Byblos

Before dinner we made a quick trip out to Byblos. About an hour outside of Beirut, this picturesque fishing harbor is full of history. Byblos is considered one of world's oldest continually inhabited towns. The earliest known occupation of Byblos dates back to the 5th millennium BC, when the first settlers fished and tended their animals here. It is also the birthplace of the modern alphabet. It is claimed that it was invented as a more practical way of recording trade transcripts but quickly spread through the civilized world.

There are many sights to see in Byblos, but unfortunately we were on limited time and it is was late in the day. When we arrived many of the sights were closed so we could not tour them (it also was not a great time of day to take pictures.) Within Byblos there are ruins, a castle, temples a Roman theater and Royal tombs. We spent most of our time in the souq area, which has been restored and is beautiful. We did stop for a quick beer and a Lebanese snack, called a za'atar. This is flat bread covered with za'atar (a blend of herbs including basil, oregano, thyme and marjoram, sesame and salt). It can also be served with meat and cheese. Beirut is also very different from Dubai in that you can buy beer everywhere and cheaply...whereas in Dubai it is only sold in hotels or hidden liqueur shops (and can then only be bought with a license) and is heavily taxed.

Hopefully, we will make it back to Beirut one day and can finish our tour of Byblos and other historical sights that are located outside of the downtown area. For such a small country, there is a lot to do and see!