A facade pockmarked and peeling in fading, mottled colors. Wires and down spouts at several odd angles. A cluster of overgrown, thriving green.I'm glad I found it.
23.1.11
What I Saw
I was on my way to meet a friend for coffee. I knew how long the walk would take and left home 15 minutes early so that I'd have time to wander a bit, to take pictures if I felt like it. I turned a corner, and this is what I saw.
A facade pockmarked and peeling in fading, mottled colors. Wires and down spouts at several odd angles. A cluster of overgrown, thriving green.
I'm glad I found it.
A facade pockmarked and peeling in fading, mottled colors. Wires and down spouts at several odd angles. A cluster of overgrown, thriving green.I'm glad I found it.
22.1.11
At Gou
It's my husband's birthday, and this is how we celebrated. It was warm enough to sit outside and enjoy three tiers of delicious delights.
We went to Gou for lunch and ordered tea for two. This tower of sweet and savory morsels came along with two pots of tea. We rounded out our meal with a bowl of soup and a sandwich. It was absolutely delicious and fun too. We really felt pampered sampling so many tasty treats.
Gou serves brunch, lunch, and dinner and they have a separate menu entirely devoted to tea. Their scones are fantastic, and I highly recommend the pumpkin soup and spinach quiche.
We went to Gou for lunch and ordered tea for two. This tower of sweet and savory morsels came along with two pots of tea. We rounded out our meal with a bowl of soup and a sandwich. It was absolutely delicious and fun too. We really felt pampered sampling so many tasty treats.Gou serves brunch, lunch, and dinner and they have a separate menu entirely devoted to tea. Their scones are fantastic, and I highly recommend the pumpkin soup and spinach quiche.
21.1.11
20.1.11
A Little Serenity
Here is one very overgrown balcony.
This house sits on one of the busiest streets in West Beirut. Which explains a lot of things--including how I can admire the architecture of the house without envying its residents. I'm sure the noise generated by passing traffic intrudes all too often. And it is likely far more enjoyable to look at these windows from the street than to contemplate the street from within.
If I were to live in such a house I too would raise up an wall of green as a small act of defiance within the surrounding sea of gray.
This house sits on one of the busiest streets in West Beirut. Which explains a lot of things--including how I can admire the architecture of the house without envying its residents. I'm sure the noise generated by passing traffic intrudes all too often. And it is likely far more enjoyable to look at these windows from the street than to contemplate the street from within. If I were to live in such a house I too would raise up an wall of green as a small act of defiance within the surrounding sea of gray.
19.1.11
Be Brave
All too often, I shy away from unfamiliar places, or places that I think might be unsafe. Abandoned buildings are a good example---I'm deeply curious about what I'd find inside, and I'm sure that I'd love posting the pictures I might take . . . if only I could be sure I'd get out of there alive.
I'm torn between being contentedly danger-averse and wishing I could simply throw caution to the wind and just do it anyway.
The other day I walked past this place, this wonderful conglomerate of colors, shadows, and angles. These buildings were situated on an unfamiliar street, off course, the wrong direction. But I'd been thinking about being braver, thinking about going off into the unknown and dismissing the voice whispering to turn back.
I didn't find any miracle images down that road, but I also didn't find anything to make me regret walking that way. And now, I feel a little more willing to do it again.
I'm torn between being contentedly danger-averse and wishing I could simply throw caution to the wind and just do it anyway.
The other day I walked past this place, this wonderful conglomerate of colors, shadows, and angles. These buildings were situated on an unfamiliar street, off course, the wrong direction. But I'd been thinking about being braver, thinking about going off into the unknown and dismissing the voice whispering to turn back. I didn't find any miracle images down that road, but I also didn't find anything to make me regret walking that way. And now, I feel a little more willing to do it again.
18.1.11
Sunny Afternoon
Such a lovely, sunny afternoon.
Some of the schools have sent children home early today because of the "situation", though I'm not entirely sure what that is, or if sending kids home early was necessary.
