Hi guys, yesterday i forgot to tell you i met OUR Sawsan. She's an angel, hardly working no-profit for Lebanon and Lebanese, doesn't matter if maronite, sunni or shiite, i said *lebanese*. Actually she's working for an international development company and, as consultant, for a local institution of cooperation aimed to rebuild and renew Beirut and the damaged areas. She gave me useful information, i.e. numbers of trustworthy taxi drivers that can lead me to the South or to the North, Baalback, which today i choosed to visit together with my trusted and beloved friends. I even have number of a kind girls that she met in July once she took in Tyr 25 people by bus: this girl asked only 150$ to rent that bus and a 24H driver, everything included. Good to know.
I gave her a collection of footbal t-shirts, which i'd be glad to see someday worn by some children, more unlucky than me... and maybe they will honour that t-shirts much more than how much i was a good defender player :)
We spoke also about our projects for Lebanon and maybe we got a point in common: for me to try to hear in Beirut a concert of Radiodervish, for her to convince all the Countries having in Lebanon their embassy to promote a festival, turning around the South villages, with international artists!!! that's great: i'm over-excited thinking that day with RD, "i Nostri", singing L'Esigenza to all Miele nel Vino people in my heart, dedicated to all the pain suffered by lebanese and to all the lebaneses having chosen to stay in Lebanon or to come back, without any certainty for the future, except the one to enjoy their Country and help Lebanon to stand up again. And that day, Sawsan, next summer, hopefully, i'll be there, and you know i always keep my promises ;)
sabato 25 novembre 2006
venerdì 24 novembre 2006
Thanks AM...and...for mm, don't dare doing it anymore
Thanks Moithinkingoutloud. Your post is great and i encourage you to pass over and go ahead:
So here is what I want you to do: I want to come into my life, impress me, strip me off my mind, make me feel again, make me fall madly in love, make me believe in you, make me fight to keep you and knock this box out forever.
Not a shadow of astonishment, not a whispering of excitation;
I want someone to sweep you away,
I want you fly, I want you sing with abduction, you dance whirling like dervish,
I want for you a frantic happiness!
Love is passion, obsession, someone without whom you don’t live.
Find someone to love up to madness. And who loves you alike.
How to find him?
Forget your mind, hear the heart.
Truth is that it doesn’t matter living if you miss that.
To make the trip though not falling deeply in love, equals to not-to-live.
But you must try, because if you don’t, you won’t have ever lived.
Don’t reject…who knows….does exist love-at-first-sight ?
Yes, I suppose. -me-
So here is what I want you to do: I want to come into my life, impress me, strip me off my mind, make me feel again, make me fall madly in love, make me believe in you, make me fight to keep you and knock this box out forever.
Not a shadow of astonishment, not a whispering of excitation;
I want someone to sweep you away,
I want you fly, I want you sing with abduction, you dance whirling like dervish,
I want for you a frantic happiness!
Love is passion, obsession, someone without whom you don’t live.
Find someone to love up to madness. And who loves you alike.
How to find him?
Forget your mind, hear the heart.
Truth is that it doesn’t matter living if you miss that.
To make the trip though not falling deeply in love, equals to not-to-live.
But you must try, because if you don’t, you won’t have ever lived.
Don’t reject…who knows….does exist love-at-first-sight ?
Yes, I suppose. -me-
Flying thoughts: Io voglio, I want
Voglio una donna che mi ami da morire ed abbia paura di perdermi.
I want a woman that loves me to death and is afraid to lose me.
Voglio una donna che mi dica almeno una volta al giorno "che grande stronzo che sei!"
I want a woman that tells me at least once per day "what a big bastard!"
Voglio una donna che guardando un bel ragazzo in mezzo alla strada mi dica "Guarda che ragazzo interessante ed io che mi sono dovuta accontentare di uno come te..."
I want a woman that staring at an handsome guy in the street tells "Look what a interesting man and I have had please of someone like you..."
