French/English in Lebanon

In the great battle of the languages here in Lebanon we have the old French - language of government and favoured by the Christian Maronites who would like nothing better for Lebanon to become a part of Greater France and English, the language of commerce and of fast food joints, there is one clear winner and that is...... Italian!

Driving down the motorway, down from Byblos, it was just one long line of Italian names - Venezia, Napoli, Toscana, Trastevere, Roma, Firenze, Bologna, Sicilia and so on - and not all Italian restaurants, by any means - hotels, shoe shops, cafes as well. Not just a Lebanese phenomena but world-wide it would seem... la lingua bella.