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    A Personal and Political Journey Through Beirut, April/May, 1977
    A Personal and Political Journey Through Beirut, April/May, 1977
    A Personal and Political Journey Through Beirut, April/May, 1977
    Ebook82 pages1 hour

    A Personal and Political Journey Through Beirut, April/May, 1977

    By Gordie LaRocque

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    About this ebook

    Amidst the Lebanese Civil War in 1977 the author was delivered to an indigenous, bomb-damaged hotel on the Green Line, the dividing line in war-torn Beirut, where he lodged for nearly two weeks. Daily, and nightly, he traversed Between West and East Beirut, met with the indomitable inhabitants of that exotic metropolis, and engaged in one incident and revelatory moment after another. Encountering few foreigners and no media in an era prior to the 'world wide web','bloggers',etc., it was a time when few dared to venture into this war-torn land. This story compassionately describes the interminable spirit of Beirutis who inspired the author who took 'risks' and accepted diversity while he actively searched for an understanding of the complexities of that emotionally riveting and unique place-in-time.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGordie LaRocque
    Release dateNov 18, 2012
    ISBN9781301144525
    A Personal and Political Journey Through Beirut, April/May, 1977
    Author

    Gordie LaRocque

    'Worlds Collude - Escape Tales from Surf City to Sidi Ifni' is the 2nd of a trilogy. The first book is 'A Personal and Political Journey Through Beirut, April/May, 1977'. The 3rd book currently in progress is titled ‘Jerusalem 1977-2027. Quest For A Just Peace’. All these works stem from years of studying, travelling, working, and living in the Middle East and North Africa.In my career in Social Work I wrote formal research, and about citizen’s resilience, and of the need for egalitarian systemic response to peoples’ socio-economic struggles.My professional Social Work writing, as well as my primary life duty as full-time father, took all my time and energies. I do not communicate or promote on social media. My life has not followed the usual ‘grid’.

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      Book preview

      A Personal and Political Journey Through Beirut, April/May, 1977 - Gordie LaRocque

      A PERSONAL AND POLITICAL JOURNEY

      THROUGH BEIRUT, APRIL/MAY, 1977

      By

      Gordie ‘Youssef’ LaRocque

      Copyright © 2023 Gordie LaRocque

      All rights reserved.

      From this taxi centre, Youssef, you can still take the Damascus Road – this better for you, than go to Beirut in this time. I replied: But this is my chance; perhaps my only time to go to Beirut is now.

      PREFACE (2010)

      This chronicle, written in 2009, is the travel diary of actual people and of events that occurred and which was penned in an old journal while in Beirut in 1977. For 32 years I wanted to share this story of an extraordinary time and place. I remain faithful for a return visit. The names of people have been changed of course. It is these indomitable inhabitants of Beirut who inspired … and as I wrote, I was there again with them, feeling the passion of their interminable spirit against all odds in the most impossible of circumstances.

      CONTENTS

      Preface

      1. Delivery to Beirut: Welcome to the Place of Martyrs, ‘LES DIVORCEES’.

      2. Lessons and emotions while moving in the ‘theatre of violence’ – and the beauty of the ‘Eye Of The East’.

      3. Welcome to Christian East Beirut – not where I’d ever been before.

      4. Bluffing at the Holiday Inn and at Rivoli cards: playing the hand you’re dealt.

      5. East and West meet again.

      6. Learning more at Rivoli, and too much thinking in Al Hamra and in ‘No Man’s Land.’

      7. ‘And now they tell me Jumblatt is dead.’

      8. Traversing Beirut – more West and further East.

      9. Celebrating May Day/Jumblatt Day – and the love and hope for Beirut!

      10. The Lebanon labyrinth, the sensory of the Holiday Inn, spirit of Ain Mraisse … and the ‘French Avenue’ end run.

      11. Taking leave of Beirut: an evocation of emotions and spirit.

      A PERSONAL AND POLITICAL JOURNEY THROUGH BEIRUT, APRIL/MAY, 1977

      Saturday, April 23, 1977 (Day One):

      Delivery to Beirut: Welcome to the Place of Martyrs, ‘LES DIVORCEES’.

      After the raucous (politically speaking) previous late night we arose at 10:30 in the old walled Phoenician city of Tartous, Syria and prepared to leave Omar’s grandiose home (made of huge blocks of rock and stone) where his family had lived for 400 years, with the foundation 1800 years old. It was raining, very windy, and the Mediterranean Sea beyond the walled city was quite rough. After breakfast we went to Aziz’s house, then to the taxi centre. We had a warm and spirited farewell, despite and perhaps due to our passionate hours-long discourse, sometimes argument on the street corner late last night regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict. Omar could speak French, but no English; Aziz spoke English, but no French – and as for the past 3 days I spoke to one in English and to the other in French – and they spoke to each other in Arabic. Thus our hours-long and respectful discourse required patient translation, giving us time last night to cool our opinions, to everyone’s benefit.

      I had met Omar and Aziz in Alexandria, Egypt and later in Damascus and they had invited me to their respective homes in Tartous. They had been very hospitable and gracious. I wished them luck: Aziz, slightly built and mild-mannered, in his medical studies; and Omar, rotund, gregarious and with oratory to match, in his law studies – and perhaps destined to follow his grandfather who had served as the Governor of the Province of Tartous. They respectfully offered me one more opinion: From this taxi centre, Youssef, you can still take the Damascus Road – this better for you, than go to Beirut in this time. I replied: But this is my chance; perhaps my only time to go to Beirut is now.

      I had to take a taxi to Tripoli, Lebanon as there was no bus service. I agreed to a fare of 7 Syrian Pounds and left at one o’clock in an old Mercedes along with 4 other passengers. The rain, which had stopped during the morning, picked up again after we departed. The distance from Tartous to Tripoli is 65 kilometres. About halfway is the border. First I had my Syrian visa (already stamped from Cairo in my passport) signed at this border for exit from Syria. Then I paid 15 Syrian Pounds (about 4 dollars) for a passport visa stamped for The Lebanon, for 7 days duration.

      We continued south on the picturesque Mediterranean coastline – the taxi let me off in front of the bus station in Tripoli about 2:30. There was a bus leaving for Beirut at 3:15, I was told, for 4 Lebanese Pounds. I quickly found a place to change some money to local currency; there were 3 Lebanese Pounds in one Canadian dollar. The bus was one of the luxury tour types. The 85 kilometre trip to Beirut was very beautiful in its scenery. At times we travelled along winding, rugged shoreline, reminding me of parts of the California and Spain coastlines. In other places we were in very green, fertile areas. We passed through many small towns and villages, including the ancient Byblos. The bus was also stopped, incessantly it seemed, by many roadside military checkpoints, often with armed soldiers entering and patrolling the aisle. I met their eyes and they gave me more than a cursory glance. One swarthy soldier requested my passport, asked in barely understandable English my

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