.
The last view of Lebanon, in the Air Port Coffee Shop, a basket of Lebanese apples, a suitable summary for this country.
STOP PRESS !!
One day after i left Beirut , 21st of November 2006........ Pierre Lejmayel, the handsome minster of industry of Lebanon was gunned down in a Beirut street!!!! i hope.... and i really forgot to ask Mar Harisa to protect Lebanon from self destruction another time... its too beautiful, so beautiful to be desrtoyed.......... Ya Rab....YA RAB KEEP LEBANON SAFE........ YA RAB ... YA RAB... YA RAB...