Lebanon March-April 2012 Day 2

Lebanon Day 2 - Beiteddene, Beeka Valley and Baalbeck

Today we headed off to the Beeka Valley to explore the temples of Baalbeck. We were picked up at 9.00 and headed off across the Mt Lebanon range through Beiteddin where the Presidential Summer Palace sits high on the hillside just outside the township of Deir Al Qamar.

Deir Al Qamar

The township is dominated by a large central square, the Midan, which was once the jousting area during the 15th century - now it is the Dany Chamoun Square in memory of a local politician who was assassinated in 1990.

The town justified a longer time for exploration and wandering but constant drizzle, a cold wind and the promise of a long day of driving and sight seeing meant our visit was all too brief.

Just outside the town bus loads of children were being off loaded at “Castle Moussa” - a fantasy concoction that is a glorious mixture of one man’s idea of medieval castles, fairy tales, adventure stories and generous addition of Walt Disney perched on the hillside - we ignored the possibility of joining them and headed off to the Beiteddine Palace.

Courtyard Beiteddine Palace

Beiteddine was built between 1788 and 1810 on the crest of the mountainside. It is a mix of Italian and Arab architecture that combine to make a beautiful building - especially with the ornate carved and inlaid ceilings and walls that dominate the main rooms - we were the only tourists in the sprawling building which meant we could wander easily through the rooms and grounds.

From here we headed over Mt Lebanon down towards the Beeka Valley and Baalbeck.

The drizzle stopped as we drove into the vast plain that is the Beeka Valley. The valley is the centre of Lebanon’s wine industry which made a visit to the Ksara Winery obligatory. Like the Mission Vineyard in Hawkes Bay the Ksara winery was established by Jesuits in the mid 19th century. Unlike Mission, Ksara was reviving a centuries old tradition of making wine in the region as wine had been produced in the valley for over 5000 years. Ksara is one of the biggest producers of wine and boasts a 2 km underground wine cellar originally built by the Romans.

Part of a 2 km underground wine cellar

After an all too short tour, visit and sampling of some very pleasant red wines we headed off to Baalbeck and its complex of temples.

The main gateway to the Temple of Jupiter

Entering the Grand Courtyard

Baalbeck is one of the biggest Roman archeological sites we’ve been to in all our travels but then the hills there have been the site of the worship of various gods since Phoenician times when it was the temple to the sun god - Baal. The Greeks then took the temple over and rededicated it to Helios (along with renaming the town Heliopolis). The Romans then turned it into a complex of temples dedicated to Jupiter, Venus and Baachus. Later the Byzantines converted the temple into a church then the Arabs made it into a fortified citadel.

 
All through the construction and reconstruction the 22 metre high columns that framed the temple of Jupiter stood on their 1000 ton foundation stones, cut from the local quarry, to declare the might of Rome.

Beside the Jupiter complex a large, perfectly preserved temple, bigger than the Parthenon on Athens, to Bacchus stands thanks to the centuries build up of silt that had protected the building from the predations of different rebuilders. Graffiti dated 1880-85 two thirds of the way up the massive columns testifies how deep the silt build up was before the archeologists began the herculean task of digging the temple out.

grafitti 2/3rds way up a massive column in the Temple to Bacchus

After a great lunch at a restaurant run by a local farming enterprise we headed back to Beirut to prepare for our next day of touring.

Lebanon Holiday March 2012 Day 1

LEBANON - MARCH-APRIL 2012:  Day 1

Pigeon Rocks - the symbol of Beirut

Washing on the porch - Apartment on side street Beirut

March-April 2012
Lebanon Day 1

After hearing great reports from friends who had been to Beirut Joy and I decided that a trip to Lebanon was an ideal for the end of trimester 2. We used the agency, Atlas Tours, we'd used when we went to Jordan.

We arranged a tour taking us around Lebanon for six days from Beirut through Sidon and Trye, to Baalbeck and the Ksara caves , the Dog River, Harrissa and Bylbos and then on to the Qadisha Grotto  and Faraya finishing off with three days to explore Beirut by ourselves.

Lebanon certainly lived up to the reports we' d had from our friends in Abu Dhabi, with its long and eventful history of continuous human settlement and its geography that allowed us to experience all weathers from sun, to drizzle, to thunderstorms and snow all in one day!

The ruins of The Hilton Hotel in Beirut.
Burnt out and bombed during the Civil War.

Our hotel in Beirut, The Charles, was basic but centrally placed near the corniche and within easy walking distance to the town centre. It was also very close to the Hilton Hotel which exists now as an empty bullet and missile pocked ruin over looking what was once the Green line killing zone during the Civil War and Israeli invasion that ran from 1975 through to 1989. From what I could see from the hotel window the empty Hotel across the road had also been a target for snipers from the Hilton as there were a series of bullet holes stitching their way up the face of the building.

