Lebanon

That afternoon we left Syria and drove to Lebanon. This border crossing was significantly easier and we were in Beirut in a matter of hours. Once in Lebanon we stopped to observe the views of the city from afar. From atop a mountain a picturesque view of water and palm trees stared back at us. It was only from close up that you could see the damage from the havoc of the 2006 Lebanon/Israel war. We drove under an enormous bridge that had been destroyed and walked among buildings left completely decimated by the attacks. The overwhelming beauty of this European/Middle Eastern paradise and the intensity of the burnt and decayed buildings was certainly an odd juxtaposition and a reminder of the political turbulence that plagues the region.

Upon arriving we settled in the hotel and then went straight to Barbar, an empire with absolutely epic Lebanese food. Falafel, Shawerma, fresh-squeezed juices…the list goes on and on, Barbar has it all. Our loyalty and enthusiasm even warranted us free Barbar t-shirts!

We then spent the afternoon walking around the city. We toured AUB (American University in Beirut), which is a stunning campus. Situated on the water and amongst exotic Indian trees and as a fusion of Middle Eastern and European cultures, it was otherworldly. I am so excited that my friends Sam and Georgia will be attending school there next year and I will have an excuse to visit!

We stopped for street crepes and fresh blood-orange juice, and walked all along the water until sunset. The shore extends forever and makes for a beautiful walking city. We ended our journey at the infamous Pigeon Rocks and drank in the scenery.

After freshening up we headed for sushi and down the famous street Jameza to experience the chic nightlife and live music.

The next morning we awoke early and the six of us crammed into a cab for a 2-hour drive to the mountains. The transition from sunny, spring weather to heaps of snow was bizarre! As soon as we arrived we unpacked, ate lunch, fitted for gear and hit the slopes. It took me a few runs to feel comfortable- I hadn’t skied for years. But it wasn’t too long before I was rushing down the slopes with ease. The adrenaline rush was amazing- I had forgotten how good it feels to have the cold biting at your face and to feel the burn in your thighs while soaring down a mountainside.

The slopes in Lebanon are quite surreal. I used to ski in New England where pine trees are synonymous with mountains. Here, it was completely barren. It was all so wide-open and intimidating from the chairlift!

We skied all day-everyday for the next two days. As soon as the lifts closed we showered, napped and then explored the cute little restaurants and lounges in the resort area. It was quite the eclectic crowd- not the typical ski-bum scene found in New England. Woman were dressed to the nines! It would have never occurred to me to pack pearls and stiletto heels on a ski trip, but then again, this is Lebanon…