Byblos

Tonight... Waltz With Bashir. Laid back movie about the Sabra and Shatila Masacre... So, we're having a little light hearted discussion about the Middle Eastern conflict.

We rested well last night, we need another three days before I think we'll be thinking clearly. John and Jamie's flat is on the edge of Hamra - which is kind of the hip, cool area of Beirut. The entire front of the city runs along the coast line. It's more beautiful than I remembered. It's such a city of paradox. These stunning high rise apartments next to damaged, falling down buildings. A city rebuilt on crumbling foundations. The constant sense that at any moment the shiny new facade may crumble into the turquoise sea.

This morning we got up and had Common Grounds coffee on the balcony, listening to the call to prayer, the woman upstairs do her laundry on the porch, the women across the way gossiping about the night before and conflicting chords off middle eastern music rising from every angle of the neighborhood.

We packed the car up and headed to Byblos, where we laid on the beach for hours. John and I swam forever to a distant rock island and I hiked bikinied and barefoot to the top. When I got there, I realized i had to come back with my camera. Just so you know, it's not super cultural to be bright blond, bikini clad prancing around the area, much less those things as well as having a camera tied like a choker around her neck. I have to say that I got over it and allowed myself to be the talk of the beach as I waded out in the most shallow water I could find on the far side of the rock to get my shots.

It was worth it.

This man inspired my trek back for the camera, and I think the shot was worth it.

It will be Wednesday before I get to work at the Palestinian Refugee camp... I have forgotten how deeply this war, the plight of these people affects me. I hate the complexity of this situation. I hate the centuries of suffering that has occurred in this part of the world. It reminds the revolutionary in me that wants peace at all cost, that war is grey. People, however, are not grey. And so many people have died here in the inability of man to find peace in the grey...

Deep sigh. Ten years if traveling here and so much has changed, and so little has changed.

Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow, tonight I am enjoying the refresher in Middle Eastern history.

Here are the first round of pictures.