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Streets of Beirut XXXV
Blog: ginger beirut - 9 April 2011
The army in action yesterday, near Place Sassine.
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Photo of the Week – Saida Souks
Blog: Ottsworld - 8 April 2011
I traveled south of Beirut to the old city of Saida along the Mediteranean. Luckily I had a personal tour guide in my friend Mark, a local friend I had made during my stay in Beirut. We drove through the flooded streets of Beirut and an hour later when we arrived in Saida the sun [...]
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The Food of Lebanon
Blog: Ottsworld - 7 April 2011
Even in times of peace in Lebanon there is still a war raging. Lebanon battles it’s Arab neighbors for the title of ‘Creator of Hummus’. They even went as far as trying to copyright it! This battle has raged on for years, and still no real resolution as to who the real creator of hummus [...]
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Taanayel Eco Lodge – Authentic Travel
Blog: Ottsworld - 4 April 2011
I crave authentic experiences when I travel. I want culture not tourism. That’s why my time in Lebanon was so special; while living with a family I was able to experience the real Lebanon, with no tourist sugar coating. However, because I was participating in a GeoVisions cultural exchange program, I was not really exposed [...]
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Streets of Beirut XXXIV
Blog: ginger beirut - 3 April 2011
Like the Phoenicians, the Lebanese are specialists in the import-export business. If you want to live in Lebanon but bake with American cake mix, wear Italian sunglasses and drive the latest BMW, it’s all there – at a price.
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Behind the scenes
Blog: ginger beirut - 2 April 2011
Things have been quiet at Ginger Beirut this week but I thought I’d let you in on one of the projects going on behind the scenes linked to my travel writing which is due to surface here shortly. As a travel blogger featured by Lonely Planet in their BlogSherpa programme, I am collaborating with a [...]
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Photo of the Week – Tripoli
Blog: Ottsworld - 1 April 2011
Tripoli has been in the news a lot lately – but there’s more than one Tripoli in the Middle East. I went to Lebanon’s Tripoli in search of authentic souks and found what I was looking for. However I quickly realized Tripoli was more than just souks, it has a rich history and cultural feel [...]
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Walk Beirut
Blog: Ottsworld - 31 March 2011
“Why did you come here in February? It’s the worst month for weather; it’s so unpredictable.” This was the common question I was asked throughout Lebanon. The sky was heavy with moisture and dark clouds rolled in over the Mediterranean; it was pouring rain yet again. The taxi driver dropped me off near the medical [...]
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Bombed Beirut – A Personal Tour
Blog: Ottsworld - 29 March 2011
Today was my day to go walking through time; a walk through downtown Beirut photographing the bombed buildings which still exist in the Beirut skyline. I was in shock of the hundreds of bullet holes scarring the buildings and that’s when I saw him; a security guard of some type motioning at me. I immediately [...]
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The patriarch and the pecking order
Blog: ginger beirut - 22 March 2011
Beyond the obvious differences in the traditional roles of men and women, living in a society where basic rights depend on gender holds the occasional eyeopener. I have become accustomed to people assuming I don’t work, don’t drive, and do 100% of the cooking. I wasn’t overly surprised to be receive consoling comments about expecting [...]
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Middle Eastern Visitation Rights
Blog: Ottsworld - 22 March 2011
I sat on the formal couch and listened to the Arabic words swirling around me; lightening fast and coming from every direction. I looked at the people surrounding me and took note of their gestures and facial expressions. I tried to piece together the puzzle of what was being said, but I knew that was [...]
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Streets of Beirut XXXIII
Blog: ginger beirut - 18 March 2011
The Lebanese are not particularly scared of heights. They eat, nap and smoke wherever their work takes them.
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Photo of the Week – Lebanon Landscapes
Blog: Ottsworld - 18 March 2011
Lebanon is a country of contrasts and nothing displays that more than the landscapes around the country. I was lucky enough to stay in the country for an entire month and moved around outside of the hub of Beirut. My travels took me to old, ancient cities and ruins of Saida, Tripoli, Byblos, Anjar, and [...]
