Beirut - first impressions

Sticky, prickly, heat, mosquitoes, itching, high-rise all the way down the slopes to the big metropolis, broken only by umbrella pines, big expensive cars, crowding the road back up the mountain, being cheated by the taxi driver, MacDonalds, Dunkin Donuts (by coincidence, I just came across this nasty artcile about these people - I who have never knowling eatena dunkin donut in my life), Burger King, Body Shop, power walkers along the sea-front, private beaches for the rich bitches, handbag bread sellers, American-style car lots, patrolled by security guards, tarty women on the streets.... and then... finally.... some beautiful old Ottoman style homes, up on the hill behind the beach along tree lined roads..... we will give the place a chance... but so far it matches our (rather low expectations, coming out of Syria). In all honesty, it looks like a better place to live than a great holiday destination.

Of course, I do not remember being here when I was a toddler, even now that I am here, but strange to think I toddled the same paths as the toddlers we saw on the sea-front today.