Lebanon’s Government Wants to Build a Beirut – Bekaa Tunnel

While checking my drafts last night, I noticed I hadn't published a post on the Beirut - Chtaura tunnel plan that was recently approved by the Lebanese government. The draft law passed in parliament gives the government authorization to build the tunnel as BOT or in private ownership. The tunnel is expected to drop travel time to 20 minutes between Beirut & Chtaura, instead of the 90-120 minutes commute currently. Not only would this tunnel…

Palmyra Hotel Owner Determined to Keep it Open

If there's one hotel I regret not visiting in Lebanon, it's the legendary Palmyra hotel in Baalbeck. This is one of the oldest hotels in Lebanon, the first hotel in the Near East, and has never closed its doors since 1874! It was originally built by a Greek businessman back when Baalbeck was a renowned touristic destination and its guests include the likes of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Jean Cocteau, Jazz singers Ella Fitzgerald and Nina…

Astrophotography in Lebanon During Lock-down

Indoor hobbies have boomed during lockdown, and Deep Sky Astrophotography was no exception. One would think this personal hobby is an outdoor activity by excellence , but imaging the cosmos from your backyard, balcony or rooftop can be of utter satisfaction from the comfort of your bed. What is astrophotography anyway? Astrophotography is the art of taking images of astronomical objects. It has a steep learning curve, yet doesn't require rocket-science and anyone can practice…

Why are Prices Soaring in Lebanon?

Prices have gone up by almost 80% in the past few weeks and almost 75% of Lebanon will be needing aid after the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers are scary, poverty is on the rise, unemployment is soaring, thousands of businesses are shutting down and on top of all that, the Lira is depreciating at an accelerating rate, thereby severely impacting the purchasing power of Lebanese. Why are prices soaring? First things first, prices of the…
Art

Shortages in Lebanon: An Artsy Look

5 years ago
The dollar shortage is starting to severely impact stocks in supermarkets, pharmacies and other businesses as they struggle to refill their shelves. As a result, prices are skyrocketing as people rush to buy whatever is ...
Critiques

Fraud in Oil Imports Dates Back to 2005

5 years ago
Update May 23 2020: The second company who was allowed to receive the fuel was shut down as well by the authorities. Its owner has reportedly fled to London. Back in 2005, the Lebanese government ...
Lebanon

Has ‘lucky’ Lebanon escaped the coronavirus crisis? I don’t think so yet.

5 years ago
Photo by Jad G Ghorayeb.   Social distancing in Lebanon has become a thing from the past. Confinement has become a thing from the past. Everything seems to be back to “normal” in the past ...
Lebanon

No More Coca-Cola in Lebanon

5 years ago
The National Beverages Company (SAL) announced today that it is shutting down permanently by end of May 2020 due to the economic and financial distress and the difficult conditions it is going through. The company ...
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