We had planned to visit Lebanon in January, when Saad Hariri’s government decided to resign, plunging the country into an unstable political situation. Our stay in this cradle of civilizations thus became an emotional experience.

When we landed in Beirut, the airport was empty and the sun about to set. Our taxi driver comforted us with stories of the current events which shook some parts of the country. Streets were quiet and the few people we met were all talking about politics. Even some shop windows had cartoons on the political crisis.

Beirut is quite a big city and its constant construction work hides the landscape. But anyone who comes to Beirut cannot miss the big mosque, the Mohammed el-Amine, which was entirely financed by the former billionaire and Prime Minister shot in 2005, Rafic Hariri. Just beside the mosque, a mausoleum for Hariri is under construction. He is buried beneath this big white tent, and the place is permanently guarded by police.

On January 24, the new Prime Minister, Najib Mikati was nominated. A national strike was planned the day after. We, however, were off to admire the Phoenician and Roman relics in both Byblos and Tripoli.

We were told that Tripoli was too dangerous to visit. In Byblos, most people I talked to were supporters of the Hezbollah and they said Byblos was safe to stay in. It was quite surprising to be in a place where everything was apparently calm while, not so far away, fighters burned tires in order to block the streets. The taxi driver, the barmaid and even the hotel receptionist told us that the fighters were supporting Saad Hariri and wanted to demonstrate their anger against the nomination of Hezbollah supporter in government.

When I went back to Beirut two days later, the army was deployed in the entire city. The Hariri mausoleum was closed and this time, guarded by the army. In a few hours, the main city came under army supervision. Sporadic riots were rapidly dispersed and we only heard some screams. Every site in the city was surrounded by tanks and heavily armed soldiers.

While Lebanese people are used to live side by side with the army and were not worried, I was very impressed by the extent of the military deployment. I was also curious. Soldiers who crossed our path smiled at us. I remember I was waiting to cross the road in front of an old building showing traces of an earlier war, when the military jeeps went through the street. It was as if time had stopped; no car moved and we were the only pedestrians (and tourists) to be in the middle of the crossroads, watched like cattle!

On my way to Baalbek, on Iran’s border. Crossing mountains, the road was full of trash. Everything there was to throw had been thrown on the road here. Yet the road was lined with clothes shops, restaurant and garages. We could easily make out we were in an area controlled by the Hezbollah.

I saw a lot of pictures of the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and also pictures of both Iranian revolution guide and current head of the Islamic republic, Khomeini and Khamenei. People were cheerfully talking about Hezbollah’s power and a woman tried to sell us a T-shirt with a Hezbollah slogan.

The Hezbollah army in the country is about one million strong and much bigger than the army of Lebanon. It was interesting to hear positive comments on the Hezbollah, given that the European media is constantly critical of the Hezbollah and takes a jaundiced view of the Iranian interference in Lebanon. After a brief visit to Saïda, where the beach is also an expansive garbage bin, we went back to Beirut. Everything was back to normal here.

The army was away, people were going out enjoying the night life and I realised how much a situation showed on a TV screen can be different from the reality. Everyone we spoke to was unconcerned about political instability, and no one considered Lebanon an insecure place. Lebanese people are used to living like this. I have to admit, when one is traveling and keen to discover a country with its people, its history and its culture, one could quickly get lost in a country like Lebanon. Seventeen civilisations crossed this strategical place in the Middle-East. The result is a mix of everything, customs to facial features. And everyone defines ‘self’ first according to one’s religious community.

For a long time, they have lived together with their differences. They suffered a traumatizing civil war, foreign occupation and interference but now they yearn for peace. A peace much deserved but not guaranteed.

By Caroline Azad