I have had the pleasure of visiting Lebanon four times. It is a beautiful Country full of mountains and bordered by the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. I was surprised that the land is so green and there are so many rivers. I had always thought of the middle east as being dry and barren.

I learned very quickly that it’s not ’’what’’ you know but ’’who’’ you know in Beirut. Instead of waiting in line to go through customs like everyone else, we were swept through the crowd and placed in the front of the line because we had a friend meet us there who was a high ranking official in the Lebanese Army. Once through customs, the difference between my home land and this country was very evident; the people.

One very important thing to know if you are planning a trip to Lebanon is their customs. They are very religious people. There are some men who are uncomfortable with physically touching women. Even when it comes to handshakes. I learned this the hard way. The best advice I can offer is, when you are introduced to someone, wait to see how they greet you. If they extend their hand to you, then shake it. If they cross their hand over their chest and bow, then you do likewise. Also, ladies, when someone enters the room, man or woman, it is customary in Lebanon to show your respect by rising to greet them. It is considered very rude to remain seated, even for us ladies. It took a few days to get used to these customs but once I did, I was accepted with open arms.

We had many outdoor picnics at the beautiful rivers and beaches. Where else can you swim in the sea and look up to see snow covered mountains? There are many museums and historical sights to see. The downtown area is littered with buildings that have holes in them from the many years of war. There is a lot of construction going on, but it will take many years to rebuild what was formerly known as the ’’Paris of the Middle East’’.

One of the things I like most about Beirut is the lifestyle and laid back atmosphere. Most offices are only open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. After that, employees go home for a nice meal and a nap. When they awake they go to a place called ’’Manara’’. Manara is a strip of beach that has concrete sidewalks. There are chairs and tables set up with vendors who sell drinks and snacks. Some people bring cards and play well into the night, while others walk or jog. There are also many fast food places to eat across the street from Manara such as KFC, Pizza Hut and even a McDonald’s.