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The Glossary

Arak - "a triple-distilled spirit of grapes and is famous throughout the Middle East. It is colorless like water and tastes of aniseed which is introduced at the third distillation."

From Lebanon Glossary

Beirut is a city defined not by its economy but by its religious, social and ethnic lines. A blend of Arab and European influences seeping in its roots, the city currently suffers from the sordid realities of poverty and warfare. Around its historic core, areas of poverty have swelled like cancerous cells, multiplying and affecting the city and its suburbs. The city's organization is chaotic, with residential and commercial areas intermingled, with high-rise buildings next to tenement slums. But, in spite of these unwelcome aspects of the city life, the warmth of its pulsating nightlife makes the city truly extraordinary.

Today, the southern area of Beirut is dotted with lots of refugee camps mass housing for Lebanese Shiite Muslims and Palestinians. This combination of ethnic and religious groups and their spatial distribution has contributed to the violence widespread in Lebanon. It somehow mirrors the sorrow and displacement of a city tormented and divided by war.

On the city's northern edge, the port area dominates the life of that part of the city while the important tourist facilities and institutions including many of the city's hotels and foreign embassies and the American University of Beirut are located along the shore on the Avenue de Paris. The Avenue de Paris forms part of the corniche, a wide boulevard that continues south along the Mediterranean and encircles much of the city. Avenue de l'Aéroport, a major thoroughfare, runs from the port area to the Beirut International Airport at the city's center.

User blogs:

Cheaper galactic spaceliner unveiled

News from http://news.ph.msn.com/top-stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3737940 Richard Branson unveiled Monday a commercial spaceliner offering tourists a cheaper chance to experience the thrill of weightlessness and view the splendor of the Earth from space.   The British billionaire hopes to offer tickets aboard his spacecraft at a cost of 200,000 dollars each, giving adventurous ... Read full Blog post

Indonesia Eco Tourism

 Tour Itenaray Day 01 BALI - LABUAN BAJO – RINCA ISLAND – KOMODO ISLAND (L.D) Pick up from your hotel in Bali and transfer to the airport, for flight to Labuan Bajo (West Flores) for approximately one and half hours. On arrival in Labuan Bajo airport, will be welcomed and met with our local representative or tour guide. Than transfer to the harbour to catch a boat cross to Rinca ... Read full Blog post

San Gimignano and San Pellegrino

Night falls on the flourishing and industrious San Gimignano, its 72 towers stand on the low roofs of the houses lit by the moon. This is not a luxury travel spot but is something you don't see every day. In the distance the clatter of hooves echoed tired in the Via Francigena. The hand of the blacksmith stops beating, the frame of the weaver becomes silent, the streets of the tank only a concert ... Read full Blog post

An Aerial fiesta in Clark Pampanga

Its a party in the sky as multi colored hot air balloons piloted ny different pilots from various partso of the world participated in this annual gathering. As early as 5am, the 2,500 hectare aviation complex at Clar Economic Zone in Pampanga was already crammedi with excitement. Clusters of hot air balloon participants busily prepare their own balloons for liftoff as they need to take advantage of ... Read full Blog post