Camping Trip

Hammana Hikers: Friends, Fossils, and FUN!

Fabio arrived to pick us up and all I knew was I'd be sharing a ride with Lucy, Julianne, and Sato. As soon as I met Sato it was clear that Julianne, Sato, and I were NOT going to fit in the backseat. Julianne loaded into the rental car with Phil, Mike, Gretchen, and Josie. Sato turned out to be Fabio's very broad black lab. "Don't pet him, don't even look at him!" Fabio warned me as he hoisted Sato's back end into car.  He'd put the seat down flat for Sato's sitting spread.  However, it became clear after a good ear lickin', that Sato preferred my lap, or the "center" seat.  I began pointing his snout away from me after the first salvo of doggie slurp landed on my lap.  Just how long WAS this drive to the mountain top?  I have to say that with all the lab training I've received from Liz and Jake, I knew Sato and I would eventually hit it off.  It wasn't long before I could lay my arm across his back without setting off enthusiastic overtures of slurpy love.  Sato settled in, and so did I.

We were heading up the Damascus Highway. You realize quickly that the "country" isn't the wild open expanses we're accustomed to in the west. There are rocky mountain tops in the distance, but rocks and houses are everywhere in between.  Now and then you see stands of "umbrella trees", which are beautiful tall trunk pines with umbrella tops, so graceful.  You also see some patches of cedar and fir tucked into nooks and folds.  The land has been sculpted by human hands for centuries.Terraces of stone step their way up the mountain sides. The highway is a steep, winding climb. I could picture long ago caravans filing up a trail that has now become a highway lined on both sides by shops, houses, and motels. The snaking road and traffic were challenging Saturday morning, but Fabio remained Fearless!

We arrived at Andre and Nathalie's country home.  In front was an expansive green lawn; first I've seen in Lebanon! Their new home, shutters open to the breeze, is still growing. Below that is a pond with talking frogs. We walked through shady stands of cedar and fir trees, and visited a large acre of vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. An extensive drip system  provided just the right amount of water to the plants. Otherwise, the ground was parched dry.  It was obvious that they spend a lot of time at work on their property.

9 of us loaded into the back of a pick up truck, and up to the end of the bridge we went.  The truck dropped us off and we began our hike along the ridge top.  From above we had a fabulous view.  We spotted Andree's green grass, the red tiled roofs of Hammana, and way beyond, mountain slopes tumbling back toward Beirut. We noted the abundant goat droppings underfoot, then came upon a herd of 40 or so goats being herded by boy shepherds. Besides goal pellets, we saw a great number of plastic shotgun shells.  Andree told us people come up to shoot birds, any birds. As we hiked along, we came to trenches lined with rocks that had been left by the French army during WWI.  These were no more than 2 feet wide, 6+ feet deep, and strategically zigzagged along, never straight.  We entered the pitch black of a bunker; reminding me of Fort Casey.  It was about this time that Karim, ACS Middle School Principal, began pointing out the fossils!  He grew up on this land, and he picked up fossils all along the path. There were conch like shells as big as my fist, large spiraling snail shapes, and sea urchin fossils as big as walnuts.  We all kept our eyes peeled for the round smooth shapes.  At one time, this land was covered by the sea.  How long ago?  Tens of thousands of years?  And here I thought that terraces were the oldest things to see.  We also saw baby cedars planted on the hillsides, in all stages of growth.  Karim told us that the villagers had been replanting the cedars for many years, but they are very slow growing trees.  It was good to see the baby trees, freshly watered.

Veggie Prep

Bar B Que Brigade

We arrived back at the farm by 4pm, and began the meal prep.  Lebanese wine with hummus, salsa and bread aided the cooks as they cut up veggies which we made into foil packets for the BBQ.  Fabio prepared his chicken legs seasoned Lebanese style, and Nathalie presented us with a lovely lentil salad.  She told us the secret ingredient was "pomegranate molasses" mixed with olive oil and vinegar. Julianne kept the laughs going with her tale of Jad, the skier, whom she'd met a couple of weeks back, and who was taking her skiing this winter.  "His name is pronounced /jjjjod/, not Jad!" she defended.  The guys teased her about meeting Jad's wife and children up on the slopes...

