I arrived in Beirut last night at 1AM, during a thunderstorm. Although I couldn’t hear the thunder inside the plane, I could definitely see the lightning and feel the shaking and bouncing of the plane quite well, and the large waves hitting the shoreline of the Beirut coast. As we finally landed on the runway, the plane was blown left and right a few times while decelerating, and eventually stopped. The landing wasn’t the scariest one I’ve experienced, but it was definitely in the top 5! After landing, I proceeded to passport control, where after a short wait while first one border guard, and then another scrutinized my passport for any Israeli stamps, let me in to get my bag, which amazingly arrived in one piece and unopened, and then out to the arrivals hall.
After meeting and greeting Manu, and a friend, George, we were quickly whisked away in a taxi, going at least 120km/h in the city towards downtown Beirut. Here George got off to go partying, and Manu and me were taken home to Fourn el Shebbak, where she lives.