Voglio una donna gelosa da morire, ma che faccia di tutto per non farlo notare.
I want a woman jealous to death, but that makes all by herself and don’t let me advise that.
Voglio una donna che quando la vado a prendere dica "mettiti lì buono buono che mi devo truccare" e che alla mia domanda "ma dai, a me piaci anche senza trucco" lei risponda "ma mica mi trucco per te... lo faccio con la speranza di incontrare qualcuno che mi dia soddisfazione..."
I want a woman that when I go to pick her up, tells "put yourself there quietly quietly coz I must make up me" and that to my question "yalla, I like you also without tricks" – she answers "I definetely don’t make up me for you... am doing it hoping to meet someone able to give me real satisfaction ..."
Voglio una donna che sappia trattenere il pianto e se malauguratamente le dovesse scendere una lacrima dica "no, è solo perché ho sbadigliato".
I want a woman that knows how to withhold crying and if unfortunately a tear comes down says "not, it’s only coz I yawned".
Voglio una donna che sappia accarezzare.
I want a woman that knows how to caress.
Voglio una donna che mi chieda la buonanotte sennò non può dormire, e che chiuda gli occhi quando le bacio la fronte.
I want a woman that asks me to say goodnight otherwise cannot sleep, and closes the eyes when I kiss her forehead.
Voglio una donna che mi faccia guardare le gambe delle altre ragazze, ma mi picchi a sangue se non dico che le sue gambe sono piu belle.
I want a woman that let me watch other girls legs, but fights me in blood if don’t say that her legs are more beautiful.
Voglio una donna che mi dica "forse tu non hai capito niente di quello che ti aspetta se fai qualche cazzata... ti raddirizzo io a te!"
I want a woman that tells me "you haven’t understood anything about what you are waiting for...if you make some hauled... I will straighten you!"
Voglio una donna che mi chieda di abbracciarla forte quando ha freddo.
I want a woman that asks me to hug her strongly when it's cold.
Voglio una donna che mi dica "non ti lascerò mai".
I want a woman that says "I will never leave you".
Voglio una donna che quando mi lascerà, perché mi lascera, non si permetta di dire "è per il nostro bene, l'affetto è ancora grande, restiamo pure amici".
I want a woman that when she will leave me, because she will leave me, is not allowed to say "That’s for our good, attachment is still wide, let’s remain friends as well".
Voglio una donna che quando si pentirà di avermi lasciato, perché si pentirà, abbia la forza di non chiedermi di tornare assieme.
I want a woman that when will repent to have left me, because she will repent, has the force to don’t ask me coming back together.
...o come direbbero gli inglesi: "Be careful to choose, be careful what you wish for, cause it may comes true"...
or as English are used to say: "Be careful to choose, be careful what you wish for, cause it may comes true"...
I want a woman that loves me to death and is afraid to lose me.
Voglio una donna che mi dica almeno una volta al giorno "che grande stronzo che sei!"
I want a woman that tells me at least once per day "what a big bastard!"
Voglio una donna che guardando un bel ragazzo in mezzo alla strada mi dica "Guarda che ragazzo interessante ed io che mi sono dovuta accontentare di uno come te..."
I want a woman that staring at an handsome guy in the street tells "Look what a interesting man and I have had please of someone like you..."
Voglio una donna gelosa da morire, ma che faccia di tutto per non farlo notare.
I want a woman jealous to death, but that makes all by herself and don’t let me advise that.
Voglio una donna che quando la vado a prendere dica "mettiti lì buono buono che mi devo truccare" e che alla mia domanda "ma dai, a me piaci anche senza trucco" lei risponda "ma mica mi trucco per te... lo faccio con la speranza di incontrare qualcuno che mi dia soddisfazione..."
I want a woman that when I go to pick her up, tells "put yourself there quietly quietly coz I must make up me" and that to my question "yalla, I like you also without tricks" – she answers "I definetely don’t make up me for you... am doing it hoping to meet someone able to give me real satisfaction ..."
