Saïfi Village

Saïfi Village. (summer village, literally ) a section of downtown Beirut, and probably the most expensive place to live in, apartments here are many millions of dollars.
this part is entirely reconstructed of course. the spirit of the old has been kept, but barely.
all the old city has been destroyed during the 16 years of war, i don't know if there are still buildings of that period that i could shoot. i will have to ask about that.
here i found only one, i have no idea why it is kept like this in the middle of all those freshly painted buildings.





this neighborhood is called "quartier des arts", it has many art galleries, good ones, and also artisans from all kind, antique sellers, and the inevitable clothes and jewellery shops. very beautiful things. i've been drooling over shop windows too :)




pink and yellow seem to be the favorite color schemes there.
showing you my favorite wall, the one of my "downtown ghost" images. also the pink wall with green leaves, inspired me a couple of photos before.







at an art galley, a painting of Hassan Jouni, one of the biggest names here, the old generation of painters.









aren't they a sweet couple? an old shot, when i was not shy yet to ask complete strangers to pose for me.
why did i become shy anyway?

Hamra

Hamra (7amra) is the main street of Beirut, and was for a long time, the beating heart of the city, economical, social and mostly cultural. in her cafés met all the writers, actors and artists of the country, and on its chairs were written many pages of our cultural heritage.
it's not what it used to be, the least i can say...
some may say the Downtown became the heart of Beirut. i disagree strongly, maybe an artificial heart, at its best.




Librairie Orientale. specialized in art books, mostly. i think my book is somewhere inside :)



beggars, too many. it's an old fashioned one, having his "spot" sitting and waiting for the passers to give him.
these day they follow you everywhere and hang on your car window or your sleeve.




these two come from an older photo walk, i was in my "double exposure" period.
the first one, no comment ;)








It says :
why is there more poverty in Lebanon : because of the confessional system
why we still don't have electricity (yes why???) : because of the confessional system

(our whole government is based on religions. the president must be of one specified religion, the prime minister of another, the deputies etc... until the simplest employees that have a quota. we have 18 confessions, try to make the math)
yes stupid system that fails every day since ever

i said this blog will not get political or social, how to avoid this in Lebanon ?



Lebanese war (1975- )




some Lebanese humor. we like to make fun of ourselves, that's how we survive

electricity and it's dangers. WHEN we get electricity.

keep eating... because it's the only pleasure left, for many and because many others are busy trying to feed their family and forget that it is important to make a change. and here goes another 50 years of degradation.




I'm gay , it says. takes a lot of courage to say it here. it's a crime and is punished by prison.

right under it : the party of Tuesday nice political party for a change. we all hate Mondays.







it says red red meaning red lipstick (like in french "Rouge") but here there is a third word play, the name of the street "hamra" means also red.





a happy wall, wise too in places. typically Lebanese, i find, in a modern way.

it says somewhere: don't come too close, my heart might swallow you

i have nothing to add to that!