The Presidential Palace where Fouad Chehad resided during his term in Zouk Mikhael has been under renovation for almost 2 years now and it looks like they are almost done. The house looks beautiful!

Let’s hope more Lebanese would preserve historical houses instead of demolishing them and replacing them with ugly buildings.

Here’s how the house looked two years ago.

Picture from A car free Beirut Facebook Page

We all dream of a car-free Beirut but that’s not gonna happen anytime soon. Nevertheless, we can still allow ourselves to enjoy beautiful old pictures. Check out more [Here].

I was checking an old picture of the Jounieh bay on Demaville’s blog when I remembered I had taken almost the same picture few months back.

[Source]

Prayers were said for the first time in decades in Sidon’s main synagogue Monday, as two rabbis visited what is now the house of Palestinian refugees and other Jewish sites in the city, drawing the surprise of locals. Rabbis Yisroel Dovid Weiss and Alter Vaskhkal from the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta International movement toured the city years after the last of Sidon’s known Lebanese Jews left, entering what was once a synagogue in the former Jewish neighborhood of the old city. [DailyStar]

Even though I am from a village close to Saida and I know the city pretty well, I didn’t know there was a synagogue there. I did some research and there’s apparently four synagogues in Lebanon, one in Beirut being renovated, one in Sidon and one in Aley. I couldn’t find any reference to the fourth one.

Beirut’s synagogue is located in Wadi abou Jamil quarter and its renovation, funded majorly by the tiny Jewish community of Lebanon and also by Solidere has begun in 2010. [Link]

For those interested, I found some really old pictures of Synagogues and Jewish neighborhoods that you can check [Here]. There’s also a YouTube video on the jews of Lebanon that you can watch [Here].

I think it’s really important that we preserve such monuments despite our ever-lasting conflict with the so-called Jewish state.

Can’t believe we messed up this beautiful bay!

The Zouk power plant was already there.

For more old pictures of all Lebanese regions, check [Here].

Thanks Boudz – via plus961

It looked pretty good in this picture. You can see more photos including of the interior by following this [Link]

[Source]

I found this cool picture of an American Navy Seal taken in Beirut in 1983. I don’t think I ever saw this Pepsi can he’s holding in Lebanon. The oldest one I remember back from when I was a child is the glass one on the left of the picture [Pic].

The oldest Pepsi can I recall is this [one].

Sawfar is one of the most beautiful areas you pass by on your way to Zahle or the Beqaa and in Lebanon as a whole. The village consists of old Lebanese houses and a stunning green scenery. The Corniche is one of its most beautiful roads with trees, villas and old Lebanese houses on each side of the road.

You can also find in Sawfar the Donna Maria Sursock’s residence that was built by her husband Alfred in 1909. The Villa looks a little like a small fairy tale castle and is interesting because of its decorative elements in cast cement, a novelty at the time. [Link]

[Source]

The above announcement was made in 1967. I wonder if we’ll ever be able to visit Jerusalem.

I spotted this building while stuck in traffic in Bourj Hammoud. I like those old buildings but I don’t understand why they built the stairs to lead to the balcony. I don’t know how they came up with the building on the right as well.

[YouTube]

Being a big Mehlem Barakat fan, I called yesterday to see how much one has to pay to watch him live at the Atlal Plaza. Turns out tickets are for 100$, 125$ and 150$ (Dinner & Drinks included)

Isn’t that a bit too expensive? I paid less for Tom Jones tickets!

Nevertheless, check out the train rail in the video I am showing here. Isn’t this in Jounieh and the bridge showing the Fouad Chehab bridge?

Found this photo awhile back of my grandad (guy in middle bottom) taken back in the 30s or 40s in the Armenian Qarantina camp. I think it’s worth sharing.

You can check out more sexist ads in Lebanon on Kherrberr.org. Funny how ZWZ have the #1 sexist ad of the week with the small video they produced to launch their new logo few months back.

Quite shocking how Aishti has a completely naked woman on their website.

PS: The above ad is initially a cargo ad.

I’ve seen Karkit Arak but never a May Zaher one. It’s pretty cool that they still use them these days.

Even better, there are some authentic Lebanese restaurants who organize a Karke night every now and then.