Well as it turns out, on Saturday, we found out how to get in there. A friend told us how, and I'll tell you too, but first I want to show you what we found inside:
Right in the middle of the park, there's a lovely sort of village of bamboo huts surrounded by lovely, well-tended, blossoming gardens. It was like an oasis, except that the surroundings were green and lovely too. But it was a really sunny day and the huts provided enough shade that we felt comfortable and cool even at mid-day.Here's a context shot.
This collection of structures can be seen in this google map image. See the brownish circle in the middle of the triangle? That's it. To get to it, you have to enter the park from the side where the lone red arrow is, from Omar Beyhum street. The entrance is easy to miss, so keep a look out for a green gate. You can park along Omar Beyhum street and enter through the gate. 
You can also enter from the opposite side of the park, from November 22 street, as indicated by the other red arrow. But if you do, you'll find a fence between you and the delightful bamboo huts pictured above.
Congratulations on finding a way in.
ReplyDeleteNice place.
Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI thought entering the park needed a special permission from the municipality of Beirut, I'm definitely going sometime soon!
I once wrote an article about this place for NowLebanon.com it really is like a small paradise on earth
ReplyDeleteAmazing, that is not at all what I expected you would find in a pine forest!
ReplyDeleteGood to know that a park like that is not off limits to the public... that would be sort of contrary to the definition of "park"...
ReplyDeleteGuess this is what is shown in my Zawarib Beirut Atlas as Horsh Beirut... And I noticed that just across the 22 November Avenue there is the Beirut Cemetery, and on both sides of Jaloul Hassan Khaled Street are two sections marked "French Cemetery"... now I'm wondering how I missed those while we were there. Guess we'll just have to go back. Thanks for this stroll in the park...