| Page Views: 3,788 Last Visit to Baalbeck: April, 2005 | The Sun City Of The Ancient World ! by coceng - last update: Jul 17, 2005 |
BEITEDDINE<<<<<BAALBEK>>>>>AANJAR
LEBANON
7th April 2005 ( Thursday )From Beirut, I woke up late...Just wanted to chill out a bit or maybe I had smoke too much of that substance from the naglijeh (the water pipe...) the previous night. Dunno.
So, a big day for me as I wanted to go to Baalbek today !
I missed the morning bus in Beirut to Baalbek so I had to take the service taxi.
The journey to Baalbek ? How shall I put it ?
Great...& errr, horrendous !
The great part is the sceneries are just so beautiful !
The mountains, the nice chilly weather...
Photos From Beirut To Baalbek...
The horrendous part is the driving !
The driver didn't speed but the way he manouvered his vehicle was enough to give me a heart attack !
I personally thought that we would 'never make it' EVERYTIME when he overtook some big lorries on the road !
Phew !
Yes ! That bad !
In addition to that, he was talking, laughing with some passengers as if he's driving a toy car or something !
Every time when he overtaking some big vehicles, I would ask myself whether I would the chance to see Baalbek at all !
Anyway, I arrived safely. That was around 12.30 pm.
As I wanted to stay the night in Baalbek, I looked for a place to stay.
Saw Hotel Shouman right away & went straight there; It was just so near to the ruins...
Checked in right away; The hotel was almost empty ! As many places around Lebanon because of the car-bomb happening in Beirut !
I stayed in the dormitory with a window overlooking the ruins.
30 minutes later, I was paying for the entrance ticket.
A few guys asked me whether I wanted their tour-guide service, I politely said no.
Deep in me, I felt sorry for them...
I mean when bad things happen in one country, the whole country would be affected. Especially the tourist sites.
I was in & around the ruins for a few hours !
Taking many photos ! felt so good !
This is the site according to some guidebooks is the best ruin in The Middle east (not counting The Nile Valley though...).
But then along The Nile Valley, we could easily get cheated, get hassled, get mobbed ! I was there okay !
At about 3 pm, I walked out; Went in the museum...Not much to see but apart from the structures of the ruins.
Outside the museum, a guy wanted to sell me something.
Not that I wanted to buy anything but I could try my bargaining skill !
I ended buying a bead necklace (dunno what it's called in English; A talisman ?).
Anyway, Muslims use a talisman after they pray & there are 66 beads alltogether on the talisman.
I paid 1USD for it ! The man didn't seem happy with the price but he let me have it anyway. "Thank You Sir", I said.
Then, I was back to the hotel; Feeling good & rested my body.
Should rest a bit as I wanted to go out again on that evening for the night sights around The Baalbek Ruins !
CONTINUE... |
INFORMATION
Baalbek is the so-called 'SUN CITY OF THE ANCIENT WORLD' ! Definitely the number one ancient site in Lebanon because here lies the most important site of a Roman Empire in The Middle East !
It leis 86 km, north-east of Beirut. Situated at a high point this side of Bekaa Valley.
In The Seleucid (323-64 BC) and Roman (64 BC-312 AD) periods, the town became known as Heliopolis, 'The City of The Sun.'
It is also told that Alexander The Great marched through Baalbek on his way to Damascus...
In the year 634, Muslim armies entered Syria and besieged Baalbek.
Baalbek was also shaken by a few earthquakes.
Now, the ruins are majestically can be seen as we reach the Baalbek town.
The town itself is not big, enough for a few hours wandering around...with shops & hotels all within easy walk away from the ruins.
The ruins are quite extensive.
Baalbek is definitely very safe to visit inspite of this was the place which was associated with Hezbollah; The association according to the western meadias, involved with hostage-taking & anti Western politics !
If you are coming to Lebanon, it might only to visit Baalbek & its imposing ruins ! |
A Night Around Baalbek...
I took some night photos around Baalbek at night, that 1 night while I was staying there.
PAGE 1 : The scenes outside my hotel, called SHOUMAN HOTEL; Sights around Umayyad Mosque which is just behind my hotel; Also some photos of THE TEMPLE OF VENUS which is infront of my hotel !
PAGE 2 : Some amazing night sights around The Baalbek Ruins !
Enjoy !
|
> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]
| Pros: | "All The Ruins Are Just Minutes Away From My Hotel !" | | Cons: | "1 Day Is Not Enough As There Are Lots Of Things To See Around Baalbek..." | | In A Nutshell: | "A Must Visit In Lebanon !" |
coceng's Baalbeck Travel Tips
 coceng's Baalbeck Travelogues | | | |
|
 Comments for coceng about Baalbeck | | | | |
Jim_Eliason Thu Oct 16, 2008 15:18 UTC
great pics! | JohnniOmani Sat Sep 22, 2007 03:16 UTC
101 pics, wow impressive. you must have been on a photo mission ;) Baalbek is great and well worth it. Cheers. jz |
|
|
email me
add as friend