Voglio una donna che sappia trattenere il pianto e se malauguratamente le dovesse scendere una lacrima dica "no, è solo perché ho sbadigliato".
I want a woman that knows how to withhold crying and if unfortunately a tear comes down says "not, it’s only coz I yawned".
Voglio una donna che sappia accarezzare.
I want a woman that knows how to caress.
Voglio una donna che mi chieda la buonanotte sennò non può dormire, e che chiuda gli occhi quando le bacio la fronte.
I want a woman that asks me to say goodnight otherwise cannot sleep, and closes the eyes when I kiss her forehead.
Voglio una donna che mi faccia guardare le gambe delle altre ragazze, ma mi picchi a sangue se non dico che le sue gambe sono piu belle.
I want a woman that let me watch other girls legs, but fights me in blood if don’t say that her legs are more beautiful.
Voglio una donna che mi dica "forse tu non hai capito niente di quello che ti aspetta se fai qualche cazzata... ti raddirizzo io a te!"
I want a woman that tells me "you haven’t understood anything about what you are waiting for...if you make some hauled... I will straighten you!"
Voglio una donna che mi chieda di abbracciarla forte quando ha freddo.
I want a woman that asks me to hug her strongly when it's cold.
Voglio una donna che mi dica "non ti lascerò mai".
I want a woman that says "I will never leave you".
Voglio una donna che quando mi lascerà, perché mi lascera, non si permetta di dire "è per il nostro bene, l'affetto è ancora grande, restiamo pure amici".
I want a woman that when she will leave me, because she will leave me, is not allowed to say "That’s for our good, attachment is still wide, let’s remain friends as well".
Voglio una donna che quando si pentirà di avermi lasciato, perché si pentirà, abbia la forza di non chiedermi di tornare assieme.
I want a woman that when will repent to have left me, because she will repent, has the force to don’t ask me coming back together.
...o come direbbero gli inglesi: "Be careful to choose, be careful what you wish for, cause it may comes true"...
or as English are used to say: "Be careful to choose, be careful what you wish for, cause it may comes true"...
Beirut - Fri 24 Nov 2006
Today, i have enjoyed Beirut.
First, a delicious (and very heavy) pure lebanese breakfast:
1. KINAFEE, a kind of cake with semolina, butter, milk, sugar syrup and -last but not least- cheese!
2. MAFROUKEH, with semolina, butter, milk, sugar, almonds, pines, served with kashta on top and decorated abundantly with almonds, pine kernels, pistachios & rose petals!
Sorry to enjoy only the photos :)
I have spent the day to discover Beirut, talking with people and trying to get any difference with the city i loved 3 years ago. Hey, in Achrafieh i saw the Denmark embassy...ops, what it remains of it, take a look
It's should be written that the danish embassy has moved from here and people are kindly asked to look for it somewhere else. Where? I asked, but nobody knows, they even don't know if it's still in Lebanon, maybe because scared of threats.
Very nice Sursock Museum palace, the Modern Art museum of Beirut, representing a beautiful example of eclecticism which combines Italian and Oriental art, although it preserves the spirit of the residence, its charm and its character, while adapting it to the requirements of modern museology.
Leaving the museum, a clear proof of how often it happens to bump into things that remind you "That's only in Lebanon"
I saw signs of the old war; the following tower with the bullet holes is the Holiday inn, a war relic kept by the Lebanese to remind them what war can do... and each time i see this building i imagine the eyes of the pilot, staring it and pointed his weapons at the palace, and then shoots, bang bang bang bang!(gosh)
Reconstruction. It's a word that has its echo in Solidere, the private company, mainly sponsored by Rafiq Hariri, taking on the challenge of a 25-years project and plans of modern infrastructures, public areas and marine works. More than half a million square meters of landfill will provide land for two marinas, a seaside promenade and a green park, including hotels, office space and residential areas in Beirut's Central District. As usually lebanese do, not all the buildings will be new...