After finishing several bottles of Marquis de Beys wine, tasting Julianne's passion flower Hawaiian liqueur, and Fabio's Spanish cherry anise digestif, it was off to the tents, time to rough it... We each suffered on our 4 inch deep foam mattresses with sleeping bags.  It was the first time in my life that I had a tent all to myself(!) and I slept like a rock.

Luckily, I was awake before the shooting began at 6 a.m. I'd been listening to a scattering of bird calls, and thinking how few bird sounds there were.  Was this due to the scarcity of trees?  Suddenly BOOM BOOM seemed to come out from under my pillow; YIKES!  What a way to wake up on a peaceful Sunday morning.  Shots continued, near and far. Fall hunting season had begun.
Nathalie explained that, in truth, "Hunting season goes all year 'round!  Men and their guns..."
I wondered, "What are they shooting at?"
"Birds. Small birds. Any bird that is perched or flying; any bird they can hit.  It's rather disgusting, because they don't bother to pick them up."
Yes, disturbing!  I was thinking of the shortage of birds EVERYWHERE, from Beirut to the country. We saw men with shotguns walking down the sidewalk.  I couldn't, and still can't, understand the sport in shooting little birds. It was so much fun to watch them at the feeders back home.  Come to think of it, I haven't seen a bird feeder here.

In spite of hunting frenzy, it was a wonderful weekend.  Got to spend time with some great people, in a new and fascinating place.  As I struggled with the bird dilemma, I also understood that this is what I am here for; to be bowled over.  It really makes me think about what's important, and grateful to be WIDE AWAKE to life.  All of us expressed delight in being at Andree and Nathalie's country home. The comfort of being outside in the cooler air, hearing a funny new frog language, and being together?  It was perfectly refreshing.  Clean air, friendship, fossils, and laughter.  It was so much more than I'd expected!

One month today!

Lebanese Lira; pretty money!

It's been one month since I arrived in Beirut.  It's been a long month.  We don't get our first paycheck until the end of September.  Thank goodness South Whidbey School District paid me August 31st.  It's easy to get cash from the ATM using a debit card.  My last $200 withdrawal cost me $4 from US Bank.  I also use a VISA card from the Credit Union that charges only 1% on all purchases; best I could find.  So, I'm doing okay.  Getting used to the money system.  My earlier conversion formula from LL (Leb. lira) into dollars is greatly simplified.  If an avocado costs 3,000LL, that translates into $2.  If a meal costs 24,000 LL, that is the same as $16.  Take the 3 zeros off of 24,000, so 24.  Think 2/3 of 24, and that's 16, the cost in USD.  The other way around?  Something costs $8 American, that's 12,000 LL.  Easy!  Vendors accept dollars as readily as they accept lira.  There is some loss when using dollars, as everything doesn't cleanly convert into thirds. But in every way so far, Beirut is a very American friendly place.

Did I ever mention in this blog that my classroom has a view?  Here it is... Oh My Gosh!

If it weren't for traffic noise, I believe I could hear the waters washing up onto the rocky Corniche!  As it is, I can see the waves; incredibly nice. This is the view from my 4th story classroom.  We have an intercom to the office; no phone.  I have a key to my classroom.  There are guards posted at the outer perimeter gates, 24/7, who wave us onto campus.

Kids have a 20-minute morning snack at 10:00.  They have a 20minute lunch at 1:20pm.  Both meals are eaten in class with teachers.  In order to have time to eat, the food is delivered to our classrooms, both the snack and later the lunch, by an army of cafeteria workers.  They climb the stairs with the trays, bottled water, and paper bags.  It's an amazing system.  As soon as my school day ends, 3 people are in my room.  One is running the feather duster over all the surfaces.  Another follows her with a wet cloth, to wipe down all the surface, and scrub out the sink.  A third vacuums rugs.  Meanwhile, the first woman finishes up by dust mopping of all tiled floor surfaces.  Boggling, but great!

