Finally Making it to Beirut!

One of the biggest positives of being in Doha is the opportunity to take long weekends all over the world. And what is the best way to do this? With friends who see that place as a second home! For years now I have been putting off a trip to Beirut because I wouldn’t have enough time or I always knew it would be there. The first weekend in May my friends Ahmad, Peter, and Fiorella had plans to visit Beirut for the weekend. They knew I had never been and invited me along to celebrate Fiorella’s birthday. At first I was hesitant with only 3 days to spend there but in the end I booked my ticket and didn’t look back! 

The way it worked out my friend Ahmad landed in Beirut on Thursday afternoon and I would land at around 1am on Friday morning. To prevent me from needing to drop my bag, Ahmad brought all of my things with him on Thursday. So when I arrived at the airport I had a passport in hand, smile on my face, and was ready for a great weekend. When I got to Beirut I got in a cab and immediately went out to meet the group. We ended up at an underground club that we stayed at until the early hours of the morning. Lebanon is famous for its nightlife and this was the perfect introduction to it.

 

On Friday our touring of the country began. Lebanon is a small country and we did our best to see as much as we could in a short time. We did a road trip to the Al Shouf Cedar Forest to visit trees that were thousands of years old. On Saturday we visited the Jeita Grottoes, Harissa, and Byblos. Although all of the sites were amazing, Byblos was one of the most amazing places I have ever visited. It was set as an old fishing harbor and had so much charm and character. I could have walked around for days there. On our final day we took out my friend Peter’s boat to go to lunch in Batroun and celebrate Fiorella’s birthday. Ahmad and I flew out late that night to return to Doha and head straight to work on Monday. The whole weekend was a whirlwind but I can’t believe all the amazing things we got to do.

I know this won’t be my last time in Lebanon but I am so thankful I finally made the trip. So often I think to myself, “what can you see in just 2 or 3 days?” But once you arrive in country it is amazing how much you can see, do, and experience in a short time. I have never regretted any of those short trips and I hope to take more while I am here! Thanks to Peter, Ahmad, and Fiorella for organizing a great weekend!