Lebanon Syria 1 - Flight to Beirut via Abu Dhabi from Japan by Ethihad Airways

Lebanon and Syria travel stories

I traveled to Syria and Lebanon for 11 days, September 17 to 27, 2010.
Those days when I went to Syria, Syrian people were really friendly and very peaceful, and security was good. It was exciting every day.
As you know, currently in 2013, Syria is in civil war. Every time I see the current situation in Syria on TV, I'm surprised and very sad. I can't believe it at all...
I'd like to tell you that very friendly people in Syria and the situation of Syria at that time it was peace.
I can't help hoping that peace will be come back in Syria.

Preparing for travel

Flight tickets
Before, Emirates was flying to Dubai from Nagoya Centrair airport in Japan.
But, to be sad, Emirates has left from Nagoya.
Happily, Etihad Airways started flying to Nagoya after leaving Emirates.
Like Emirates, Ethihad Airways is an airline company of the United Arab Emirates.
Emirates' base airport is Dubai, and Etihad Airways' is Abu Dhabi.
Dubai is more famous than Abu Dhabi in Japan. But I heard that Abu Dhabi has been remarkably developmed for few years.
I decided to use the Etihad Airways for Lebanon and Syria trip.

Outward: Nagoya - (Beijing) - Abu Dhabi - Beirut
Return: Damascus - Abu Dhabi - (Beijing) - Nagoya

Visa
About Lebanese visa: we, Japanese can get a tourist visa for one month at the Beirut Airport.
The problem is Syrian visa.
It is impossible for me to get Syrian visa at Syria Embassy in Tokyo in advance because Tokyo is far from my town.
If I asked visa agency to get, it would be so expensive.
When I searched through the Internet about issuing Syrian visa, I can't get the arrival visa in Damascus Airport.
At Syrian border from Turkey and Jordan, it seems that some people could get arrival visas but some people were not issued.
Finally I found that those entered Syrian boarder from Lebanon always succeeded to get Syrian visas.
On this trip, I decided to get Syrian visa at boarder from Lebanon.
That's the reason why I chose a flight to Beirut, and leaving from Damascus.


Money
Currency of Lebanon is Lebanese Pound. 1US Dollar = about 1500 Lebanese Pound (Sep,2010)
Currency of Syria is Syrian Pound. 1US Dollar = about 50 Syrian Pound (Sep, 2010)
According to the information on the Internet and my guide book, it is difficult to exchange Japanese yen cash to both Lebanese and Syrian currency.
In addition, installation of ATM also seemed less in those countries.
I decided to take U.S. Dollar cash which had been exchanged from Japanese yen cash in Japan before starting travel.

Day 1: Boarding to Etihad Airways at Nagoya Centrair Airport

Etihad Airways flight EY889 to Abu Dhabi leaves 9:45 p.m. from Nagoya Centrair Airport.
It is enough time to get to the airport after leaving my office.

There are few passengers at the boarding gate after passport control in Centrair.
After all, the aircraft took off the airport less than 10% load factor.
I'm afraid that like Emirates, Ethihad airways stops Nagoya Abu Dhabi air route.
Flight EY889 lands at Beijing Capital Airport.
Unfortunately, I was not possible to go out from the plane.
I had to wait on the aircraft about two hours at Beijing Capital Airport.
Just before departure , passengers from Beijing began to board the plane.
Nagoya - Beijing load factor was very low. But Beijing - Abu Dhabi was full.

Day 2: from Beijing to Beirut via Abu Dhabi

Flight EY889 Etihad Airways took off Beijing Airport for Abu Dhabi International Airport.
On Nagoya Beijing Flight, I got dinner, and I got a meal again after leaving Beijing late at night.
After eating , I took a sleep for hours.

When I woke up, outside of the plane began to be bringht.
After one hour, we arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

I took killing time at Abu Dhabi airport for five hours, I boarded an airplane of Etihad Airways EY537 for Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.

City of Beirut

After 2 hours flight from Abu Dhabi, Ethihad aircraft was going to land at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.

Lebanon Syria 2 - Arrival at Beirut Airport and sight seeing of Beirut

Day 2 - continued

EY537 Etihad Airways flight arrived at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.
I got Lebanonese 30 day tourist visa at the airport immigration.

I went to the city from the airport by taxi.
After checking in Talal's New Hotel and leaving my luggage in my room, I went to the city center of Beirut.

Christ Church and Isramic Mosque

City center of Beirut that has been well redeveloped

Music band

A building in Beirut city

I came to Beirut seafront that faces the Mediterranean Sea.
When I got to the rock pigeon Pigeon Rocks, it was already beginning to dark.

Sunset to the Mediterranean and Pigeon Rocks

Walking in Mediterrranean Sunset

I went back to Talal's New Hotel by taxi.
At evening, I went to Rue Gemaizeh in Ashrafiyyeh district, busiest night street in Beirut.
It's only 5 minutes walk from Talal's New Hotel.
Very stylish restaurants and bars lined on both side of the street, it was so fun.

Beirut security seemed very good as far as I stayed there.

Next day, I went to Baalbek, Greek and Roman ruins in central Lebanon.

Lebanon Syria 3 - Beirut to Baalbek, and to Qaa, Lebanon-Syria boarder

Day 3

Checking out the Talal's New Hotel, I headed to Baalbek.
It took about 3 hours by bus from Cola bus terminal in Beirut
Baalbek ruins are ancient Greek and Roman temples in the Beqaa Valley of central Lebanon

Arring at Baalbek

Camels are the best behicles in Arabian area

Full of collapsed ruins

Temple of Bacchus

Concert is held in the Temple of Bacchus every year

No roof on Bucchus temple

Temple of Jupitar, which left only six pillars

(photo)

Full of tourists

Can you see people? Those pillars are so tall and big!.

Tall and big pillars

Finished Baalbek ruins tour.

For entry to Syria, I had to head to immigration of Qaa, border of Syria and Lebanon,by bus from Baalbek
Bus terminal of Baalbek is about 10 minutes walk from the Baalbek ruins.
When I arrived at the bus terminal, a man of the bus terminal said the bus to Qaa border would leave in 30 minutes and fare was five US dollars..

After all, I waited for 1 hour near the bus terminal.
A man said to me "Bus for boarder has come.
If you want to Qaa border, you need pay more five U.S dollars, because you are the only one who goes to the boader.
If you don't pay total ten dollars, you have to wait here until next bus"

I didn't know the next bus would have passengers who go to Qaa boarder.
I'm afraid if I wait next bus, I might not be able to arrive at Hama City in Syria

today
Well , because it was addition of only $ 5US , I said 10 dollars is OK.
The bus for Qaa boarder left Baalbek bus terminal.

At first, about 20 people were on this bus.
Little by little, passengers got out from the bus.
At the half way of the route, I was the only passenger on the vehicle.

After one hour ride, I arrived Lebanon immigration of Qaa border
Bus driver stopped the bus in front of the immigration building.
The driver said to me "Go to immigration for leaving Lebanon, and come back here."


I got off the bus alone and entered the Lebanese immigration office.
There was no line for departure. I got departure stamp on my passport immediately
I went back to the bus again.
After 5 minutes ride, the bus stop just front of the Lebanese Syrian border gate.

Boader Gate between Lebanon and Syria

The bus driver said "Here's the boader. Come back to Lebanon again!"
Even though I had to pay more 5US dollars, the driver might be a good man unexpectedly.

Walking through the border gate, I finally got to Syria.