On a low-key Monday night, we spontaneously decided to dine out at the Spaghetteria, a local Italian restaurant. It's a cozy place overlooking the Mediterranean and just a block away from our house. As soon as we walked in, low and behold, there was Robert Fisk. He and a friend were the only other patrons in Spaghetteria. Wade ran back to the apartment and grabbed the camera, then awkwardly asked to have his picture taken.
Megan tried to talk Wade out of accosting the poor guy, but to no avail. If you look closely, you can see Megan looking on in embarrassment.
"Who the hell is Robert Fisk?" you might ask. Fisk is a British journalist who has lived in Beirut for over thirty years. His most famous book, Pity the Nation, is basically required reading for expats living in Lebanon. It is without a doubt the most popular book on the Lebanese Civil War.
He actually makes a reference to an Italian restaurants in his book: "As soon as I flew back to Beirut from Tehran, I could pick up the British papers, ask for a gin and tonic at any bar, choose a French or Italian restaurant for dinner. It was the beginning of the West..."
Fisk is a bit of a controversial figure. His writing style places himself at the center of the narrative, which makes for an enjoyable read but gives you a sense of the author's ego. He also does not hesitate to criticize Israeli and U.S. policy.
For a sample of Fiskian rhetoric, try this link to Youtube:
Wade and Megan, you are my heros! Such a great blog and such a fine sense of place. I envy your experiences.--James Phelps
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