Beirut's Mar Mikhael (Saint Michael) looks at first glance like a pretty quiet neighborhood, a place where the sounds of machinery coming out of auto repair shops emit the only real noise of note. Scratch the surface just the tiniest bit and it becomes obvious that Mar ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Lebanon
Mar Mikhael: Beirut's Shopping District
Beirut's Mar Mikhael (Saint Michael) looks at first glance like a pretty quiet neighborhood, a place where the sounds of machinery coming out of auto repair shops emit the only real noise of note. Scratch the surface just the tiniest bit and it becomes obvious that Mar ...My Year In Adventure Travel: A Look Back And A Look Forward
We're approaching the end of 2012, so it's a good time to assess what we've done and where we're headed. There's a whole year of adventures and opportunities awaiting us in 2013, despite what the New Age crystal clutchers say. The world is not ending and that's a good ...The Caucasus, Central Asia And British Airways
I traveled to Beirut earlier this year with bmi (British Midland International), the East Midlands-based airline partially absorbed into British Airways in the spring. My Beirut trip was meant to be the third installment in an ongoing series called "Far Europe and ...Tawlet: Lebanese Locavore Love
On my first visit to Beirut's Tawlet, I stopped to ask a shopkeeper directions. "Tawlet?" she verified. I nodded. "C'est très bon," with a delicate flutter of the fingers accompanying her très, before she pointed me in the right direction. I'd heard great ...Hayete: Beautiful Budget-Friendly Beirut Guesthouse
Hayete, a budget-friendly guesthouse in Beirut, is a rare bird: stylish, in a fantastic location, and relatively inexpensive.
Budget-minded travelers who also enjoy a bit of style are usually out of luck when it comes to accommodations. Budget-friendly options ...A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Meet An Intrepid Diplomat
In our ongoing attempt to demystify the Foreign Service, we're going to occasionally introduce you to diplomats living in various parts of the world. Amy Tachco is a 36-year-old Foreign Service Officer (FSO) originally from Southern California and Central Ohio who joined the ...Five holiday cookies from around the world
I love good old American iced sugar cookies as much as the next person. Yet there's a whole world of cookiedom out there, and the holdiays are the best excuse to do a little experimenting.
Whether you prefer your cookies buttery, spiced, crisp, or iced, there's something ...Introducing Far Europe and Beyond
Far Europe and Beyond, a Gadling series in partnership with bmi (British Midland International) launches today.
Europe's eastern borders cannot be defined simply. The western, northern, and southern perimeters are easy: The Atlantic, the Arctic, and the Mediterranean ...Visa-free travel by the numbers
Visa-free travel is easy travel. Procuring visas takes time, energy, and money, and is beyond debate a pain for frequent travelers. The erection of visa barriers responds to a number of factors, though it can be said without too many qualifications that the citizens of ...How to get a second passport
A second passport sounds glamorous. And in point of fact, it is glamorous. There's no debating the matter. Possessing a second passport gives its bearer bragging rights and the ability to feel a wee bit like a spy, especially when he or she is traveling with both passports ...VIDEO: Flash mob at Beirut Airport duty free
Flash mobs are nothing new, Lisbon even staged a dance at the airport in 2009, but this flash mob at Beirut Airport is the first I've seen with Arab Dabke dance. Dabke is a form of line dance which is traditionally performed at weddings and social occasions, and the group ...
Hezbollah theme park: an attraction designed with terror in mind
Are you always searching for a roller coaster that will make your hair stand on end? Well, if you really want to scare yourself, skip the traditional amusement park rides and catch a flight out to Beirut. There's a "theme park" in town that will open your eyes wide and ...
5 reasons to be a tourist
After three months living in Istanbul, I've gained a stable of a few dozen Turkish words to string into awkward sentences; learned some local intel on what soccer teams to root for, where to get the best mantı, and the best Turkish insults (maganda is the local equivalent ...Weekending: Beirut
One of the best things about life as an expat in Turkey is easy access to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with many previously far-flung destinations only a few hours' flight away. I might not plan a week-long vacation in, say, Kosovo, but if I can be there for Friday ...Terrible seat assignment kills airline passenger
When Nas Air flight XY 720 from Beirut landed in Riyadh, airport workers found just how severe having the worst seat on the flight can be. The passenger wasn't alive any more, of course ... oh, and he was found on the landing gear. The corpse, ostensibly cold, has been ...Daily Pampering: Seven chances to try a new job around the world
Do you feel a bit confined by your gig? Sure, the cash is great, but you are held hostage by it. You can't throw it all away and chase your low-paying dream. Well, now you have a chance to turn the paycheck that keeps you in the office 14 hours a day into the chance to try ...Daily Pampering: Four Seasons Beirut
If you aren't planning to go to Beirut this year ... change your flights. After a decade of preparation and five years of construction, the Four Seasons Hotel Beirut has opened its doors. The latest property from this luxury chain may seem to be opening in an unusual ...Gadlinks for Friday 8.14.09
I hope everyone on the mainland enjoyed the Perseids meteor shower earlier this week! There were plenty of lovely streaks in the sky worthy of a few ooo's and ahh's. Here are few recent articles that might elicit similarly inspired reactions.
The most beautiful ...Peace brings tourists back to Lebanon
Even by the standards of the Middle East, Lebanon has had a rough time of it. A bitter civil war and periodic Israeli invasions have left much of the country in ruins, but now that order appears to be restored, the country's tourism ministry is wooing visitors back.
Lebanon ...Ten amazing "green" adventures
Eco-adventures are all the rage these days with environmentally conscious travelers choosing to visit far flung places, all the while fully aware of the size of their carbon footprint. They want an amazing travel experience, and are willing to go to great lengths to get it, ...
