On to Beirut

Up early again and on to the bus. We visit some water wheels. Then have to visit another crusader Castle – whose name I cannot remember. Wake up and off we go – exact same rooms, exact same constructions. Sahah a Din did not take this castle. I don’t understand – seems harder to defend than the one he did take over. I get a break from Sharif’s guiding by not climbing to the top and taking the “easy” path. Get 5 minutes to myself just to look. To think about the crusaders – with no Netbooks, Blackberries, iTouches, TVs …… Wonder if they could even read. And why did they build a castle here? How is that going to help take back the Holy Land? Mark summed it well. Message home … send more soldiers, less architects.

Another “typical” lunch. I loose an earring and make a fuss. As always, it turns up – vindicating Mark’s blasé attitude about the loss. Sharif gets his tip – Mark has been replaced by Sally as the collector/presenter. We get to the border. Takes an hour to get “out of Syria”. We get our passports back (which have to be collected in person – your name called out by the agent – except mine – I am simply “American”.)

We move a few feet to the Lebanese border and meet Sultana – new guide. Mark gets some Lebanese lira from a really smelly trader – our first encounter with the questionable hygiene of the Lebanese. Of course this is what University was like – but the years have masked the old smells. We wait and wait and wait. After well over an hour the other bus – the “yellow bus” moves. We figure we have 10 or 15 mins left. After an hour Sultana tells us that someone has an Israeli stamp in their passport and this is causing a fuss. I try to “help” and suggest that maybe the border folks do not recognize a stamp because surely no one would have an Israeli stamp. Sultana just ignores me. Everyone looks at me and Mark – but we know we don’t have Israeli stamps as we had gotten new passports last year for the very purpose of avoiding Israeli stamps. Andrew tells Sultana he had been to Israel but thought his passport was not stamped. Everyone gets their passport back except Andrew. Some scheme has been worked out – but it has to be approved by the Central office. Mark manages to find a beer. I tell this to Andrew. One of the ladies smirks – and I point out her husband is drinking with Mark. I want a picture – but don’t want the soldiers to take my camera. After 3 hours (I think) Andrew gets his passport back and off we go. The guard then takes mine and Mark’s passports because of some irregularity. The man helping Sultana through passport control says it is no big deal. The soldier comes back and off we go. I had asked Sultana if she had ever had such an issue with a passport and an Israel stamp. She says no – clearly not amused. She is sullen – the anti Sharif. We get no information from her. She does let us stop to go to the bathroom – at a bakery. I get some baklava and Lebanon is redeemed. And the border trials can be filed under “the worse the better”. Will certainly make a good story that someone forgot he had an Israeli stamp :-)

We get to the city. It looks like Vegas on steroids. The traffic is horrific and the parking chaotic. That’s the best way to describe Beirut. Chaotic. The bus cannot turn so we get off (near the President’s house supposedly) and walk. We end up at the Commodore --- not the Bristol as advertised. Brits never seem to complain and are always so calm. They were not peering round the corner or trying to tell Sultana what to do. But tempers are short. Some people are angry about the Hotel. A lady is upset about not having her “case”. It is almost funny – perhaps all that stiff upper lipping leads to volcanic eruptions. The case lady is screaming in her room – can be heard throughout the floor. The hotel is shabby and the room is dirty – but have stayed in worse.