Lebanon - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

After our driving escapade across Syria, we headed back to Lebanon to start the next adventure in the nations capital Beirut, in a word - wow! What a bling, bling city to boot!

First things first about Lebanon, In order to get an accurate image of the country you must dispose of every other middle eastern image you have in your head and then insert one of Europe - then you will be closer to Lebanon. Where was I Beirut... Beirut is a city of wealth and glamour, but with a clear past of war. There is not an ungroomed fingernail or glammed-down person in the whole place... It wasn´t hard to spot the filthy Aussie backpackers!

Pimp my ride, Mr. Officer


The wounded buildings of Beirut

The nightlife in Beirut is unparrallelled. The city is swelling with glitzy bars, half priced cocktails and pumping tunes… yet fast forward to 4am and what the hell there are no kebab places open? I thought this was the middle east? Luckily they opened up at 7am. Anyway a nightout in Beirut is certainly an absolute must in the McBryde travel guide and certainly the pounding headached the next day is one we will never forget. With the contrast of the beautiful seaside corniche, to bullet ridden buildings dotted between Gucci and Prada, the city certainly has charisma and a riveting history.

...or for a night?


The food - YUM!

Trips from Beirut are also easy because the country is so incomprehensibly small, a trip to the southern ruins were a highlight for Ren and pinpointed our first day of independance in the trip. Alone time, fun but disconcerting for directionless Ren. So remarkably without incident I made it to the ruins of Sidon and Tyre - the sea castle in Sidon is one of my favourites!
Tyre ruins


Tyre ruins


Tyre ruins


Sidon


Sidon city

Dragging ourselves away from Beirut we headed to Byblos to check out the beautiful seaside town and its incredible ruins. It was about this time that the most ridiculous storm in 10 years hit Lebanon. Being the dedicated tourists we are we decided to swim our way through the castle and ruins anyway before tucking up in a cushy hotel for a night. Knowing the true essence of romance I proceeded to vomit the entire night at 2 hour intervals from some weird bug I picked up - hold my hair johnny?


Byblos


Byblos

To Tripoli (still in the torential rain). Tripoli was a great little stopover with some really yummy food and sweets but in the rain storm there was not alot else we could do but get saturated and see yet another towering citadel and ruins.

The rains begin! (Check out the rubbish from the sea!)


The warm seas of the mediteranean or armaggedon?


Downtown Tripoli

Moving on with the exciting potential of snow we drove to the beautiful Cedars where we were literally snowed into the mountains. The snow was magical and transformed the drive into something out of a story book.....until i snow ploughed us into the side of the road into several feet of snow....apparently everyone knows your not supposed to apply your brakes in the snow except me?

Parramatta Rd - Home sick for traffic...


Xmas - Woo!


Skinning on the street

Thankfully we were rescued not long after and were able to make our way safely down the mountain to Jeita Grotto - a natural wonder of the world contender for this year and obvious highlight of Lebanon. Jeita Grotto consists of two limestone crystalised grottoes that are interconnected. This makes for one humongously impressive cave that you can both walk through on the top level and then boat through on the bottom level. It was by far the most beatiful cave system we have seen.

Jeita Grotto

Baalbek - The sojourn to Baalbek will probably remain a great testament to the solidity/chaos of the McBryde marriage for many years to come. Seeing as though we are both still alive and talking to each other. I guess I should start by saying that I really, really wanted to head to Baalbek - the most celebrated Roman ruins in the middle east and come hell, high water or snow storm we were going. Fast forward to driving at 30kms an hour (max) at altitude trying to fix snow chains on the rental car and Baalbek was not looking so inviting. The supposed 2 hour drive ended up taking about 5 hours and when we finally arrived we treked knee deep in snow only to find that for the first time EVER the ruins were closed to celebrate the largest snow fall Baalbek had seen in 30 years - hooray! I was not a very popular person on the long drive back!
BAALBEK

BAAAAAL-BEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!


Baalbek - Closed for the first day in 30 years!


Baalbek - Still closed


Baalbek - CLOSED


Snow + Sun = Lots of water to drive through!

However with the huge dump of snow covering the country our little hearts were racing at the possibility of a few days skiing - surely after all the crappy weather we would at least get to ski for a few days?


The ski fields we couldn´t SKI on - DAMN!

After driving break neck speed to the slopes we were heartbreakingly informed that the slopes would indeed be opening...in 3 days time, an hour after our flight to Dubai....what else could we do but stay in an snow cabin and eat yummy food? After two days looking out forlornly at the mocking snow we headed back along the coast for shopping and eating before a finale in Beirut and on to Dubai. Goodbye Lebanon, we will meet again.