Beirut Bound
Day 12 – Lebanon, Baalbeck
After breakfast, we got a call in our room, “Good morning, Mr. Brody? Would you like to go to Beirut?” Yes, please. One loaded diaper and paid hotel bill later, we met John, our driver, and piled into a very nice, large, van. Breezed out of Syria (about 45 min. to the border) with John’s help and bribes. Similarly, our entry into Lebanon was also easy thanks to John. At one point, we had to pay for the entry visas into Lebanon. The road was divided – one way in and one way out. The ATMs and money changes were all on the ‘way out’ side. John walked Aaron up th
e road about 200m to a man with a huge roll of bills who changed the money. Funny.
Headed up the Bekka valley – a fertile valley known for its wineries, Hezbollah strongholds, and hash growing. It was weird to see the mix of conservative (i.e., women without their heads covered) and ….not. There were posters everywhere of the three amigos – two clerics (one Iranian?) and one General. Propaganda abounds. But there were also a few hospitals. Checkpoints everywhere too. Baalbeck is… WOW. It’s the most complete, extensive Roman temple site I’ve seen. It might beat out…gasp – the acropolis. There’s a very co
ol hexagon–shaped area. Carvings and ornamental architecture in situ. The columns were colossal. Ran into a group of Americans on tour – teachers (many retired) from a Community College near Philadelphia. Really enjoyed chatting with them. We may see them again as they head to Jordan on the 18th. (Postscript – we DID run into them at Petra later. Small world…) The guides at Baalbeck were joking with Noah when we first arrived – they asked him not to knock over the columns. There was also a very funny scene near the ‘medieval castle’ where Noah and an armed solider were making faces at each other (fingers in the sides of mouths and tongues stuck out). There are some really nice site museums as well. One highlights the necropolis just outside of town. They 
have a sarcophagus open with a burial (bones and dirt inside). Sandwiched in between plexi, just above the bones and dirt, are the burial ornaments (jewelry, gold laureate). Noah was fascinated. He wanted to know why you put dead guys in sarcophagi and why dead people stink. (Try explaining that. I dare you.)
Fighting off the persistent chicklet and Hezbollah t-shirt hawkers, we headed for Beirut, stopping about an hour out for a pee and a sandwich with HAM and cheese. Can’t tell you how excited we were about the ham. Real ham. PORK ham.
The drive is beautiful and there are really lovely 1800s stone buildings with veranda and shutters along the way. Some empty, some occupied. Drove along the sea in Beirut and got to see all of the rebuilding downtown. It’s wild. Brand new 21st century buildings next to bombed out hulls. I hope to get some photos. Its’ remarkable. The promenade is beautiful. Made it to the hotel where I realized that I committed a near fatal mistake – I LOST THE ERGO. I hope against all hope that I left it in the van and that we’ll see it tomorrow. (We called the tour company that we used and explained the situation.) If we don’t see it tomorrow, I’ll cry….(my greatest fear is that I dropped it at Ballbeck on the way to the van. I don’t think so, but…)
Aaron got in touch with Amelie (a friend of Aaron’s from grad school) and we agreed to meet at 4 pm to see the American University in Beirut (AUB) museum. The campus is a beautiful…gasp…college campus – in the middle of Beirut. Wild. Its now mostly smoke-free, there are well-fed cats creeping around campus, beautiful flowering trees and shrubs and a spectacular view of the sea. The museum is amazing – great stuff, recently renovated. It’s fantastic. Noah was into a hawk mummy and a Tell Ghassul (?) burial, while I was drooling over Islamic pottery.
