Moving to Beirut, Lebanon
- Thread starter DexterMorgan
- Start date
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
It's not so much the instability, the real problem right now is wide-spread corruption, the few hoarding bulk of wealth, middle class being destroyed, poor getting poorer, etc...
thats not only an issue in the Balkan. I mean who tells it might be different in the Lebanon or any other nation? Take Russia as example. Democracy? I doubt it. As someone said once, in Russia democracy is where the money is. If you have enough you can buy your freedom.
As said I have no clue how it is there, but I assume every place can be a nice one with a stable well payed job and such.
As said I have no clue how it is there, but I assume every place can be a nice one with a stable well payed job and such.
UniversalWolf
eaten by a grue.
DexterMorgan said:
DexterMorgan said:
DexterMorgan said:If they do I might finally be able to start my own collection. I'm thinking Yugoslav version of Maser 98 (M48) that was exported to Israel in great numbers, and perhaps the original Dragunov SVD for starters
San Fran is a beautiful city, even if some the people there are wackos. Still, I have a suggestion for you if you ever think about the U.S. Something you may not have considered. Austin, Texas: a warm weather city with a major university. Plus you're in Texas so you can keep your Dragunov on a rack in your pickup truck.
Good luck in Beruit, though. I've heard good things about it.
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
Well, after endless delays it's finally confirmed, my flight leaves Wednesday night and I'll be in Beirut in early hours of Thursday!
Anyone want a postcard?
Anyone want a postcard?
I'll take a postcard.
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
Ye Gods their women are stunning!
PM me your address RR.
PM me your address RR.
So is the move now complete or am I ahead with this question?
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
Yep yep, my first day in the office. Being Friday I doubt there'll be much to do for a newcomer. Beach tomorrow!
So how is Beirut so far?
Any pictures?
Any pictures?
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
I'm loving it so far! People are really friendly, especially when I tell them I'm from Bosnia and that I'm doing IT development on a humanitarian basis. The city itself is warm but not too hot (at least for me, but I like warm weather), the architecture is mediteranian, traffic is wacky, lots of very old cars mixed with brand new Porches and Ferraris.
I'm staying across the road from the prime minister's apartment building so I get military security as well, and the streets around the block close after 11PM with bomb sniffing dogs doing the rounds. I can't take any pictures there so I haven't got much to show so far, but I will after the weekend.
I have a meeting at an undetermined time today so I couldn't hit the beach (can't show up for a meeting with my shorts wet and stuff), currently enjoying Starbucks coffee 100 feet from the sea shore.
I have only two problems so far - horribly loud AC from the hotel across the road doesn't help when trying to sleep, and I can't understand anything anyone says. Better take some lessons in arabic soon.
Oh, and if I was a little younger I'd be trying to get into the American University Beirut, the campus rocks!
And again, ye gods, the women!!! (inspired by a passing hottie)
I'm staying across the road from the prime minister's apartment building so I get military security as well, and the streets around the block close after 11PM with bomb sniffing dogs doing the rounds. I can't take any pictures there so I haven't got much to show so far, but I will after the weekend.
I have a meeting at an undetermined time today so I couldn't hit the beach (can't show up for a meeting with my shorts wet and stuff), currently enjoying Starbucks coffee 100 feet from the sea shore.
I have only two problems so far - horribly loud AC from the hotel across the road doesn't help when trying to sleep, and I can't understand anything anyone says. Better take some lessons in arabic soon.
Oh, and if I was a little younger I'd be trying to get into the American University Beirut, the campus rocks!
And again, ye gods, the women!!! (inspired by a passing hottie)
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
Ok, here's a few pics 
Cloaked Figure
First time out of the vault
Welcome to Lebanon 
I can tell from your pictures that you are in the Hamra/Achrafiyeh area, which is great, really good location choice. Make sure you go to Bliss, it's babe heaven.
See that open-armed Jesus statue in the distance? There are steps on him, you can climb and stand on his crown and look around at the entire area. You'll meet a lot of religious nutters their, though, and it's more of a 'family' area.
AUB, the heart and pride of Lebanese education
Do they still have soldiers posted next to the college?
Those guys always pester my brother because of his ear rings.
You used to be able to swim here, but I don't know if you're allowed to anymore. Did you take this pic from inside the restaurant or did you just lean over the railing and snap a shot?
