Anthony Ruivivar

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Skiing in the Morning and Swimming in the Afternoon

Many people I encounter are unfamiliar with Lebanon. Sometimes that is surprising given the number of references to the Cedars of Lebanon in the Bible, but then again, that is a big book. It the past I have been asked about the camels and most people are shocked when I respond that they don't have camels in Lebanon (well maybe there is one somewhere but they aren't common). Most think of the Middle East as all desert and while there is plenty of desert in the region, Lebanon is blessed to have beautiful scenery at every turn. Even more surprising to some is the fact that you can be skiing in the mountains in the morning and after a 45 minute drive you can be swimming in the Mediterranean. Yes, it's true. We were in the car driving along the corniche and there was a photo that I was unable to capture but it is embedded in my memory. It was the scene of an enormous palm tree with the snow-capped mountains behind it. I wanted so badly to be able to post that picture on my blog. Instead I will share a few pictures that give you a better idea of the landscapes and scenes that are most common in Lebanon.

Pictured are olive trees, a kumquat and a tree that is a member of the cedar family. We didn't drive in an area where I spotted pines. Their pine trees are the variety that produce pine nuts - yum!

In these pictures we were on a mountain top where a 5th century monastery is located. From this point we were looking down over the sea.

The original church at this particular monastery is a cave that was carved out of the side of the mountain which has also been pictured here.

More again tomorrow.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Ruins, Soap & Sea - Sidon & Tyre

There were so many places we visited while in Lebanon and in Jordan. I will be continuing to share some of the places we toured and I hope you will enjoy reading about them. Many locations in Lebanon are part of Bible stories, such as Qana the city where Christ turned water into wine. Sidon and Tyre are two cities that are mentioned throughout the New Testament and these cities were one of our first stops. Sidon was a significant Phoenician city during the 4th century B.C. and regained significance durint the crusades. Pictured is a castle that was erected by the knights of St. John during the crusades.

In Sidon there is the old souk, which has been restored

and an old olive oil soap factory has been restored and turned into a museum.

Parts of the old city have also been restored and it now serves as beautiful living quarters.

It is hard to dig in many places without uncovering ruins and relics such as this site that was discovered in Sidon during recent construction. Now the British Museum archeologists are assisting with excavations. Ruins at this site are determined to be dated around 3rd century B.C.

In Tyre I couldn't help but notice the Bird of Paradise in full bloom. These are exotica available only from the florist in our zone.

This city was established as a port city in 2000 B.C. and has been ruled by great leaders such as Alexander the Great, and attacked by Nebuchadnezzar but at least while we were there . . . all was quiet. This is one of the cities in Lebanon where Roman ruins can easily be seen when driving around the city. I thought it was also interesting to note that Tyre discovered a rich purple dye that became highly sought and it is this color that eventually became used by and identified with royalty.

I hope you are enjoying what I have shared so far. Still lots more to come.

An oyster in the raw......

So. There is this amazing little jewel of a resort (but...they are all jewels aren't they?)

on only an acre...though it could be in a tropical rain forest somewhere.

5000 different species of tropical plants...(5000!)

and colorful birds taboot.

It is unpretentuous. Quiet.

a treasure chest of a place.

ahhhhh

It has an organic (sans chlorine) pool that have fish swimming in it.

Waterfalls splash gigundus leaved Taro plants...

appropriately, as it is called Taro Gardens.

And all a part of the Sundy House in Historic Delray Beach, FL.

Tiny, yet huge, hidden... yet full of personality.

There are tropical trails throughout the garden...

Gazebos where you can dine.

Only 11 rooms...or little cottages. Beautifully appointed.

A little village all of it's own.

Each room/cottage different...different art, different color...

Simple. Not over the top. Like a good friend.

It is called the Sundy House...after the 8 term mayor that lived in it.

Victorian...with a touch of fun!

The restaurant puts out THE most amazing brunch I have ever been offered...
ever. And food and wine magazine agrees.
The gardens are simply beautiful, and you can stroll between courses...

or dine out with the flora...and some singing colorful birds.

why not?

Don't worry...you won't bother them in the least.

they are happily home...too!

SUNDY HOUSE.....close,

but sooo far.

Friday, January 16, 2009

About Our Travels

It was hard to go back to work after being away for more than two weeks but so far the vacation memories are all still fresh and lingering in my mind. I wanted to share some photos and details about our trip. We arrived in Beirut the day after Christmas and the sun came out. Miraculously we had beautiful weather for our entire trip (I just love when that happens).

On our first full official day we had a family reunion lunch scheduled in a mountain village that looks down over Beirut and the Mediterranean. We drove narrow, curvy roads at an uphill climb to arrive at a traditional Lebanese restaurant where the family had gathered. We spent an afternoon feasting on mezza followed by shawarma and shistaouk with pita fresh from the oven. Of course this is followed by a round of sweets, fruits, then by Arabic coffee flavored with cardamon. You will notice that for some reason the men always congregate, as do the women. Funny but at every gathering this is noticed and someone will make a comment about the sexes being divided into two groups but no one seems to really care.

After a fine afternoon of feasting together we all gathered outside for a family photo.

Our family is a bit like a mini United Nations. Besides the Lebanese delegation, the family is composed of members from the U.K., U.S., France, Brazil and other Eastern European countries. Along with the many nationalities brings a representation of religions - from Islam to Catholicism to Judaism - we are an interesting group. There were lots more family visits and time spent together but we also had time to do plenty of sightseeing. It is the sightseeing that I will be sharing with you over the next few posts.

Our first stop was visiting Lebanon's National Shrine, Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. Harissa is a Holy site and it has one of the most amazing views looking out over the Mediterranean coast. We were there on a Sunday afternoon and there were services, pilgrims and tourists from so many countries. It was really interesting to listen to the various languages of the various visitors. Lebanese typically speak a combination of Arabic, French and English. I mean it when I say they speak a combination. It is not uncommon to hear words from all three languages used within a single sentence.

One of the things I saw was the Christmas tree right in front of the Rafik Hariri Mosque in Downtown Beirut (more about the mosque in another post). In Lebanon one thing you will see regularly are mosques next to Christian churches. In the newly developed downtown you will see the mosque, Orthodox and Catholic church and the synagogue under renovations, all beside one another. This is one sight that makes me believe that peace will eventually be restored and maintained in Lebanon.

More places tomorrow. . . .

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

...Feeling Bleu?

Flotsam...Jetsam...lonely, saltwashed pieces of driftwood

Gnarled...forgotten...beaten by constant waves.

Beach debris. Nothing more, right?

Wrong.

Take a look at the way The artisans of Bleu Nature

make the most of the imperfect

yet beautiful

shapes that they find...

This innovative company produces a stylish eco-friendly furniture range made from repurposed wood, and designed by three French artists...Frank Lefebvre, Bastien Taillard and Laurence Glorieux.

"All Bleu Nature creations are born of an encounter between the technical mastery of a French craftsman and the prolonged work of nature. Nature has fashioned each piece of driftwood over time, rendering every item we produce unique in both form and dimension"