I start at 7:30 a.m. in my classroom.  Kids arrive early, but are sent up to the rooftop for recess.  At 7:50 they are released to come to class.  I greet them at the door; engrained from SWES.  We start class at 8 a.m.  School goes until 3:20.  You teachers know this is an extra hour of school!  Well, the kids have an hour of Arabic every day.  This becomes plan and team time.  We are on a 6-day revolving cycle.  In other words, every 6 days they have ART twice, French 3X, PE 3X, Music 2X, Computer class once, and Library once.  I also have 3 lunch recess duties, one a day for 3 consecutive days. "%$*&$%!!!"  and that's all I have to say about that. We watch 63 4th graders on the roof.  It's as big as two basketball courts in size... surrounded by chain link fencing to keep kids and equipment on the roof.  This amounts to one soccer game, one tetherball game, 4 basketball hoops, and two mats that readers and small groups can sit on.  There's a climbing wall, but the mats are so hard to hang up, that we prefer not to pull them down, so wall climbing is out.  There's also a pull up bar.  Kids line up for all these activities.  It is close quarters.  I dream of our giant fields of grass back home... all that space for 4-square, tetherball, cover areas for basketball... the climbing toys.  Oh well.  These kids don't know what they're missing.  Chin up Ms. Carolyn!

Arabian Music

I asked Arij, my delightful 4th grade colleague, "Just what is that man singing from the mosque?"  She laughed at me, then explained, "He's singing prayers; calling the people to pray."  During our last skype call, sister Liz wanted to know if the chanting was live, or taped.  Arij explained that it is often taped, but is live on Fridays at noon, the Islamic Sunday equivalent, when the message is delivered from the loudspeakers for all to hear.

I hear two voices intertwining from cross town mosques at this moment.  Their voices almost seem to create a counterpoint, one sings, then the other. It's 7:06pm, and the sun is setting.  I do enjoy the music, so different to my ear.

On my way home, walking the Corniche along the Sea, I giggled as people drove past, loudspeakers blaring out Arabic rock.  I mean LOUD.  Why would I complain?  When we rode the bus home from Massaya Vineyard a week ago, the bus driver put LOUD Arabic music over the speaker system, and we were in the aisles, dancing (or at least trying to do those figure 8s), all the way down the mountain to Beirut and THROUGH Beirut. Life in Beirut is LOUD, PERIOD.

  

It's Saturday morning

It's a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning.  I heard that Seattle is in the 60's, chance of showers...Now that does sound far away.  We're having continuing hot humid days.  My AC is not working again.  Power outage on our block due to broken transformer since Thursday.  This is the third day without AC. Our building generator keeps the lights and fridge running, but not enough power for AC.  Today is a national holiday because Pope Benedict is in town!  More to the point, the power repairmen are on strike.  We are told that we may be without AC for an indefinite amount of time.  As I sit here, I am comfy after a cool shower and towel off, but beginning to feel that trickle of moisture running down my front... oh well.  It's another hot day about to get hotter. This is how we NWesterners toughen up!

Did I tell you that Lebanese food is the healthiest food I've eaten?  Think about grilled veggies and meats, salads, fresh fruits (apples, grapes, oranges, pomegranates, pears), and nuts.  They don't mess them up with deep frying or coatings of flour.  Their foods are a sensory experience... tastes and smells of fresh lemon, mint, herbs... it's unbelievable.  We eat many legumes such as garbanzo beans and lentils.  Rice is everywhere.  Pita bread is eaten with hummus, and boy, is it good!  The more lemony, the more I like it.  Cheeses are prolific, everything from yogurt (labneh) to goat, sheep, and cow cheeses.  People prefer beer, wine, and fruit juices to milk.  You don't see anyone drinking milk, even at school, just bottled water.

I am about to brave the taxi world; told "Trust Taxi" is the one to call!  Before you get in the taxi, you negotiate the price.  Otherwise, you pay whatever the driver chooses.  I'm going to make arrangements for several of us to share the fare and go to Beirut's Costco, a new adventure. With the Pope in town, we may be told it's not possible.  Many streets are being closed this weekend for his security.  I don't really know where Costco is....  Wish me luck!  Phone calls can lead to adventure... I hope they speak EEngleesh!  Here's to You!

Pope in Beirut this weekend

With the Middle East all in an uproar over a 1-bit movie made by an anti-Muslim radical, Pope Benedict stepped off the plane at the Beirut airport today, praising Lebanon for its ethnic and religious diversity.  With all the protesting going on elsewhere, I have never felt more safe here.  There are many Americans who live in this area.  The Lebanese people seem to understand that one film, put out by an individual like this one, doesn't represent the views of the vast majority of Americans.  Thank goodness for that.  This is an amazing city.  People live together, work together, and show respect for one another every day; it's the way of this city.  I'm so glad to be here; to be able to tell you this. 

