Published Photographs: Beirut Edition

Lebanon received a record number of tourists in 2010 – more than 2 million in a country with a population of 4 million, according to published reports.

Beirut alone offers a waterfront, a hip night scene, archaeological sites and fine cuisine. Much of the city’s downtown has been rebuilt following the civil war, which ended in 1990. Hopefully the surge in tourism will continue despite ongoing political turmoil.

Pictured above is Beirut’s Mediterranean hugging Corniche, Roman baths, Place d Etoile and Mohammad Al Amin Mosque. These photographs have appeared in magazines and newspapers.

Has political strife stopped you from traveling to a destination you have always wanted to see?

Harbors From Around The World

Many of the world’s cities were built around harbors. Although functional the waterways are also often scenic.

Shanghai’s harbor remains active long after the lights in Pudong and the historic Bund have been turned off for the night, which in my experience happens just before midnight. It is one of the world’s busiest.

Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor keeps shrinking due to land reclamation in the space starved special administrative region. I predict one day you’ll be able to cross it by footbridge.

Essaouira, Morocco’s harbor is color coordinated. Its signature blue fishing boats are the perfect Moroccan blue.

The harbor in the ancient city of Byblos, Lebanon is peaceful and houses small fishing and leisure boats.

What harbors of the world do you find most scenic and which would you like to see? I’d love to see Sydney Harbor.

Baalbek Temple Complex Lebanon

The Roman temples of Baalbek Lebanon are some of the grandest and best preserved in the world. Layers of civilization and pagan roots date back to the Phoenicians. Known in ancient times as City of the Sun, Baalbek's heyday came when the Romans colonized it and spent centuries building the Temple of Jupiter and the Temple of Bacchus.

Most tourists take a day trip to Baalbek, which is about a two-hour drive from Beirut. There are a few hotels in town, including the legendary Palmyra Hotel where I stayed. A relic from colonial days gone by this mansion has spectacular views of the temple complex from its roof and terraces. It also has a good selection of wine, due to its strategic location in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon’s wine country.

In recent years the spotlight on Baalbek as home to the temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been overshadowed by the ongoing political conflicts in Lebanon. Baalbek is a stronghold for Hezbollah, the Party of God. Indeed T-shirts emblazoned with the Hezbollah logo were being sold at souvenir stands outside the temple complex and were popular with tourists.

But Lebanon was undergoing a renaissance when I was there in May of 2006 about six weeks before the war with Israel broke out. It was re-emerging as a travel hot spot after 15 years of civil war and the subsequent years rebuilding. Even with the up tick in tourism I pretty much had the place to myself, particularly late in the day when the day trippers departed leaving me with free photographic reign during the golden hours of the late afternoon light.

Street Scenes: Corniche Beirut Lebanon

Most large cities have a place where people gather to stroll, strut their stuff and socialize. The magnificent squares in many of Europe’s cities come to mind. In Beirut, Lebanon it is the Corniche.

The waterfront boulevard lined with palm tress hugs the Mediterranean coast. Vendors sell a variety of refreshments including freshly baked bread. Hubbly bubbly pipes, or hookahs, stuffed with flavored tobaccos are available to rent. The best time to visit is late afternoon and early evening. What is the preferred place to stroll where you live?

Museums From Around the World

Museums house the world’s treasures. Often the architecture is artwork in itself.

The modern aesthetic of the Shanghai Museum is home to many collections. But its roots are traditional. The building was designed in the shape of an ancient cooking vessel.

The architecture of the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico maintains the region’s true style.

The National Museum of Beirut sits on both sides of the Green Line. During the civil war priceless ancient artifacts were hidden and kept safe. It took years to restore after the war ended and is one of Lebanon’s national treasures.

It would take a lifetime to explore all that the Vatican Museum has to offer. You could rest in one of its beautiful gardens in the process.

My favorite museum is in my hometown and walking distance from where I live. I could spend days at the Metropolitan Museum of Art traveling through the ages in one of its many wings.

What’s your favorite museum?

Tailors Market Tripoli Lebanon

Wandering the the world’s markets is one of life’s traveling pleasures. The port city of Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city, houses among the most atmospheric of Lebanon’s markets.

Like ancient markets around the globe the souks in the Old City of Tripoli consist of a network of alleys and covered passages where generations of merchants and craftsman have toiled for centuries. Each section features particular goods, such as spices, jewelery and textiles.

Pictured is the Tailors Market. Dating from the 14th century it suffered damage during the Civil War and was restored after. Openings in the high arched ceilings allow natural light to filter down to the small shops. It is nice place to take in displays of traditional fashions worn by women.

