ironmanjt

Agree with Daniel, those gorilla shots are amazing - thanks for sharing!

...and Daniel, when you're ready to head back for post-Guinea Bissau Africa adventures I know a translator you can bring with

DanielW

And potent anti-corruption enforcer too.

rivlinm

Nyiragongo Volcano is much closer to Goma than the gorillas so we got a bit of a sleep in and could enjoy a tranquil breakfast while the sun rose over Lake Kivu. Our driver arrived on time and we dropped our bags at the Virunga office before running across the street to our Indian friend’s shop. We needed some snacks for our hike, dinner and breakfast the next morning so spent about 20K CDF on a variety of local and western treats. The shop isn’t designed for buying a full cart of items and we created a bottleneck equivalent to taking a full week’s worth of groceries through the 10 items or fewer line.


Breakfast on Lake Kivu


African super market, each item manually typed on a calculator


Traffic cop stand


Heading out of Goma

Virunga was just thirty minutes away and as we drove though the roadside villages outside of Goma one of us decided 12 bottles of water would not be enough (in reality it was too much) and we had to stop and ‘run’ back to a shop and buy one more. While waiting, a few locals shared some over-abundant affection for us.


A small local shop


Nearing Nyiragongo

Virunga National Park was founded as the first National Park in Africa by the Belgians in 1925. Originally named Albert National Park, it has had a tumultuous history but over the past three years, tourism has boomed. The hard and dedicated work of the Virunga Foundation in partnership with the heroic work of the park’s rangers has brought some much needed attention to the region and was featured in the 2014 documentary Virunga, which is available on Netflix.


The park signs


Official Virunga vehicle

At the office we were briefed in English and met our three other hiking mates. A German working for UNHCR and her parents (they were in the other Gorilla trek yesterday) rounded out group out to six. We had two guides, one who spoke French and the other spoke English. For $24 each we hired porters to carry our abundance of water and some other gear, keeping our personal loads to a minimum for what lie ahead. All in, the 13 of us began the climb at 10:07 and shortly after saw the large crew from the day before on their homestretch back to the base. We selected to summit on Monday, as the weekends are much busier with NGOs and other aid workers in the region enjoying the park.


Signing in


Briefing at the trailhead

The trek is broken up with four stops along the way. Stage one was relatively flat (compared to what lie ahead) and through the tree line. It came as a bit of a surprise when we arrived at the benches so early and easily. A stop wasn’t needed, but it was nice to sit for a bit and relax.

Base to Stop 1
Distance: 1.53 mi | 2.47 km
Time: 42:32
Start Elevation: 6541 ft | 1994 m
End Elevation: 7395 ft | 2254 m
Elevation Change: 853 ft | 260 m
Pace: 27:37/mi | 17:10/km


Still easy terrain


Actually walking downhill…


Stop number one

Stage two began to show its might with twice the elevation in half the distance. The surface also went from a mix of dirt and small lava rock to larger grapefruit and bigger sized rocks that required paying attention to each step.

Stop 1 to Stop 2
Distance: 0.71 mi | 1.14 km
Time: 52:44
Start Elevation: 7395 ft | 2254 m
End Elevation: 8284 ft | 2525 m
Elevation Change: 889 ft | 271 m
Pace: 1:14:02/mi | 46:00/km


Already gaining elevation


Bigger, looser rock ahead

Stage three covered even less distance but continued uphill at a daunting scale. Our arrival at stop three involved some snacks. Those clouds I wanted during our gorilla trek began to roll in, or maybe we started to enter that elevation where the clouds linger.

Stop 2 to Stop 3
Distance: 0.62 mi | 1.00 km
Time: 51:52
Start Elevation: 8284 ft | 2525 m
End Elevation: 9038 ft | 2755 m
Elevation Change: 754 ft | 230 m
Pace: 1:22:52/mi | 51:29/km




Tree trunk hole from the 2002 flow


Nearing the clouds


Getting steeper


Stop three


Snacks

Stage four was where the real fun began. Pushing through the clouds, the visibility and temperature began to plummet. That hot sweat from down below became super cold and a layer change was soon necessary. In distance, time and elevation this was the stage that never seemed to end. We kept pushing and our guides were always coy about how much remained. Eventually visibility became less than a few meters, which was a blessing as we couldn’t exactly tell the toils ahead. Unexpectedly, but mercifully, we reached our final stop at the original cabin (also where the porters/guides stay with a big group). The decrepit cabin provided a much-needed break from the winds that had picked up and forced me to don my coat.