Massaya Winery, Bekaa Valley

30 of us climbed out of the bus and onto the vineyard grounds.  We remarked over the ancient olive trees that formed the perimeter for rows and rows of grapes.  We found ourselves on a lavender lined walkway, heading toward a fenced stand of trees and awnings. We heard water trickling into a long troughlike fountain, with roses about, as we arrived at the "oasis" that would be our resting and eating place for the afternoon hours. Right away I noticed the woman with her large upturned black metal-like bowl over a brassier of coals, patting out pita and laying it on the hot "bowl" to bake. This was my first time to see pita being made.

Ryan (HS English) and Amanda from Cle Elum

Lovely Ladies who Cooked Lunch for us

Woman Baking Pita

While it was hot off the oven, she spread it with zatar, herbal and tasty, or a mystery buttery mixture that was delicious too.  I took mine to the huge plank table and chose a tomato, then sliced and added it to my pita. There were olives and Labneh, a thick white yogurt, to add. Then we selected from a basketful of greens:  mint, arugula, baby romaine, and many others I cannot name.  YUMMY!  Lucy warned me, "Carolyn, there's a lot more to come!"  She was so right. From there, we feasted!  And we drank liberally of the Massaya red, white, and rose wines, culminating in ARAK, a liqueur that came out of a TALL blue bottle, and tasted like licorice (like oozo?).  Anyway, it was pretty.  Took lots of pics; will add some here.  After hours of feasting, talking, meandering about, eating more, and taking photos, we visited the winery shop and purchased t-shirts,   bought bottle openers, and of course, wine; many bottles of wine.  We loaded ourselves onto the bus to go back over the mountains to Beirut.

I've got to tell you, the winery was splendid and uniquely Lebanese; the kind of place I'd like to take you when you come to visit me in Beirut! 

As the bus took off, Juls' bluesy voice belted out "Summertime" and we joined her. That's how the singing got started. We moved on to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough..".."We will, We will rock you"...  and that was only the beginning.  We sang even when we forgot the words!  By this time, someone had pulled the cork on Andrew's wine, and it along with another bottle or two were making the rounds.  What started at the back of the bus, spread throughout the bus; singing, clapping, and uncorking.  At the top of the mountain the bus driver must've gotten tired of our American music, because he put Arabic music over the PA, and that's when the dancing began.  Yes, we were DANCING IN THE AISLE OF THE BUS as it wound its way along. Most ALL of us danced, in some form.  It was just a riot of clapping dancing, laughing, and passing the wine bottles. I have to say that it was the most memorable bus ride of my entire life. And it didn't stop when we entered Beirut city limits!!!

Back in Beirut, we joined our brave principal in her 9th floor apt.  By contrast, it was beautiful; serene.  We gathered on her outside deck, now night time, enjoying views of the Med and surrounding city. By this time I was back to water, and getting better acquainted with colleagues.  It was lovely and calm; just happy.  I loved talking with Gretchen, Andree, and Lucy. Lucy and I left our Principal's apt and had a pleasant walk home, along Bliss Street. 

It is a lovely Saturday night, and people are enjoying the outside restaurants.  Beirut is a night time city, especially during the hot summer months.  You can walk out onto the street and find everything alive and open at 11pm.  It's a different lifestyle.  I've always been, still am, a day person. Can't imagine that that could change, but on weekends, Maybe?  As for tonight, Time for bed! 

First School Days

Today was my second half day with my new class; 21 4th grade students.  I said to them, "Tomorrow we'll start reading.  You may bring a book from home if you'd like.  First question:  "Ms. Carolyn, does the book have to be in English?"  I paused on that one. "Well Michael, that's the first time anyone has asked me that question.  I guess I'm not in Washington state anymore!"  We laughed.

