(Guest blogger) It aint all bad here

Me again. Fi is still in the UK enjoying the rain and I will be off to in a few days to join her - we will both be back in Beirut after 2 weeks, following a wedding in Yorkshire, seeing various family members and friends and hopefully a few pints of real ale - it will be nice to have a change from al-Mazaa!

More of the same in Lebanon, but the country is starting to shrug off the problems and gradually - very gradually - getting back to something like normal.

What is interesting is that people's habits have changed very quickly. If I was an investor in Lebanese nightlife I think I would need quite a lot of tranquilisers as fashions and trends move incredibly quickly. 1 year ago (pre-war) everyone was in Monot street, after the war they moved to Gemmayzeh, but now the sun is out and it is warm, they have started to go to a place called Sky Bar (which has a 1500 capacity and is on a peninsula of reclaimed land out at sea) or to the various rooftop bars. The clue to all of this is in security - these places have all got electronic scanners and body searches and cant be attacked with a car bomb - so people feel safe. Meanwhile the little bars in town which are on streets are half full at best as people avoid them instinctivly - there is a rumour going round that Gemmayzeh Street is going to be pedestrianised. And 'Downtown' which is already pedestrianised, is usually avoided at this time of year by the Lebanese because the Khalijis (the Gulf tourists) monopolise it. Except there are hardly any tourists so that is also fairly quiet, and is now starting to get a bit more popular with the locals. But one way or another people are still enjoying the summer and praying that nobody wants another war of any kind!

And although it is not what it was this time last year, it is still a very glamourous city for the Haves. I always feel very underdressed, especially out and about in the evenings. Given half a chance this place will really take off as a tourist destination. The weather is just stunning at the moment, clear blue skies, green mountains and golden sunsets which somehow lull you in to thinking that everything is alright here.

Except it isnt alright. Anything could happen at any time, either good or bad, and people remain on edge, but as always here what seemed scary a month ago now seems normal. I will miss it for a couple of weeks but think I could use the break. And just hearing that a UNIFIL convoy (Spanish I think) has been attacked in the south - more bad news.
I will try to add some photos of my walk last weekend (although I am not as technically accomplished as Fi).