The shop window reflects the balconies on the opposite side of the road. You can see lots of other reflections from around the world here.
21.5.10
In the Window
I recently walked past this shop window with lots of traditional drums piled high with shiny brass horns.
The shop window reflects the balconies on the opposite side of the road.
You can see lots of other reflections from around the world here.
The shop window reflects the balconies on the opposite side of the road. You can see lots of other reflections from around the world here.
20.5.10
Finally
This door stands in a crowded part of town that I often pass through on foot. Each time, I notice it. It's a beauty.
Trouble is, most days it's obscured by one or more cars. Like I said, that part of town is crowded. But luckily, finally, beautifully, there were no cars obscuring it this time.
Trouble is, most days it's obscured by one or more cars. Like I said, that part of town is crowded. But luckily, finally, beautifully, there were no cars obscuring it this time.
19.5.10
At the Pine Forest
I think one of the strangest places in Beirut is the Pine Forest. As newcomers more than five years ago, we were eager to find parks and playgrounds. The Pine Forest, a huge green triangle located almost in the center of our Beirut map looked promising. So we went one afternoon.
It wasn't anything like what we had imagined. There were some ball courts, and a long gravel-paved arcade with trees and a fountain. But almost all of the huge green triangle on our map was completely fenced off--inaccessible to the public. No play equipment either. We were disappointed.
But we explored a bit more and eventually stumbled our way into this unusual place at the south end of the arcade.
To me, it looks like someone's ill-fated attempt to create either a very small, shallow lake or a rather large pool. It's filled with sand, but it still looks like it ought to be filled with water. Anyway, it's doubtless the biggest sand box I've ever seen. Obviously, kids love playing in the sand, scampering up the faux banks made of cement and sliding right back down again.
Someday, I'd like to be allowed into the areas that are fenced off. I'd enjoy walking the paths that are visible from satellite images of the city. If you're interested, you can read a bit about the park's history on this wikipedia page.
It wasn't anything like what we had imagined. There were some ball courts, and a long gravel-paved arcade with trees and a fountain. But almost all of the huge green triangle on our map was completely fenced off--inaccessible to the public. No play equipment either. We were disappointed.
But we explored a bit more and eventually stumbled our way into this unusual place at the south end of the arcade.
To me, it looks like someone's ill-fated attempt to create either a very small, shallow lake or a rather large pool. It's filled with sand, but it still looks like it ought to be filled with water. Anyway, it's doubtless the biggest sand box I've ever seen. Obviously, kids love playing in the sand, scampering up the faux banks made of cement and sliding right back down again.Someday, I'd like to be allowed into the areas that are fenced off. I'd enjoy walking the paths that are visible from satellite images of the city. If you're interested, you can read a bit about the park's history on this wikipedia page.
18.5.10
Horse Racing in Beirut
Most Sunday afternoons, there are horse races in Beirut at the Hippodrome. We decided to drop in for a race or two just the other day.
I had never been to a horse race before, only ever seen dramatized versions in movies or on TV which doesn't count I've decided. At the stadium, you get to see the horses up close. Tension builds as you wait for the race to begin. You see exactly how fast (and difficult to photograph) horses really are, and it's over in a hearbeat.
Most of what I usually photograph holds still, or still enough. So I'll have to go back and give it another try.
Here's google's satelite image of the race track. The entrance is off Omar Beyhum road, and there is parking inside. The road above the Hippodrome, Abdallah El Yafi, is the highway connecting Cola and Adlieh. So now you know how to get there.
Before the race starts, the horses are led around a small loop (visible in the google map-- it's the small green oval below the large orange track), which allows all the spectators to see the horses and make up their minds about what to bet. Lots of betting going on.
I took too many pictures, none of them very good. But I had such a nice time there with my family. Horses are beautiful, and there's always a lot of energy at a competition like this.
I had never been to a horse race before, only ever seen dramatized versions in movies or on TV which doesn't count I've decided. At the stadium, you get to see the horses up close. Tension builds as you wait for the race to begin. You see exactly how fast (and difficult to photograph) horses really are, and it's over in a hearbeat. Most of what I usually photograph holds still, or still enough. So I'll have to go back and give it another try. Here's google's satelite image of the race track. The entrance is off Omar Beyhum road, and there is parking inside. The road above the Hippodrome, Abdallah El Yafi, is the highway connecting Cola and Adlieh. So now you know how to get there.
Before the race starts, the horses are led around a small loop (visible in the google map-- it's the small green oval below the large orange track), which allows all the spectators to see the horses and make up their minds about what to bet. Lots of betting going on. I took too many pictures, none of them very good. But I had such a nice time there with my family. Horses are beautiful, and there's always a lot of energy at a competition like this.
17.5.10
Beirut Art Center
When you live in a place like Beirut, reading international news can feel surreal especially when your city is the subject. It can also feel really redundant. Take this NYT food-blog article about new restaurants in Beirut. I've seen this same outline a hundred times: civil war, Paris of the middle east, opportunities, risks, live for today!
