1. People bathing in the same water that they brush their teeth in, drink, do laundry, dispose of trash/waste, and scatter human ashes (India)
2. Being asked for bribes by the people who are supposed to ensure you aren’t being asked for bribes (Egypt)
3. Men walking around the streets (uniform and non-uniform alike) sporting machine guns, AK47′s, and rifles (Africa, Middle East, India)
4. Men killing live sheep, skinning them, and hanging them on hooks in the road… right next to the vegetable stand (Syria)
5. Magnificent new high rise buildings right next to war-torn shot up, bombed and burnt buildings (Lebanon)
6. Small children wandering the streets like packs of wolves wreaking havoc during school days and on school hours when they should be learning (Tanzania)
7. Ordering and eating a full breakfast for $0.04 (India)
8. The inside of a hippo’s vicious mouth up close and personal or being run out of camp by elephants for that matter (Botswana)
9. Driving full speed into oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the highway (Uganda)
10. People sharing the small amounts of food they’ve been given with others even though they themselves haven’t eaten in 5 days (Kenya)

Beirut has built up a reputation as the Paris of the Middle East. While it most definitely is, I would describe it more so as Paris’ wild child step-sister. Anything goes here… I mean ANYTHING! Beirut is the liberal counterpart to it’s ultra conservative neighbors in the Middle East and with it comes the liberal activities. Beirut has recently become famous for it’s bustling nightlife. The city is home to several bars that were voted best bars in 2008 and it has recently ranked as one of the top party cities in the world. There are places to go and things to experience for anyone looking to have a good time. The only appropriate dress code in this Middle Eastern city is to cover yourself as little as possible. The people pull up to nightclubs and bars dressed to a T. Designer labels here trump all. The women step out of their cars flaunting Jimmy Choo stilettos, short Dolce & Gabanna dresses, Chloe Bags, Van Cleef jewelry, blown out hair and gobs of MAC makeup. The men strut around flaunting Prada glasses, Ralph Lauren suits, Ferragamo shoes and possibly a man purse in one hand with a cigarette in the other. It is probably the only place in the Middle East where you can dance, drink, and party until the sun rises… every night of the week! If you ever get the chance to travel to the Middle East, I highly encourage you check out the liberal nightlife of Beirut. It will guarantee you an interesting and exciting evening!

Lebanon is a small country spanning an area of 10,452 square kilometers (4,035 sq mi) with a lot of diversity therefore it was easy for us to travel and explore different parts of the country. Chris and I headed South to Tyre and Saida one day to explore ruins, castles, and the towns themselves. Upon driving into Tyre we were smothered by posters and flags covered with the prominent heads of Hezbollah. We passed through several checkpoints laced with barbed wire, bunker holes and armed officials. There were a few large army tanks littering certain intersections within the city. The South was unlike Beirut in that the population is a much higher concentration of conservative Muslims and Hezbollah families. We were using an old Lonely Planet map which didn’t give us specific directions so we drove around the city searching for a sign for the largest and best restored hippodrome in the world. We found ourselves on the main road suddenly driving by several blocks that were heavily guarded by army men with huge guns, tanks, and barbed wire fences. Behind the fences were thousands of Palestinians in refugee camps. The Palestinian people here had no citizenship anywhere and therefore they had no land, no passports, only a few had jobs and most had minimal money. Needless to say, this was an area that we should not have gotten any closer to. The city was less developed and more conservative. It was apparent that the town had been attacked in the past 3 wars with bombs and bullets as there were markings depicting the chaos on building walls. We finally found the ruins we were looking for and walked around the historic site. The ruins (situated in the heart of the city) were quiet and somewhat eerie. The only signs of life we saw were a few Arab workers and a wild dog. The history of the place was interesting though and well worth the drive.

From there we jumped back into our car and drove to Saida (located between Tyre and Beirut). On the way to Saida, we passed several UN and Lebanese army tanks. There was one that specifically stood out. We were driving up the coastal highway where on the right side of the road was a large army tank equipped with two large missiles mounted on the top. It was the real deal and while it was interesting to see, it was far too close for comfort. Yikes! We finally arrived at Saida which proved to be a step up from Tyre. The buildings were not as antiquated and there was a small boardwalk along the water looking out to a Sea Castle floating atop the turquoise waters. We walked around the city for a bit, explored the castle, and then sat down at a local restaurant for a Lebanese lunch full of mezzes (small tapas-like dishes). In most Middle Eastern countries, you never get the bill unless you ask for it, so I got up to find the man who had originally helped us. When I finally did, he asked “where do you live?” I told him California and reciprocated his question asking if he was originally from Saida. He stared at me for a second before looking me straight in the eyes and saying, “No. I’m a Palestinian from Palestine.” Uh oh. It was a little awkward for me after seeing the refugee camps scattered around the region. I wanted to say something to help relieve the tension but I could not. We were both frozen. Suddenly I made a small joke which got him to smile enough for me to say thank you and slip away. AWKWARD!

Walking back to the car, I realized how much tragedy, aggression, despair, and loss these people have gone through. Yes, they may support all of Hezbollah’s actions, but it’s my understanding that they put their trust in the group because it’s their first line of defense to keep themselves, their family and their property safe. I understand there are two sides to every story and I am still not convinced as to who is right or wrong but I will say that it was an interesting experience that puts things in a new light.