On Beirut in a Balloon and Phil Collins

West-Beirut; We live right there where the circle is

The balloon has been up here since June, but I had never gone up in it yet. One, because I am afraid of heights, and two, because it’s built, maintained and run by a Lebanese company, and this does not instill much faith. According to Anwar, who was the contractor, it’s all very safe and sound, but I was not convinced. But as my parents are here, and I have the day off, we’re not in the mood to go very far because my dad is sort of sick and I still have to study for tomorrow, we decided to go in this thing. It seems they did their test run on the morning of February the 14th, when Hariri was blown up, which is just around the corner; you can still feel the –now water filled – crater. The St. George, where Hariri got blown up.

The crater. It doesn't look that big, but it's pretty huge.

It goes up about 300 meters, I was on my knees most of the ride, and have decided not to go ever on a balloon ride. I remember once I went on a ULM flight in French; a type of motorcycle with some flimsy wings attached. The guy in front of me, the ‘pilot’, almost had its waist severed from his torso by my knee-clasp-grip. My brother, who said he’d go if I’d go, decided to cancel after I landed.
Anyway, it was not a bad ride after all. I took some shots of the city, show were I live. It is in the red circle. Right at the tip of the tip of Beirut. The balloon next to the Holiday Inn; bombed out in 1975 and never rebuilt

(Snoop Dogg: (Whachu doin?) Nothing chillin at the Holiday Inn (Who you wit?) Me and my peeps won't you bring four of your friends(What we gon' do?) Feel on each other and sip on some Hen One thing leading to another let the party begin) Hana and I in the balloon

On another (lower) note; it seems I’m going to Phil Collins Saturday night. I’m going with Eddie, as part of his education as a ‘whole child’. We went to the Rolling Stone two years ago, that was pretty good, sitting in the Press Box. I’m not quite sure where we will end up this time, but since he’s barely 1.50 (m), it better be somewhere up front or else he’s not going to see much. I’m not a fan, but hey, down here you got to take what comes along. I read this on a local blog, thought it was pretty funny: “Now, I know we like to think that our country has some irresistable artistic attraction to superstars but personally (and Rolling Stone can quote me), I think that coming here to perform is a sure sign that you're a has-been.”