Feb 24, 2010 - Qadisha Valley

@@@@@@@ Our hotel didn’t have much to recommend itself, but there is little accommodation in the region this early in the spring, so we were happy that there was somewhere to stay. The owner was very friendly and ordered up a delicious Lebanese meal for us, which we ate in front of a roaring fire. It had been a long day of touring and driving unfamiliar, winding roads and we turned in early. It would have been lovely to stay longer by the fire but we couldn’t keep our eyes open. The next morning we spoke with the owner about our wish to...

Feb 23, 2010 - Bcharré

@@@@@@@ From Tripoli, we turned inland and drove up through a steep valley, into the coastal mountains. We had enjoyed a full day of touring, but the town of Bcharré was our destination for the night and we wanted to get there before dark. We were entering the region widely regarded as the most beautiful in all of Lebanon, the Qadisha Valley. It’s a long, deep gorge that begins near Batroun in the west and ends just beyond Bcharré in the east. It has long been a place of escape and tranquility, and for many wanting to retreat from the...