byblos blues: a photographer's blurry love letter to lebanon
okay, so i'm sitting in this café by the mediterranean with my camera gear scattered like confetti. the sea's doing that thing where it keeps stealing sunlight then giving it back. found myself in byblos because my lens has been craving ancient stone textures lately. turns out this place is basically a history buffet.
the temperature? just checked and it's hovering at this weird 14.91°C - like nature's air conditioning. if you're the type who sweats when you think about exercise, this is your sweet spot. the humidity's doing this clingy thing though, so maybe pack a towel for your neck.
“heard the castle walls whisper at dawn if you bring olives and listen real close. also the seafood at al balad? so fresh it probably swam onto your plate.”
spent yesterday chasing light through the old souk. my camera's sensor is practically weeping with joy. the stone alleys are this maze of shadows and smells - za'atar hanging like garlands, coffee roasting in copper pots, some dude bargaining over *phoenician beads like they're pokemon cards.
someone warned me that the castle steps are murder on your knees. they weren't kidding. but the view from the top? worth every creaky joint. you can see where the phoenicians parked their ships and where modern speedboats now zoom.
if you get bored, tripoli's just a stone's throw north for some serious street art vibes. honestly though? why leave? byblos has this rhythm where the sea slaps the shore and the city breathes back.
“tourists always miss the real stuff. ask mohammed at the harbor for his lemonade and he'll tell you how the fishermen still use nets from the bronze age.”
tried shooting the sunset from the marina last night. my fingers were numb but the colors were worth it - oranges bleeding into purples like someone spilled a watercolor set. yelp says this spot called al balad has killer grilled fish. tripadvisor raves about the castle. lebanon's tourism board has maps that look like they were drawn by a toddler but work somehow.
heard this rumor that the ancient harbor gets haunted by phoenician sailors when the moon's full. didn't see any ghosts but my long exposure shots did capture some seriously moody light. check out the local forums if you're into that sort of thing.
now i'm nursing this bitter coffee and wondering how i'll explain these 800+ photos to my editor. but honestly? when a place wraps around your lens like this, who cares about rules? just watch your step on those old harbor stones* - they're slicker than a politician's promise. and for the love of photography, don't forget to bring wide-angle lenses. these streets eat them for breakfast.