May 18, 2002

The commute from Nazareth to Amman to Beirut was simple - if a bit roundabout. Lebanon is just north of Israel, and really not that far from the northern West Bank but there is no border crossing between the two countries (unless you happen to be a UN peace-keeper). We left Israel through the northern Beisan/Sheikh Hussein border crossing, sharing a taxi down to Amman with an Israeli Arab from the Galilee. There are many new checkpoints along the road, a sign of a nervous Jordanian government, trying to prevent arms or aggression crossing its borders to either of its western neighbors.

After visiting with some friends from the Zababdeh diaspora in Amman, we headed off to Beirut. Traveling in the Middle East usually requires two passports - one to "taint" with Israeli stamps, one to "taint" with countries who have not signed treaties with Israel (Lebanon and Syria being among them). We were nervous arriving in Lebanon that they would wonder about our two year passport (usually a sign that we're doing the passport shuffle), but being part of a group invited by the Middle East Council of Churches meant no worries.

We headed through the neon Beirut night towards our accomodations north of (and above) town in formerly-sleepy Jounieh. During the war, many people moved out of the crossfire up the mountain into Jouneih, which has become a popular classy night-spot, perhaps due to its proximity to the famed Casino de Liban.

The first thing you notice about Beirut after living in the Middle East for a while is the billboards - which seem very Western, with plenty of barely-clad shapely ladies showing their goods. Everything from cellulite-removal to chewing gum uses skin to sell. Very unlike the West Bank - or anywhere else we've been over here. As strikingly Western as Israel is, even Tel Aviv doesn't rival Beirut for bearing flesh (on billboards, TV, at the cafe, or on the beach).

Beirut at night.

We arrived at the Conference Center at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Mountain in Jounieh, a spectacular mountain drive. Our room overlooks the bright lights of Beirut along the Mediterranean coast. It's a long way from Zababdeh.