I wrote this before I flew to Addis Ababa (in November 2012), my naive thoughts on what “Ethiopia” triggered and what I expected: Famine, Band Aid, Abyssinia, Abyssinian cats wandering about, dusty, smell of coffee everywhere, shacks, no high rise buildings, colourful, frenetic markets, food sellers on the street, people sitting on the sides of […]
Addis Ababa – Before and after thoughts Read More »
Beirut: Pharmacies. Many shops closed for Armenian remembrance. Quieter. Potholes. Pavement café sandwiches. Blue sky. Soldiers. Machine guns. Mezza feast. Cranes. Funky new apartment blocks. Fresh squeezed, delicious, cold orange juice. Overhead phone lines. Communist Party HQ. Some flowers in pots aren’t real. Beirut to Zahle: 15 miles to Syria. Tanks. Military check points. Mountains.
Beirut and Zahle Day 5 – postcard Read More »
Beirut: Fruit and veg stalls. Tens of antique shops. Potholes. Traffic. Market food tasting. Cats. Flowers. Falafel. Fresh mint lemonade. Exterior curtains. Syrian refugees. Derelict buildings. Druze HQ. Interesting people. Good coffee. Football on TVs in bars. Flash flood. Cars pipping. Huge modern buildings. Birds. Frenetic. Trees. Drive from Beirut to Nabatieh: Challenging. Road-kill cats.
Beirut and Nabatieh Day 3 – postcard Read More »
Blue sky. Pharmacies. Traffic. Cars pipping. Graffiti. Genuine farmers’ market. Mosques. Churches. Directions from machine gun-toting soldier. Barbed wire. Designer shops. Artisan shops. Tens of jewellery shops. Centre-of-roundabout café. Armenian genocide posters. Macadamia nut trees. Cats. Steps. Quirky modern buildings. Deserted areas of new downtown. Mountains. Peeling posters. Damaged pavements. Cigarette smoking taxi driver. Beirut’s
Beirut Day 6 – postcard Read More »
Halloumi. For breakfast. Cars pipping. Lots of birds singing. Bullet and shrapnel holes. Fancy cars. Crazy trees. Flowers. Smell of jasmine. Mediterranean blue. Palm trees. Barbed wire. Police and military. Traffic. Disregard for health and safety. Strong coffee. Avocado juice. Excessive food. Carrot and peanut beer snacks. Feral cats. Graffiti. More bullet holes. Street art.
Beirut Day 1 – postcard Read More »
Beirut: Traffic. Tanks. Windy. Helpful people. Cars pipping. Soldiers with machine guns. Rough Mediterranean Sea. Armenian food. Exceptionally fresh tabbouleh. Palm trees. Derelict buildings. Barbed wire. Lively. Potholes. Uneven pavements. Wasteland. Apocalyptic rain. Stripy lighthouse. Fancy modern flats. 22 degrees celcius. Beirut to Baakline: Pedestrians crossing the motorway. Oranges for sale. Mountain roads at motorway
Beirut and Baakline Day 4 – postcard Read More »