Although I find these reports tiresome and formulaic, occasionally I learn something new.
NYT, again, but this time with a schedule of what to do if you have 36 hours in Beirut. #6 on their list was the Beirut Art Center. They're located along this graffiti-enlivened alleyway. Their facility is visible from the Emile Lahoud highway, and I'd seen it while driving past. But I was in a hurry and forgot to follow up. NYT jogged my memory. Cool, I thought, contemporary art in Beirut. I called and made an appointment for a tour--a tour for kids. I invited a friend and her kids to join us.
The tour was very good. Our guide did a great job of interacting with the kids and helping them understand what they could of the art on display. Every piece was political, about war, negotiation, and all the shades of gray in between. I'm very glad we went and I'm sure we'll go again. If you're interested in going, visit their website. They have great information, a map, and *grin* it's free.
Although I find these reports tiresome and formulaic, occasionally I learn something new.
NYT, again, but this time with a schedule of what to do if you have 36 hours in Beirut. #6 on their list was the Beirut Art Center. They're located along this graffiti-enlivened alleyway. Their facility is visible from the Emile Lahoud highway, and I'd seen it while driving past. But I was in a hurry and forgot to follow up. NYT jogged my memory. Cool, I thought, contemporary art in Beirut. I called and made an appointment for a tour--a tour for kids. I invited a friend and her kids to join us. The tour was very good. Our guide did a great job of interacting with the kids and helping them understand what they could of the art on display. Every piece was political, about war, negotiation, and all the shades of gray in between. I'm very glad we went and I'm sure we'll go again. If you're interested in going, visit their website. They have great information, a map, and *grin* it's free.
16.5.10
Sin el Fil Park
Years ago when the kids were babies, we often brought them to this park in Sin el Fil. It's cute, well cared for, small, and free.
There is a small assortment of play equipment, a sand box, lots of greenery and benches.
At the front gate, rules are posted. No pets, no food, no balls, don't step on the grass, and possibly a few others. Clearly, the rules aren't strictly enforced, per my opening picture. I'm glad they're not.
Here's a map if you want to visit the park. The red circle indicates the park, with the arrow identifying the entrance.
There is a small assortment of play equipment, a sand box, lots of greenery and benches. At the front gate, rules are posted. No pets, no food, no balls, don't step on the grass, and possibly a few others. Clearly, the rules aren't strictly enforced, per my opening picture. I'm glad they're not. Here's a map if you want to visit the park. The red circle indicates the park, with the arrow identifying the entrance.
15.5.10
14.5.10
Near Cola
Cola is the name of a major intersection and bus/taxi hub in Beirut. I think I must have mentioned it before in connection with the amazingly vertical mosque going up right at that intersection.
Today I drove from Cola to the sea, and along the way I took this shot of some shops.
Today I drove from Cola to the sea, and along the way I took this shot of some shops.
13.5.10
On the Road
Usually when I post a picture, I'm sort of excited about it. It's a picture that I feel good about, maybe it turned out beautiful or maybe it was fun to take or maybe I love the subject matter.
This isn't one of those pictures. I'm ambivalent about it. It's just here. Nothing special. Mundane. It's a slice of life along Hamra Street.
Some notes about the image:
1. It is so strange that the guy on the scooter is wearing a helmet. No one wears helmets.
2. It is not strange that he has stopped in the middle of the street to have his conversation. Nor is it strange that the man on the cell phone is simply out there on the road.
3. The blue truck full of twisted up rebar!
4. Parked two cars down from it, the German flag completely interfering with rear-visibility. More World Cup cheer in Lebanon.
5. The wall in the background is patchy like that (exposed cinder blocks and yellow painted stucco) because a building has just been torn down. There's nothing but rubble behind that black wall--for now anyway.
This isn't one of those pictures. I'm ambivalent about it. It's just here. Nothing special. Mundane. It's a slice of life along Hamra Street.
Some notes about the image: 1. It is so strange that the guy on the scooter is wearing a helmet. No one wears helmets.
2. It is not strange that he has stopped in the middle of the street to have his conversation. Nor is it strange that the man on the cell phone is simply out there on the road.
3. The blue truck full of twisted up rebar!
4. Parked two cars down from it, the German flag completely interfering with rear-visibility. More World Cup cheer in Lebanon.
5. The wall in the background is patchy like that (exposed cinder blocks and yellow painted stucco) because a building has just been torn down. There's nothing but rubble behind that black wall--for now anyway.
12.5.10
Lighthouses
There are two lighthouses in Beirut. The old one:
And the new one:
They're within only a few hundred meters of each other. I took this picture from way up in the air on the Ferris Wheel. Every so often, our kids persuade us to take them there.
And the new one: They're within only a few hundred meters of each other. I took this picture from way up in the air on the Ferris Wheel. Every so often, our kids persuade us to take them there.
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