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Baalbek is THE site of Lebanon. This site was occupied in 3000 BC. The place was called Heliopolis in the empire of Alexander the Great. After, the city became roman. According somle specialist, the Temple of Jupiter was the most impressive Roman building ever built... even in Rome.
Durinh its long history, the city was attacked by the Mongols of Hulagu and by the troops of Tamerlan, far away from his capital : Samarkand !
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[the text below was translated to English by Christine C. Scholtes]
But Baalbek is not just a small town where you can see remarkable ruins... Before entering the site, you can see the "Islamic Resistance Museum" or "Hezbollah Museum". And what a strange place: a place dedicated to the glory of suicide commandos, with many portraits of the martyrs, rugsacks with bullet holes and blood stains. Exhibited together with a few weapons and a soundtrack of Hezbollah propaganda songs. But it's normal, as we are in a region controlled by the Hezbollah!
While I was typing these few lines, Israel launched its first attacks against Syria in 20 years. I can't help wondering if this museum has not been opened for Westerners in quest of big thrills...
Notice to the visitors of this website: these pictures do not imply my approbation of the actions or the politics of the Hezbollah. It is only an eyewitness account. A country, whatever it is, is not only made of century-old historic sites. Today's situation is just as important, if not more.
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The day I went to Baalbek, there was a meeting of the Amal militias, which had taken part in the Lebanese civil war. It was a strange feeling to be in a country which was at war. Long before arriving in Baalbek, many roadblocks had been set up. They were held by militiamen who did not look very official, as well as by civilians. Armoured troop carriers, topped by heavy machine guns, completed the picture.
In Baalbek itself, there must have been more than a hundred men armed with Kalachnikovs (AK47) for some, or M16 for others. The regular army seemed to keep quiet while the militias were parading in brand new uniforms. The Lebanese flag, which coexisted with the milita's flag, was sometimes taken away with more or less care. A meaningful act.
You won't see these armed men. I don't feel like a war reporter and my many travels in solo have taught me to know when not to cross the line. And this line was, that day, right in front of me.
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