24 January 29, 2017 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Batroun, ’s Muscat: Through March 24th

The first Festival of India in Oman includes Indian clas- ancient coastal waiting sical and folk dances, Indian instrumental music, an exhi- bition of Indian calligraphy, an Indian food festival and a fashion show. The festival to be unearthed presents the diverse Indian culture, representing various traditions of Indian herit- age. Events are scheduled Samar Kadi for Muscat, Salalah, Sur and Sohar. Batroun Dubai: t has Phoenician ruins, Roman Through April 8th artefacts, a medieval castle, Byzantine-style churches and Global Village is a large arcaded Ottoman souks; how- cultural event in Dubai that ever, its heritage is still wait- offers an array of festivals, Iing to be uncovered. The origins of shopping and entertain- Batroun, one of Lebanon’s ancient ment in an open-air theme coastal , is still not known but park. This entertainment is believed to date to before the time and shopping destination in- of the Phoenicians who ruled much cludes more than 75 partici- of the eastern Mediterranean from pating countries, dozens of 1,500BC to 300BC. fun rides and 26 restaurants “There is a controversy over Ba- offering food from around troun’s origins. Some say it is Phoe- the world. nician; others say it is Roman, and others say it dates from the time of : the Crusaders. The truth is we don’t Through June 1st know. There is a civilisation un- derneath the ground that we have Souk El Tayeb is a weekly not discovered yet,” said Georges market that hosts more than Mubarak, an excavator and former 60 producers from across Greenpeace activist from Batroun. Lebanon with food products “Under the old castle, there are as well as traditional and vestiges and structures that I per- handmade crafts. Souk El sonally visited. If we don’t uncover Tayeb is open 10am-4pm this heritage, we cannot say that each Thursday at the Village Batroun has a civilisation and, with- Dbayeh. out civilisation, the city has no in- ternational value,” Mubarak added, Beirut: noting that of all ancient cities on Through December 28th the Lebanese shores, Batroun is not listed by the UN cultural agency, Events associated with Sur- UNESCO. sock Museum Late Nights take Mubarak said he has tried for place noon-9pm each Thurs- many years to engage Lebanon’s day at the Sursock Museum. Directorate of Antiquities and the The event includes exhibi- Ministry of Culture to excavate be- tions, collection displays, neath the seafront medieval castle, late-night talks, performanc- which was heavily damaged by an es and screenings. earthquake. A lack of funds has pre- vented archaeological excavation. Dubai: “This entire region is an archaeo- February 18th-28th logical area,” Mubarak said. “We are sitting on huge treasures. You name Al Marmoom Heritage Fes- tival celebrates the camel it: Potteries, jade artefacts, glass… The church of Mar Estefan in Lebanon’s ancient coastal city of Batroun was built from the sandstone There is a lot. I, myself, retrieved and its importance to the of an old Phoenician wall like all other old constructions in the city. (Samar Kadi) several pieces.” region. The event includes Nonetheless, Batroun, 50km professional camel races north of Beirut, boasts enough an- was the biggest trade centre on the viding good services. We are not provided the staple food of silk- that attract many trained cient vestiges and edifices — in ad- Lebanese coastline in the early 19th an industrial area or an agricultural worms — olive trees, vines, almond participants to compete for dition to tree-shaded beach resorts, century. Today, most investments city. Most investments are in the trees, wheat and barley. However, titles and high-end prizes. seafood restaurants and bustling are centred on tourism-oriented tourism sector,” Hark said. none of these activities has sur- The tournament is a way to nightlife — to woo large numbers of projects.” The city of 20,000 inhabitants has vived. experience the long-standing local and foreign visitors, especially Batroun’s beaches are popular for undergone some face-lifting in the “We had the best quality of Emirati pastime with cul- during summer. their crystal-clear waters. “It has past decade. A large part of the old sponge in Batroun’s sea. I used tural and traditional shows “With its many archaeological been tested. It is the only stretch of vaulted souks has been renovated to dive 15 to 30 metres to fish for planned around the camel and historical sites, its old souks and coast in Lebanon that has zero pol- and floored, red-tiled old houses sponge when I was a boy. Sponge races. churches, Batroun is a tourist desti- lution because we have always had — some turned into motels — and was exported to the United States nation par excellence,” said Batroun a proper infrastructure for sewers. restaurants restored and churches for use in medical industries. Un- Doha: Mayor Marcellino al-Hark. “The city Our efforts are geared towards pro- revamped. Restoration work is on- fortunately, the sponge animals February 22nd-May 21st going at the site of the Crusaders’ are extinct now because of random castle. fishing, pollution and dynamite use Picasso-Giacometti is an exhi- “We have strict laws on how to in fishing (during the 1975-90 civil bition that begins at the Fire deal with old structures,” Hark said. war),” noted Mubarak, who said he Station Artist in Residence “You cannot do any restoration or was keen on reviving Phoenician centre in Doha. The exhibi- touch any old house without a spe- heritage by building bronze replicas tion includes more than 80 cial permit and we have a list of of Phoenician ships that departed works from collections of the specifications that one has to follow. from Batroun and other cities on the Musée National Picasso and This is our wealth; we do not want Lebanese coast to cross the Mediter- the Foundation Giacometti to waste it. It is for us and for our ranean for trade. in Paris, including The She children.” Goat (1950) by Pablo Picasso The old part of Batroun was built Batroun is believed and Alberto Giacometti’s Tall from sandstone chipped out of Woman (1960). the “Phoenician wall”, which was to date to before sculpted by its inhabitants more the time of the Marrakech: than 2,000 years ago to protect them March 23rd-April 2nd from storms and invaders. People Phoenicians. quarried stone to build temples, The fourth Marrakech Dance houses and churches. Only 225 me- With its many old churches, tradi- Festival hosts dance teach- tres remain from the original wall, tional houses and ancient relics, in ers and participants from which was more than 1km long, addition to services and entertain- around the world for work- about 5 metres tall and 1 metre wide. ment facilities, Batroun is claiming shops, dance classes, confer- Typical to any coastal city, the sea a place on Lebanon’s tourist map, ences and live performances. has traditionally contributed to Ba- though it is not listed as a UNESCO troun’s wealth. Since ancient times, heritage like its renowned neigh- merchandise was imported and bour, . We welcome submissions of exported through its port. The sea However, for the veteran exca- calendar items related to produced fish, salt and high-quality vator, what is above the ground is cultural events of interest to sponge and its warehouses store im- much less than what is buried un- travellers in the Middle East ported food items. derneath. and North Africa. Batroun and its surroundings “What we care for the most is our Please send tips to: Batroun in northern Lebanon is almost the only part of the coast prospered from agriculture, includ- heritage, our civilisation. We want [email protected] with zero pollution. (Samar Kadi) ing mulberry trees — whose leaves to know our origin,” Mubarak said.