The enthralling story of a beautiful people with the saddest story, Lebanon 6/2023 (Stop 5 Part 2)

From Beirut, I would make a second-day trip, this time to Baalbek, 85 km away. Having gone through the stomach-churning ride in the local mini bus yesterday, I decided to hire a taxi this time. He was equally suicidal, but I felt somewhat safe fastened to my seat this time. Time has been tough. Maybe they are tougher.

Baalbek is known for its Roman ruins – among others, the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Venus, the Temple of Bacchus, and the Roman ruins, all close to each other. Their massive stone wall and towering columns look invincible. They were built to project power, to make humans look small. What man has the power to build, he has the power to destroy. Fortunately, though a large part of the tops have been shaved off, much remains.

I have gone north and east of Beirut. I wanted to go south to see what Lebanon is like. So I hired another taxi on another day trip to go to Tyre, another historical city mentioned in the Bible, now with a predominantly Shia population.

Getting there was a beautiful thing, driving along the blue Mediterranean. Like, feeling like life is forever good.

Tyre is both historical and seaside. There are 2 main sites. I started with the one more inland, the Al Bass site. There was an old Egyptian tomb, a big hippodrome, and the Necropolis. Much has been demolished, only the rubble and some pillars are left standing. It is still enough to bring back those old pictures, as though these structures are still smoldering.

I then moved on to the other site, nearer the sea, the Al Mina site. Walking towards this old seaport, of whatever was left, it was a stunning picture of those surviving pillars standing under the blue sky, going right to the edge of the blue Mediterranean. How resigned it was with its own destruction.

Tyre is where the Mediterranean is famed. I made a quick dash to the Tyre Beach and the Sour Beach. At Sour Beach, I saw how intensely blue and green, and crystal clear the water was. Surprisingly, I also saw some wearing bikinis in this Shia town. So, boys and girls are welcome to enjoy these beautiful beaches.

Bad publicity is better than no publicity. I had wanted to see Lebanon due to the negative news – its past internal conflicts. But this is also an interesting country in many ways. Its Arab culture, religious diversity, springlike climate, flamboyant personality, sophisticated food culture, and the beautiful ageless Mediterranean Sea.

I see a passionate people. I wish they managed it well.

Click here to see all the stops on this trip