Stop 3 to Stop 4 (Old cabin)
Distance: 0.88 mi | 1.42 km
Time: 1:57:05
Start Elevation: 9038 ft | 2755 m
End Elevation: 10613 ft | 3235 m
Elevation Change: 1574 ft | 480 m
Pace: 2:11:52 /mi | 1:21:56/km


Let the real climb begin


Lots of quick little breaks


Still a little bit of color


The old cabin

Knowing the summit was just beyond the old cabins we were eager to push and get our first sight of the lava pool below. Also standing around was just making us cold. Little did we know how challenging this last stage was. By no means a technical climb, this last 1/5 of a mile required all hands and feet on deck. No real trail existed and we simply forged our way over the lava boulders looking for the most direct route toward the lead guide just ahead in the fog. Amazingly at 15:00, just over five hours after starting, we reached the cabins and I quickly changed out of my wet clothes and bundled up for the elements at the summit. (Besides the cabin below, right at the summit they built a number of cabins when tourism began too boom. Just four months before our visit, they updated most cabins leaving just a few of the older ones for storage or the guides). We all tossed our gear in a cabin on the middle tier of cabins (of three) and waited for the rangers to show us the lookout point. The hike itself is well broken up and while challenging, most able bodied individuals would be capable. I did however actually find it more challenging than the final assentation of Kilimanjaro, even at just half the elevation. The pace of Kilimanjaro was much slower however.

Stop 4 to Summit
Distance: 0.21 mi | 0.33 km
Time: 42:14
Start Elevation: 10613 ft | 3235 m
End Elevation: 11384 ft | 3470 m
Elevation Change: 771 ft | 235 m
Pace: 3:21:07/mi | 2:04:58/km

Totals
Distance: 3.97 mi | 6.39 km
Time: 5:06:29
Start Elevation: 6541 ft | 1994 m
End Elevation: 11384 ft | 3470 m
Elevation Change: 4842 ft | 1476 m
Pace: 1:17:05/mi | 47:54/km


The final stretch


Cabins!


The lowest row of cabins


Our tier


The inside was actually clean and spacious


The previous version of cabins; used until four months ago


Tents inside to protect from the wind


Apparently the line to the bathroom

Finally the time had arrived and we were shown the first of three safe lookout points, but there was one problem. There was nothing to see. Not surprisingly, the clouds enveloped the entire crater as well. The sound of a bubbling caldron in addition to the obvious smell indicated this wasn’t just a typical mountain, but some magic was hidden below. Disappointed we stuck around the summit ridge for a bit before the rangers suggested we go relax and they would fetch us when the clouds cleared and the lava surfaced.


Lookout #1


Lookout #2


Lookout #3

The rangers had already settled in and were making dinner on their coal fire so we decided to retreat to our windproof cabin and do the same. No fire for us, although for a few bucks you can buy a bag of coal and a porter if you wish to cook your food at the summit. Our Amuse-bouche was cheese and crackers. We began preparing our main course of African smores (our name), which consisted of crackers, fufu (a cassava based African staple much like eba) and Nutella. As we prepared the smores, a porter came a calling and said the lava was visible. We rushed outside where the sky was still shroud in clouds and climbed up to the top tier. (A cabin on the top tier would have made getting around in the dark much easier through the night) Our first sighting was a bit unfulfilling as all we could discern through the clouds were a few hot spots below.


The rangers and porters getting ready for dinner


Our dinner: African smores


First view, if you can call it that

Disappointed, we hung around the summit and decided to see what lookout two (the best – with a bench) looked like. Miraculously the clouds broke for a brief 10 minutes and we enjoyed the wonders below. The sky even cleared (although not even long enough for me to turn around my tripod) and we could see the lights of Goma below. As quick as the marvel appeared, it dipped back behind the clouds and was nothing more than sounds and smells.


Visibility beyond five meters


Is that the sky clearing?


Getting closer


And closer


Even at our distance there was a small warmth felt from below


This was the view for less than five minutes


And the clouds rolled back in


So long, but even the glowing sky was awesome

The rangers told us they would let us know again if it emerged and we went back to the tent to finish our dinner. Around 8:30 we gave up hope on it appearing anytime soon so we called it a night, but not before assigning checks every two hours incase the rangers dropped the ball. As the night progressed, the wind continued to whip around and at our checks at 22:00, 00:00, 02:00 and 04:00 we discovered the same depressing results. Our last hope was for daybreak to bring a clearing in the sky.

rivlinm

West Africa was eye opening. Sad we decided not to overland ACC>LOM>COO>LOS and fly out of LOS but logistic wise it was best to keep simple. Were there times communication was more difficult, sure, but never proved to be trouble. Google translate played an important role.

I expected to like the volcano>gorillas, but because of the weather atop the volcano, the gorillas was the better experience. I'm not sure I could stomach the idea of spending ~$700 to see the gorillas. Although I am toying with the idea of doing the volcano again and tying in a trip to Burundi or Uganda.

I expected much more corruption including in west Africa, bad taste in your mouth was exactly how i described it, otherwise DRC was a great destination. Virunga service was top notch!