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The Culture of War
Blog: Ottsworld - 17 March 2011
“Things may start shaking, so don’t make any plans on February 14th. ” said Walid. ‘Shaking’ was Walid’s term for instability. He went on to explain the significance of February 14th to the Lebanese; this was the date that Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was assassinated in a violent explosion that rocked Beirut right back into [...]
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Culture Up in Smoke
Blog: Ottsworld - 15 March 2011
“Put, Put, Puuuut, Putttttt, Puttttt, Purrrrrttttttt….”The slurping, whirring, bubble noise broke through the background lounge music startling me. Next came the sweet smell of apple wafting through the air, hanging there enveloping the entire area in a haze. This same scene went on ever night in ever corner of Lebanon. Lebanon was always smoking; smoking [...]
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My new-found paranoia
Blog: ginger beirut - 14 March 2011
Each stage in life provides a very different window on the world. I am sure as a child I would have found Beirut to be a fantastic playground – all those empty properties to explore, the crumbling stairways to nowhere, the tightrope impressions to be had from the occasional remaining beam in a first floor. [...]
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Photo of the Week – Look at those Knockers
Blog: Ottsworld - 11 March 2011
While traveling throughout the Middle East I saw many doors graced with hands. However I never really got the full story on the hand knockers. Some people say it’s the Hand of Fatima and it’s supposed to protect your home from evil. However one of my favorite explanations was that the hands knockers were either [...]
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In Search of Souks
Blog: Ottsworld - 8 March 2011
One of my favorite things about Arabic culture is the souk culture. I was first introduced to souks on my first trip abroad to Turkey. I still remember walking through the Grand Bazaar thinking that it was the most bizarre place I had ever been. Then I traveled to Morocco and was introduced to Fes [...]
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Photo of the Week – Beirut
Blog: Ottsworld - 4 March 2011
A stunning set of rocks welcome you to the city of Beirut. Pigeons’ Rock (also known as the Rock of Raouché) is located at Beirut’s western-most tip, the two huge rock formations stand like gigantic sentinels to the city. Locals love to walk along the corniche (seaside promenade) at any time of day, but during [...]
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Lebanon Contrasts
Blog: Ottsworld - 3 March 2011
Lebanon is such a confusing country. It is full of contrasts everywhere you look and with each person you talk to. Just when you think you understand it, you realize you don’t. I think only people who are native to here can begin to understand it. Living in Lebanon means living in uncertainty. It’s an [...]
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Travel Warnings and Decisions
Blog: Ottsworld - 1 March 2011
Please Note: The actual timeframe of this blogpost occurred in the end of January. All is currently fine in Lebanon now. My blog runs about a month behind my reality while traveling. So no need to worry about my safety – this is old news! I looked out the window and wondered if I had [...]
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One year on
Blog: ginger beirut - 19 February 2011
Ginger Beirut has now been online for a full year. In that time the page with the most hits on this site is About me… so now it’s time to talk about you, about those who visit this blog. Over the past year, this site has drawn readers from the most far-flung corners of the [...]
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Streets of Beirut XXXII
Blog: ginger beirut - 18 February 2011
Taken near the Roman baths downtown, best seen lit up at night.
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Streets of Beirut XXXI
Blog: ginger beirut - 11 February 2011
When the builders first arrived at a beautiful though dilapidated house nearby, they cleaned the debris from the triple arches in the façade, and for a while I wondered if the new owner planned to restore the property. A few days later a heap of rubble replaced the building, quashing this unrealistic hope. The bulldozer [...]
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Word of mouth
Blog: ginger beirut - 8 February 2011
How did you hear about our services? A frequent multi-choice question used by companies on surveys to evaluate their marketing efficiency. Please tick: Friend or family, website, advertising… In Lebanon, there’s rarely need to read all the options; the first box wins hands down. After a long stint of traditional B2C advertising, word of mouth [...]
