27/06/2020
A taste of Lebanon part 2
Oh Tripoli, there are so many things I can talk about you. I come from Vietnam, famous for its negligent drivers and chaotic traffic conditions. Vietnam has nothing however on the madness of Tripoli. The city has a very cramped feel and there isn’t a lot of space to just stroll. I really don’t understand how this can be a functional city, cars park literally anywhere they please, and people seem to think they can use horns to solve these problems. I am a very chilled person but felt very frazzled after driving around here. It was extremely difficult for me to find a parking space, but luckily the AirBnB owner came out and sorted out a tiny space near his house for us. Never have I felt so relieved to be out of the car! If you plan to just stay in the town, walking is the best option. Even if you plan on going a fair distance, it’s a better option than wrestling with the locals to find a parking space, believe me! The first impression of Tripoli was not so good, but nothing can't be solved by food. Forgetting my hunger, I checked out the Tripoli citadel which is within walking distance from my hotel.
I found the security around Tripoli to be extremely heavy, with heavily armed soldiers and checkpoints everywhere. I always thought of military men as serious, strict, and scary, but surprisingly here they were all very friendly and said hello to me when I walked past, and some asked where I’m from. The citadel itself is not much to see, and much less impressive compared to the one in Byblos, though it does offer some nice views of the cityscape. Worth a look if you have some free time while in the area.
Tripoli is the place that I think I had the best food on my whole trip. There are so many food options, they are really cheap and tasty! Though the menu is often not in English I managed to order some foods and it turned out great. Thankfully most of the folks in Tripoli speak English and are really friendly. Satisfied with my full stomach I came back to my little AirBnB to rest before long a journey the next day.
My itinerary for the next day very busy. I aimed to visit Baatara Waterfall, Tannourine Cedar Forest Nature Reserve, and the Cedars of God. As an old saying “ Happiness is a journey, not a destination“, I truly experienced it on the way from Tripoli to Baatara Waterfall. The scenic mountain road was simply breathtaking. I could not count how many times I had to stop and jump out of the car just to see the landscape rolling into the horizon. I’ve never been to Europe, but I felt like I was in Italy. Little brick homesteads dotted the landscape filled with olive groves. Between the olives and the trees grew beautiful wildflowers, their perfume lingering in the breeze. Truly this must be the Garden of Eden if such a thing exists. Driving deeper into the mountains, the rolling green soon gave way to lush snow, the blinding white melting into the clouds above. The mountains were covered in an amazing salt-and-pepper mix of green trees, ash-grey rocks, and snow. This was by far the most beautiful route that I drove in Lebanon, and I wish that I can see it again!
Baatara Waterfall came into sight after an hour or two. It was a very relaxing day out there, because I was the only person there when I arrived, other than someone there selling tickets. I followed the old creaking wooden stairs, being careful not to slip over. The path was uncleared of snow, so walking to the falls was quite difficult; all I could do was follow other footprints and hope it was the right way. To my relief, after fifteen minutes I did hear the sound of the water falling. The waterfall looked like silk falling from the sky into a large circular ravine. Walking around this ravine allowed for some great views of the falls. It was a wet & cold day and very slippery to walk around, so I had to be extra careful here. Though my shoes and socks were soaking wet, I was totally satisfied to go here. Upon returning to the car I quickly took off my shoes and socks and put them on the dashboard to dry. Though that was not the last time my shoes were to become soaked on my adventures that day!
I have always been interested in nature reserves everywhere I go, so Tannourine Cedar Forest Reserve was definitely high on my list. This is a must-see in Tannourine and it is beautiful every time of the year. As I came in winter, the whole area is covered by snow, but don’t worry, they have snowshoes for rent right in front of the gate (snow bike tours may also be available, though I did not try this). People come to this reserve to enjoy the exceptionally rich ecosystem here, where mountains and valleys merge as far as the eye can see. Do pay attention to signage, as it may be easy to lose track. There are 3 different tracks of varying lengths and difficulty levels. I chose the shortest one due to the thick snow and because I had such a busy day! It’s really an amazing feeling to be so alone in this ancient forest, though once again, I did so with wet, cold feet.
My last stop, the Cedars of God, was a little disappointing. It was closed when I arrived, so all I could do was stand outside and take some photos. There are many souvenirs made of Lebanese cedar available here, though some of the salespeople were quite pushy. It was late afternoon and the weather turned bad, so I quickly left the mountain before it got worse. As it was, there was a lot of snowfall, and visibility was poor. Finally reached my AirBnB and had a lazy night after lots of walking. Most importantly, I finally had a chance to dry my shoes!
(to be continued)
For me, my life is a journey.
