The Legal Globalisation Era

LIFESTYLE

The Cedars of Lebanon

As we arrive at Hariri Beirut International Airport, I cannot help but think that barely a few weeks ago, the country was at war with itself (again). When pro-Syrian Hezbollah fighters overran Sunni neighbourhoods, defeating armed supporters of the pro-Western government in street battles, it was feared that this would drag the country into a new period of civil war. It had taken a large dose of advocacy skills by my colleagues Eng Leng and Chee Meng to persuade their respective spouses to allow them to come on this trip to Lebanon. Our Lebanese colleague Ziad Touma had assured us that a new President having just been elected (following a deadlock of more than 18 months), there would be peace for at least three months! As for me, after several rounds of discussions with my newly-wed wife, she finally agreed to me making the trip, but on one condition - that she come along too. I suspect that having been based in the Middle East for more than half a year now, she had come to observe the natural beauty of Lebanese women, and was prepared to risk life and limb to keep a watchful eye over me!

The immigration process was fairly efficient and painless, made even more pleasant by the fact that we were attended to by a multitude of young and attractive female Lebanese immigration officials dressed in military fatigues. Singaporean and Malaysian passport holders do not require visas in advance to enter Lebanon. The only caveat is that one will be denied entry if one's passport contains an Israeli stamp.

The purpose of our trip was to attend the wedding of our colleague Ziad to his sweetheart Georgina Harb.

As our host Ziad drives us along the road that leads from the airport to the city, I am again reminded that so very recently, this very road was blockaded by Hezbollah fighters, resulting in the airport being shut down for several days. I also recall a piece of advice given to me by a Lebanese client that the quickest way out of Lebanon in the event the airport was closed was to escape via Syria. Hopefully I wouldn't need to rely on this evacuation plan on this trip!

As one enters Beirut City, one cannot help but be reminded of the wars that have torn this beautiful country apart, as well as the political instability and tension that still prevails. The city is littered with buildings riddled with bullet holes; fully-armed soldiers patrol most major streets and concrete barriers line the kerbs (to prevent car-bombs). Even reaching our hotel, the Intercontinental Phoenicia Beirut poses a challenge. Ziad has to navigate through layers of barricades and 'tyre-killers', and have the vehicle tested for explosives by hotel security personnel. All guests entering the hotel lobby have to walk-through a metal-detector and all luggage is X-rayed.

The Intercontinental Phoenicia Beirut is a five-star hotel in the heart of Beirut City. It was rebuilt following its almost complete destruction during the Lebanese civil war of 1975-1990. A stone's throw away from the hotel is what remains of the famous St. George Hotel, which was totally devastated by the bomb that killed former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 1995. The building is a grim reminder of the destruction brought about by the one-tonne of TNT on that Valentine's Day.

Our first stop is a walk along the Corniche, a long seaside promenade. From here we get a clear view of one of Lebanon's most famous natural landmarks. Two massive stone outcrops lying off the coast of Lebanon in a cove in Raouche known as the Pigeon Rocks. The late morning sun reflecting off the stone offers wonderful photo opportunities. Although it is still an hour to noon, we feel the direct rays of the sun piercing our skin. However, unlike the rest of the Middle East with its very harsh summer heat, the Lebanese summer is more moderate. Where temperatures hit the mid to high 40's during summer in the rest of the Middle East, in Lebanon, the maximum daytime time temperature ranges from the high-20s to mid-30s. The evening weather is perfect, hovering in the low 20s.

Our next trip is to head out of the city towards North Lebanon. Ziad explains that we are going north as it is still unsafe to visit South Lebanon because of the on-going unrest in some parts. The highway that takes us out of the city runs alongside the coast offering spectacular views of the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Our first stop is the Grotto in Jeita located about 20km from Beirut. Discovered in the early 19th century, the Grotto is a compound of caves in the Valley of Nahr al-Kalb (Dog River). The Grotto complex is made up of two caves, an upper gallery and a lower cave, which has a river running through it.

As we enter the upper cavern, we can feel the temperature drop significantly. Stunning and spectacular would be an understatement for what we see. The caves contain a variety of crystallised formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, columns, mushrooms etc. Visitors navigate the cave by way of a specially designed walkway. As we explore the beauty of the cave, we are engaged by a group of Lebanese teenagers. They are curious to see foreign faces, and immediately echo together 'Welcome to Lebanon'. As we will discover later, the Lebanese are extremely hospitable people.

The lower cave is accessed by way of a boat which takes visitors along the river. Similarly magnificent stalactites and stalagmites are seen in the lower cave. On the boat, it is hard to resist the urge to dip one's hands into the freezing waters beneath.

The only disappointment (if at all) with the visit to the Grotto is the prohibition against photography. All visitors are required to surrender their cameras which are placed in lockers outside the entrance into the Grotto. This is to protect the caves from flashlight which accelerates the deterioration of the crystallized formations. So we leave the Grotto armed only with the memory of the amazing sights.

