I had booked my flight to Beirut Lebanon a day earlier then everyone else, I got the right flight numbers just the wrong day. After some finagling I got another flight the next morning but for a price: leaving at 5:30am, having a 5 hours layover in Kuwait (no bars anywhere) and arriving 2 hours later then everyone else.
After seemingly getting ripped off by the taxi driver, 40,000 Lebanese pounds for a ride, I got dropped off at my sister school the American University in Beruit. Walking around trying to find my hotel was an amazing experience. My first impression of Beirut was how full of life it was. There were people everywhere, talking, smoking shisha, walking around and just being happy. The city itself was dirty but colorful, the building were short and had bullet scars in them and nature was creeping in around the edges. Completely the opposite of Dubai in nearly every respect.
American University of Beirut Just Down the Road from Our Hotel
“Where is Bliss Suite Hotels?” became my standard refrain. Everyone of the 8 people I asked was beyond nice. If they didn't know, they went inside the store and asked for me then shook my hand afterward. Though they didn't always give me the right directions I never felt uncomfortable. Even the sketchiest looking guy with Kramer-like hair who was completely filthy, beckoned me, spoke perfect English and gave me the correct directions with a smile.
I finally arrived at Bliss Suite Hotels and asked the guy if three Americans and a Saudi had checked in.
"No, there is no one staying here like that."
Finally, the guy found our reservations but said no one had checked-in. Now I was confused this where we said we were staying yet all my friends who were already in the country weren't here. I also had no way of contacting them. As I was about to give him my card to pay for the hotel room I turned on my phone and found 3 texts saying to come down to a different hotel. Apparently the guy had changed the price when our Saudi friend showed him his passport. Saudis don't exist and if they do they have pay more I guess.
A View of North Beirut
I finally found the hotel after asking a few more people and was relieved to see Jess in the lobby. After some naps and catching up we met up with an “acquaintance” of Jean-Paul's, Jean-Phillipe. He drove us north of Beirut for dinner at Manuellas, my new favorite restaurant.
Now the Arabs have a saying “Some eat to live others live to eat,” this experience was definitely the latter. We sat at a huge table underneath a canopy directly on the Mediterranean. After picking out the fish, I saw the same fish swimming in the ocean below me, we ordered lots of Mezzes like hummus, fatouche, grape leaves and cheese rolls. Drinks included Almazza the Lebanese beer and Arak which translates literally to sweat but tasted like Sambuca. The dinner wasn't served all at once, it came in waves so we were constantly eating for an hour. The food was so delicious that I was totally absorbed and forgot where I was, I would then look up and realize where I was and be completely overwhelmed.
The Best Dining Experience of My Life
After a short break came shishas, four types of liqueur and the most amazing fruit platters. There were 9 huge platter with apples, nectarines, plums, grapes, pears, kumquats, watermelon, cantaloupes and kiwis all on ice. I have never eaten so much food in one sitting ever, the entire experience lasted over 2 hours and cost only $20. The meal alone was worth the new flight and traveling all day.
There was certainly going to be no punching or kicking, I never wanted to leave...
haha...kumquat
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