A reminder of the Civil War (1975-96)

We took the opportunity to wander along the Corniche in the evening to watch the passing parade of those with a mania for fitness, those whose purpose in life is to be seen walking an expensive dog, the couples in earnest contemplation of each others eyes and the weather beaten fishermen and mahjong players enjoying the evening light.

Our driver-guide, Waleed, picked us up early in the morning to begin our tours of the country. This took us to the south of the country ... To the ancient Phoenician port cities of Sidon and Trye. These cities are a treasure trove of the history of invasions and rebuilding that characterizes the country. The crusader sea castle built in 1228 on top of a Phoenician temple with building blocks scavenged from the Roman ruins that dot the town dominates the harbour and provides a link to the old town with its souqs and remains of Ottoman caveransi and trading points.

Souq- Sidon

In the souq The Khan al-Saboun  a  building which has been in constant use since the 13th century but since the 17th century has been a soap factory. Introduced us to the tradition of soap making. Here, the different materials to make the natural soap were bought together and processed in a giant vat until everything had fused together and could be poured out and smoothed into smoothness and made ready for cutting into hard blocks of soap.

Sidon Souq butcher shop

Bread making in the street Souq Sidon

From the factory we wandered through the Souq, watching the bakers pounding dough and baking batch after batch of Lebanese breads, the wrinkled and bearded old carpenters assembling stools and tables or turning piles of wooden spoons and the women haggling over the price of large, incredibly red and sweet strawberries or lush vegetables with the stall holders, until we emerged on the fore shore and the Khan Al-Franj or caravansi which was the centre of trade and hospitality from 1610 until the mid 19th century.

From Sidon we headed for Tyre, a city originally built on an island by the Phoenicians in the 3rd millennium BC and which withstood numerous sieges until 323 BC  Alexander the Great built a causeway from the mainland to wheel his siege engines across to smash the walls and, after killing the inhabitants, rebuild it to suit his purposes. After Alexander the city was taken by successive waves of invaders who all added their buildings and cultures.
Now the excavations have revealed the ruins of  Roman Tyre with its market and huge bath complex.

Victory arch marking beginning of Roman Necropolis Tyre

Byzantine Necropolis - Tyre

Outside the city a sprawling necropolis filled with sarcophagi from the Byzantines through to the Romans leads to the largest Roman Hippodrome in the world. It, apparently, could seat 40,000 keen supporters of the Blue and Green teams who, judging by the carvings on the doorways, raced their chariots around the tight hairpin turns of the track.

Already the archeology of Lebanon was proving to be more than we had seen in our travels around the Mediterranean and Middle East. But the most impressive was to come when we headed into the Beeka Valley and on to Baalbeck.

Rebecca's visit to Abu Dhabi

My bonding session in Abu Dhabi

By Rebecca Papprill

I visited my parents in Abu Dhabi over Christmas. They’re both in their 60s, well actually I lie, because Mum’s in her early 70s, but you’d never know because she looks and acts younger.

I think it’s because they’re living in another country. Gives them a sense of adventure, fills them with new experiences or maybe it’s because they’re secretly enjoying being away from their kids. (might have to have a word with them about that…)

This is their fourth year in the Gulf, so I thought I better scrape together all my savings and head off to see them before they headed home for good.

“Bonding session” was what I called the trip. A good old bonding session with the parents and I tell ya what, for their age, they tired me out! With Mum enjoying trekking me around the numerous shopping malls and Dad proudly showing us the cities major attractions, my feet were starting to look like a true ballerina, blistered, achy and in serious need of rest.

Now there are two things you need to know about Abu Dhabi before you leave, pack lightly, because believe me you’ll want to shop – actually, just take an empty suitcase.
And secondly, invest in a good pair of walking shoes.

I thought about writing on one particular outing in Abu Dhabi, but there is so much more of the city than that. For instance, it’s hard to believe that 40 years ago, Abu Dhabi was just a desert, home to a few nomadic tribes and villages where the economy was based around pearl diving, fishing and date palm cultivation.

With Helen Clark at the Emirates Palace Hotel

Now when you step into the warmth of Abu Dhabi you’ll find a buzzing modern cosmopolitan city encompassing an eclectic population of 1.6 million where Emirate citizens make up nearly 20 percent of the total population; the other 80 percent are expatriates from Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and North America.

With the leadership of the late UAE President and ruler, His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, oil and gas was wisely invested transforming the place.

It has been this transformation that has made Abu Dhabi, the richest country and one of the most fascinating places to visit.

Abu Dhabi’s culture is firmly rooted in Arabia’s Islamic traditions, but there’s a twist of modern influence dictated in the Emirati’s clothes.
You’ll notice peeking out the bottom of the women’s black abayas sparkling three-inch heels, on their arms high fashion handbags, such as Gucci and in their hand an IPhone, when it comes to the men, in their white thobes, sandals and chic sunglasses, you’ll probably find they drive a large, very large, jeep with extremely dark tinted windows.(Even though the law says that over 30% tint is too dark).
Dad told me his friend had hired a car to drive to Dubai and had only driven a few metres before he had to turn back and replace it with a car he could actually see out of.