3 years ago, this Grand Mosque was not yet built,
just a "work in progress" in front of Virgin...hey, but here the site is kept in construction
Luckily, Downtown is no more so empty like the previous days. Am not used to it. I took the same shoot to this area where you can see religious symbols standing together, and it doesn't matter if one of them was built as church and then became mosque or other...
Then, a symbol i didn't know before: it's a symbol of a party, yes a christian party. It's the Holy cross, but "interpretated", sharp, as it termines with a blade, and it's red like blood. Like violence. That can't bring peace.
note: people says this symbol represents a blade that goes inside the land, the land of Lebanon. Ok, nice view, but unfortunately the "mauvaises" aim to use it as threat for the opposition and strong power over all the "others". This is wrong. As a religious symbol cannot be deformed into a symbol of blood. Unfair.
Please, may someone explaine what Christian religion has in common with blade, weapons and blood? Am not talking about crusades, taking place thousands years ago.
Please, may someone explaine me what the Holy Quran and Islam have in common with terrorism, violence and blood?
But let's change subject now, and go to telepherique (only for not-heartbroken!). What to say about such wonderful Beirut Bay view from Jounieh? Just breathtaking.
and the Lady watching pilgrims while they are rising upstairs. Innocence.
Plus, am astonished to see that inside you can see praying not only christians , but muslims as well. Maria is a symbol of immaculate purity and Her name is present 40 times in the Holy Quran, even more often than in the Bible. Jesus is highly resected by Muslims - "Strong as Lebanese Cedarwood" like Bible define Him, even if they don't believe neither He's God or the dogma of God's Trinity. Not a lot of people, especially in the Western, knows that. Not a lot of people knows that a wonderful sura is dedicated to Maria, just pure poetry. Maria. Maryam. Nostra Signora. Sayyida.
Sura 3,42: "O Maria, Dio ti ha scelta e ti ha resa pura, al di sopra delle donne dell’universo (Alamin)".
First, a delicious (and very heavy) pure lebanese breakfast:
1. KINAFEE, a kind of cake with semolina, butter, milk, sugar syrup and -last but not least- cheese!
2. MAFROUKEH, with semolina, butter, milk, sugar, almonds, pines, served with kashta on top and decorated abundantly with almonds, pine kernels, pistachios & rose petals!
Sorry to enjoy only the photos :)
I have spent the day to discover Beirut, talking with people and trying to get any difference with the city i loved 3 years ago. Hey, in Achrafieh i saw the Denmark embassy...ops, what it remains of it, take a look
It's should be written that the danish embassy has moved from here and people are kindly asked to look for it somewhere else. Where? I asked, but nobody knows, they even don't know if it's still in Lebanon, maybe because scared of threats.
Very nice Sursock Museum palace, the Modern Art museum of Beirut, representing a beautiful example of eclecticism which combines Italian and Oriental art, although it preserves the spirit of the residence, its charm and its character, while adapting it to the requirements of modern museology.
Leaving the museum, a clear proof of how often it happens to bump into things that remind you "That's only in Lebanon"
I saw signs of the old war; the following tower with the bullet holes is the Holiday inn, a war relic kept by the Lebanese to remind them what war can do... and each time i see this building i imagine the eyes of the pilot, staring it and pointed his weapons at the palace, and then shoots, bang bang bang bang!(gosh)
Reconstruction. It's a word that has its echo in Solidere, the private company, mainly sponsored by Rafiq Hariri, taking on the challenge of a 25-years project and plans of modern infrastructures, public areas and marine works. More than half a million square meters of landfill will provide land for two marinas, a seaside promenade and a green park, including hotels, office space and residential areas in Beirut's Central District. As usually lebanese do, not all the buildings will be new...
3 years ago, this Grand Mosque was not yet built,
just a "work in progress" in front of Virgin...hey, but here the site is kept in construction
Luckily, Downtown is no more so empty like the previous days. Am not used to it. I took the same shoot to this area where you can see religious symbols standing together, and it doesn't matter if one of them was built as church and then became mosque or other...
