Beirut therapy

Living without a home or an address has proved to bear some unexpected little difficulties, like updating regularly my blog. 

Saturday morning at 8:30 seems to be a good time for internet connexion in Beirut, as half of the city is still recovering from last night's parties.

Last night we went to Kayan to bid farewell to a good friend who is gonna work overseas, and then passed by the "Rock the Casbah" event our friend H organises bi-monthly in a new, interesting location in Saifi. It is an Arabic language school, and a hostel, and a bar, and an NGO, and God knows what else, in one of these surviving hidden alleyway gardens of Beirut.

In Beirut, the party is ongoing, as well as the lousy political news, the traffic, the chaos, the inequalities, and the uncomparable kindness of people. It was raining as I got back to C's place, where I am staying. A young man extended his arm -and his unmbrella: "can I escort you?" He walked me to the doorstep to protect me from the rain.

"Thank you very much.

- My pleasure. God bless you."

And that's it, he leaves. Pure kindness, people here do not expect anything in return.

I called my yoga teacher, he invited me to spend a few days in his Tripoli house. It's a beautiful old house he has renovated in a quite impressive way.

We had a wonderful time, resting, doing yoga on the beach, and seeing friends who decided to visit and eat with us the famous Tripoli sweets. A much needed rest after the hectic past 6 months, before joining a new adventure. In Beirut, I am reconnecting emotionnally with loved people and places. I feel comfortable and happy.

As I sit in my favourite cafes, the waiters or the "nara" boy (the man who brings the charcoal for the chicha) welcome me back and I can't help feeling at home.

"So this is why you are going to the Philippines?" asks B sarcastically as we are smoking at cafe Raouda.

- Yes, I am going to check Asia before.

R understands: "You can't help it".

But I will be taking a bit of Beirut with me: I will be shipping to myself a box of Lebanese treats, using the services of the agencies who work with the thousands of Filipino maids in Lebanon. I have started to collect natural soap, spices, and seeds to grow my favourite mediterranean herbs in Mindanao.

buying soap in Tripoli souk

The Lebanese are waking up and I have to save this before the connexion disappears again.

Happy new year!