Benjamin Martinie, aka Tolt or GlobeTrotter, is a film director and photographer. He specializes in travel-related content and creates unique immersive stories that will make you want to travel the world.
Tolt visited Lebanon and had a great time. He created a video to dispel common misconceptions about Lebanon. In the video, he answered common questions that foreigners ask.
Is it dangerous?
When people hear of Lebanon, they immediately think of the civil war or the war in Syria. Tolt believes that the numerous attacks that happened in Europe prove that we’re not safer in France and Germany than in Lebanon.
Is it just a desert?
Absolutely not. In fact, Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that does not have a desert. It is full of forests, mountains, and lakes, and plenty of snowy mountains in winter.
Is it a Muslim country?
Lebanon is the most religiously diverse country in the Middle East. It is home to 18 sects. The main religions are Christianity, Islam, and Druze. Lebanon adopted confessionalism to deter sectarian conflicts. So, the President has to be a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker of the Parliament a Shia Muslim.
Which dishes should we try other than tabbouleh and hummus?
Tolt believes that Lebanese cuisine is not limited to tabbouleh and hummus. We couldn’t agree more! He is asking supermarkets in France to stop calling “tabbouleh” any salad that contains cracked wheat.
What disappointed you?
Every country has positive and negative aspects. The pollution disappointed Benjamin the most. He believes we need to act fast and reduce plastic usage to enjoy what nature has to offer.
“Other than its extraordinary cuisine, Lebanon is also recognized for its historic sites, majestic mountains in winter, beautiful beaches, modern cities, and crazy parties. All of this happens to be in a country that is three times smaller than the French region Brittany.“
