Beirut, Lebanon, Nov 2005: A video capturing some scenes from Beirut back in 2005. Beginning from entering the city from the north [Tripoli], to where I was staying near the former “Green Line“- the start point for the 2005 Beirut Marathon. The Green Line was a demarcation through central Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War [1975-1990]. It separated the mainly Muslim factions in West Beirut from the predominantly Christian controlled East Beirut. The appellation refers to the former coloration of the foliage that grew along the boulevard.
The hallmarks of such a long and brutal conflict were still evident 15 years after the conclusion to this most bitter of wars. Along with the many cranes and signs of reconstruction, there were still plenty of battle scarred buildings standing, such as the infamous Holiday Inn- a favored snipers nest during [and after] the Battle of the Hotels. The film concludes at the Corniche, looking west into the Mediterranean Sea.
ferguscunningham.com 