Wed 23 July 03

Lebanese Diaspora in Australia

Wed 23 July 03

Wednesday 23 July 2003: Tour of Ehden, The Cedars, Becharre, St Antonios Kozhaya with lunch at Saba Restaurant.

This was our last day together as a group, and one of the most tiring days.

We started our journey from the hotel via Chekka to Kousba where we got off the bus and enjoyed freshly baked zaartar. From here, we ventured up into the Kadisha valley through Ehden to St Antonios of Kozhaya where we viewed the current museum of classical lebanese artifacts.

We then began our journey down to a hermits refuge which took us a few hours to zig-zag our way down this mountain to the middle of peace and quiet.

Once returning to the bus, we headed off to lunch near Becharre where we once again danced with great views of the valley below us.

The pinnacle of the journey was our visit to the cedars on such a beautiful day. On our return to the hotel, we were lucky enough to meet the Patriarch of the Lebanese Maronite church in Deman.

The return to the hotel was a teary one, as many members grabbed the microphone to reminisce on the 2 and a half weeks of friendship and exploration.

The Cedars Forest - Symbol of Lebanon

Khalil Farah

Often called "The Cedars of God"

Khalil Farah

Kadisha Valley

Khalil Farah

Khalil Farah

As we passed a chapel on the way to the Cedars

Khalil Farah

St Antonios - Kozhaya

Khalil Farah

Kadisha valley- mountain track to a Hermits refuge

Khalil Farah

Deman - photo with the Maronite Patriarch

David Yazbeck

"Memories from Claire & Carol Daoud"

On our last day before heading back to the hotel, we were priviliged to meet the Patriarche "Mar Nissrallah Boutros Sfeir" who fell in love with Maroun Sukkur's personality. Maroun explained to the Patriarche how he was from Sydney and that the people orignally from Bcharre were the ones who bent the Big Banana in New South Wales, Australia.

Did you know?

At an altitude of over 2000 metres, the famous Cedars of Lebanon stand proud between the land and the sky. They have been so often called Arz El Rab (Cedars of God) and considered as a miracle of nature.

Classified as national treasure, some cedars are considered to be 6000 years old.

Cited in the holy Bible and ancient historical books, the cedar is symbol of Eternity and wisdom, and the symbol of the Lebanese Republic. The most famous cedars are in the region of Becharre and Barouk in the Chouf.

The Kadisha Valley became the first Christian refuge & where since the 4th century A.D. hermits have in caves and rock shelters dwelled (there are still 2 Hermits currently living over there).

There are also a large number of monasteries and chapels such as Saydet Hawqa, Saydet Qannoubine, Mar Lichaa and many more.

St Anthonios of Kozhaya located at the exit or the other side of the valley encloses:

- caves where St Anthony the great disciples 4th century A.D. sought refuge.

- The monastery existing since medieval age removed in 1924 to be rebuilt just as it was during the ottoman period, currently housed as a museum.