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The tall pines pick at sunlight piece by piece. The light splinters branch by branch lies scattered on the forest floor beneath. The innocence of the pines is obvious in this serene place.
lebanon
The Phoenix
post 208/365
The Phoenicians first manufactured bronze knives before moving to the use of more noble metals like silver and gold. Archeologists have found a strikingly handsome and modern silver knife incrusted with gold, in a royal tomb in Byblos dating from the 19th century B.C.
The Mountain Mondrian
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Hand out the window treading air; no seat belts as popular Arabic songs are filtered through the radio. Truck drivers seem miniscule compared to those huge engines they drive from one end of the country to the other.
Giesen’s Lebanon
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Pastel and earthy sceneries, leave their marks like bullets left on walls. Upon this war torn scenes, a blend of shades and light hear the drawings’ whisper of a war. This beautiful mess captured by Martin Giesen, washed and running flows with his strokes free but damp. They speak of life so light, pale, and tragic, where the wind blows soft in a ravaged war scene. In his faded colors they are but a dream, yet the Mediterranean still breathes a salty, calm breeze.
Of Salad Days
post 205/365
“Let thy greens be thy medicine, and they medicine be thy greens”
Saliearra Hever
The Lady of Gubla
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The city of Gubla is said to be the first city in the world in Greek legend. Founded as a settlement at some point around 5000 BC, Byblos was originally home to a small Neolithic fishing community. The first signs of a town appeared in the third millennium BC. By the beginning of the Early Bronze Age in 3000 BC, it was a prosperous Canaanite city with one of the most important export, the cedar trees of Lebanon to Egypt in exchange for papyrus, ivory, ebony and gold, making it one of the most important trading centers on the coast with close ties to the fourth dynasty Egypt. Egyptian influence can be seen in its art and its religion. Trade goods from as early as Egypt’s 2nd dynasty have been found there.
Coming Home
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In my dreams, I see my homeland;
Far too long I’ve been away.
Land of wondrous charm and beauty,
Far from her, my skies are gray.
Land, which gave me love and nurture,
Here, in which my life began,
How I long for Lebanon,
Many splendored native land.
This, the land of my forefathers,
This, the soil from which I grew,
This, in my heart ever precious,
The only home I ever knew.
The Lebanese Wedding
post 202/365
Traditional marriage between a man and a woman has been a cornerstone of our society for centuries. This union celebrated from ancient times brings two people together under an array of customs and traditions that bring a certain flavor to our weddings.
A Weekend in the Shouf
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There is a certain serenity that settles on the mountains of the Shouf where land, sky and the blue horizon congregate. Behind the huge public square or midan, the Kharj Barracks, a beautiful architectural structure with an open courtyard and surrounded by volts stands still untouched by modernity. This massive structure was built by Fakhreddine II in 1616 as a munitions warehouse and barracks and remodeled into a food storehouse mainly for soldiers under Bechir III Chehab (1840 – 1842). It has taken a new life now, restored, this monument is the stunning setting of the French Cultural Center where cultural and social events take place. We spent a night there with the kids watching football. It was one of those nights where the open dark skies, the stars so clearly visible, and the crescent of the moon stood next to each other peacefully painting a picture perfect night. Sitting in its womb, one could get a sense of the culture and people that still inhabit this land.
The Dreaded Question…
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Being a good host is something of a lost art. Hospitality refers to the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.
365 Days of Lebanon 