The Ancient Cedar Trees Of Lebanon

The cedar trees in Bcharre, Lebanon include the country’s oldest. Some date back about 1,500 years give or take a few centuries.

The national emblem of Lebanon is the cedar tree which graces its flag. The country was once covered with vast forests.

Today Lebanon’s national treasures include its cedar reserves. The majestic trees in Bcharre are known as the Cedars of God.

The drive to reach the cedars of Bcharre on a twisting mountain road with majestic views of the valley below is among the most scenic in Lebanon. Nearby is the birthplace of Khalil Gibran and a ski resort.

Just imagine what these ancient trees have witnessed throughout the centuries.

Mosques From Around The World

Some of the world’s grandest mosques are not ancient. The landmarks below have all been built within the last 30 years. Let’s take a tour of these houses of worship featuring stunning modern Islamic architecture:

The Mohammad Al Amin Mosque in Beirut, Lebanon was built at the beginning of the new millennium.

The Jumeirah Mosque must be the most photographed house of worship in Dubai. It opened its doors in the late 1970s.

The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco was completed in the 1990s and can hold up to 25,000 worshippers.

Strange Souvenirs: Hezbollah T-Shirts Lebanon

Most people can’t resist bringing home something from their travels. Some seek out beautifully made local handicrafts, while others bring back the edible (coffees, teas, spices). And let’s not forget the classic T-shirt or mug.

But some mementos are more memorable than others. How about T-shirts emblazoned with the Hezbollah logo, which include the silhouette of an automatic weapon? They were a popular keepsake amongst tourists visiting Lebanon’s Baalbek Temple complex.

Vendors just outside the temple had stalls with the garments, which featured one side in English, the other in Arabic: "Hezbollah The Victorious Party. Islamic Resistance In Lebanon." I wonder if those purchasing them wore them after they got home.

I’ll be writing more on some of the more bizarre souvenirs I have come across. What strange souvenirs have you found or bought when traveling?

Crusader Sea Castle Sidon Lebanon

The Crusader Sea Castle juts out into the Mediterranean off the coast of Sidon, Lebanon. But it is still within earshot of the call to prayer.


The castle sits on a small island where the Crusaders built it in the 13th century. To get there you must walk across a stone bridge. You can climb up the ancient stone stairs of its better-preserved tower for a good view of the port, Sidon’s Old City and the sea.

Sidon is not far from Beirut, about 40 kilometers, an easy day trip. The castle is open to visitors daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Green Line Beirut Lebanon

The lingering physical scars of Lebanon’s Civil War are most visible along the green line in Beirut.

You can’t see the green line, which stretches to the sea, in the same way you can view the remains of the Berlin or Warsaw Ghetto walls. It is a non physical boundary that cut Beirut in half, separating Christian East Beirut from largely Muslim West Beirut. The name refers in part to the vegetation that grew in the no man’s land in between the two during 15 years of war.

Today you see damaged battle weary architecture next to brand new structures. Buildings pock marked by bullets stand out in contrast to rebuilt neighbors that now out number them almost 20 years after the war ended.

Roman Baths Beirut Lebanon

The Romans never failed to recreate the comforts of home when they conquered. In downtown Beirut the remains of public Roman baths are located behind the city’s banking street and within a stone’s throw of the Grand Serail, a majestic building housing government offices.

The archaeological site contrasts with the latest layer of civilization in the city, the modern buildings next to it in the rebuilt downtown. It wasn’t discovered until the 1960s and was restored to its present state in the 1990s.

The atmosphere is almost park like with benches to sit on and relax. The baths are open to the public and there is no admission charge.

City Icons - Beirut Lebanon

Continuously inhabited for millennia, it is not surprising that Beirut is a city with more than one icon. Jutting out of the Mediterranean Sea is one of the city’s most recognized landmarks, Pigeon Rocks. It is also the only natural landmark in Beirut, known for decades as the Paris of the Middle East.

You can view the rocks from the Corniche, Beirut’s seaside promenade or from one of the cafés overlooking them in the Raouche section of the city. Peak time to view the arched rocks is sunset.

A few miles away in downtown Beirut stands the shell of the bullet-ridden Holiday Inn Hotel. It was opened shortly before the 15-year civil war began in 1970s and was used by snipers.

There are no plans at present to restore the hotel. For now it stands as an unofficial monument to the war.

Previous City Icons: Jaipur, Rajasthan.