Friday, February 20, 2009

Visit to the Number One Tourist Destination for 2009

A Visit to the Number One Tourist Destination for 2009 ...

Well the Airline Tickets and Passports are ready; you and I are travelling to the No. one travel destination for 2009 according to the New York Times. It's not a short trip; we are crossing the Atlantic Ocean. I know your fear and what you are thinking: how can you arrange such a long trip and be in the air and trust the airline companies???? Well we have to trust in God, and have faith that we are going to enjoy a nice vacation, thank the captain and the flight crew for a nice and smooth trip.

We are landing in a beautiful place, with nice blue beaches awaiting us, and high White Mountains welcoming us as soon as the flight enters the Lebanese Sky.....

Welcome to Lebanon... Land of Milk and Honey , as the Bible Described it.

Lebnan, Le-b-nan that means the White Mountain, once called "The pearl of the Middle East,” is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel, and Syria. At one time or another Assyrians, Babylonians,
Persians,Greeks, Arabs, European Crusaders, Ottomans, and French all ruled and had influence over the land and its cuisine. The Cuisine of this Ancient Land is diverse and steeped in history; Lebanon is a culinary and cultural Crossroads. Lebanon is located on the Eastern most shore of the Mediterranean in the Fertile Crescent, where Western Civilization is said to have begun. Both the Eastern and Western influences in its cookery are apparent. It combines the sophistication of European Cuisine with the excitement of Eastern Spices.

Here are some information about Lebanon:

1 -Lebanon is only 10,452 km sq
2 -Lebanon has 18 religious communities
3 - It has 40 newspapers
4 -it has 42 universities
5- It has over 100 banks. (that is banks and not branches )
6- There's 1 doctor per 10 people in Lebanon (In Europe & America , there's 1 doctor per 100 people).
7- The name LEBANON appears 75 times in the Old Testament.
8- The name CEDAR (Lebanon 's tree) appears 75 times too in the Old Testament!
9- Beirut was destroyed and rebuilt 9 times (this is why it's compared to The Phoenix).
10-There's 4 Million Lebanese in Lebanon, and there's around 15 Million Lebanese around the world
11-Lebanon, the country, was occupied by over 16 countries: (Egyptians-Hittites-Assyrians- Babylonians- Persians- Alexander the greats Army- the Roman Empire Byzantine- the Arabian Peninsula-The Crusaders- the Ottoman Empire- Britain-France- Israel- Syria)
12-Byblos (city in Lebanon) is the oldest, continuously living city in the world.
13-Lebanon 's name has been around for 4,000 yrs non- stop (it's the oldest country/ nation's name in the world!)
14-Lebanon is the only Asian Country that doesn't have a desert.
15-There are 15 rivers in Lebanon (all of them coming from its own mountains).
16-Lebanon is one of the most populated countries in its archeological sites, in the world!
17-The first alphabet was created in Byblos (city in Lebanon).
18-The only remaining temple of Jupiter (the main Roman God) is in Baalbeck, Lebanon (The City of the Sun).
19-The name of BYBLOS comes from the BIBLE!
20-Lebanon is the Country that has the most books written about it.
21-Lebanon is the only non-dictatorial country in the Arab world (Yes, we do have a President!)
22-Jesus Christ made his 1st miracle in Lebanon, in Qana (the miracle of turning water into wine).
23-The Phoenicians (Original People of Lebanon) built the 1st boat(using the Cedar Wood) and they were the first to sail ever!
24- The Phoenicians reached America long before Christopher Columbus did.
25- 1st law school in the world was built in Lebanon, in Downtown Beirut.
26-People say that the Cedars were planted by God's Own Hands (This is why they're called 'The Cedars of God', and this is why Lebanon is called 'God's Country on Earth


Beirut at Night

Byblos At Night

Jounieh At Night


Downtown Beirut

Downtown Beirut


Another view of my City Beirut

My City Beirut Um Al Dunia

Gulf of Jounieh with the Basilic

City of Jbeil - Byblos the oldest City in the world

from this Place the Alphabets were Created


Jupiter Temple the only one in the world survived the time in Baalback

Ruines of Baalbeck at night - Bekaa (my mom's Village)

Kefraya Village a Wine Village in Bekaa

Lebanese Wine




Zahle - The capital of the Bekaa - Bekaa Valley is famous for its wine and nice produce 70 % of Lebanon's produce comes from Bekaa
(white mountaines are surrounding the valley )



St. Antonio's Monestery - Kanoubeen Valley



Fakra Village




Cedars of the Lord - in Cedars

Cedars of the Lord in the Cedars


Cedars of Barouk Village


The Phoenician Map and where there Kingdom stretched around the Mediterranean Sea, All the areas with red are Phoenician Cities . The Lebanese Cities are circling around the Mediterranean

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lebanon looks so beautiful. I am sure there is lots of history. Would just love to visit there one day.

Arlette said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Susie said...

Wow!! It looks so beautiful there!!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and leaving such sweet comments! I hope to see you back there soon:-)

Arlette said...

Hello Farida

Lebanon is a piece of Heaven on Earth...

I am experiencing technical problems in my server , we are under a sever weather warning till tomorrow night, I dont know if I will be able to finish my posting.

I am thinking of organizing a culinary tour to Lebanon, Syria and Jordan for this coming summer or begining of fall ... hopefully the economic situation will change and I will be able to have enough friends to join me in this tour...

26 February, 2009

Arlette said...

Hello Susie
thanks for your visit...
Lebanon is a beautiful Country .
and the Lebanese are kind and generous

Ivy said...

Lebanon is a lovely country and just so near Cyprus, which is my country, no wonder the Phoenicians conquered it. Our cuisine also has a little Middle Eastern influence.

Anonymous said...

what a beautiful contry
I hope visiting it
Touria

Arlette said...

Ivy,
maybe you can help me, there is a rumor in Lebanon and I heard it several times from all soources that Cyprus was part of Jounieh- Lebanon, as my Country was destroyed and rebuilt 9 times,big earthquake, and seems Cyprus was that missing part from Jounieh and after it broke apart,Jounieh became a Gulf,if you look at the Gap in the corner of the half circle,Cyprus fits properly in that area... what do you know about this information????
I was told that there is a big Maronite Communitee in Cyprus, and they speak Lebanese

Chahira Daoud said...

Beirut ya setteldunia !!
Ya salam , I wish to visit lebanon one day.
Thanks Arlette for these nice pics.