Beirut, Lebanon Aug 10, 2023 Sidon or Saira as it is called locally was one of the three important city states of Phoenicia and was a part of my planned wanderings this summer. But it had been on the news recently because of fighting that had broken out in the Palestinian refugee camp between Fatah … More Last Link in the Chain
Tyr, Lebanon Aug 8, 2023 In Mycenean, ponike is the name given to a species of sea snail from which a rich purple dye was made. From ponike came the Greek phoenix and thus Phoenicians, so called because they were the makers of this dye. Although debated, this seems the most widely accepted story. The … More The Dye Makers
Beirut, Lebanon Aug 6, 2023 The story Walk Through the Ages would hardly be complete without some of the treasures unearthed from the site but I had to wait until I got back to Beirut to go to the National Museum. Strictly for history buffs who crave the whole picture, here it is: 5th – … More Treasures of Byblos
Tripoli, Lebanon Aug 4, 2023 Around 8th century BCE when the Phoenicians were establishing trading posts across the Mediterranean, they also established one here. The Greeks called it Tripolis or three cities because it was settled by each of the three city-states of Tyre, Sidon and Arwad (in present day Syria). The chaotic streets and … More A Tale of Three Cities
Batroun, Lebanon July 31, 2023 Until fairly recently it might have been a quaint fishing village but Batroun is firmly on map of holiday makers these days. Cookie cutter shops and restaurants line the old stone-paved streets and SUVs brazen their way through narrow lanes with millimeters to spare. Its natural harbor is crowded with … More Not for the Faint of Heart
Byblos, Lebanon July 30, 2023 The promontory of Byblos has seen the march of human evolution in this area almost continuously since the earliest settlements. Each successive era has left behind their own mark and walking through the site is like walking through the pages of a history book. If these stones could speak, what … More A Walk Through the Ages
Baalbek, Lebanon July 28,2023 The Bequaa valley is entirely controlled by Hezbollah and this is where Baalbek is located. I had met a trio of other travelers in Beirut and we set out to make a day trip to Baalbek. The road up from the coast is the usual traffic-snarled road anywhere in Lebanon with … More Heliopolis of the Romans
Beirut, Lebanon July 26,2023 Once considered a rich country and called the Paris of the Middle East, Lebanon was the playground of the rich. But it has been crippled in recent years by a series of crises. The unfolding economic and financial crisis was compounded over the past three years by the systemic failure of … More A City of Surprises
Istanbul, Turkey July 23,2023 This summer was planned as a journey through Mesopotamia, or more precisely, a route tracing the beginnings of civilization through lands of the Fertile Crescent. The dream of a lifetime, it has been fantastic! Although not a part of this trip, I have been to other parts of the Fertile Crescent … More Closing the Loop
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 