Some of the schools have sent children home early today because of the "situation", though I'm not entirely sure what that is, or if sending kids home early was necessary.
17.1.11
Doomed Scooters
I took this photo just a day or two ago. In it, police officers are standing near a flatbed truck loaded with confiscated scooters.
In the fall of 2009, the Lebanese government began confiscating and destroying scooters. They imposed a 6pm curfew and began enforcing existing requirements for license, registration, helmets, etc. Anyway, it had been a long time since we'd seen a truck like this one. If you want to read an article about the scooter regulations, here you go.
In the fall of 2009, the Lebanese government began confiscating and destroying scooters. They imposed a 6pm curfew and began enforcing existing requirements for license, registration, helmets, etc. Anyway, it had been a long time since we'd seen a truck like this one. If you want to read an article about the scooter regulations, here you go.
16.1.11
Never Say Never
In Beirut there's lots of stuff that women don't do. Women aren't police officers. They don't serve in the army, they don't drive taxis, they don't shine shoes. Women don't seem to work in the kitchens of the little joints that sell street food. You'll rarely see a woman selling produce, and I've never seen one sell kaak or coffee. Women don't bag groceries in the hypermarkets, don't sweep the street or collect garbage.
And until recently, I thought that you'd never see a woman fishing.
But there she is. I was astonished and delighted to see her because she's obviously on her own. She was there in the late afternoon and stayed around long enough that I bet she caught her own supper.
And until recently, I thought that you'd never see a woman fishing.
But there she is. I was astonished and delighted to see her because she's obviously on her own. She was there in the late afternoon and stayed around long enough that I bet she caught her own supper.
14.1.11
Another Life
One thing that I love and hate about living outside the country of my birth, youth, and upbringing is that I'm constantly aware of it.
I love this because it is illuminating. It gives me an awareness of my ideas, assumptions, my expectations and allows me space to examine them in a context in which they do not fit.
I hate it because so often, my ideas, assumptions, and expectation don't fit. I'm a misfit.
Take this:
It's a goldmine, right? Brilliant! Hardwood doors, looks like craftsman era, not in the best shape but definitely a DIY dream come true! I even have a car that's good for hauling stuff like this, and I could so totally drive right over and load it up and take it back to my place and do something amazing with it!
What would I do with these fabulous doors?
Do you really have to ask? Why, just about anything, actually. The possibilities are endless.
But that's me thinking like an American. Even as it was happening I knew it. And so I left that garbage right where it was. Because that was the Lebanese thing to do.
I love this because it is illuminating. It gives me an awareness of my ideas, assumptions, my expectations and allows me space to examine them in a context in which they do not fit.
I hate it because so often, my ideas, assumptions, and expectation don't fit. I'm a misfit.
Take this:
It's a goldmine, right? Brilliant! Hardwood doors, looks like craftsman era, not in the best shape but definitely a DIY dream come true! I even have a car that's good for hauling stuff like this, and I could so totally drive right over and load it up and take it back to my place and do something amazing with it!What would I do with these fabulous doors?
Do you really have to ask? Why, just about anything, actually. The possibilities are endless.
But that's me thinking like an American. Even as it was happening I knew it. And so I left that garbage right where it was. Because that was the Lebanese thing to do.
13.1.11
Our Daily Bread
It's early.
Outside shops that aren't open and won't be for another few hours, bread is waiting. Bags and bags of flat and fluffy yeast bread too are delivered early to this little sandwich shop. By closing time the bread in the bags will have fed most of the street. The construction workers, the guys in the pharmacy as well as the barber shop, the ones in the little hardware shop, the produce sellers and the guys next door who have all kinds of cheese.
Outside shops that aren't open and won't be for another few hours, bread is waiting. Bags and bags of flat and fluffy yeast bread too are delivered early to this little sandwich shop. By closing time the bread in the bags will have fed most of the street. The construction workers, the guys in the pharmacy as well as the barber shop, the ones in the little hardware shop, the produce sellers and the guys next door who have all kinds of cheese.
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