بحبك يا لبنان

It's no surprise that half of Kuwait spent all or parts of this summer in Lebanon, although I'm willing to bet that very few Kuwaitis ventured outside downtown Beirut or whatever towns they own property in (Bhamdoun, Sofar, Aleyh, etc.). Kuwait's love affair with Lebanon goes back several decades, and is stronger than ever today. Many Kuwaitis love it for its beauty, weather, scenery and food; others for its vibrant nightlife and exceptionally attractive people; a small minority for its incredibly varied arts and culture (some go for Fairuz, others for Haifa Wehbe). I love it for all of that and more..

And yet, I doubt that anyone of us has a complete understanding of this fascinating country that is so close to our hearts. For example, of the thousands of Kuwaitis who flock to Lebanon all year round, how many actually have Lebanese friends who live there, as opposed to casual Lebanese acquaintances in Kuwait? Not very many, I assure you.

Before any of you jump on me, this is not a Kuwait vs. Lebanon discussion (although it might end up one). Most Lebanese will find many things that they absolutley HATE about their country, but I'll leave that to them, or maybe for another post when I'm not feeling so generous. But in the meantime, here's what I personally love about Lebanon beyond the obvious reasons listed earlier:

1. My Lebanese friends. The only way to see any country is through the eyes of the locals and I have been fortunate to see places I never would have seen thanks to my friends in Beirut, all of whom I love dearly. It also means I can go to Beirut alone whenever I want and not wait for my unreliable Kuwaiti friends اللي ما عليهم متّكل
2. Wherever you go in Lebanon, you are assisted or served by young Lebanese who take pride in their job and are always ready with a smile and a kind word.
3. Every Lebanese business is owned, managed and mostly staffed with Lebanese.
4. I love when Lebanese meet other Lebanese for the first time, they ask which town or ضيعة they are from. Makes it sound like a huge country!
5. The resilience and resourcefulness of the Lebanese.
6. The remarkable renaissance of downtown Beirut, no matter what one may think of Solidere and Hariri.
7. Ashrafieh in the daytime.
8. The incredible countryside from the north to the south.
9. Spectacular summer sunsets.
10. Chateau Kefraya.
11. French with a Lebanese accent. I love it!

There's more, but that's enough for today.