Adonis Diaries

Part 3. “On the wild trails of Mount Lebanon”: To town of Bcherreh ; (Mar. 5, 2010)

            Pierre Bared, a middle-aged man, tall, svelte, with graying beard and three children decided to walked alone for 22 days on the wild trails of Mount Lebanon crossing it from the upper northern town of Kobayat to the southern town of Marje3youn  in June 2008.

            On the sixth day, the photographer Alfred called Pierre for a second photo session planting a Cedar tree in the town of Bcherreh (the birth town of Jubran Khalil Jubran, author of the “Prophet”).  They met mid way on a snaking path leading to the Saint Valley of Kannoubine.  Alfred takes photos from all angle of Pierre preparing his regular morning drink of powder milk and cocoa. Alfred then gives Pierre ride to Bcherreh for another photo session; the town hall extended the needed tools for planting the tree; Alfred brings him back to the wild trail; the owner of a café shop by the river agreed to water the plant.

            In Kannoubine, Pierre decided to take three days off of walking so that his monstrous blisters heal. Two of his old friends from scout Walid and Raymond joined him; Walid had fetched back the tent from Nizar.  The three guys spend two nights around bonfires reminiscing of old days.  Mosquitoes prevented Raymond from sleeping outside the tent.  The iced river was no handicap for Pierre to bath and wash his garments. Pierre has been walking bare foot most of the time.

            On the third morning of his resting period, a Sunday, Pierre abandoned Walid to guard the tent and resumed his wandering in the Saint Valley (classified by UNESCO a world sanctuary where goods are transported on mules).  He returned to get acquainted with the nuns in the convent and resumed his marching to the convent of Haouka.  In this convent there is this last hermit living in a grotto transformed into a tiny church.  In the afternoon, a bunch of friends surprised him by bringing his son with them and they had a barbecue going.

            Around 6 pm, Pierre walked toward the town of Hasroun. The ascent is hazardous and tiring.  Before the town square, Pierre decided to take advantage of an hour before nightfall and ventured into an asphalt road.  The full moon illuminated his path, an ascent toward a lone cedar tree by a traditional house. 

By 10 pm, Pierre walked into an orchard and spent the night; he slept under a cherry tree.  At 2 am, a loud Arabic music, set on high volume, awoke Pierre.  A man advanced rapidly toward Pierre without noticing him and then suddenly changed direction a few meters from him.  Pierre conjectured that the orchard guard had parked his car and is listening to the music inside his car.  Pierre had to suffer another 3 hours of this awful music to his ears before he gladly packed at 5 am; he was still sleepy but happy to be getting away from this horrible music. (To be continued)