Beirut, a surprise at every turn
Beirut will captivate you with its contrasts, with modern luxury apartments sharing space with buildings that bear the scars of a civil war that divided the country for 15 years ; for his multiculturalism, with 18 religious confessions coexisting in peace , and its corners, which you would never imagine finding in what was once considered the 'Paris of the Middle East'.
Plans in a city that will surely surprise you
The capital of Lebanon welcomes you with a Bonjour, Welcome, Kifak? Its citizens mix Arabic, English and French without flinching, showing their past and history, which was dictated from France for 20 years, and the characteristic that many Lebanese have lived in exile or have relatives living abroad.
The city immerses you in its bustle with the constant sound of taxi drivers with their cars with red license plates, that will beep as soon as you pass by - it is their way of calling your attention in case you need their services. And it is that Beirut has its own code, perhaps that is what makes it so special. For example: forget about getting in the taxi and giving the full address , as you are used to, because the driver will not know how to take you. Here, you have to say the neighborhood and something characteristic , such as a bank, a supermarket or even, a while ago, it became famous to say: “Take me to the store that has the dog sleeping outside in Mar Mikhael”.
Beirut, the non-stop of a city
BLACK AND WHITE
This is a characteristic of Lebanon that you will notice as soon as you set foot on its streets. the emblematic Holiday Inns is a 24-storey hotel that stands on the Ain Mreisse neighborhood , with its walls riddled with bullets, traces of the civil war, and that contrasts with the pristine white apartment building and glass balconies that you will find just across the street.
The modern face of Beirut has its greatest exponent in the Beirut Souks in downtown, one of the most devastated areas during the war and which was completely rebuilt after the war. Formerly, it was a market where they sold gold and local products , and with its facelift, it has become a shopping center with shops and boutiques of brands such as Burberry, Armani or Gucci.
Downtown shopping areas
You can also feel the contrast when you hear the ringing of the bells calling Christians to mass, followed by the singing of the muezzin warning Muslims that it is prayer time in the mosques. Minarets and Christian crosses outline the Beiruti sky, reflecting the diversity of the country, which is 40% Christian and 54% Muslim, according to the latest estimates.
The mosque that receives the most attention among tourists and locals is Al Amine , which awaits you just a short walk from the Beirut Souks. Is a replica of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, with its vaulted ceilings and majestic chandeliers.
This becomes a hive on Fridays at noon , the most important day of the week for Muslims. So, not even a pin fits inside the temple, because the believers do not want to miss the imam's sermon, which is worthy of being observed.
Al Amine
After the prayer, many go to the Corniche , the promenade in which joggers meet couples in love, Syrian refugees and tourists heading towards the pigeon rocks, two massifs that have become the symbol of the city.
On the promenade you will see women dressed in the rigorous black abaya that covers them from head to toe and girls who combine jeans with a hijab and Converse sneakers.
They also take skirt lengths at all levels : ankle-length, knee-length, or even mini skirts, sometimes paired with tops. The Corniche becomes the meeting point for many, especially at sunset, that you can enjoy on one of the terraces overlooking the sea smoking hookah and drinking the local beer, Almaza, or a lemonade with mint.
sunset on the corniche
IS THIS IN BEIRUT?
Something that characterizes this city and that has not disappeared even in its most convulsive times is its nightlife, which you will find any day of the week and whose fashionable area is always in constant change. "Started in hamrah , to later move to Gemmayzeh, followed by Mark Mikhael and now everyone talks about Badaro ”, tells one of the curators of the art shop Fadi Mogabgag, at the beginning of Gouraud Street , in the Gemmayzeh neighborhood , where you will find small galleries, pubs and restaurants.
Gouraud Street
This road continues to connect with Armenia street, already in the neighborhood of Mar Michael, that will remind more than one of the Madrid neighborhood of Malasaña with terraces on each side of the street. Here is the well-known Radio Beirut , a bar that has a studio from where the dj enlivens the nights with music that he shares with the listeners tune in to internet radio. They also have live performances and theme days, with genres such as hip hop.
Very close is Anise, a small and cozy bar. Its bartenders, dressed in white shirts, vests and ties, have an irredeemably hipster touch with well-trimmed beards, and they prepare both a mojito like a sage daisy, without of course missing the arach , traditional drink of the region.
If you ask a local, he will tell you that the trendy area is now in Badaro , a street where you can find a gastronomic fusion of Japanese, Italian, Armenian and Lebanese restaurants. The fashion for craft and imported beers has also come to this neighborhood thanks to the kissproof bar , as well as the taste for places with vintage decoration, which take us back in time **entering The Attic Bar.**
But of all the places, there is one that will make you wonder if you are really in Beirut or if you have been teleported to a remote place surrounded by nature. Is about Kalei Coffee , an establishment that is located in one of the adjacent streets of Armenian Street in Mar Mikhael , half hidden, with tall trees and sun loungers that will isolate you from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Here you can recharge your batteries before going out again and continue discovering what this metropolis hides. There will always be some new place to see: a street where you can get lost and be spellbound looking at the decoration of the old houses, which have been abandoned to the hand of God, or the graffiti that covers the scars of the city, such as the portrait of the Lebanese singer Sabah, painted by local artist Yazan Halwani in the Hamra neighborhood.
When your trip ends, you will realize that you were just starting to adapt to the rhythm of Beirut and that there is much more that you have yet to see, because we have not had time to talk about its parties on the roof terraces, the underground clubs and from excursions to the vineyards of the Bekaa Valley. Nor have we been able to make the archaeological visits in Baalbek and Byblos, or spend days at the beach in Batroun and Tyr, all just a stone's throw from Beirut.
Sea Michael