Tyred

My ever-changing internet connection has been shaky at best so thanks for hanging in there with me!

So for the past few days I have stayed with our Associates who live and work in Beirut. On Monday, they graciously loaded up their kids, who are unbelievably cute and funny and on their way to speaking three languages, and took us on a road trip to Sidon and Tyre.

Now some of you may know that these two cities have been around since dirt (maybe longer) and are mentioned in the Bible. So, as a way to invite participation to the four of you who read my blog, I am creating a transcontinental challenge:

I will bring back a prize/gift/goodie to the first person who sends me a Bible verse(s) that mentions these two cities. Be sure to leave your name in the comments section, my friends!

On your mark...get set...go Bible scholars, GO!

Okay, so back to this road trip. Now, please keep in mind that Sidon and Tyre are south of Beirut, meaning the longer we drove, the closer we got to Israel. But, the closer we got to Israel, the stronger the anti-Israel presence became. And when I say "anti-Israel," I am talking a little bit more than just peace protests and Facebook campaigns. But I will let you know (Mom) that I did not once feel scared nor was placed in any immediate danger.

We did not stop in Sidon except for a shawarma (um...yum) and for me to take pictures of random buildings that I thought were of great importance but come to find out that they were built within the last millenia and are therefore considered "modern."

However, Tyre was a different story.

Tyre has a plethora of Roman ruins that have been around for over 2000 years. As a history buff, I soaked this stuff up. It was fascinating, especially when you are surrounded by apartment buildings, mosques, cell phones and honking horns. The ancient and the modern were colliding. It was a dual reality.

Wow, that sounded very sci-fi of me.

Here are a few pics to give you glimpse. And for those of you who are not a fan of ancient rocks, feel free to get an early start on that Bible quiz.

Archway to the road

The Roman road and the remnants of the aquaducts, with a few modern apartments in the background

Sarcophagi

Side by side.

These bones, according to the man who sells the tickets to get into the park, are the original bones from the unfortunate soul who passed away oh-so long ago. Amazing.

These are the "bleachers" at the hippodrome. This is the place where they filmed "Ben Hur." It is one of the best preserved hippodromes in the world.

A thirty year-old artifact. :)