Speaking as a tourist

I naively thought that with my dark thick hair, my big features, and understated attire, I would be able to go by rather unnoticed in Lebanon, as long as I did not attempt to speak. That was without taking into account that people here are very watchful and attentive. The subtlest detail sells me out. Whether it be my distinctive traveler attire: loose, ample pants; ill-fitting, amorphous shirts; a worn-out scarf fashionably tied around the neck; and an enormous backpack that has been compared to a parachute that never, ever leaves me. If, on top of that, I’m carrying one or both of my cameras by my side, there’s no fooling anyone: I’m a tourist. Nor should I try to pretend otherwise. Embracing it is the promise of a much better stay and the guarantee of a more holistic knowledge of the country. And so, this weekend, I indulged in all things touristy: a visit to Jbeil; a day of skiing at the biggest resort in the country, Faraya; and a tour of the American University of Beirut’s Archeology Museum. I was in turn mesmerized, humbled, amused, astonished, and humbled, again. My perception of the country was once again shaken, redefined, refined.

In fact, I came to appreciate the tourism potential of the country. Jbeil, only a few miles away from Beirut is host to 8,000 years of history having been inhabited by populations from many major civilizations: Neolithic, Phoenician, Roman, Ottoman, Byzantine, Mamluk, French. Within six hectares, you find ruins attributed to each period cited above. Including fortification walls standing side by side, only a few feet apart from each of them; temples of worship dedicated to different gods, revealing rituals, customs of all epochs; Habitations ranging from two feet tall walls to an impenetrable fortress or a early-century European home. Artifacts from this site and others across the region can be found at the AUB museum, which was rethought, renovated, modernized and re-opened in June 2006. Both sites, and the history they unearth, have nothing to envy to some of the most popular tourist attractions of Europe. Nor does it have only ruins to offer. The country is blessed with a setting of teal waves and snow-capped mountains both of which offer different avenues for outdoor activities, with a delicious culinary tradition that we enjoy even abroad; with diverse cultures and customs that beg to be discovered and which artists constantly try to reinvent, remodel.

It took me awhile to recognize this aspect of Lebanon, partly because of a personal bias (see previous post), but also partly due to the lack of mise en valeur of the country’s heritage and riches. When I stepped in the tourist information office, hoping to be greeted by an enthusiastic staff eager to exhibit the wonders his country as to offer to a keen tourist, I met with two middle-aged women sitting leisurely on a leather couch, discussing the latest gossips in Arabic and only rarely addressing themselves to me and doing so only to point to one more standardized pamphlet describing in length the remains, or the lavish homes of local personalities. Outdoor activities facilities are few and far between, with most opportunities remaining undeveloped. For instance, when asked about the possibilities to go sea-kayaking, a friend involved in outdoor sports, retorted that I would have to buy my own kayak in order to do so. Faraya, the “most extensive and modern ski resort in Lebanon”, appears to be trapped in the early seventies with only two wooden and rustic snack shacks and its skiers dressed in colorful one piece suits. Historical sites are equally as unexploited. Next to the highway to Tripoli, on top of a rock stands a narrow fortress, which although easily accessible was only recently awarded a guardian to prevent further degradation.

I am not advocating that Faraya be transformed into a mid-east Whistler with 5-stars ottoman inspired hotels and overpriced burgers or that sites such as Byblos which now charge only a dollar per entry be turned into a tourist trap surrounded by tacky souvenir shops. In fact, I enjoyed both visits for their eccentricity. In Faraya, most people can be found in jeans, polo shirts, plaid scarf, city shoes, going up the chairlift to take a few pictures of themselves at the top before going back down in the same fashion as they came up. Those who pushed the experience as far as attempting to ski did so absolutely unprepared, ill-equipped. Where else would you find a young girl learning how to snow-plough in a skirt? In Jbeil, I met with Yazid, a joyous, knowledgeable and likable guide whose family used to own a home where the excavation where started. What is needed is a more concerted effort of promoting tourism in the country both for foreigners and residents. The AUB stands as an example, it highlights without being too exuberant the history of the region. Yet, few know about the museum and its dedicated employees. The problem is mainly with promotion, hype.

Re-staffing the tourist information center would be a good start; then why not explore eco-tourism options...