Thanks. Looking forward to those dual trip reports

stu1985

Amazing pictures in that last post!! Those lava shots are amazing!

rivlinm

For a variety of reasons I didn’t sleep great through the night and woke up around 5:00 and eventually mustered the willpower to look outside and assess the weather. Sadly nothing had changed and while I lingered around the summit ridge hoping for a dramatic change, I eventually conceded that I would just need to return someday to hopefully experience it again.


Not what I wanted to see this morning

After packing the gear we all were ready to head back down and began the slow climb over the boulders at 6:30. The first segment to the old cabin was slow going as we carefully placed each foot to avoid tumbling head over heals. From the cabin the walk was just a casual pace until we stopped about halfway and had breakfast.


Cold Nutella needs a knife

The clouds began to part and provided a great view of the extinct cone of Mount Shaheru. During the 2002 flow, the lava filled the crater of Nyiragongo’s southern cone. As we continued down we passed a group of more than 20 women (and some young women) carrying up very heavy jugs of water to the ranger’s post at the halfway point. Their footwear was abysmal and they looked to be struggling every step of the way. Very humbling. When we reached the last stop before the base, the guides and porters mentioned that this would be a good place “to give them a gift.” As a team we assembled a tip before finishing the last mile at 10:10. The next group of three was just leaving as we arrived back.


Mount Shaheru


I don’t remember it being this steep on the way up…


The cruelty of blue skies


Farewell

Along our drive back to Goma, our driver again paid the bribe to enter the city without any hassle. As we neared the Virunga office to claim our bags, a group of traffic cops (and a plain clothed accomplice) motioned for us to pull over. After looking at EVERY document possible (only the driver’s) both parties had a number of heated discussions. The process took about 15 minutes and our driver was visibly annoyed. It turned out one of his documents had expired just one day previously, so he was allowed to take us the rest of the way, but would need to come back later and sort out his troubles with the police. I couldn’t help but think he was targeted (in association with the plain clothed man) because of us. Being a tourist driver the police know he is an easier cash grab. It only added a bit of time to our drive, but we all felt sorry that he was subjected to this hassle.


Waiting for work


Easy going downhill

Eventually we had our bags and arrived at the border. Exiting the DRC took mere seconds, but entering Rwanda was a bit more of a process. First we had to have all of our bags manually searched before handing over our passport where it was processed. The passport was held while we paid in another booth before returning to the first officer to show payment receipt and being welcomed in. Each of the stations had lines, so the process was a bit drawn out, but soon enough we were on our way in comfort for the drive back to Kigali.


If only they had this sign when heading into the DRC


Lake Kivu once back on the Rwanda side

Starving, following a paltry breakfast, we stopped in Ruhengeri for lunch at the Hotel Muhabura. Dian Fossey who is best known for her research of mountain gorillas often stayed there when returning from her research. Her book was the inspiration for the like-named movie, Gorillas in the Mist. I enjoyed some samosas and tilapia croquettes.


Hotel Muhabura of Gorillas in the Mist fame


Celebratory beer


Samosa


Tilapia Croquettes

The slow drive along the smooth Rwandan roads (in addition to exhaustion from the trek) lulled us all to sleep. At one point we were stopped at a police checkpoint and after documents were checked, happily waved through. Much different results than in the DRC. At 16:45 we arrived back in Kigali and checked in at the Gloria Hotel. Our rooms were ready, but they couldn’t find the key so housekeeping let me in.


Rwanda seems like the best option for cycling training


Back at the Gloria Hotel

After cleaning up and resting a bit we decided to venture a bit farther from the hotel for food. It seemed any good food in Kigali takes some effort to find. We all agreed on Ethiopian which was off the beaten path, but Lalibela Ethiopian was well worth the drive. We ordered a mix of meat and vegetable for 24K RWF total. Since it was late and a bit removed from the city, they were nice enough to call a taxi for us and the expensive 5K RWF ride got us home in time for a much needed good night’s sleep. One problem, I still didn’t have a key. After about 10 minutes they figured out they could just make a digital key…


Primus and Ethiopian


Fantastic dinner

hauteboy

Definitely. We got out of paying a 'fee' at the Congo-Angola border!

Loving the trip report and photos! Missed out on Goma when I was in Rwanda, it was still pretty hot area at the time with M23/UN. But I visited Yemen on that trip which was a highlight.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...land-more.html

Bummer on the weather at the volcano! That was like my hiking the Inca Trail... was in the fog the entire time from day two and couldn't see MP at all when we arrived.

rivlinm

Not sure if it was the call to prayer or the gardeners that woke me early on our last day in Africa, but either way, I took it as a sign to indulge on the great Gloria Hotel breakfast. The hotel generously let us keep one room for a late checkout of 17:00 to store our bags and we headed off to learn about the Rwandan Genocide. The first stop was the Kigali Genocide Memorial.


