Next Stop Lebanon

Aside from the pending civil war, Lebanon reminds me a lot of Northern California - urban cliffs rising out of the sea, lush green mountains an hours drive from Beirut, wine country and a love for culinary delights, a plethora of Mercedes and womens' shoulders. Christians, Muslims and Atheists...okay, no Jews, but...there are ecolodges, ski resorts, yoga centers, theaters, bars, nightclubs, karaoke, fashionistas, hippy intellectuals and political activists. Political activists is where we start to diverge.

Lebanon doesn't have a President. Instead it has tanks and barbed wire, propaganda posters with the faces of past and hopefully political leaders and an uncommonly strong police presence. "Police" may actually be too soft a word. We're not talking your friendly neighborhood K9 unit that makes PR appearances at community barbecues, but soldiers in full camouflage, large automatic weapons and tanks with cannons poised for battle pointing at the traffic passing by. Unlike the stray armory scattered around Jordan, Egypt and Syria, these weapons are around major landmarks as well as on seemingly innocuous back streets. They are strategically placed in case today is the day Lebanon's 30+ political factions take up arms. The core difference, I suppose, is that these shows of military strength are not shows, they are functional.

And the people not in camouflage? They are at restaurants enjoying Sunday brunch sipping coffee or at the clubs with cocktails. The are seemingly worrying more about their hair or getting the latest sunglasses than the big question of - WHEN? The streets are crowded (except for the ghost town-like downtown area that is more like what one would expect). Life goes on. Although, when asked it is on their mind. Most make few predictions, but say "They say it's going to be a hot summer." The same is probably true for Northern California, but the implications are slightly different.