Last night, I was invited to a couchsurfing party at someone's home up in the mountains above Jbeil (Byblos). I am always impressed by the grandiose interpretations the Lebanese choose when planning a party. This particular affair was dubbed a "Chillout Saj Night", Saj being a typical Lebanese bread used to make sandwiches. Before heading north, I made a quick stop in Beirut to pick up a Dutch couchsurfer, Jip, whom I had met a week or so earlier. Together we headed towards Jab el Dib with the intention of meeting some other Couchsurfers so that we could follow each other to the party.
Despite being sure of where we were headed, I managed to drive right past the meeting point, and traffic on the other side of the highway was far too bad to turn around. Instead, we called Roy and arranged another meeting point. I only noticed Roy's car at first, so I kept passing this little green car that for some annoying reason insisted on being behind Roy. After being a bit of a jerk for a while, I finally realized that he was with our group. Ooops.
We picked up another car along the way, and eventually arrived at a beautiful home in the mountains completely decked out for an incredible evening under the stars. The food was excellent, our hosts even better. The music was a bit loud for conversation, but it was perfect for dancing, so the group danced the night away. The American in me would never dream of calling such a gathering a "Chillout" party, but I suppose by Lebanese standards, it was pretty relaxing.
It was on the way home, late in the evening, that I realized just how great some of the Lebanese signs are. Two of my favorites belong to the chain of crepe restaurants "Crepaway", which you must pronounce with a French accent but with an English mind to really enjoy.
- "Right here, Crepaway"
- "Come as you are, Crepaway"
But last night, I became partial to the sign for Roadside Diner:
"Roadside Diner - There goes your heart."
What's not to love about this country?
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