A week in Beirut - ' You are most welcome ! '

I had just spent a very pleasant week in Beirut Lebanon. While I was least enamoured by the noisy, chaotic and undisciplined, traffic-madhouse of a city, my stay was memorable. And made most comfortable and interesting by my dear friend and colleague and his family.

Aidil Adha was spent with a few hundred Malaysian soldiers of the MALCON III Contingent stationed at Kaokoba near Golan Heights at the Palestine/Israel border (650 Malaysian soldiers are currently stationed at two bases in Lebanon under the UNIFIL). It was a heart-warming experience being with them on this auspicious occasion. The Aidil Adha prayer was followed by a hearty breakfast and then the korban (sacrifice) of 32 lambs.

I will always remember the warmth and hospitality of our soldiers there. May Allah bless and protect them in carrying out their honourable duties.

The next day in Sidon I joined a gathering organised by a Palestinian support group for visiting Malaysian and Turkish NGOs for Palestine where Palestinian orphans put up a lively one and a half hour show. It was a touching occasion and a strong reminder of the plight of the Palestinians.








An interesting visit to Baalbek, with it's magnificent 5000 years old Roman ruins. Alexander the Great renamed Baalbek Heliopolis when he conquered the Near East in 334, Helios Greek for sun and Polis Greek for city.

This was followed by a huge lunch hosted by a Lebanese family with nine adult children. One of the sons had a thriving business with Malaysia.








More Roman ruins in scenic ancient Phoenician city of Byblos by the Mediterranean. Byblos is supposed to be the longest continuously inhabited city in the world dating back 5000 years.

Then on to Tripoli , a huge bustling and chaotic port city where I was invited to lunch by a family who produced the most exquisite natural soaps for export, albeit made in a most incredibly disorderly and haphazard environment!

On my final day I was invited to a luncheon cruise in Beirut's waterfront on a new USD15 million luxury boat. Well, what should I write about that!

People asked me why I was going to Beirut for my holiday. Given the history and regular troubles in that country and its neighbours, the question was understandable. The chronicle of Beirut and Lebanon is too well-known for me to repeat here. Going there was simply to enrich my travel experience. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to do so. For sure I will be in no rush to return there; I found the chaotic traffic, the rubbish strewn all over the country, and the noise quite unnerving.

The warmth of the Lebanese people is something I will long remember. Once identified as a Malaysian, I was always graciously welcomed even by strangers. Indeed Malaysia is held in esteem in Lebanon, thanks to our consistent policy and support for them. Again and again I would be greeted with the words ' You are most welcome!'

Indeed, I felt most welcomed....