Another great Gloria breakfast


Kigali Genocide Memorial

A brief security check was done as they explained following a brief movie the museum and memorial are free of charge, but a donation is much appreciated. We started in the rose garden, which appeared to be undergoing some renovations.


Graves and memorial


Victims


Burials


Flowers


Rose garden

The museum itself was very exhaustive covering the history of the region and how the ethnic divide between the Hutus and Tutsis was created and Europe’s role. The photos, media and exhibits were truly sobering. We took about two hours learning all we could about the atrocities committed on the ground in Rwanda, but also how the world looked the other way for as long as it did. Beyond the historical timeline covering atrocities there were photos with powerful stories of the scarred survivors and thousands more who were not as fortunate. One entire room showcased the stories of just children and their horrific murders.


Museum building


Inside the museum


Stained glass


Walls of victims’ photos


The faces of Genocide


Skulls


The tragic story of the children

Our next stop, Nyamata Church, was about an hour’s drive south of Kigali, and now a memorial to 45,000 genocide victims. The site of this church was a hopeful refuge for thousands of Tutsi victims before being mass murdered inside the church. Locking themselves inside in fear, they eventually were discovered and the doors and walls were blasted open before their slaughter. Photos inside were not allowed but endless piles of clothing and belongings of the victims were strewn across the pews. In the back, a stairwell led to an underground grave made for the memorial.


Nyamata Church


Graves in the back


Victim’s clothing inside


Front gate blasted open by grenade

Fifteen minutes north on the way back to Kigali was the Ntarama Genocide Memorial Centre, a memorial for the 5,000 killed taking refuge in the Catholic Church on August 15, 1994. Similar to Nyamata, those hidden in the church were soon murdered after grenades tore holes in the walls of the church allowing the perpetrators to fire upon and use machetes to exterminate their victims. We were guided through the church in addition to the mass graves. They are currently logging the victims and providing a proper burial but the sheer number of victims is proving to be very time intensive. One large pavilion provides protection from the elements for piles and piles of bones, skulls and other artifacts needing to be logged.


Ntarama Memorial Center


Protected by a pavilion


Inside the church


Blast holes to access the victims


Allowed the militias to throw in grenades and open fire


Piles of belongings


Nearby classroom where children were murdered against the wall


Ethnic identity card


Caskets


The atrocities of genocide

On the drive back we stopped at the Hotel Des Mille Collines, known from its portrayal in the movie Hotel Rwanda. During the genocide the heroic actions of the hotel’s manager, Paul Rusesabagina, protected over 1,000 from the Interahamwe militia. The property, now Kempinski managed, was a bit expensive given its average-at-best reviews so we decided to stay elsewhere, it was an eerily tranquil property.


Interesting way to load a bike


Hotel Des Mille Collines


Memorial to the those who perished in the hotel


Hotel grounds

From the hotel we walked through the downtown searching for one last meal before having to head off to the airport. Fat Mamas Indian was a great meal for just 13k RWF. I still needed to mail some postcards and found some at local shop, but the post office was closed. Once back at the hotel I asked if they had stamps and had to stop them from using a rubber PAID stamp on them. Shockingly the postcards were some of the first to arrive from my trip. Before checking out we tried the banana wine we forgot to drink on the volcano. Awful!


Kigali City Hall


A few paneer curries


Repulsive banana wine

A 10k RWF taxi whisked us off to the airport and before we could even enter, every bag was sniffed by a dog followed by a detailed security search. I paid a quick visit to the lounge, which was comfortable and even offered one free glass of wine. Soon enough the boarding gate opened where we got to play security theater again. A boarding card was issued for the flight, but when we went to board the bus, we had to show both the boarding card and boarding pass. Eventually we were onboard the mostly full flight to Dubai.


Dog sniffing at the airport


Pearl Lounge


One last beer to try


Kigali bus gates


Our bird to Dubai


WB flight 300
Kigali, Rwanda (KGL) to Dubai, UAE (DXB)
Depart: 20:20, Arrive: 04:15(+1), Time: 5:55
Boeing 737-800, Seat 18F


This flight didn’t feature the two for one drink service but they were more than happy to provide drinks if we went back and asked. Until they ran out of red wine that is. The chicken meal was quality for economy and after a bit of sleep we landed safely in Dubai.


Another quality catering experience with Rwandair – Chicken


Open bar

rivlinm

Upon arrival in the UAE we were awkwardly singled out of the immigration line to proceed to a counter with no wait. They basically said if you don’t have an African passport, use this quicker line. Our bags arrived shortly after and we found a taxi to the Park Hyatt Dubai. Our driver, likely upset with such a short ride, tried to short us 50 AED and tried to play it off as a mistake, so maybe our corruption wasn’t done after all.