So good to see Amelie…and to see her in situ! She was fantastic with a cranky Noah who took about 20 minutes to ask her to read to him. She recommended ‘Roadhouse Diner’ (we promised Noah a cheeseburger when we got t
o Beirut) and we were on our way. Had cheeseburgers (one with PORK BACON!) and beer, paid with a credit card, and everyone spoke English. Where are we? Going through a bit of culture shock…
Noah was a little lethargic and complained of his ear and belly hurting. Hope he’s okay. Got some Lebanese pull-up diapers (that Noah’s not sold on – “they’re too poofy, Mama”) and headed back to the hotel for a Dude shower, a cartoon, some children's Motrin, and bed. Hope he’s better tomorrow. Poor guy…
After breakfast, we got a call in our room, “Good morning, Mr. Brody? Would you like to go to Beirut?” Yes, please. One loaded diaper and paid hotel bill later, we met John, our driver, and piled into a very nice, large, van. Breezed out of Syria (about 45 min. to the border) with John’s help and bribes. Similarly, our entry into Lebanon was also easy thanks to John. At one point, we had to pay for the entry visas into Lebanon. The road was divided – one way in and one way out. The ATMs and money changes were all on the ‘way out’ side. John walked Aaron up th
e road about 200m to a man with a huge roll of bills who changed the money. Funny.Headed up the Bekka valley – a fertile valley known for its wineries, Hezbollah strongholds, and hash growing. It was weird to see the mix of conservative (i.e., women without their heads covered) and ….not. There were posters everywhere of the three amigos – two clerics (one Iranian?) and one General. Propaganda abounds. But there were also a few hospitals. Checkpoints everywhere too. Baalbeck is… WOW. It’s the most complete, extensive Roman temple site I’ve seen. It might beat out…gasp – the acropolis. There’s a very co
ol hexagon–shaped area. Carvings and ornamental architecture in situ. The columns were colossal. Ran into a group of Americans on tour – teachers (many retired) from a Community College near Philadelphia. Really enjoyed chatting with them. We may see them again as they head to Jordan on the 18th. (Postscript – we DID run into them at Petra later. Small world…) The guides at Baalbeck were joking with Noah when we first arrived – they asked him not to knock over the columns. There was also a very funny scene near the ‘medieval castle’ where Noah and an armed solider were making faces at each other (fingers in the sides of mouths and tongues stuck out). There are some really nice site museums as well. One highlights the necropolis just outside of town. They 
have a sarcophagus open with a burial (bones and dirt inside). Sandwiched in between plexi, just above the bones and dirt, are the burial ornaments (jewelry, gold laureate). Noah was fascinated. He wanted to know why you put dead guys in sarcophagi and why dead people stink. (Try explaining that. I dare you.)Fighting off the persistent chicklet and Hezbollah t-shirt hawkers, we headed for Beirut, stopping about an hour out for a pee and a sandwich with HAM and cheese. Can’t tell you how excited we were about the ham. Real ham. PORK ham.
The drive is beautiful and there are really lovely 1800s stone buildings with veranda and shutters along the way. Some empty, some occupied. Drove along the sea in Beirut and got to see all of the rebuilding downtown. It’s wild. Brand new 21st century buildings next to bombed out hulls. I hope to get some photos. Its’ remarkable. The promenade is beautiful. Made it to the hotel where I realized that I committed a near fatal mistake – I LOST THE ERGO. I hope against all hope that I left it in the van and that we’ll see it tomorrow. (We called the tour company that we used and explained the situation.) If we don’t see it tomorrow, I’ll cry….(my greatest fear is that I dropped it at Ballbeck on the way to the van. I don’t think so, but…)
Aaron got in touch with Amelie (a friend of Aaron’s from grad school) and we agreed to meet at 4 pm to see the American University in Beirut (AUB) museum. The campus is a beautiful…gasp…college campus – in the middle of Beirut. Wild. Its now mostly smoke-free, there are well-fed cats creeping around campus, beautiful flowering trees and shrubs and a spectacular view of the sea. The museum is amazing – great stuff, recently renovated. It’s fantastic. Noah was into a hawk mummy and a Tell Ghassul (?) burial, while I was drooling over Islamic pottery.So good to see Amelie…and to see her in situ! She was fantastic with a cranky Noah who took about 20 minutes to ask her to read to him. She recommended ‘Roadhouse Diner’ (we promised Noah a cheeseburger when we got t
o Beirut) and we were on our way. Had cheeseburgers (one with PORK BACON!) and beer, paid with a credit card, and everyone spoke English. Where are we? Going through a bit of culture shock…Noah was a little lethargic and complained of his ear and belly hurting. Hope he’s okay. Got some Lebanese pull-up diapers (that Noah’s not sold on – “they’re too poofy, Mama”) and headed back to the hotel for a Dude shower, a cartoon, some children's Motrin, and bed. Hope he’s better tomorrow. Poor guy…
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