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The Grand Ladies Of Lebanon
ebanon is extra special trinkets at the Souk al Barghout,
because her four grand a flea market that draw crowds of
ladies continue to bewitch thousands – both local shoppers
and entrance people from all over and curious tourists. Here you
the world with their ancient can find jewelry, antiques,
secrets and their ageless beauty. handicrafts, and paintings. The
The five grand ladies referred to flea market is like a wonderful
are her eternal cities - Beirut, box that holds colorful and
Tyre, Byblos, Sidon, and Tripoli. assorted treasures.
The country may be in turmoil,
but the world continues to hope In the evening, people take long
that these graceful ladies will walks along Foch Allenby's
not be harmed. cobbled streets, ride their
bikes, and drink cups of coffee
The Capital in quaint cafes. Famous Lebanese
wines overflow in the local pubs.
Beirut is the geographic and The outdoor restaurants are
economic hub of the country. It teeming with diners and people
strongly retains influences from revel into the night.
the French. Foch Allenby, the
Central District area is the In the infamous Rue Minet El
favorite of crowds. Here you find Hosn, people promenade in the
a mix of different architecture lazy afternoons. They take the
with walls molded from yellow sights of interesting and
stone that echoes the art fabulous facades of hotels and
influenced by bygone eras of the old buildings bearing influences
Ottoman, French, and Italian of western and eastern cultures.
style. The Rue Minet El Hosn was the
stomping ground for the civil war
The young and old shop for that ravaged Beirut in 1975.
area in Lebanon, dating back 7000
Minet El Hosn is swamped with big years. Once a mighty province
name hotels like Normandie, ruled by kings, it is now a busy
Alcazar, Phoenicia, Holiday Inn, metropolis with a flourishing
Palm Beach, and St. George. If trade. Byblos is an
you go to Beirut, check out these archeologist's heaven. The old
hotels and get the best service buildings and Egyptian
to be found in this part of the architecture are still around to
globe. fascinate tourists with their
link to a proud and ancient past.
Where East Meets West
Another must-see place is Sidon.
In Tyre, marvel at the white This is the place where Noah and
sugar sand beach, sparkling his family landed after the Great
waters, and the breathtaking Flood. The romantic ruins from
sceneries, adding up to any the Crusader Period are the
visitors' enjoyment of Lebanon's Castle of Sea constructed by the
beaches. Tourists and locals Knights of St. John, while the
alike enjoy scuba diving and Castle of St. Louis or Land
fishing. Swimmers love the warm, Castle sits atop the acropolis of
pristine waters. Nearby, the what was once a Phoenician
woodlands provide a good hunting stronghold.
ground. Relaxing in this ancient
but bustling seaside city gives Tripoli in Northern Lebanon draws
you that feeling that you're tourists to its ancient castles
looking at the same sea famous and the Fortress of Saint Gilles.
biblical characters crossed in The fortress was built in 12 BC
their ancient vessels. but was later remodeled by the
Mamluks and the Ottomans. There
Byblos is the oldest inhabited are 45 registered historical
buildings that history buffs
shouldn't miss. Tripoli was also |
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