The children are beautiful.  Their names are coming to me with practice: Kareem, Amer, Maher, Ramy, Ahmad, Mariam, Noorhan, Mouhib, plus Roy, Sam, Iman, Sarah, Alberto, Haruka, Michael, Kristoffer, and Stella.  I took photos of each child yesterday, and reviewed the pictures while walking about the desks, pronouncing their names.  I was all set for this morning, and everyone returned... wearing their new PE uniforms! Well, I want you to know that even with new clothes on, my homework paid off.  I knew EVERY name this morning!  It was AWESOME.

Did I tell you that our room is on the 4th floor, British system, 5th floor American?  that each floor requires two flights of stairs?  Kids and adults climb these stairs every morning.  I can assure you that since the copy machine is on the bottom floor, I think twice before I begin the upward haul.  My class messengers hold a position of highest esteem! We have half days with students this week, then parents coming in for 15-minute "Hopes and Fears" conferences in the afternoons.  Parents arrive shiny from the exertion, and it is HOT HOT HUMID outside.  Even though classrooms can close a door to the outside the world, covered  hallways and stairs are open air. Every classroom has 2 AC units run by remote control, as well as 3-4 ceiling fans with wall switches, remnants of an earlier era.  I use both!  Looking forward to cooler weather when this summer heat winds down.  In the meantime, we'll all be in better shape!

Sunday Sept.2, "The Hike"

I'm counting nearly 3 weeks in amazing Beirut.
I got my laptop back, YIPPEE! Eradicated McAfee, and downloaded a new antivirus protector, same one used by the school.  Having trouble getting my photos to load, so still need to get this worked out.

We (about 30 faculty and family members) went out for a moonlight hike yesterday late afternoon.  The bus, complete with A/C, carried us east of Beirut, up through several mountain villages. I noticed that all the hillsides were terraced, top to bottom.  There is a lot of rock for building walls, but I'd guess that we were looking at works of labor, centuries old. We continued up to the trail's head.  From there we walked past boar digs (Yes, they have tusks and you don't want to meet a mommy!) and we saw Lebanon cedars of all ages, some 1500 years old.  The trees are distinctive because their branches grow out horizontally, and cones grow on top of the branches.  I took lots of pics, but you'll have to wait for these.  The trees are protected, but there was no protection of the trees for centuries.  The Egyptians cut them for their sap, useful for preserving the dead.  The Phoenicians cut trees to build their ships. Solomon's Temple is built of Lebanon cedars.  Many cut trees and used them to fire up kilns for pottery, and furnaces for glass making.  The trees are coming back slowly, but they need lots of time to grow.  After much effort to reestablish the trees, they found the best place for baby cedars to grow is in the mother tree's shadow.

Moonlight Hikers

Sunset from Mt. Lebanon, looking over Beirut

Moonrise over Bekaa Valley, looking toward Syria

Close up of cedar cones that grow on top of branches

Top of Mt. Lebanon

Lebanon Cedar trees

We reached summit before sunset.  From there we looked back toward Beirut and the Mediterranean and saw nothing but a sea of puffy clouds. To the east, we saw the Bekaa Valley stretching out in a patchwork of small farms, with another chain of mountains in the distance marking the border between Lebanon and Syria.  As we gazed southeast, we could see a light at the top of Mt. Hermon, marking the southeastern corner of Lebanon, with Israel to the south and the Golan Heights over the mountains.  It was a bit overwhelming for me to take all of that in... just a bit.  PINCH ME!

 Once on top of our mountain, the burning red sun set into the sea of puffy clouds, bringing you a new day.  I thought of you all!  Bottles of Bekaa Valley wine and french bread morsels dipped in chocolate fondu were shared as we reveled in the sheer beauty of the place, up in the clean air, with the world dropping away on all sides.
Next, the full moon rose over the Syrian mountains, and up up up it went.  We were wildly taking pictures. We watched as the great valley below began to twinkle, with heavy sprinklings of lights marking villages.  It appeared so peaceful and beautiful.

Coming down was a bit rough, due to the slippery and rutted limestone path.  Moonlight helped, and best of all, I discovered my little Nokia cell phone had a built in flashlight! I fell once, more embarrassed than hurt. We were down the mtn by 9:30, boarded the bus and were back in our apts by 11:30pm.

Magical?  Yep!  And now I'm ready for bed before my first day, a half day, of school tomorrow.  No holiday here.  Happy Labor Day to all of you back home!