Yeahhhhh, so I'm going to Beirut
 

First, heading off to Miami Beach mañana for some much-needed sun, then off to Athens and Beirut.

Any insider info? I'd like to do a bit more than just the beachfront and tourist areas. I know there's a bus station where everyone heads off to Rakka, but that's a bit much for me. Anything a 'little' edgy, but not too edgy? My wife is almost ready to take of my head, as it is. (solo trip)

Beirut,

Are you schitttting me?

Like, the one in Lebanon?

Yeah. I heard its like going to Disney World these days.

Got that ransom money broken down into $100 bills with specific instructions for Mrs. Motion?

And wear your orange wig....that yellow one will make you stand out and attract attention :cool:

Back in the day, Beirut was one of the beautiful spots on the Med.

My last time there was in a 'special' plane ferrying Yassir to Camp David for the last meet with Clinton.

No, the other one.

Just wear the orange coveralls, save them the trouble of making you change first.

You guys are killing me. I fully expect it to be an enjoyable experience. But, I do need a recco on a good Turkish restaurant. Or hell, how about a Syrian restaurant.

In the early 70s the two most requested posts for Foreign Service Officers were Beirut and Tehran. Times have changed.

Seriously Motion WTF? This is for grins? You got a set fella. SmileWavy

Its known as the Paris of the Med. But seriously, I'll go to France for that stuff. I want to see some 50mm holes in buildings.

I've seen photos of Tehran in the 50's and 60's. When I saw them, I finally realized that the propaganda I had been taught my entire life was all complete and utter BS. Tehran was a beautiful, fashionable, progressive city back then.

I was there in the mid 80s... Not on holiday. :(

It may sound like fun but if you go in blind you can end up a statistic. Kidnapping/ransom are still a big thing....and the ransom often comes from those on the opposite side.
Hezbollah is big in certain areas of Beirut and has been for decades.
If you are travelling on a US passport that will be known as you have to show it often, as in at hotels etc.
It will be really nice or really bad.
IMO dumb move.
I've had to travel in that aor often for business. I do so very carefully and fully informed and usually armed.

Motion, do you have an Israeli stamp in your passport?

Israel does not stamp passports, for that very reason. They give you a card in lieu thereof. I was just there about 8 months ago. Felt perfectly safe.

I just returned from Amman, Jordan. Felt perfectly safe there as well. Armed security was everywhere. We went through two army and one civilian checkpoint on our way into and out of the airport every day, which made us all feel much better.

We were advised, however, to not take any extended sightseeing trips. We all wanted to head on down to Petra if we got a day off, but were sufficiently warned about the risks to where we settled for the Dead Sea instead.

Be careful. Just remember, "everything is fine until it's not". "Not" can happen in a big, big way over there.

You can try to reach out to the Porsche community in Beirut. There are a few Lebanese posters on Rennlist in the 991 gt/gt3rs forum (Karem etc). Check out the pictures they have posted!

Beirut also has one of the best cuban cigar outlets in the world. Their Casa de Habanos store has a great selection of cigars with very good prices. I believe they also have one in the airport duty free.

I hear the Lebanese women are a sight to behold.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKfdJNQPNd...SH-Klinger.jpg