Ah, I see you've been to Solidèr, our tourist death-trap. Here is where we 'relieve' rich Gulf-Arab tourists of their wealth. Most of the woman here are probably Kuwaiti/Qatari/what have you.
By the way, if you are into the whole night-life scene, make sure you go to Skybar.
And don't let the cabs rip you off. Never pay more than 10 dollars to go to any local place within Beirut.
And learning spoken Lebanese-Arabic is quite a lot easier than learning other Arab dialects - 20% of our dialect is comprised of French loanwords.
Have fun!
I can tell from your pictures that you are in the Hamra/Achrafiyeh area, which is great, really good location choice. Make sure you go to Bliss, it's babe heaven.
See that open-armed Jesus statue in the distance? There are steps on him, you can climb and stand on his crown and look around at the entire area. You'll meet a lot of religious nutters their, though, and it's more of a 'family' area.
AUB, the heart and pride of Lebanese education
Do they still have soldiers posted next to the college?
Those guys always pester my brother because of his ear rings.
You used to be able to swim here, but I don't know if you're allowed to anymore. Did you take this pic from inside the restaurant or did you just lean over the railing and snap a shot?
Ah, I see you've been to Solidèr, our tourist death-trap. Here is where we 'relieve' rich Gulf-Arab tourists of their wealth. Most of the woman here are probably Kuwaiti/Qatari/what have you.
By the way, if you are into the whole night-life scene, make sure you go to Skybar.
And don't let the cabs rip you off. Never pay more than 10 dollars to go to any local place within Beirut.
And learning spoken Lebanese-Arabic is quite a lot easier than learning other Arab dialects - 20% of our dialect is comprised of French loanwords.
Have fun!
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
Cloaked Figure said:Welcome to Lebanon
Thank you
Cloaked Figure said:
Yeah, I'm staying at a place right next to Commodore Hotel for now, will be moving down the street closer to AUB in a couple of months. I usually hang out at Walimat Wardeh if I wanna go out for a beer or two. The food is really really good there also! I'll make sure to check out Bliss.
Cloaked Figure said:
No, no soldeirs that I saw, just regular security guys.
Cloaked Figure said:
It was late in the evening so I didn't really see any swimmers anywhere. I took the pic from the overlook before having dinner at a restaurant nearby. A little dissapointed they didn't have a greater variety of sea food
Cloaked Figure said:
I've been told they have live music, is this true? I'm really into places with live music, nightclubs with generic disco/techno/rave repertoir bore me to death.
Cloaked Figure said:
Oh I learned my lesson early on. Now I make sure it's "service" rather than "taxi" and that anything over 2000 is "haram"
Cloaked Figure said:
Thanks again
Cloaked Figure
First time out of the vault
DexterMorgan said:
They do, and depending on the night that you go you might even see some famous people. Make sure you're dressed 'in style' and if you can, bring a woman, that will go a long way towards getting you into the place. The bouncers are complete bastards. You get a few free drinks if you're a VIP IIRC, but the most fun is the normal area rather than the VIP areas.
Briosafreak
Lived Through the Heat Death
Find me a job there and I'll be eternally grateful
Lebanese women, oh my
Lebanese women, oh my
DexterMorgan
A Smooth-Skin
I would if I could but it turns out I haven't realized just how lucky I've been. There are many qualified people here so the competition is cutthroat, not to mention the "traditional" setting up work for family and friends type of thing that seems to be prevalent...
And the women... oh yeah
And the women... oh yeah
Moving to London
Today, at 6pm (or to be more specific, 18 minutes to 6pm), in time of Greenwich, I moved to a house in London. Before that I've spent over 4 years in a town called Bedford (50 miles north from London).
In a house live 4 other people. Some two Turkish guys and a Bulgerian couple. They seame to be nice.
This night I will sleep in a double room. tomorrow will move to a smaller, single room I was supposed to move in at the beginning.
I just hope nobody will kill me at night. I'll be sleeping with my baseball bat, even though I heard is illegal to have one without a license
Today, at 6pm (or to be more specific, 18 minutes to 6pm), in time of Greenwich, I moved to a house in London. Before that I've spent over 4 years in a town called Bedford (50 miles north from London).
In a house live 4 other people. Some two Turkish guys and a Bulgerian couple. They seame to be nice.
This night I will sleep in a double room. tomorrow will move to a smaller, single room I was supposed to move in at the beginning.
I just hope nobody will kill me at night. I'll be sleeping with my baseball bat, even though I heard is illegal to have one without a license