Being Ramadan and summer in the Gulf, hotel rates were dirt cheap so after a few tries with the Hyatt Best Rate Guarantee we finally were approved for $140/night. On top of that some DSU were applied and we had two suites with free minibar and breakfast at one of Dubai’s more relaxing resort style properties. I had stayed in a suite at the Fairmont on the Palm before and found the room and service to be much better, but for this price I certainly wasn’t about to complain.

One suite was upgraded to a terrace suite and the other took about 30 minutes to prepare but showing up at 6:00 and being given an early check in was very generous. Once settled in the room I slept for about four hours and made my way to relax at the pool. Our purpose for stopping in Dubai was to allow for some pad should something have gone wrong in Africa and allow travel flexibility. I had originally hoped to visit Kish Island but being Ramadan, figured that would really limit my ability to feast on Persian food. As a consolation prize while we sat at the pool for the afternoon, we decided to do Persian for dinner, since the UAE offers such diverse food options. Sitting at the pool in the dead of summer was surprisingly not too hot but we decided to take advantage of the free mini bar back in the room.


Suite bedroom


Living room


Bathroom


Dubai Creek with a hazy view of downtown Dubai


Afternoon at the pool

Ready for dinner, Uber took a bit of a circuitous route to Pars Iranian Restaurant. We got there just as the fast ended and it wasn’t all that busy. The service was great and we were given a plate of sabzi along with some fresh sangak (bread). We decided to splourge a bit and started off with some lentil soup served tableside before an appetizer of shirazi salad and kashk-e bademjan, an eggplant like dip. For the main entree we shared a few fluffy kebab koobideh and a bowl of ghormeh sabzi. For dessert we polished off a refreshing faloodeh.


The next best thing to Kish Island


Mixed sabzi (herbs) and cheese plate with sangak


Lentil soup


Kashk-e bademjan


Kebab koobideh


Ghormeh sabzi


Faloodeh

Next door was an Iranian sweets shop where we picked up some cookies and I stocked up on my dwindling supply of gaz. Back at the hotel we did our best to empty the mini bar before calling it a night with no concrete plans the next day.


Perfect accompaniment to Pars


Persian cookies

DanielW

Love the lava lake shots. A Canadian girl on my climb had real bad luck on her firsttrek up the volcano; it rained continuously and they spent most of the time at the top in the cabins.

Some sweet digs at the Park Hyatt and some tasty looking Qormeh sabzi too.

rivlinm

Today’s alarm came way too early, but as the sun began to stream in I decided to finally stop hitting snooze. My previous visit to the UAE only included Abu Dhabi and Dubai so while we had a top notch breakfast at the Park Hyatt, we discussed renting a car and driving out to Fujairah for the day. A rental was really cheap so we booked and headed to the airport to pick up the car.


Plate one of unknown


Halal eggs benedict


Nothing says Ramadan Kareem like drinking your morning coffee behind giant partitions

Along the mostly desolate sand dusted highway outside of Dubai we came across our first camel crossing. Lots of scattered construction dotted the landscape, but just about an hour later we reached the outskirts of the city.


Why did the camel cross the road?


Courthouse


Trying to show up Jerry World

Fujairah is a complete contrast to Dubai (and Abu Dhabi/Sharjah), which felt more like neighboring Oman. It was the last of the seven emirates to join the Trucial States that eventually became the UAE. We new hardly anything about this part of the country so just drove around taking it in. Our first sight was what turned out to be a brand new mosque.

Opened for Eid in 2015, the 210 Million AED mosque was named after Sheikh Zayed (yes that very same Sheikh Zayed of the Abu Dhabi Mosque and father of the UAE). It is now the second largest mosque in the Emirates with six 100-meter minarets and over 65 domes. It can handle 28,000 worshipers and on this particular first Friday of Ramadan the parking lot was packed. It is not open to non-Muslims.



Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Fujairah


One of the 65 domes


Second largest mosque in the UAE

We continued down the main street toward the Gulf of Oman and you can notice development of the city is beginning, but has a long way to go to lump itself with the glitz and glamor of the UAE most tourists see. One of the main projects is a resort near the border with Oman to attract beach goers. The sun was baking hot at this point and when we reached the small beach we couldn’t stand more than five minutes before retreating back to the car and cranking up the AC.


Fujairah Beach


And its deserted corniche along the Gulf of Oman


Fujairah does have some fun roundabouts though

On the outskirts of the city was the Fujairah museum and fort. The fort wasn’t yet open since it was a Friday and we didn’t feel like waiting so we explored the outside before continuing our tour of the Emirates.


Fujairah Fort


Fujairah skyline highlighted by the new Sheikh Zayed Mosque

We began by driving north toward Ras Al Khaimah and just before reaching the enclave of Oman with the counter-enclave of UAE we stopped to check out the town of Al Bithnah. The route from the highway to the fort was a bit challenging to find and navigate but once we arrived we were greeted with another desolate and seemingly closed fort. We did a quick walk around and as we were returning to the car the ‘keeper of the fort’ came out and offered to take us in. Was nice to see since we were in the neighborhood, but was nothing special compared to Nakhal and Nizwa in Oman. It was thought to have been built in the late 18th Century.


