बेका वल्ली

BEKAA VALLEY

Lebanon is a small country but with the widest differences. Beirut is a turistic destiny for the Gulf Arabs. They are rebuilding the city from its ashes but doing the prices rise so high. The real currency is Mr. Dolar. Everything has two prices, one in thousands of Lebanese Liras and the other in $. Getting room in August is very hard issue, but again I was lucky. Yesterday happened to me the same that happened before in Johanesburg or Kazakhstan. When I was about desperate because not finding place to rest and getting dark, an angel approached to me. It was a Lebanese guy who rode Europe in a GS 1200. He recommended me to go another hotel. I didn´t expect finding room because I searched dozens of hotels with no success. But in that hotel, they had one. It was untidy because the guest left at evening. Better for me. I got a good discount in the very expensive city of Beirut.

Anyway, today I have ridden to Beeka Valley not far from the capital. What I can say is the Lebanese drivers are the worst in World. In all my trips I have not seen something similar. It is a real chaos and no one takes care. Thousands of soldiers on the road but no Highway Patrol. You can do what you want. They cross the motorway, do not use turn lights, overtaking wherever wanted and going as fast as engine can do. Of course, bikes will loose in that game and I am so over conscious. But the Bekaa Valley is really great and beautiful. Between two mountains range lies a soft flat land full of olive trees. But is so weird how human landscapes changes in few kms. I am in a hotel in Zhale, which is the biggest catholic city in an Muslim country, but just 35 km going north in the same valley is Baalbek, where are amazing Romans ruins. There is Hizbola territory. The souvenir sellers offer the western tourist Hizbola T Shirts. Too much death exaltation there to feel my self comfortable.

Tomorrow, back to Syria and trying to arrive Amman.