The Cedar
Mentioned in the epic of Gilgamesh and the bible, this famous tree from which the Phoenicians built their fleet is a source of pride for the Lebanese. The Cedar, as a symbol of eternal life, is on the country’s flag and is located in one of its most visited sites in Bcharre. When you visit Lebanon you must take a trip up to either ski or hike between these trees.

The country’s landscape
With a richness of nature unique to the region, the Lebanese are extremely proud of the country’s terrain. Their geography lessons in school are comically all about Lebanon’s small size and the proximity between mountain and sea. The coast and green mountains aren’t far apart and are what make the country so distinctive.

Their deep history
From prehistoric times, Phoenicians, Romans, Ottomans and French, this small patch of land has seen a myriad of human activity. This crowded history has left its markings littered all over Lebanon and in its people. Lebanon is a truly diverse country with varying religions, lifestyles and even genetics.

Beirut
The country’s capital, Beirut is a source of pride for the locals. Its rise from the ashes and cosmopolitan spirit make it one of the world’s most amazing cities. Beirut holds a lot in terms of visual history – you can still see evidence of lively 60’s Beirut, the civil war and its consequent rise in its buildings.

Their towns
While the Lebanese outside of the country will wax lyrical about the country as a whole, their true pride comes from their individual towns and villages. Coming from one town or the other in Lebanon is a real marker of how a person may have grown up and leaves an impact on who they are as adults.

Translation

In my Spanish cloak,
And old slouch hat,
And overshoes of felt,
And Tyke, my faithful dog,
And my knotted hickory cane,
I slipped about with a bull’s-eye lantern
From door to door on the square,
As the midnight stars wheeled round,
And the bell in the steeple murmured
From the blowing of the wind;
And the weary steps of old Doc Hill
Sounded like one who walks in sleep,
And a far-off rooster crew.
And now another is watching Spoon River
As others watched before me.
And here we lie, Doc Hill and I
Where none breaks through and steals,
And no eye needs to guard.

Իմ Իսպանական թիկնոցը,
Եվ հին ծալքավոր գլխարկը,
Եվ զգացմունքների կոշիկները,
Եվ Թայքը, իմ հավատարիմ շունը,
Եվ իմ պատմական հանգույցով ձեռնափայտը,
Ես սայթաքեցի ցլի աչքի լամով,
Տուն առ տուն հրապարակում,
Ասես կեսգիշերյան աստղի պես պտտվում էի,
Եվ ուղղաձիգ զանգը զրնգաց,
Քամու փչումից,
Եվ հոգնած քայլերը հին Դոք Հիլլ-ի,
Ձայն էին հանում այնպես, ինքպես մեկն էի քայլում,
Եվ հեռավոր աքաղաղի անձնակազմը,
Եվ հիմա ուրիշը նայում է Սնուփ գետին,
Ինչպես ուրիշն է նայում ինձնից հետո,
Եվ այստեղ մենք ստեցինք, Դոք Հիլլ-ն ու ես,
Որտեղ ոչ ոք չի կոտրում և գողանում,
Եվ ոչ մեկի աչքը պետք չե պահտպանել: