Lebanon in a Picture

Winter Is(n’t) Coming Fast Enough. I’ve had a hot, sticky morning. A spot... (Cedars of God)

Winter Is(n’t) Coming Fast Enough. I’ve had a hot, sticky morning. A spot... (Cedars of God) Winter Is(n’t) Coming Fast Enough. I’ve had a hot, sticky morning. A spot of cleaning, some household errands and a morning meeting, during which my companion felt compelled to sit outdoors, compounded by my foolish decision to wear shoes (and hence socks) rather than sandals, left me sweating and blinding my way all the way up the stairs back home. August is never my favourite month in Lebanon. I always plan to be away and every year, I’m still here – perhaps on a cosmic scale, there is a lesson I am meant to learn. While it is considerably cooler now than it was two weeks ago, there’s something about the prospect of only being halfway through the long, dry summer (which let’s face it, can last all the way into October, longer, if you are particularly unlucky) that has me itching for rain, snow or at least a couple of days in the low 20s. Looking through photos posted by a friend visiting the Lake District in northern England the other day – with everyone bundled up against biting cold and lashing rain – had me sighing nostalgically and cranking up the ac. I know, we’re all supposed to be sun-loving beach bunnies, never happier than when we are floating on some oversized blow-up toy in the limpid waters of Kfar Abida but given a choice between worshipping Baal Haddu or Baal Lubnan, I say give me the latter’s frosty charms over the former. I’ll take photo expeditions in waist-high snow any day. And so I offer this photo to the former lord of Ehden, in the hopes that he may take pity and through his intercession, bring summer to an early end this year. (Thanks @nayyyef for the photo.)
by wsinghbartlett / Instagram