I

I
read a lot of foreign literature, binge on foreign films and
live in a diverse and international city. As a result, I’m exposed
to a myriad of cultures and, with a hungry mind and wandering eye,
I find myself obsessively thinking about travelling to countries
that are not my own.

As I begin to read about a place, hear accounts of it’s history
and politics, my mind becomes awash with images. Sometimes these
images pass through my mind quickly and vanish into the air; others
dig themselves firmly into my soul. Beirut was the latter.

I yearned to wander the streets of this enchanted, historic
city. To indulge in its delicacies and to breathe in the aroma of
Arabic coffee as I sat in a café watching the world go by.
Eventually, armed with my camera, off I went to explore the city
with one foot planted in the Middle East and the other in
Europe.

I walked for miles absorbing the war torn but charming
architecture. As one of the world’s oldest cities, Beirut is a
beautiful mix of the past and present. One can find arabesque
Ottoman buildings side by side with contemporary architecture. As
the sun descended, I traced the Mediterranean Sea around the
corniche, stopping at the famous pigeon rocks to watch lovers
absorbed in each others’ arms. Beirut’s beauty is truly
captivating. The skyline is framed by snow-capped mountains and the
city surrounded by verdant, fertile countryside.

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