Then, a symbol i didn't know before: it's a symbol of a party, yes a christian party. It's the Holy cross, but "interpretated", sharp, as it termines with a blade, and it's red like blood. Like violence. That can't bring peace.
note: people says this symbol represents a blade that goes inside the land, the land of Lebanon. Ok, nice view, but unfortunately the "mauvaises" aim to use it as threat for the opposition and strong power over all the "others". This is wrong. As a religious symbol cannot be deformed into a symbol of blood. Unfair.
Please, may someone explaine what Christian religion has in common with blade, weapons and blood? Am not talking about crusades, taking place thousands years ago.
Please, may someone explaine me what the Holy Quran and Islam have in common with terrorism, violence and blood?
But let's change subject now, and go to telepherique (only for not-heartbroken!). What to say about such wonderful Beirut Bay view from Jounieh? Just breathtaking.
and the Lady watching pilgrims while they are rising upstairs. Innocence.
Plus, am astonished to see that inside you can see praying not only christians , but muslims as well. Maria is a symbol of immaculate purity and Her name is present 40 times in the Holy Quran, even more often than in the Bible. Jesus is highly resected by Muslims - "Strong as Lebanese Cedarwood" like Bible define Him, even if they don't believe neither He's God or the dogma of God's Trinity. Not a lot of people, especially in the Western, knows that. Not a lot of people knows that a wonderful sura is dedicated to Maria, just pure poetry. Maria. Maryam. Nostra Signora. Sayyida.
Sura 3,42: "O Maria, Dio ti ha scelta e ti ha resa pura, al di sopra delle donne dell’universo (Alamin)".
Who does want Lebanon's death ?
Beirut è ripiombata nel terrore.
Era il marzo del 2005 quando Pierre Gemayel tornava da Parigi per riabbracciare il suo Paese libero. Il 21 Novembre, crivellato da otto pallottole nel quartiere maronita Jdeid, Pierre, ministro dell'Industria con la faccia da bambino, lascia la sua vita dentro la sua berlina d'argento, all'uscita dalla chiesa di Santa Rita. Pierre era soprattutto un Gemayel. Una delle famiglie che hanno fatto il Libano. Uno dei nomi che hanno tatuato questo Paese. Figlio del moderato Amin, presidente dal 1982 al 1988, nipote del temerario Bashir ammazzato dopo l'elezione a presidente, ma anche del nonno Pierre che fondò la Falange nel 1936. Così i suoi assassini non hanno sparato solo a Pierre. Ma a tutti i Gemayel insieme. E poche ore dopo tutta Beirut, ma anche tutto il Libano, erano seminati di foto del Ministro-bambino, ad aggiungersi alle tante - come se non fossero state abbastanza - delle altre vittime eccellenti (6 nell'ultimo anno) di efferati attacchi di matrice terroristica.
La voglia dei Libanesi di far ricordare o di non voler dimenticare è tanta, a volte ossessiva, al punto che quelle immagini delle vittime diventano ordinarie quanto uno qualsiasi dei poster che tappezzano la città: forse sono tra i pochi ad accorgermi che una delle foto di Pierre si alterna con quelle di stravaganti campagne pubblicitarie. Surreale.
Gli assassini hanno sparato sapendo che questo gesto avrebbe destabilizzato di più della mera uccisione di un politico di peso. Sulle intenzioni e sui mandanti non ci possono essere le solite affrettate certezze.
Cui prodest? La scelta è imbarazzante.
