Sent on Oct. 6, 2004 from Ishtar Hostel in Palmyra,
the same day the tour to Lebanon ended in Damascus.

1.  LEBANON.  "A beautiful country with pretty girls and
good food, and f..... up neighbors" is how one native
summarized Lebanon for me.  Indeed, Beirut is an
Arabic-speaking European city, Lebanon a Mediterranean
country.  This is one of the most scenic countries I have
visited, with endless layers of mountains of the size of
California's Coast Mountains, sometime framing deep
valleys, like the Bekaa Vally, and miles of beaches. 
Beirut is much like Napoli in landscape in that right after
the beach areas the city literally climbs the mountains,
all the way up.  I am not going to list all the places we
visited.  Lebanon is a pint-size country, so that any tour
you take will likely include all the places I visited. 
Again, consider doing this from Jordan, with the Al
Jezzerah tour company as I did.  This country is worth a
trip, preferably, as I did, starting from Jordan and
including Syria.  Note that Lebanon is perhaps the most
expensive country in the Mideast.  Except for breakfast, we
paid for every outing,lunch, dinner and entertainment, but
all totaling about $100 (paid in Dollars) for the 6 days.

2. MUSIC and FUN.  We attended 2 dinner and entertainment
parties while in Jordan, as we had in Syria.  I think even
the Latins would be envious of the energy with which Arabs
can enjoy themselves, singing and dancing and eating food
and being amiably merry.  Women with stiff husbands danced
alone, as did husbands with stiff wives, or several of
both.  Something else surprised me about Arab music and
beat.  In the past, you could always distinguish Mideast
music from others.  This time the separation was more
difficult, for I heard Arab bands play Latin music,
maintaining their own instruments, especially the
blood-boiling percussions.

I am having the time of my life. Wait till I post all the
photos and post cards. I am only half done with my trip...

Sirman