7 Byblos

An hour of driving and we arrived at Byblos without a crux in the road, it was without a doubt a smooth and comforting ride. We sung, we danced, and we swerved across lanes in true Lebanese style. Upon arriving to Byblos, my friend and I had to catch our breath from the heat. The humidity turned our cheeks red and made our stride heavy, but it would soon be worth all the discomfort. Entering the old town, one would never have imagined that these were the streets of some of the most ancient of ancient civilizations. Bars, Clubs, Restaurants and Souvenir shops line the pristine cobble stone streets and alley ways of Byblos. The place is clearly a modern rendition of an older time. And though that has its positives, I was not extremely impressed. Here are some pictures.

What was impressive was the Crusaders castle itself, surrounded by Phoenician and Roman ruins it reaps of Lebanon's strategic location in the world. An Ottoman railroad, from what I gather, was built on top of the ruins. There are sections of the ruins which surround the Castle, which has a view of the waterfront, that are lined by the remaining parts of the railing of the railroad which splits into two diverging rails that move into the Phoenician ruins from one side and Roman ruins from the other. Here is a picture.

 

Here are pictures of the Castle:

Here are pictures of the ruins around the castle and the sea:

 

 

 

If you are into history this place is like an orgasmic experience, no kidding, the whole area is marked off with boards describing the ruins, temples, coliseums, and houses of old. Here is a pic.

Finally, we arrived to the high way where we returned home swerving through lanes on the return just as if we were on our way to Byblos. The trip was eventful, and highly entertaining, a must if ever you visit Lebanon.