Agli Hezbollah che vogliono "morto" politicamente Siniora,
all'Iran sponsor di Nasrallah,
ai siriani che non accettano la perdita del Libano,
al "clan" dei maroniti che potrebbe ricompattarsi dopo il lutto,
ai drusi troppo deboli del voltagabbana Walid Jumblatt,
ai sunniti del premier Siniora che perdono potere ogni giorno di più,
al Mossad che ha tutto l'interesse di destabilizzarlo,
ai terroristi di Al Qaeda, agli americani impaludati in Medio Oriente,
L'ipotesi più facile è quella evocata da Saad Hariri (figlio dell'assassinato Rafiq) e George W.Bush: "Sappiamo che le mani della Siria sono dappertutto". Ma esistono ragioni logiche per dubitare che i killer possano essere Bashar el-Assad e il suo entourage di stato. Troppo banale concludere siano stati loro e basta. Lo stato siriano ha appena ricucito con l'Iraq e dunque con gli americani: che senso avrebbe azzerare tutti gli sforzi per cercare un ruolo politico dignitoso in Medio Oriente per ammazzare uno dei tanti politici libanesi seppure dichiaratamente anti-siriano?.
Non è stata la classica autobomba, simbolo dell'assassinio di stampo siriano. Gli hanno sparato in faccia.
A questo punto forse la domanda più lungimirante potrebbe essere: chi ha interesse a rovinare il regime siriano? Quali sono i suoi veri e magari travestiti nemici?
Fatto sta che questo assassinio è diventato una prima porta aperta alla guerra civile. Come urlano i giornali libanesi. Un ennesimo scacco alla flebile pace del Libano. Pochi credono nella possibilità che invece possa scoccare il ritorno dell'unità. Oggi, per i libanesi, identificarsi in uno Stato Unico e Unito è un'utopia. Non c'e' fiducia, e l'identità di gruppo è sempre piu'ristretta.
Sono qui anche per questo: non vedo partiti, non vedo simboli ideologici, vedo paura negli occhi delle persone, vedo in tutti dubbi per il proprio futuro, impossibile fare piani a lunga scadenza ma anche a medio/breve termine. Ma, amico Libano, noi continueremo ad amarti e a non abbandonarti, a sostenerti anche in giorni difficili come questi...
Era il marzo del 2005 quando Pierre Gemayel tornava da Parigi per riabbracciare il suo Paese libero. Il 21 Novembre, crivellato da otto pallottole nel quartiere maronita Jdeid, Pierre, ministro dell'Industria con la faccia da bambino, lascia la sua vita dentro la sua berlina d'argento, all'uscita dalla chiesa di Santa Rita. Pierre era soprattutto un Gemayel. Una delle famiglie che hanno fatto il Libano. Uno dei nomi che hanno tatuato questo Paese. Figlio del moderato Amin, presidente dal 1982 al 1988, nipote del temerario Bashir ammazzato dopo l'elezione a presidente, ma anche del nonno Pierre che fondò la Falange nel 1936. Così i suoi assassini non hanno sparato solo a Pierre. Ma a tutti i Gemayel insieme. E poche ore dopo tutta Beirut, ma anche tutto il Libano, erano seminati di foto del Ministro-bambino, ad aggiungersi alle tante - come se non fossero state abbastanza - delle altre vittime eccellenti (6 nell'ultimo anno) di efferati attacchi di matrice terroristica.
La voglia dei Libanesi di far ricordare o di non voler dimenticare è tanta, a volte ossessiva, al punto che quelle immagini delle vittime diventano ordinarie quanto uno qualsiasi dei poster che tappezzano la città: forse sono tra i pochi ad accorgermi che una delle foto di Pierre si alterna con quelle di stravaganti campagne pubblicitarie. Surreale.
Gli assassini hanno sparato sapendo che questo gesto avrebbe destabilizzato di più della mera uccisione di un politico di peso. Sulle intenzioni e sui mandanti non ci possono essere le solite affrettate certezze.
Cui prodest? La scelta è imbarazzante.
