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No Middle Eastern country
has a more Western lifestyle
than Lebanon.
Not surprisingly, the capital Beirut
is called the Paris of the Middle East.
This is due to the city’s intense nightlife,
as well as its refined public places,
fashion boutiques,
restaurants and pastry shops.
Lebanon is a medley of cultures
reflected by the people’s passion for coffee,
a beverage found here
in every possible variation,
from Arab-Bedouin brews
to Turkish infusions,
from cardamom-flavoured coffee
to white coffee.
White coffee is ideal
for people who can’t drink caffeine.
It is not real coffee
but just a flavoured beverage,
with drops of orange-flower water
plus sugar and honey.
The capital features
the most exclusive public places
that take after the Western world.
The recent war destroyed
many of Beirut’s oldest cafés.
The only one left standing
is the Gemmayzeh Café,
featuring retro furnishing
and a Parisian atmosphere.
Even today it is much loved
by intellectuals, artists
and backgammon aficionados.
The alleys of the old city centre
are dotted with workshops,
where skilled craftsmen
forge real masterpieces:
the metal coffee-pots
exported all over the world...