Lost in Lebanon
Middle East Adventure
This is Part 2 of a 2-part series on my travels throughout Lebanon. Read Part 1: Cultural Complexities - Middle East Adventure.
Traveling with Charles and Roger as our Lebanese guides, I believed we were safe with them. And yet, I still felt nervous, even scared, on our road trip.
Much of this tension came from the constant reminder of the country’s ongoing political strife. For instance, before leaving on our cross-Lebanon adventure, I experienced several unsettling incidents in downtown Beirut.
As Inji and I were walking back to our apartment after dinner one night, we heard a series of loud shots. We were uncertain what the noise was. Fireworks? Gunshots? An incoming missile? Not knowing what to do, we took cover under an apartment building overhang.
Strolling through Beirut’s back streets, Inji casually pointed out the main headquarters of Hezbollah, a Shi’a Islamic militant group and political party based in Lebanon. As someone who looked out of place (read: not stereotypically Middle Eastern), I kept my head down and eyes averted as we walked past the guards stationed outside.
One afternoon, while volunteering, we accompanied our non-profit host, Joanne, to meet a potential donor. During the car ride, we made it through the city’s usually crammed streets in record time. Why was traffic so light? Because there was a Hezbollah bomb scare. Why were we on the road? No idea.
Another evening, while Inji and I were on the balcony of our borrowed apartment, I noticed a white car with its hood up parked just outside the apartment building. I immediately thought of the movie Blackhawk Down and wondered whether this was a signal for an imminent attack. I checked to make sure there was no X taped on the roof of the car. There wasn’t, and I wandered back into the apartment for a glass of water.
So as we left the bustle of Beirut for our tour of the Lebanese countryside, I was, what you might say, “slightly unsettled.”
Meadows, Mountains, Churches & Caves
But I was also excited. The road trip itself was exhilarating, offering up hidden treasures throughout the country. Charles and Roger showed me a side of Lebanon that you don’t hear about in the news.
We visited the Bekaah Valley, hiking through this biblical landscape. We all four walked together in the sunshine, admiring the picturesque scenery and bird song.
After crossing through a meadow, we came across an itinerant Bedouin family living out of a wagon. The mother was cooking over an open fire while a small boy played on a tire swing not far away.
It was here in the Bekaah Valley that we also visited a Druze temple. I donned an obligatory robe and headscarf, quietly entering the place of worship. I sat silently while the men and women prayed together.
We also visited Mount Lebanon, the highest mountain in the Middle East. I was shocked to see patches of snow even though it was summer. We traveled the winding road to appreciate the setting sun from the summit.
The next day, we strolled through Lebanon’s ancient cedar forest, spying the actual tree adorning the country’s flag.
We spent a night in a Maronite village. And the next morning, we savored local delicacies and visited several ornate Orthodox churches. At the time, Lebanon retained a distinctive Maronite character, with almost a quarter of its people attending church and practicing this strict Christian faith.
The Orthodox sanctuaries we visited were nestled deep in the mountains, with meditation caves carved into the surrounding cliffs. Here, monks seeking solitude would cut themselves off for private prayer and reflection.
One of the last stops on our tour was Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city. With a large Sunni majority, Tripoli’s women wear abayas and head scarves. It was here that I had the best meal of my entire two-year trip, a handmade feast full of lively mint and lemon flavors.
Charles and Roger took us deep into the city’s medina to the popular restaurant. After walking the endless corridors, we found ourselves in a delightful spot brimming with local hospitality and stuffed ourselves with regional treats.
Revolutionary Fervor
During our multi-day mind-bending tour, the one time I became really worried was when we visited the Roman ruins in the town of Baalbeck, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
On the outside walls encircling the archeological site there were large revolutionary posters. Patriotic songs blared from loudspeakers. And surrounding this tourist spot were yellow and black flags adorning every street lamp, signaling we were in Hezbollah territory.
Further up the road, a flag featuring the Hezbollah patriarch and then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was flying outside the Lebanese Army barracks as a clear indication to the country’s military that they were not in control of this region.
Looking around me, they were right. The Lebanese army was certainly not in control of this part of the country.
It was here in these unsettling surroundings that we got lost.
Charles and Roger didn’t seem too concerned. They frequently stopped to ask for directions. Yet each time we pulled over to the side of the road, I’d cringe, trying to shrink into myself. I didn’t want anyone to notice me, an obvious foreigner, sitting in the back seat.
Heart of Darkness
This unease stayed with me during my time in Lebanon. In part because during my visit, there were renewed threats of foreign kidnappings throughout the Arab region in retaliation for Bin Laden’s killing.
Yet this fear was mixed with gratitude and appreciation for the amazing hospitality that I also experienced. For instance, while pulling over to ask for directions, the merchants on the side of the road routinely gifted us small handfuls of fruit and nuts to enjoy on our car ride.
Thus, the duality that marks this complex region—not just for travelers like me, but more importantly, for the people who live there amongst the turmoil. It must be an incredible strain to live your life tempering your fear while also enjoying the abundance and goodness all around you.
My hope now is for the people of the Middle East—all people—to continue to survive and live another joyous day.
Author’s note: I wrote and published an earlier version of this story in 2012. Fourteen years ago. And nothing has changed. This beautiful land is once again plunged into darkness.
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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson has traveled to 130+ countries & all 7 continents. She is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of curated trips and travel guides, including the #1-ranked Explore the World with Nomads.
Want to read more about my adventures? Get the book “Adventures of a Nomad: 30 Inspirational Stories.”
Lebanon ❤️ my favourite country. Thank you for this story, Erin.
A beautiful and sobering piece of travel writing.