Agli Hezbollah che vogliono "morto" politicamente Siniora,
all'Iran sponsor di Nasrallah,
ai siriani che non accettano la perdita del Libano,
al "clan" dei maroniti che potrebbe ricompattarsi dopo il lutto,
ai drusi troppo deboli del voltagabbana Walid Jumblatt,
ai sunniti del premier Siniora che perdono potere ogni giorno di più,
al Mossad che ha tutto l'interesse di destabilizzarlo,
ai terroristi di Al Qaeda, agli americani impaludati in Medio Oriente,
L'ipotesi più facile è quella evocata da Saad Hariri (figlio dell'assassinato Rafiq) e George W.Bush: "Sappiamo che le mani della Siria sono dappertutto". Ma esistono ragioni logiche per dubitare che i killer possano essere Bashar el-Assad e il suo entourage di stato. Troppo banale concludere siano stati loro e basta. Lo stato siriano ha appena ricucito con l'Iraq e dunque con gli americani: che senso avrebbe azzerare tutti gli sforzi per cercare un ruolo politico dignitoso in Medio Oriente per ammazzare uno dei tanti politici libanesi seppure dichiaratamente anti-siriano?.
Non è stata la classica autobomba, simbolo dell'assassinio di stampo siriano. Gli hanno sparato in faccia.
A questo punto forse la domanda più lungimirante potrebbe essere: chi ha interesse a rovinare il regime siriano? Quali sono i suoi veri e magari travestiti nemici?
Fatto sta che questo assassinio è diventato una prima porta aperta alla guerra civile. Come urlano i giornali libanesi. Un ennesimo scacco alla flebile pace del Libano. Pochi credono nella possibilità che invece possa scoccare il ritorno dell'unità. Oggi, per i libanesi, identificarsi in uno Stato Unico e Unito è un'utopia. Non c'e' fiducia, e l'identità di gruppo è sempre piu'ristretta.
Sono qui anche per questo: non vedo partiti, non vedo simboli ideologici, vedo paura negli occhi delle persone, vedo in tutti dubbi per il proprio futuro, impossibile fare piani a lunga scadenza ma anche a medio/breve termine. Ma, amico Libano, noi continueremo ad amarti e a non abbandonarti, a sostenerti anche in giorni difficili come questi...
giovedì 23 novembre 2006
Jbeil - Thu 23 Nov 2006
Still images of a mediterranean pearl
And in this context is strange to see children playing the war with fake guns, but they are just children, and this is supposed to be a "normal" play for children, maybe in any other part of the world. But this is Lebanon...
Note: we had a break in Jbeil at their parents house, where they thought to stop and sleep the night in case of disorders and mess in Beirut immediately after the funeral. Luckily, all the politic leaders were reasonable and recommended their supporters to calm down and to avoid definetely any kind of taunt or any violent answer to an eventual taunt of the opposition. Luckily... and we have been able to come back to Beirut. However, not before having had a lot of fruits at the parents house of my friends, you know it's impossible to say NOT to a lebanese mama :) especially if she promises you to read the grounds of your cup of coffee...last time, one month ago, lady Samar - she didn't know me before - read my cup and told me i would have had a long travel and that a girl/woman was crying for me. This astonished and shocked me (i didn't talk with nobody, before, about my lebanese coming trip), but, at least, she was right: am in my Lebanon!
And take a look here: it's electricity (ok, the cables are not exactly norm-compliant cable eheh), but it's provided by local providers (allowed?) that sell electrical furnitures instead of government...it's still not clear to me if this is a permitted situation "post-facto" or there's a regulation for that. Mah!
And in this context is strange to see children playing the war with fake guns, but they are just children, and this is supposed to be a "normal" play for children, maybe in any other part of the world. But this is Lebanon...
Note: we had a break in Jbeil at their parents house, where they thought to stop and sleep the night in case of disorders and mess in Beirut immediately after the funeral. Luckily, all the politic leaders were reasonable and recommended their supporters to calm down and to avoid definetely any kind of taunt or any violent answer to an eventual taunt of the opposition. Luckily... and we have been able to come back to Beirut. However, not before having had a lot of fruits at the parents house of my friends, you know it's impossible to say NOT to a lebanese mama :) especially if she promises you to read the grounds of your cup of coffee...last time, one month ago, lady Samar - she didn't know me before - read my cup and told me i would have had a long travel and that a girl/woman was crying for me. This astonished and shocked me (i didn't talk with nobody, before, about my lebanese coming trip), but, at least, she was right: am in my Lebanon!
