Eighth Port – Beirut

10 August – Beirut, Lebanon

Formerly known as “the Paris of the Middle East”, Beirut has had a rough past since it earned that name.  Hard to believe that this country was torn apart by civil war and insurrection for more than FIFTEEN YEARS (1975-1990), the rift largely due to religious intolerance.  How can that be?  Let’s check with our friends the dolphins……

With less than a day here, we arranged a car and driver through the port agent (who represents the cargo ship line locally).   Not too much to report – Beirut is a large city like many others.  We were briefly fearful that the driver just might be a Hezbollah operative and that we would be pulled from the car and hoods placed over our heads, but we are happy to report instead simple touristic visits to the  Jeita Grotto and Byblos, a coastal town that has been continuously populated for more than 8,000 years.  

A young Italian back-packer named Nik joined us for these explorations.  He is in Lebanon for 3 weeks on his own with his bedroll, an excellent command of several languages, and a lot of charm and intelligence.  

Favorite things about this brief stop in Lebanon – their flag, which prominently features a cedar tree, and fresh figs, which Abdullah (our driver) found at a roadside stand.  

The Vela is scheduled to enter the Suez Canal on Saturday, 12 August, hopefully during daylight hours.  Then, on to the port of Jeddah on the Red Sea.

And still another completed needlework project for your consideration:

 (It’s a hat, dammit.)