Bithnah Fort


Private tour inside


View from atop the fort

Back on the road we saw rural UAE as we made our way to the coast along the Persian Gulf in Ras Al Khaimah. Since it was Ramadan not many restaurants were open (some blackout the windows for the non Muslim migrants to eat) and we decided to forgoe eating while we traversed the remaining emirates, including Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah and finally Ajman before getting back to Dubai. It was a shame we didn’t stop in EFC; Emirates Fried Chicken. In just a few hours we briefly hit six of the seven (not Abu Dhabi) and saw a much more authentic window of traditional Emirate and Arab life. Lots of small roadside shops in Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain. Sharjah and Ajman (being so close to Dubai) are much more advanced.


Ras Al Khaimah’s newest and largest mosque: Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi Mosque


This is the UAE?


All sorts of Ramadan retail offers

After a bit of a rest at the hotel, we took advantage of our rental and drove to the New Gold Souk for some Uzbek cuisine. We arrived just before Iftar (the meal that breaks the fast) and had to actually wait a few minutes before they would serve us. The food was fantastic and cheap. We stuffed ourselves, after our nearly all day fast, for just 112 AED. Traditional dates and water (for iftar) were served while starting off with chuchvara (fried dumplings) and dolma. We shared plov Tashkent and Gijduvans kofte (kebabs).


Uzbegim, a hidden gem in the new gold souk


Breaking the fast with dates and water


Dolma


Chuchvara


Plov Tashkent


Gijduvans kofte

On the ride home we had to make a detour for a souvenir at the Hard Rock Café before finally raiding each of our rooms minibars one last time. A live tv broadcast from Mecca kept us entertained until it was time to finally call it a night.


Free portable car wash in the parking garage


Dubai skyline under the haze


Burj Khalifa

rivlinm

Even though it felt like I had only slept for a few hours, the great Hyatt breakfast called my name bright and early. Sure glad we didn’t book that early morning departure on FlyDubai. I was unsure what food Oman Air would offer during Ramadan so I of course pigged out to be safe. We checked out and drove to the airport to return the car, but not before circling once following some poor navigation skills.


All of the food group essentials


And a side of pancakes

Check in and emigration was a breeze and I headed off to the lounge for a few minutes before boarding. Full food and alcohol were on offer, even during Ramadan. Soon enough it was boarding time on my first 787 flight. It was actually a wet lease from KQ, but painted in the bold Oman Air colors.


Incase you bring an extra suitcase and decide you don’t actually want it


Marhaba Lounge


Sad I couldn’t be on our neighbor gate’s flight


WY flight 604
Dubai, UAE (DXB) to Muscat, Oman (MCT)
Depart: 11:14, Arrive: 12:19, Time: 1:05
Boeing 787-800, Seat 22A


After boarding, I quickly realized this flight would be empty with a capital E. The middle economy section couldn’t have had more than 10 passengers. A quick sandwich and drink service occurred right after take off and just five minutes before our final descent they unlocked the windows so I could play with and discover how worthless Boeing’s innovation is. As we landed the flight attendant asked if I could undim the window and acknowledged she was surprised I was able to figure out the controls. Is that an advanced skill or are passengers on this route simply stupid?


Not quite a full flight today


With such a light payload, there was hardly any flex in the wing over downtown Dubai


Something to eat out of boredom


About time I got to play with a 787 window, what a disappointment

We landed without occasion and after a quick bus ride to the busy terminal, I hunkered out in the lounge rather than sit in the boarding gate pens. I had been to the Plaza Premium lounge previously, so opted to try the Majan Lounge this time. It seemed a bit more open although maybe with fewer food choices. Although, nothing too shabby. The chicken biryani was great, but no alcohol was available due to Ramadan. Just before boarding I trudged to the holding pen for our bus ride to the plane. Unsure of the seating configuration we took our chances and lucked out with exit row seats after some educated guessing.


Majan Lounge


Chicken biryani


Boarding the Oman Air 737


WY flight 423
Muscat, Oman (MCT) to Beirut, Lebanon (BEY)
Depart: 14:05, Arrive: 17:32, Time: 4:27
Boeing 737-800, Seat 20F


On board we settled in for the somewhat long regional flight, but with the exit row and a really nice IFE it wasn’t so bad. The flight was about 70% full and many passengers refused food. I selected beef over pasta and alcohol didn’t seem to be an option. Other than our roundabout flight path that took us across Saudi Arabia and over the Sinai Peninsula to avoid Syria and Israel the flight was pleasant and before we knew it, we were on the ground in Beirut.