Along with wearing an abaya and tinted windows I’m not surprised that the local newspaper ran an article about many Emirati woman lacking Vitamin D due to little exposure to the sun. Considering that in summer temperatures can exceed 45 degrees, (Dad calls it being ‘fan baked’) it could be hard to believe, but it’s true. Winter is friendlier to the locals with temperatures falling between 20 – 30 degrees.

Abu Dhabi has numerous malls scattered around the city. Mum and I unashameably visited most of them. It’s so easy to grab a taxi and the cost is more than reasonable.

Oh, expect to think you’re about to have an accident, it’s just they way they drive there, it’s called honk the horn and get out the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Mandinat Zayed Mall. It’s one of the less commercialised places where you’ll see most of the locals and bargaining for your purchases, such as Arabic perfume oil, lamps, rug and jewellery, meets with great fun.

You’ll find that Arabic is the official language, although English is widely spoken.

Abu Dhabi has invested lot into tourism, such as:

Talking to the Camel Owners at Al Ain

· Desert Safari. The package includes dune bashing, camel riding, Falcons, henna design, an Arabic meal finished with an Arabic tea around a bon fire – Mum refused to go because she didn’t like the sound of the word “Bashing”, but I told her during on of our crazy taxi drives that she didn’t miss out on much.

Falcons on the Desert Safari

· The opportunity to indulge in the decadence of the Emirates Palace Hotel. It’s free to visit and there is an exhibition on Abu Dhabi to explore – yeah, I’m not rich enough to stay there.
· The Corniche is a great place to soak up the sun and go for a swim.

Sheik Zayed Mosque

· Admiring the wonder and architecture of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was amazing – be prepared to wear an abaya, Women have to wear them before entering the mosque, it’s ok they supply them there and you actually look quite good in them!!

· Camel racing and yes camel beauty competitions.
· And if you want to venture to other cities, Dubai and Al Ain are two hours drive away.

But, do you know what? Going to the local supermarket, called Lulu’s will kept you filled with great sights to see. The selection of olives, fete cheeses, dates and the melting pot of people that shop there.

See, can you see why the end of my three-week trip tired me out? But the exhaustion was worth it because I got to bond more with my mum and dad in the wonders of Abu Dhabi.

Malaysia December 2011

Malaysia 2011

This December we were able to plan where we were to travel to a lot earlier than last December as ADEC had published a list of dates well in advance rather than the hope and plan on rumours we had experienced in Oman.
Joy and I decided to head for Malaysia rather than seek out the chill of winter that a trip to Europe would have given and to forgo the pleasures of rain and earthquakes that a return to NZ would have provided.

The trip was pleasurable, especially the time spent in Melaka where Malaysian history was more obvious than that offered in Kuala Lumpur.


Joy enjoyed the shopping malls for a few days but found the Malls enthused about by different people and guide-books to be dominated by cheap goods and plastic tack - a problem that was repeated in Melaka where the "famed Jonkers Street," which was described as a fascinating street of antique shops and genuine Malaysian crafts, was dominated by plastic tack and obviously Indian sourced wooden boxes that we see in the souvenier shops here in Abu Dhabi.
We enjoyed having our feet nibbled by myriads of little fish especially after walking our way around China Town and the Central Market area.



We explored Kuala Lumpur sights, including the Batu Caves where Hindu devotees, including a little old woman who was obviously doing a penance as her hair had not been cut for years and had to folded onto itself and then be suspended in a net so it looked as if she was carrying a sack over her shoulder, paid homage to a variety of gods standing in alcove caves around the huge limestone cavity that mad up the sacred site.

We then travelled down to Melaka which is a UNESCO recognised World Heritage site as it was the point at which the many cultures that have influenced Malayasia met over the centuries. It was here that Europe met Asia, India and the Middle East as first the Portuguese, then the Dutch and the British fought for trade rights over three hundred plus years.



We enjoyed our time in Melaka then returned to Kuala Lumpur for Christmas and preparation to return to Abu Dhabi to welcome Rebecca for a three week visit to the Middle East.
The bus trip back to KL was punctuated by a 15 car nose to tail accident that snarled the traffic for several kilometres and then, a few kilometres further on, a car mets two buses pile up.

We celebrated Christmas with a buffet Dinner at the hotel and spent Christmas Day with a skype call to Jocelyn in quake ridden Christchurch and a wander around central KL and up the hill to the butterfly farm and botanical gardens before heading back to the hotel.

We flew back to Abu Dhabi on the 27th to ready ourselves for the new year and Rebecca's arrival.