Beaufort Castle and Wadi Jezzine

This is our rooftop at sunset. 

The weather here right now is amazing. Mid 70s and mostly sunny! We are taking full advantage before the extreme heat moves in.

On Sunday we got the opportunity to travel for the day with our friends Andree and Eddie. We went to Southern Lebanon and had a great day. The weather was perfect and we saw some really, really beautiful things.  We drove through Saida which is known to have escalations in violence but we just drove right through and didn't stop so we had no problems. Most of the time though Saida can is safe, it just is not a very vibrant or intriguing city. Whenever I ask cab drivers or locals about Saida I get a very mixed review, some people say it is a most see and others say there is no reason to go. I have to say just seeing it from the car, I agree with the latter but that might not be fair.

 On the way through Saida a man had these pelicans out. Andree and I said they were real but Eddie and Michael didn't believe us because they are not found here, so we turned around and went back for a second look. Our assumption is that the man is selling them. They seemed to be friends and were very affectionate!

Andree, Eddie, and Me next to the Beaufort Castle

The Israelis' lived in this castle because it is on a high bluff and they can see anyone coming. They built look out rooms out front of the castle. The castle is mostly in ruins now but you can still see a few rooms and hallways.  It is very close to the Israeli border so we went through many check points and were turned around once because they do not let Americans too close to the border encase they are spies for Israel. I will have to remember on the next trip to bring my work permit and maybe a copy of my passport because I had no real ID to show the military and when they come to your car with their automatic weapons and long knives, I would like to be prepared. Nevertheless, the military and the locals we met on this road trip could not have been nicer and more helpful.

I believe this is a crusader castle.

 At one point during our visit we saw a animal that we did not recognize and then a few minutes later we heard a loud gun shot ring out. I think a local man took out our mystery animal..haha.  I don't think I have ever been so close to a real rifle being shot.  It other places it would be illegal to randomly fire your gun next to a public tourist spot, but ahh This is Lebanon and he had no bad intentions.

 This is a cathedral in Jezzine. It is a small town in Lebanon and it is beautiful. This is where Michael and I found our first Lebanese waterfall. All of the next few pictures are Jezzine!

We had such a great day and it was so nice to see a new side of Lebanon. Beirut is the opposite of green and open. The road signs are terrible and mostly in Arabic so we got really lucky that Eddie drove us around and handled all the directions for us, this would have been a very expensive trip with a taxi or an impossible trip alone.  We ate lunch at a restaurant over looking the waterfall. One wish I have  for Lebanon is that it would start a clean-up/environment campaign because all the beauty was slightly distorted with trash. There was a huge pile of garbage under the waterfall and leading up to it. I am not sure what can be done about it, but it definitely makes me think twice about my own affects on the environment. I am not sure when Lebanon got this attitude of just drop it on the ground but if something isn't done about it soon, Lebanon will lose even more of its natural beauty.  Overall, though it was one of the prettiest places I have seen and getting out of the city is always a special treat. It helps remind me when I am homesick or lonely, I am one lucky girl.