After the visit to the Grotto, we head towards the town of Byblos for lunch. Byblos is one of the oldest towns in the world. At one time, it was the commercial and religious capital of the Phoenician coast. Much of the wall surrounding the old city remains standing. Lunch consists of a full course typical Lebanese meal - mezze (starters) consisting of chick peas, egg plant, beetroot all mixed with sesame cream or yogurt, and a platter of grilled meats and fish. The fish, a Hammour, from the local waters, is exceptionally delicious.

After the long and relaxing lunch whilst enjoying the sunshine and the views of the Mediterranean Sea, we head back towards Beirut. Along the way we stop at a place which Ziad describes as selling the best ice-cream in the world. The shop is owned by an elderly gentleman who has been selling ice cream at the same place for several decades now. All his ice-cream is home-made, and his specialties are the rose-water and apricot with pine seed flavours. Despite the heavy lunch, all of us are unable to resist trying the ice-cream, and Ziad is not far wrong with his description of it being the best.
As we savour the ice-cream, the old man tells us that the street outside his shop was the scene of a famous battle between the Christian militia and Syrian-backed forces, during the civil war. His story is corroborated by the presence of a building just opposite bearing the scars of bullet holes and bomb damage.

Upon arriving at the hotel, we are too exhausted to do much else but nap. However, we are not given any chance by our host for any rest. We are picked up at 10pm for a quick night tour of the city which is just coming to life, and then taken to the 'Music Hall', one of the most well-known nightclubs in Beirut. We are there to celebrate Ziad's penultimate night as a single man. The music played through the speakers in the nightclub is interspersed with live performances by various bands. It doesn't take long before the crowd is caught up in the music and couples are dancing on their chairs and table. One thing is for certain, the Lebanese sure know how to party!

By 2am, our bodies tell us that we cannot stay up much longer. Oddly enough, the nightclub is filling up as we depart. We are told that the Lebanese will party till five in the morning, and then head to work!

The following morning, we set off early as Ziad is driving us to the Beqaa valley, north of Beirut. We are joined by two of Ziad's friends, Mohammed and Rania. To reach the Beqaa valley, we have to drive up the western face of Mt. Lebanon and descend on the eastern side. As we head towards Mt. Lebanon, we are stopped at several checkpoints manned by heavily armed soldiers of the Lebanese Army. We are told that the checkpoints are in place to prevent the smuggling of weapons and ammunition into the towns in Lebanon.

We also pass by what is apparently the highest bridge in the Middle East. The bridge is in the midst of being re-constructed, having been destroyed by the Israeli airforce during Israel's war against Hezbollah in July 2006 to prevent the Syrians from arming Hezbollah fighters. As we enter the Beqaa valley, Ziad points out Mt. Lebanon in the West (beyond which lies the Mediterranean Sea) and Mt. Anti-Lebanon in the East, which separates Lebanon from Syria and Israel (Ziad is quick to correct himself saying that he should properly describe the latter as Palestine out of respect for his friend Mohammad who is Palestinian Jordanian).

On the way to the Beqaa Valley, we stop at a little town called Chtaura for water and snacks. At a little grocery store cum café, Ziad introduces us to a Lebanese pastry filled with arisha (milk cream) and aasal (honey). Very tasty indeed.

One of the key attractions in the Beqaa Valley is town of Baalbeck. As we enter the town, Ziad warns us 'No photos, unless I tell you it's ok'. We all duly comply. As we get closer to the town centre, we understand why - Baalbeck is a Hezbollah stronghold. From our MPV (not-bullet proofed!) we see armed teenagers who are Hezbollah militia roaming the streets. Within the town of Baalbeck lies the Acropolis of Baalbeck, which is the largest and best preserved corpus of Roman architecture. The Acropolis houses temples dedicated to the ancient gods of Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus. The ruins are simply majestic. Six towering columns and the magnificent temple of Bacchus (god of wine and orgies we are told) are particularly spectacular and have withstood weather and earthquakes. What is amazing is that unlike other ancient ruins around the world which are crawling with tourists, there are barely any other visitors apart from our group.

Our guide, a native of Baalbeck, patiently explains to us the significance of the different ruins. I admire his patience with us as we are obsessed with taking photographs, paying scant attention to his commentary. At one point, he laments that since his birth, he has seen thee revolutions and lived through the Arab-Israeli wars and the Lebanese civil wars. He says with much regret that he will likely never know peace in his lifetime.

As we exit the site, a little boy approaches us and asks for US$2. We ask why, and in a straight face, he tells us that it's his fee for watching over our car while we visit the ruins! Shortly thereafter, another young boy runs towards us offering to sell us a bright yellow T-shirt. We find it amusing that the front of the T-shirt is emblazoned with the words 'Hezbollah - We have the Victory'. We think it's way too much for a fashion statement and politely decline. We immediately feel that it's probably time to leave Baalbeck (while we still can!).

