Instead, a picture of yesterday, when I went skiing. The upper slopes were closed due to too much snow. The lower slopes were open, but you couldn't really see where you were going because it snowed so much. The only people on the slopes were either irate Europeans (such as I) who are used to such crappy weather that they'll ski in anything, and Arabs from the area, who came on the Eid el-Adha holiday. They come from Dubai, and Jordan, and the Arab Emirates, and while in Beirut, they all come and see the snow.
They of course, have no snow in their countries, so they come famously ill-equipped. No ski-jackets, but rather coats from material that will soak up any snow flake coming down from the sky. The ladies wear scarves usually, so that keeps them warm. But they come up in their traditional dresses (men as well), regular dress shoes, and their usual city clothes. They are very persistent, and all have a go at skiing. So they get the skis, the poles, they rent the scarves and gloves as well, hire an instructor, and there they go. It is fantastic to see with how much enthusiasm they tackle the slopes, even though conditions are worse than miserable. They probably assume that this is how it is in the snow; miserably cold. And they laugh, and they have fun. You won't see any Lebanese up in this weather.
After a while they notice that it doesn't get any easier, nor any warmer or drier for that matter, but they keep smiling. The ladies - and they come with the whole family, so the grandmother, and the aunts and uncles, and the nannies and the housekeepers, everyone is coming along - will huddle inside the restaurant, together with the frozen Phillipinoes, who don't like snow much either. And the guys go down, on skies and snowboards, and down they go; One wipe-out after the other. I didn't make any picture, because it wouldn't be very respectful, but what a happy people they are. This picture I got from another website. So we had a great day on the slopes. Even though the skiing was shitty.
They of course, have no snow in their countries, so they come famously ill-equipped. No ski-jackets, but rather coats from material that will soak up any snow flake coming down from the sky. The ladies wear scarves usually, so that keeps them warm. But they come up in their traditional dresses (men as well), regular dress shoes, and their usual city clothes. They are very persistent, and all have a go at skiing. So they get the skis, the poles, they rent the scarves and gloves as well, hire an instructor, and there they go. It is fantastic to see with how much enthusiasm they tackle the slopes, even though conditions are worse than miserable. They probably assume that this is how it is in the snow; miserably cold. And they laugh, and they have fun. You won't see any Lebanese up in this weather.
After a while they notice that it doesn't get any easier, nor any warmer or drier for that matter, but they keep smiling. The ladies - and they come with the whole family, so the grandmother, and the aunts and uncles, and the nannies and the housekeepers, everyone is coming along - will huddle inside the restaurant, together with the frozen Phillipinoes, who don't like snow much either. And the guys go down, on skies and snowboards, and down they go; One wipe-out after the other. I didn't make any picture, because it wouldn't be very respectful, but what a happy people they are. This picture I got from another website. So we had a great day on the slopes. Even though the skiing was shitty.
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