How I spent a long weekend in Beirut, and got out!

First, a very long flight from London to Amman, then a very long drive through Jordan, then Syria... to find everybody else going the other way:

Once in Lebanon, a few reminders of Israeli air power along the way - like this ex-semi.

The view from the balcony: A Shiite neighborhood that lives on the 'safe' side of the hill - in view of the media hotel and the UN Building. Their neighbors on the other side are not so lucky.

Ibrehem, the Jordanian fixer and escort from Amman.

A Chinook Sunset. Very romantic.

North of downtown, life goes on in a very nice fashion. I'll be back to Beirut some day to enjoy a great city.

But for now, time to go -- with about 600 others aboad the USS Nashville.

But first, something resembling dinner from the kind Marine handing out MRE's.

Then, the landing craft on the beach at midnight (after 8 hours of waiting)

Then, into the open aft hold of the ship.

The next morning, land ho! Cyprus on the horizon.

Down the ladder

To more waiting. Most of these folks had even more waiting to do for a charter flight out to Baltimore.

I grabbed a cab to Larnica airport and biz class to London, and lunch at my favorite bistro before the trip home to DC.