I’ve been going on a lot of tours with Nakhal (they’re really good, efficient) and last Saturday morning, I went on their quick morning tour of the city. I really just wanted to get my overall bearings, so it was well worth it.

The first place we stopped was the financial district with all of these high-rise modern backs, but between them you would see excavation sites. Turns out every time the city plans to build a new building, once they start digging, they run into ancient ruins and it is illegal to build on top of them, haha:

Security:

A glimpse through the window of Amir Mounzer Mosque, 1620:

Beautiful architecture:

A vacant walkway which is usually teeming with tourists when there’s not an imminent threat upon the country:

Bullet holes from the 15-year civil war still evident on the surface of the beautiful buildings:

Parliament:

The majestic Opera House, left half refurbished as the city has run out of funds for restoration:

More beauty from this lovely city:

28JUL13. Beirut, Lebanon.