Middle East - Anthony Ham [380]
However the aid gets there, though, get there it does – to many impoverished communities in southern Lebanon and southern Beirut, who would, if Hezbollah did not exist, almost certainly go without.
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Adjacent to the Temple of Jupiter is the second of Baalbek’s great temples, the Temple of Bacchus, known in Roman times as the ‘small temple’ and dedicated, in fact, to Venus/Astarte rather than to Bacchus. Completed around AD 150, it’s amazingly well preserved and is still stunningly ornate, displaying tablatures decorated with images of the gods, from Mars and Victory to Diana, Vulcan and Ceres. Near the main ruins, look in on the exquisite Temple of Venus, a circular building with fluted columns. And if it looks vaguely familiar to any National Trust–going Brits, here’s why: there’s an exact 18th-century copy of the temple in the grounds of Stourhead, in Wiltshire.
Sleeping
Hotel Shouman ( 03-796 077; Ras al-Ain Blvd; dm/d/tr without bathroom LL10,000/25,000/25,000) Close to the ruins, three of the rooms here enjoy great views, including the triple Room 1. The beds are quite hard, but rooms are clean, as is the simple shared bathroom. Enter via a stone staircase; the pension is on the 1st floor.
Hotel Jupiter ( 376 715; Rue Abdel Halim Hajjar; s/d/tr US$10/20/25) Entered via an arcade northeast of the Palmyra Hotel, Jupiter has large, light, basic rooms equipped with fans off a central courtyard. The owners are friendly, and there’s also a restaurant.
Palmyra Hotel ( 376 011; fax 370 305; Rue Abdel Halim Hajjar; s/d/tr US$38/53/63) As unmissable as the ruins themselves, the Palmyra is a little preserved piece of Victorian-era Middle Eastern history, with guests as diverse as Jean Cocteau and the Shah of Iran having graced its portals. Comfortable, creaky rooms might be showing their age, but really that’s the point: on empty winter evenings, it’s as spooky a location as anyone curled up with a ghost story could ask for. Ask for room 30 if you’ve a desire to sleep in the same bed as General de Gaulle, or head over to the more luxurious annexe (d US$100) if you want the atmosphere without the rattle of elderly plumbing or ghostly chains. The snug little bar is perfect for a dram or two on a snowy evening, and the restaurant does meals for around US$8 per main.
Eating
Baalbek’s dining scene isn’t exactly memorable: for cheap and filling, try the eateries on Rue Abdel Halim Hajjar. Al-Khayam Restaurant and, opposite, Restaurant Sinbad are two of the best. Both are open daily morning until late; felafel from LL1000, shwarma from LL1500. The Palmyra Hotel is probably the closest you’ll get to fine dining, with a roaring log fire in winter.
Frequented by locals, the 6th-floor Shahrazad ( 371 851; Top fl, Centre Commercial de Yaghi & Simbole, off Rue Abdel Halim Hajjar; chicken shwarma sandwich/kebab LL3500/7000; 8am-midnight) is best known for the fabulous views of the ruins from its large windows. Food is simple but tasty and good value, and there’s a good selection of mezze for vegetarians who can still stand the sight of those cheerful little plates. Access the restaurant via a signposted lift in the souq.
Getting There & Away
The only public transport options from Beirut to Baalbek are minibuses and service taxis. From the Cola transport hub, a minibus to Baalbek costs LL5000 (1½ hours); a service taxi costs LL7000. The bus stop in Baalbek is just up the road from the Palmyra Hotel, and the service taxi stand is in the souq area.
For information about how to get to Baalbek from Zahlé, Click here. In summer, you can negotiate a private taxi to take you across the barren, beautiful mountains to the Cedars or Bcharré (1½ hours) for around US$60.
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AANJAR
08 / pop 2400
The best-preserved Islamic archaeological site in Lebanon, Aanjar’s 1300-year-old Umayyad city (admission LL6000; 8am-sunset) comprises the remains of a walled Umayyad city, discovered by accident