Beirut, Lebanon – Beirut is filling up, possibly way past its capacity, as thousands of people stream into its neighbourhoods, seeking refuge from Israel’s unpredictable air raids.When it seemed to have been concentrating on bombing the south, Israel soon bombed the north. Then it hit Christian-majority neighbourhoods, upending the guess that they were focusing on Shia-majority areas.
The uncertainty is almost palpable as exhausted people stream into the Hamra neighbourhood of Beirut on Tuesday, some having been on the road for more than 12 hours to cover a distance that normally takes two.
Finding a room at an inn
At the Casa D’Or, a four-star hotel on Hamra Street, a couple stands at the check-in desk, trying to negotiate the price for the last room available that night – a suite.
Speaking to them is a receptionist who introduces herself as simply, Lama.
Hamra is a bustling downtown Beirut neighbourhood known for its streetscapes [File: Ahmed Saad/Reuters]
Lama has worked at the Casa D’Or for four years, she says, and she has never seen it as busy as they are right now.
“We’re full,” she says. “Day before yesterday, we were at 40 percent [occupancy].”
Prices have been dropped for Lebanese guests, she adds.
But it does not seem like the couple succeeds in their negotiations – they walk out to stand on the pavement, looking slightly bewildered.
Outside and around the corner, on an unusually busy Makdissi Street, Dr Abbas, a cardiologist, says he has managed to find rooms for himself, …
