From a cafe in Beirut

It's strange being here, after a year and a half. I worried that I'd feel dislocated like this in Damascus, but Damascus hasn't changed so it just felt normal...I now know that I didn't understand from newspapers and friends what was happening here in Beirut at all. I just drove past downtown to get to this cafe in Hamra, where I'm writing...downtown used to be, well, downtown, as in it was one of the centres of shops, restaurants, cafes: now it's just tents and tents of Hezbollah who moved into the area in December 2006 and still haven't left - even the roads into it are blocked. Solidare - one of the main parts of downtown - is still accessible, but people don't go there anymore so the restaurants and shops are all closed, "like a film set", said one lone tourist. It's so peculiar seeing the traffic all turning off before it gets to what used to be a main and busy part of Beirut. I still can't really get over it - a Hezbollah camp right in the middle of Beirut, and no-one can shift it. "It's just to make their point" said Beiruti Elie, "that they're here to stay".

But here in Hamra everything is more recognisable. People are out in the sun, wearing clothes that are much less conservative than in Damascus: the atmosphere is freer despite everything. I had a huge argument with Damascene friends Ola and Khaled about Beirut: "I don't understand" they both say "why all foreigners love Beirut. Why does everyone go on about Beirut?". To all foreigners I know, it's quite obvious (especially when compared to Damascus) but it was tough arguing the point and ultimately we had to leave it unresolved. It was all good-natured - in fact, pretty funny, I wish I'd taped it - but there wasn't even common ground. Later Khaled said "of course I feel freer there, but...": for me there can be no buts. I feel freer here and that's surely reason enough to prefer it. Khaled's point was that there is freedom but still no democracy; there are more newspapers but each is as narrow-minded as the Ba'ath newspaper in Syria - just because there are more narrow-minded political parties here doesn't make the country any less narrow-minded. That may be true, but on the street level the city is more carefree and therefore more enjoyable. Apart from the shock of downtown, it's good to be here.

And the weather's pretty nice, which I can take advantage of and wear a vest top, unlike in Damascus.

What I haven't got a feel for is whether there is still as much going on as I used to drool over when I lived in Damascus. I don't really have time to check it out, except via Jan and Elie (and if anyone knows, they do, oh initiators of the hug campaign). An awesome-looking exhibition has unfortunately just finished, which showed propaganda posters from all sides from the fifteen years of the civil war here, charting the development of graphic style and skill. I went to CD-theque in Ashrafiye and, although small, it had cool books, magazines, CDs and DVDs - not much in the way of new imported books but lots of arty Lebanese publications and recent DVDs. I guess I'll wander around here, and go out later to see what Gemayze, the bars and clubs area, is like now. Though if I describe this side of Beirut then I should really talk about Damascus' status of being Arab Capital of Culture this year - something Jan is taking advantage of for a project, thereby arguing against his point that nothing happens there. But that would be difficult, as I did not see one single sign for anything cultural...

There seem to be political focus groups in here, talking earnestly about the future of Arab countries in lots of languages with overlaps and exchanges between different groups on different tables, like an office of a think-tank. Perhaps I should talk to them before a wander round Hamra - it's better than supporting American capitalist hegemony in the form of Starbucks, which is where I used to meet communists.

Until tomorrow, when I'll be wearing padded pants along with 400 other women.

Salamat.