Lebanon and back

What a wonderful weekend in the beautiful country of Lebanon. I must say I had some doubts about going when my fellow instructional designers, Wanda and Susan talked my collegue, Richard McE into booking a flight to Beirut and looked over to me, saying that I should come along, as well. I tried to find something else to do, but this was a three day weekend and the thought of staying here was just too much, so I booked a flight and told Richard McE that I planned to bunk up with him. Within a week of departing my mother-in-law passed away at the age of 95, so I was torn with the guilt of going on this trip, but Carolyn reassured me that I should go, that her mother would want it so. The fact that everyone back home was occupied with returning home to take care of other business before the funeral Rosary and Mass planned for next weekend meant that I could not be of much help, I just needed to keep in touch. Canceling tickets would be costly, as well. So I went and am I glad I did. (Mama C, you are now in a wondeful place and if it is anything like the countryside of Lebanon, then it is really a pleasant place to be.)

Flying on Middle East Airlines from Dammam, we arrived in Beirut in time to have a drink and go to bed. The flight quite nice, a little bumpy weather as we left Arabia, but otherwise pleasant. The next day I was up early to hike along the corniche to see if anyone was fishing. There were several places where the fisherman gathered to catch small sea bream using long (very long) poles. I then met up with Richard McE and we strolled along the corniche about a mile. At one point we climbed down off the seawall to walk out onto an abandoned playground and talk to some men swimming in the sea (about 30 or so men, mostly professionals). One of them talked me into coming out the next morning with my swim suit and join in on the commadarie. Once Richard McE and I returned to the hotel (Rotana), Wanda and Susan had the taxi ready to go for the day. Our driver was great. He took us to the places we wanted to go, and took us to places not on our plan and these turned out to be well worth seeing: the churches and mosques, the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, Bybelos and the great food. Late in the day, Richard McE left us to return to the hotel, leaving the three of us to meet with an Aramco colleague, Peyton, for strolling the streets of the oldest continuous community in the world and watch the sun set over the sea. Finally, we were back at the hotel to have a beer on the top floor and the edgeless swimming pool - beautiful and relaxing. Tomorrow there will be more.