Beirut is chaotic and unpredictable in the best of times with an energy and tempo that is energizing and refreshing. Post-war this has turned to an intense and almost frantic pace of life that is draining. To get to/from Beirut and the north, the route around the bombed out bridges can add 30 – 45 minutes easily to the drive. Picture a Sig-Alert in LA that takes drivers off the 101 and reroutes them through Malibu canyon and the coast road. That’s the daily commute for many. Roadblocks pop up unexpectedly and the military is everywhere. The more military, the more reason to go around a certain street. Driving down the main road, electricity goes out for no apparent reason and darkness prevails until the next power grid.
Road rage is close to erupting here. All the frustration and anger at the uncertainty of life is vented out behind the wheel. There is no such thing as an easy drive anymore.
The ocean is rough today with the swells from the recent storms. It’s as if even the tides are angry as the waves rise up and smash down abruptly in the sea, swirling up the brown sand from below. Way off on the horizon a UNFIL ship cruises the waters. It could be American or German, it’s too far off to tell.
The country is divided between the Christians and Hizbollah like never before. There is anger, resentment, and the feeling that the whole nation has been hijacked into a war that was never wanted. I don’t know if there is a diplomatic situation here. Reps from Britain made an unannounced non-official trip to Syria yesterday. Perhaps the only answer lies in a carefully plotted diplomatic tango with Damascus. One gets the sense that this needs to happen sooner, because later will be too late.
Road rage is close to erupting here. All the frustration and anger at the uncertainty of life is vented out behind the wheel. There is no such thing as an easy drive anymore.
The ocean is rough today with the swells from the recent storms. It’s as if even the tides are angry as the waves rise up and smash down abruptly in the sea, swirling up the brown sand from below. Way off on the horizon a UNFIL ship cruises the waters. It could be American or German, it’s too far off to tell.
The country is divided between the Christians and Hizbollah like never before. There is anger, resentment, and the feeling that the whole nation has been hijacked into a war that was never wanted. I don’t know if there is a diplomatic situation here. Reps from Britain made an unannounced non-official trip to Syria yesterday. Perhaps the only answer lies in a carefully plotted diplomatic tango with Damascus. One gets the sense that this needs to happen sooner, because later will be too late.
You snook this side trip in without telling anybody didn't you?
ReplyDeleteOB
Make that snuck.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where snook came from.
OB
I think "snook" might be correct, and I didn't know about the Part 2 of the trip.
ReplyDeleteNope. Snook is a fish. I looked it up after posting because it didn't look right.
ReplyDeleteOB