We drive for about 45 minutes and arrive at Chateau Kefraya, one of Lebanon's oldest vineyards. Lunch is served at a restaurant in the vineyard. The cuisine, a mix of French and Lebanese, is again, delightful. As we stroll among the vineyard after lunch, we are enthralled by the beauty of the countryside, with the sun slowing setting over the cloud covered peaks of Mt. Lebanon. It is hard to imagine that this is the same Lebanon that we see on the channels of CNN.

We then begin our journey back towards Beirut which involves us driving up Mt. Lebanon again. As we ascend, we can feel the cool air penetrating our MPV. We stop to enjoy the magnificent views of the Beqaa Valley and Karoun Lake, and endure the cold howling wind while we snap away with our cameras. Just as we begin our descent, we are stopped at a roadblock set up by the military forces. Our MPV is immediately surrounded by a dozen Lebanese army soldiers armed with automatic rifles. Unlike the previous stops, this does not appear to be a routine check. A gentleman, who we assume to be the highest ranking officer, demands sight of the registration papers of the vehicle, and the passports of all passengers. After inspection of the documentation and a short verbal exchange between Ziad and the officer in a mix of French and Arabic, much to our relief, we are waved on. It seems that the higher level of security is necessitated by the fact that our journey takes us past the home of one of the leaders of the opposition factions, who has been a target for assassination. Another sad reminder of the delicate political situation that still prevails in the country.

As we continue our descent, we catch glimpses of the famous black cedar trees of Lebanon along the mountainside. We pass by many charming small towns such as Beiteddine, which is home to an Ottoman-style 18th century palace, and which has hosted numerous concerts by world renowned singers.

By the time we arrive in Beirut, it is dinner time. We head straight to Downtown Beirut, which is the main town square, lined with cafes. The cafes are all full and it looks like the whole of Beirut is out tonight. The Lebanese are eating and drinking without any care in the world. The prevailing sentiment among the people we meet is that they might as well enjoy the peace while it lasts. We leave Downtown at close to midnight, and again, streams of people are just about making their arrival.

We wake up late on Saturday and take a slow walk to Downtown Beirut. We meet numerous curious Lebanese who enquire as to our origins. It is probably due to the fact that they do not see many visitors of Asian origin in the country. We meet Ziad for coffee, who for the first time since our arrival, is showing some signs of anxiety. He is six hours away from his wedding, and the shoe shop he is to buy his shoes from is closed! We are joined at coffee by Fadi, Ziad's childhood friend. We tell Fadi excitedly about our trip to Baalbeck the day before, and Fadi with a horrified look on his face says, 'It's not safe to go there. People get kidnapped'. In unison, we all look to Ziad, who reassures us that we were safe since we he was with us!

The wedding festivities start at the groom's home. We arrive at 6pm in our Sunday best and are greeted by Ziad's family and friends. The joy and happiness reverberating from the house cannot but overwhelm us. We can barely hear ourselves speak as the room echoes with the voices of family and friends catching up with each other in French, Arabic and English. Ziad introduces us to his grandmother, an elegant lady of 90 years, who immediately takes a liking for my wife Candace, and clings onto her the whole evening. Ziad's grandmother's native tongue is French (which Candace cannot understand) - that the two of them are able to communicate throughout the evening is simply miraculous.

From the groom's home, we are taken to St. Maron Church, where the solemnisation will take place. Ziad and Georgina are Maronite Christians, a denomination that is closest to the Roman Catholic Church. The church is quaint and small, and exceptionally beautiful inside. Much to our surprise, the aisle is lined with orchids, a species of flowers not easily available in Lebanon. Ziad explains that having joined a Singapore firm, it is only appropriate that the national flower of Singapore be chosen for the wedding flowers. Ziad who is now standing at the altar looks with awe as his beautiful bride walks down the aisle. The ceremony is conducted in Arabic, interspersed with Aramaic (the language of Christ).

Immediately after the ceremony, the wedding party moves onto the Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel. There is a 12-member live band, a fireworks display, a lavish spread of food, and of course not forgetting a bevy of beautiful Lebanese women. No expense is spared in making this a memorable night for the couple. The evening is filled with singing, dancing and merry-making. Again, it is apparent that the Lebanese really live life with a passion. It is close to 3am before the festivities show any signs of drawing to a close.

On Sunday, we wake up late, and in true Lebanese hospitality, our newly-wed colleague insists on sending us to the airport (despite not getting any sleep the whole night himself). We all feel a sense of sadness as we draw closer to Beirut International Airport. It's been a wonderful four days, and despite the short visit, we have fallen in love with the country and its people. As the flight departs Beirut, two thoughts fill my mind. First, I imagine winter in Lebanon where Ziad has promised skiing down snow-capped mountains. And second, that God will grant a long and lasting peace to this beautiful country and its people.