Sara & Cedric - The True Story

Well a fellow blogger <http://beirutntsc.blogspot.com/>took the
picture of the sequel of this
billboard<http://www.independence05.com/blog/2009/04/sarah-will-you-marry-me-cedric.html>that
I posted about some time ago, luckily I did refer slightly that it
might be an ad, so am not a complete fool!

It turned out to be a Sleep Comfort Ad, the first was just a teaser. At
first I thought I was really reading the response of the woman, but then I
read Sleep Comfort.

Well, as an ad it was extremely successful. But I was sort of disapointed.
Even though, and for the record, I personally wouldn't want to be proposed
to in that manner, nor in those planes that carry a long sheet written all
over it, or on TV, or in a restaurant! *wink*

Picture courtesy of this
post<http://beirutntsc.blogspot.com/2009/04/marriage-proposal-gone-wrong.html>.

Billboards, some getting creative, some just plain ridiculous

As you have probably noticed my dear reader, I have a fascination with Billboards, but I think many other Lebanese residents do too. Why you wonder? It's because they are too many of them and just everywhere. You cannot but stare at 4 or 5 at the same time while driving. Billboards in Lebanon are a very effective way of advertising, due to the repetitive traffic we encounter on a daily and regionally basis!

Especially lately, politics has stumbled upon billboards as diamonds to... everyone! Billboards are not just there to advertise products or shops or events, they're there to advertise politicians. Since Hariri's assassination in February 2005 we have seen many of them move their propaganda war to billboards (more like copy, because no one really gives up on media propaganda), and now with the elections, billboards are just sitting there waiting for candidates to take a picture of themselves, with so many kinds of poses, frowning, smiling, laughing, reflective, you name it, and then throw in a little catchy slogan down below. (I promise, I will try to take pictures of them as much as I can), but for now, below are my evalution of these three different kinds of billboard promotions:


I love playing on words, it's my hobby! And this billboard, makes me laugh everytime I see it :) For those of you who don't know arabic, Chery can be associated with Buy! In Lebanon we have a saying "Shtiree Ra7tak", which is translated to "Buy your comfort" and means that sometimes you need to spend a bit more money on something but it's worth it as you will be getting something that will just relieve your mind from worries and lead you to comfort!


It's smart, MTC (one of the two mobile companies in Lebanon) is declaring that it now has 1 million voices, and well you need a voice to use a mobile phone, so yes it's smart, especially with the up-coming elections, a vote is a voice...


And finally, one of the most ridiculous billboard ads ever, Mr Farid Al Khazen ad. Before this one, the billboard contained the same landscape picture with the same text on it, excluding the candidate's name and portrait. The dude believes... There are a series of billboards saying that he believes in youth and elderly, he believes in nation and women, etc.. In Arabic there is some closeness between the 2 words he chose to believe in, but nonetheless, it is a bit pointless. You want to believe? Believe! Just don't go about saying it to the world as your campaign to get elected... I wouldn't vote for you.

That's it for today. More coming soon

Where to go when you visit Lebanon - Site 6: Batroun

I have been wanting to write about Batroun since quite a while. As you have probably read on this blog, I have already written about 5 places you should visit when you visit Lebanon.

If you want a rich, entertaining, educational, out-of-this world, fun, gastronomic vacation, just follow my advice, I know what I am talking about!

Just look at the right of this blog, you will see the recommended sites (or activities): Baalbeck, Gemmayze, Byblos (Jbeil), Skiing and Outdoors Adventure!

Today I will tell you about Batroun, and the next recommended place will be my newly favorite area in Lebanon, and that is Hamra (in Beirut)

bot'-ris (Botrus; modern Batrun):

This is how you get to Batroun, it's almost 14 km after Jbeil on your way to the North, and just a little bit before Tripoli.


Batroun is definitely a village/city to visit. It was once just an old village, tight streets, archeological sites, old houses and churches, but now it's much more, it has been booming lately with a big number of restaurants, pubs, night-clubs and an infamous beating night-life.

But that's not the only more like many things Batroun is know for, it also has an amazing sea-coast, it's just beautiful. It might be a long ride (relatively to Lebanon) from Beirut to Batroun (approximately 40 minutes) but it's definitely worth it. It's more quiet, it has a nicer and cleaner beach, and a very friendly ambiance... Quick Note, it's cheaper than other places!


Fish lovers, go to Batroun, and have a great meal. Oh, and in the hot summer, you have to go drink Lemonade in Batroun.

One of the archaeological sites in Batroun is the Phoenician Tour (Sour Al Finikey), see image above. To know more about these historical places, visit www.batroun.com


Heard about Phoenicians? Want to know more? See more with your own eyes? Want to live a real down to earth experience with modest and great citizens, then just visit Batroun and you will get a taste of wonderful time.

For more pictures, check my account on Flickr, hopefully I will update some pictures of Batroun's night life.

Sara.. will you marry me? Cedric.

While driving on the highway towards Antelias from Jal el Dib, just near Antelias bridge on the left, this huge billboard (a bit blurry) caught my eyes (and the eyes of all Lebanese who drove by there).

The billboard says: "Sara... will you marry me?" signed "Cédric."

I thought we only see that kinda proposals in the movies, it is so creative and cute. I am not sure if it's gonna end up being an ad for something, but if it's a true proposal, it's very nice and Cédric, Kudos for you!

So Sara, did you say yes?

Humans, you better run

The whole global warming, saving earth, going green campaigns are becoming more and more spread and publicized in Lebanon. And that's a good thing. Radio one is going green, Bank Med with their very recent billboards all over Lebanon and now the next Beirut Marathon will be deciated for the earth. It will take place on April 26, 2009. For more info, go to their website here.

I heard the commercial on the radio, at the end, it said: "Humans, you better run" very smart slogan in deed.

We'll go with their green quote of the day:

Every two minutes you save on your shower can conserve more than ten gallons of water

Mobile industry in Lebanon is scamming us

Some colleagues of mine did some calculations, and for now they did so on Alfa prepaid cards. They used to buy a card for 48$ giving them 180units, and a unit is 40 seconds, so basically 180units is 120min. Now alfa is selling cards for 25$, but in reality the person gets 22.73$, and now 1 min is 1 min, so basically the minute is now 0.39cents, and they get 63 minutes per 25$, meaning 126 minutes per 50 dollars :)

Can anyone tell me where is the reduction? Yes I get there is now a cheaper card for those who barely touch their cellular phones, but what else?

I think the reduction is most helpful for postpaid. Has anyone done the calculations for MTC?

On that note, can they start working on improving the reception, because it has become really annoying lately.

MTV

This is completely a personal post, my favorite TV channel was always MTV, it was probably the only local channel that I used to watch regularly, because I am more of a cable person, show comedy, show movies, star world, discovery channel... But finally MTV will be back on April 7, 2009. After how many years? 5 or 6? Anyway I hope they will not be another protege or another political party tv, just be a TV that is all I ask for.