Jieh Sunset

Dubai to Lebanon Plane Trip

The 2 hour plane flight from Dubai to Beirut. The last leg of the journey when one is traveling from Sydney to Lebanon.

For 2 hours you see nothing but lifeless brown desert beneath you but then through the distance you see a green emerald shimmering through the brown haze. Lebanon.

The time on my watch is Sydney time in the evening.

As for the music, that was the song being played while I was having my lunch on the plane so each time I hear the song, it reminds me of this part of the trip.

And anyway, One Night in Lebanon is One Night in Heaven.

Awefi Chicken

Nothing like dropping into Awefi Chicken at lunchtime, then going back to work taking with you your radioactive garlic breath.

The whole place just becomes deserted even before you enter the building.

Zlebye

6th of January marks the day of 3id el Ghotas or Feast of the Epiphany - Baptism of Our Lord. The Official end of the Christmas period for Catholics.

Not sure what the significance behind the Zlebye custom is. But when the christmas tree finally comes down, the zlebye comes out.

Legend has it that on this day, Jesus comes and visits your house at night and blesses you while your asleep. So always leave the window open so he might be able to enter.

Dara Meshwe

Favourite Lebanese past time.

Sitting around the kanun munching away on the corn.

Basser

Seeing the Future, Lebanese Style.

Thats dot means you will have a big beautiful house with a pool.

I can see the face of the 3adra and Santa Clause there aswell.

I can see a big mobile phone.

Lot of cats I see and the head of a goat!

See those squiggly little lines over there? That means you will have a son and you will call him Charbel.

Loze

The good thing about this magical nut is that you can eat it at any stage of its life.

When its young, you eat it whole, with a bit of salt.

When the green outside hardens a bit as it gets older, remove it and eat the tender but firm and moist inside.

When its old and dry, you can just crunch on the nut inside. Or you can put it in water overnight and eat it with a glass of Arak the next day.

Snails Cooking

I have a passion for snails dont I?

Karaz

Jieh Summer 2005 Video

Last night I slapped together a few clips I took of the Jieh while I was there in the summer of 2005.

If you wanna see where all the family inbreeding originated from. Here it is.

The Magical Land of the Lepricons.

For me the Jieh was this magical place in a land far far away that everyone talked about endlessly.

As I had no recollection of the Jieh during my childhood, I formed this fantastical image of the place in my head. So it was quite a surprise when I first laid my eyes on it. A surreal feeling of this magical place.

You can see the actual footage I took while coming down from the airport with my camera in my hand.


The Jieh, after 18 years, finally became a reality.

Bateekh

Nothing like a cold succulent juicy plate of bateekh on a hot summers afternoon "lay bel albak"

Bzourat

Fa'e Bizzer with Arak. A favourite lebanese past-time.

Shish La7me

Many prefer their garlick with the chicken. I myself think it goes much better with the meat.

Shish Tawoo'

Chicken pieces with Toum.

Asbe Nay

Dipped in Bhar wa Erfi and a bit of Mele7. Some eat it with mint leaves.

Tabouli

Lebanons gift to the world.

Mango's and Fairuz

Lebanon Panorama

Bree'

Almaza

1 ticket to lebanon: $1850

1 Alamaza Beer: 4000 liras

Enjoying the view of an unopened cold beer over looking the mediterranean even though you dont drink alcohol? Priceless.

Heaven on Earth

If there is a bit of slice of Heaven on Earth, Then this place is truley it.

Just put your feet up and let the cool lebanese mountain breeze come to you.

Is this the Swiss country side?...HELL NO!

Your in Lebanon my friend :)

Telefrique

One of the TOP 10 things to do in Lebanon.

Grab a ride on the Telefrique.

Start from the City of Jounieh and ride it all the way up over the mountain side to be closer to heaven at Our Lady of Lebanon, Harrisa.

Life's Journey

Farmer

Flower II

Flower

Theres flowers are all over the country side, if you know the name could you please tell me.

Herby

3arous II

Make that 3aroustain. :)

Eat your heart out McDonalds!

3arous

Nothing like stopping on the side of the road during your "Shem el Hawa" drive around the Lebanese country side to make yourself a canon of a coal fired Chicken 3arous with toom!

Falafel

I died with a falafel in my mouth. It was *THAT* good!

Probably the most famous of all Lebanese foods. A rival for Tabouli and Hummous in terms of Western popularity.

Stubborn Bezai'

These are the ones that were too stubborn to come out and the tastier part of the snail was stuck back inside. The Fat!

These stubborn snails you collect as you eat. You dont work on them while theres still some snails left on the table. You guard these with your life until all free snails on the table have finished.

Once the freebie have finished, you may begin work unlodging these brown nuggets of gold. There are two methods.
1. You grab the shell in one hand between your thumb and index finger, and you smash your hand against the palm of the other hand hoping to dislodge the stubbon peice.

if that doesnt work, try method 2.

2. Grab a knice and using the handle of the knife, you lightly tap the bottom half of the shell until you can see and reach the stuck peice. Using the toothpick that you were using early to pluck the smails out of their shell, lightly scrap and simultaneously gently push the remaining peice towards the opening of its help. Hopefull you can dislodge this stubbon peice and consume its aphrodisiac goodness!

btw...dont forget the taratoooooor

Gerarank

Some people call them Gerank, some Ganerek, some Gerarenk and some get it totally wrong calling them Khowkh. But what ever name takes your fancy, you cant help but unleash your tastes buds on these little green balls.

Bezai'

Nothing better than going back to lebanon after 18 years away and to have you grandmother preparing you one of your favourite foods. BEZAI'!!!!

Ganerek

Fweke

3enib wa Khamer

Tamer wa Ma3mool ma3 Ahwe

Easter treats!

Gerank

Bazella

Before popcorn was discovered...

Toot

Toot Toot 3a Beirut!
Tal3a wa nazle bi 3ashra 'roush!

Ame7

Fenjen Ahwe

The Lebanese Placebo.

For 5 minutes 5 times a day, this little cup of liquid black gold has brought about the cessation of wars, time out of husband and wife's daily domestic hostilities, Is a magnet which attracts your closest lebanese neighbour early in the morning, mid afternoon and evening for a drop over and a fine balance of how many youve consumbed which can lead to the soothing of a headache or the creation of one.

Ahwe Murra ow bi Sukar?

Ahwe

My Leb Flag