Nice IFE in screen quality and content quantity, too bad that we couldn’t fly this direct route


Tasted much better than it looked


Taxiing at BEY

Rafic Hariri International airport almost confused me for a domestic US airport with its dull and slightly claustrophobic design. Immigration was friendly and after he diligently flipped through the first third of my passport he hardly gave the rest a glance after noticing my Iranian visa.

We had arranged a ride with our Airbnb host and he was waiting to take us to our home for the next six nights. There was hardly any traffic and we quickly arrived in Mar Nicolas, which is just a few blocks east of Mohammed Al-Amin Mosque. Our digs were plenty spacious and our host even left us a nicely stocked fridge, including, most importantly, a round of Almazas. It was tough to decide between what turned out to be a fantastic airbnb rental or the Four Points just south of Hamra. In the end, we made the right decision since our neighborhood had much more nightlife and character.


Quick drive from the airport in the south


Living room


Dining room


Airplane mini collection


Living room #2


Bedroom #1


Bedroom #2


Welcome to Lebanon!

Just before sundown we headed out to explore the neighborhood along Gouraud Street. Much like our flight, we quickly discovered Beirut was a well-blended city of conservative and very liberal individuals. On one side of the street you would see modestly dressed Muslims while the other would have a rowdy group of drunks showing off some skin in the summer heat. Most people we encountered spoke either French or Arabic in addition to English. As we wandered down the street we found a bar and kicked off our evening with three Almazas for 9000 LBP (Lebanese Pounds) (About $6).


Mar Nicolas was full of character as well as great food and drink options


Gouraud Street


A common sight over the next few days

Excited for our first Lebanese culinary experience we sought out a local but casual establishment. At the end of the street we found just that in Mashawish. In addition to a number of grilled meats we created a mezze of sorts including moutabal and fattoush. It seemed a bit expensive at 45K LBP, but well worth it after a day of hotel and airplane food.


Mashawish Grill Bar


Freshly grilled meats


In a country without too much beer variety, a micro brew was a welcome sight


Near: Moutabal (similar to baba ganoush)


Fattoush (salad mixed with Levantine bread)


Merguez sausage


Kebab

On the walk home we picked up a few more beers for the week and stopped in one last bar to sample our first Lebanese wine over a game of checkers. We had a long day exploring Beirut on foot ahead of us so called it a night after doing some much needed laundry.


Perfect nightcap to a great first taste of Lebanon

rivlinm

Thanks! I was so eager to shoot photos of the lava all night, and that is all I got. I'll be back!

Yea at the time east DRC wasn't a great place for tourists. Glad to see the Virunga foundation is really bringing positive attention to Goma. I was terrified of what you experienced in Peru so after finishing our trek on the Inka Trail decided to spend a night in Aguas Calientas for a second chance if it was cloudy. Day one was a giant cloud, day two was blue skies and sunny as can be. I feel your pain!

I think the folks the night before us didn't see ANYTHING, so I suppose we were lucky. Maybe next time I can be lucky enough to hitch a ride on that helicopter you saw.

The Hyatt was ok.... I have fallen in love with the sabzi, it's becoming a regular dish to make at home.

rivlinm

Before kicking off our first full day in Beirut, I filled up with some labneh cheese and pita.


Labneh and pita

As we made our way down the quiet Sunday morning streets the only others around were folks headed to mass at a nearby church. We continued until we reached a few of the main historical sights of Beirut. Along Martyrs’ Square was the newly constructed Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque. In historical times the location was home to a Zawiya, or location for religious studies. Following a donation by the late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri construction for this mosque began in 2002 and was officially inaugurated in 2008. During the construction of the mosque, a Decumanus Maximus (the main east-west road from Roman times) was discovered and excavated.


Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque


65 meter minarets


Very Ottoman

Oddly, the Blue Mosque, as it is also known, is designed in Ottoman style. Nearby the site of the mosque lies both Martyrs’ Monument as well as ruins from Petit Sérail, both historic constructions with ties to the atrocities of the Ottomans in the early 20th century. The square before the 20th century was known as Sahed al-Bourj and following the hangings of Lebanese and Syrians who spoke out for independence from Ottoman ruler Jamal Pasha, it became a spot for remembrance over the years. The current monument was built in 1960 but suffered damage during the decades long Lebanese Civil War. Following the war, repairs were made, but the monument was left with many scars from the war. The monument depicts both a Muslim and Christian woman holding hands above a coffin.


Martyrs’ Square; formerly Sahed al-Bourj


Martyrs’ Monument

Just north of the monument, Petit Sérail, was the former seat of Lebanese government that dated back to the 16th century but was demolished in the 1950s to connect the square to the sea. Also, following the war, excavations were made to Petit Sérail.


