Life Is A Slow Harold

Old Truck in Mar Mikhael on Flickr.

Old Man on His Balcony in Mar Mikhael on Flickr.

Lebanese Flag and Laundry on Flickr.

Sri Lankan (a guess) maid on a balconey in Beirut on Flickr.

Car Repainting in Mar Mikhael, Beirut on Flickr.

Man in Mar Mikhael talking to Krikorian on Flickr.

Mar Mikhael area in Beirut on Flickr.

Guys in Beirut on Flickr.

All of Beirut is under constant construction on Flickr.

The view from my friend’s roof in Hamra.

Place de Matyrs on Flickr.

This is the heart of Beirut. Every time large groups gather they meet here. During the Civil War it was, as you can see, the center of the fighting.

Waiter at Al Rawda on Flickr.

One of a few waiters covering over a hundred tables. Service is slow in much of the Middle East, but that’s because you’re supposed to relax and enjoy your meal. You sit awhile, talking with your friends. Your waiter is not a part of the dining experience. Your food and your friends are.

Patched Up Building on Flickr.

A patched up building downtown near where the front line of the civil war ran.

Sweets Shop on Flickr.

This is one of the more popular sweets shops in Lebanon. It’s along the side of the coastal road and everyone stops by on their way back to Beirut after a weekend on the shore to pick up some gifts and treats for the week. On a Sunday night it is a crowd to the door.

The sweets of Lebanon are way too sugary for me. I can’t eat them. There’s a lot of filo dough, nuts, and cakes SOAKED in sugar syrup. I stopped by this shop after taking some anti-biotics to fight off something I brought with me from Africa and the sugar seemed to hit me extra hard. I felt awful for a few days.

The Lebanese have a serious sweet tooth. For breakfast they’ll eat a sesame bread full of melted cheese drenched in sugar syrup. I thought America loved their sugar, then I came to the Middle East (and India - golub jamun).