And take a look here: it's electricity (ok, the cables are not exactly norm-compliant cable eheh), but it's provided by local providers (allowed?) that sell electrical furnitures instead of government...it's still not clear to me if this is a permitted situation "post-facto" or there's a regulation for that. Mah!
Batrun - Thu 23 Nov 2006
The road to the North, especially during last summer bombings, presents alternative secondary streets, each time used to re-invent the path. Batrun is a small town, just in front of the sea. It's impossible not to wish to have a break here (in Trablus almost every shop was closed, someone said because obliged to do that, otherwise an open shop could be interpretated as taunt for not respecting of the grieve following Gemayel's assassination). A place just kissed by sunlight and as background soundtrack the kind noise of waves breaking the rocks of the beach. Fresh fish and a cold Al-Maza bottle to remove the hunger and to let us forget of the tension and the fear in Beirut.
I am angry because everyone knows that a major part of the Lebanese population did not back Hezbollah and that Lebanon has been punished for crimes it did not commit. I am angry because Israel, Iran and Syria are simply involved in a show of muscle strength at the expense of Lebanese lives. I am angry because innocent Lebanese children paid for this with their lives on a daily basis and no one did anything concretely about it. I am horrified for all the victims who paid the price and their families whether they be Lebanese, Palestinians or Israelis and am sorry for the unnecessary losses of human lives.
How dark must the smoke be before people look our way?
How many people must die before people start caring?
How loud must the screams be before people start hearing?
I dream of a Middle East where Muslim, Jew and Christian listen to their Torahs, Bibles and Korans and get over the fear of loving their neighbour and find another pastime than killing each other. I dream of a Middle East where Palestinians are treated as human beings with rights. I dream of a united Lebanon where Druze, Shia, Sunni, Orthodox Christians, Greek Catholics and Maronite all retain hope and work together to once again rebuild their country. I dream of a freedom that is not brought about by force and a democracy that is not brought about by war...
Now not just lebaneses but all of us should recall a dream of a peaceful, strong, united Lebanon. We recall the fact the first alphabet was created here in Lebanon and that our nation was once known as the Pearl or Paris of the Middle East. We recall the fact that though Lebanon was destroyed many times before, it was rebuilt, again and again and again, perhaps over seven times.
May this ray of hope shine on us all, for we all deserve to live a life of peace and of serenity.
I am angry because everyone knows that a major part of the Lebanese population did not back Hezbollah and that Lebanon has been punished for crimes it did not commit. I am angry because Israel, Iran and Syria are simply involved in a show of muscle strength at the expense of Lebanese lives. I am angry because innocent Lebanese children paid for this with their lives on a daily basis and no one did anything concretely about it. I am horrified for all the victims who paid the price and their families whether they be Lebanese, Palestinians or Israelis and am sorry for the unnecessary losses of human lives.
How dark must the smoke be before people look our way?
How many people must die before people start caring?
How loud must the screams be before people start hearing?
I dream of a Middle East where Muslim, Jew and Christian listen to their Torahs, Bibles and Korans and get over the fear of loving their neighbour and find another pastime than killing each other. I dream of a Middle East where Palestinians are treated as human beings with rights. I dream of a united Lebanon where Druze, Shia, Sunni, Orthodox Christians, Greek Catholics and Maronite all retain hope and work together to once again rebuild their country. I dream of a freedom that is not brought about by force and a democracy that is not brought about by war...
Now not just lebaneses but all of us should recall a dream of a peaceful, strong, united Lebanon. We recall the fact the first alphabet was created here in Lebanon and that our nation was once known as the Pearl or Paris of the Middle East. We recall the fact that though Lebanon was destroyed many times before, it was rebuilt, again and again and again, perhaps over seven times.
May this ray of hope shine on us all, for we all deserve to live a life of peace and of serenity.
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