Excavation of Petit Sérail

Also in the square is the burial site of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, who in 2005 was assassinated in his motorcade just outside the St. Georges Hotel, which was just around the corner from the square. The hotel was undergoing renovations at the time of the assassination that killed 22 others, and construction has yet to resume. Following many investigations four arrest warrants were issued to members of Hezbollah, but they were quick to point the finger at Israel. It is still unclear who was responsible for the crime.


Rafic Hariri

Beyond the square was the desolate Nijmeh Square, which makes up a small part of the Beirut Central District. Sure it was still early on a Sunday morning, but there was hardly anyone around, besides quite a few military forces keeping a watchful eye on the area. Restricted to only pedestrians, the streets consisted of mostly high end shops catered for tourists and many official offices. Besides many banks there was the Lebanese Parliament and the Governmental Palace. Just off the square was the Hamidiyi Clock tower, which was built to honor the 10th anniversary of the coronation of Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1897. Following the war, the entire area was restored and access is somewhat restricted to prevent future mass protests and protect the government offices.


Nijmeh Square


One of the major arteries of Nijmeh Square


Hamidiyi Clock Tower


Roman Bath Gardens


Roman Baths

We continued through the streets slowly making our way to Hamra Stree and eventually lunch. The city was distinctly old and new. Many buildings still showed the horrors of war but many others showed extreme progress in such a short time. Through the streets we observed tons of churches, a few mosques and even a synagogue.


New construction


The scars of war

Hamra Street is the most recognized street in the city for its nightlife, western brands and tourist appeal. Many shops were just opening up for the day as we began our quest for the best food on Hamra. We struggled to find anything authentic and after passing all of the western fast food chains near AUB (American University Beirut) stumbled across Kababji on Bliss St. Even though it was a local chain, the food was fantastic and we kept ordering more and more. The highlight was a kebab with raw ground lamb, also called nayyeh. Bliss street is the longest and one of the most historic in Beirut and we headed west to explore the corniche. Along the way we bought a SIM card at a steep $50 for using Google Maps over the coming days.


Hamra Street


Only have seen these donation boxes in Iran, here you can select either the poor or orphans as your beneficiary


Lots of ‘green’ street art on Hamra


No shortage of political signage…


And patriotic barricades


BarBar food delivery about to head out in full force


AUB campus


Ayran


Warak Inab (pomegranate dolma), rkakat (grilled cheese sticks), lahme ba’ajine (mini folded pizza), Raheb Salad (eggplant)


Kebbeh orfali (raw ground lamb with pistachio)


Bliss Street


What is lunch without a few Lebanese sweets


Yum!

Finally at the corniche we saw all sorts of locals relaxing and exercising on this pleasant summer afternoon. There were conservatives sunbathing under the cover of their hijab while others went for a run in shorts. A great mix of cultures and fantastic people watching. The costal views along the Mediterranean Sea were beautiful as we continued on toward Pigeon Rock in the Raouché neighborhood, an upscale cliffside residential neighborhood. Lots of resorts and amusement parks dotted the walk and even a small military base with an anti-aircraft gun overlooking the coast. A soldier made sure to remind me no photos in this area. Lots of enterprising locals tried to sell us on a boat trip around the rock but we wanted to get back home after an exhausting walk all the way across the city.


The corniche


Getting some exercise


Sunbathing on the Mediterranean


Playing in the water


See France, it’s no trouble…


All shapes and sizes


Fishing


Manara Lighthouse


High value property in Raouché


Lebanese Armed Forces


Seaside resorts


Pigeon rock from around the bend


Pigeon Rock


Even has been showcased on Bing

We found an Uber to take us home where we discovered a local street fair on Gouraud Street. Going against anything you would expect to see in the Middle East, let alone during Ramadan, street drinking was commonplace and lots of vendors sold their wares or local cuisine. Live music up and down the street created a lively atmosphere and we began to bar hop until the night was no longer young. Starving and maybe slightly inebriated we caved for some top-notch burgers before stumbling home.


Sunday driving


Beirut Beer*

*I absolutely loved this beer’s design. The dots above and below the B, I and T match that of their transliterated Arabic character. Ba= ب, I/Y= ي, Ta= ت – Beirut= بيروت‎‎


Summer street fair on Gouraud St.


Lots of great food


Calligrapher


Street drinking while your children play in the trampoline


Barber


Serving a free shot of Irak


Getting the party started


A few more beers while watching Euro Cup 2016 (Poland v. N. Ireland)


Friendly reminder after a few drinks


Hit the spot!

Sadly while eating dinner I was reading the news and learned there had just been a bombing at Blom Bank only a few blocks from where we had been on Hamra Street earlier that afternoon. Thankfully no one was killed and only two suffered minor injuries. The intention appeared directed at sending a message (not harming anyone) after the US began requiring banks to target Hezbollah accounts, and Blom bank is known to have such connections.

BryanIAH

Great photos! Thanks for the detailed info on visas and border crossings.