From our Middle Eastern Correspondent

Last week I finally managed to Skype (v. intransitive) my sister who is now living in Beirut. She moved there after spending almost four years in south east England - two of them after we left for Texas. She has been in Beirut since June and spent the first month or so living at the Four Seasons hotel, where my brother-in-law is an executive sous-chef. Now they have their own large apartment.

Here is an assortment of her observations:

* The weather is fabulous.

* The people are extremely friendly.

*There is only one "supermarket" type store around and it's very expensive. They shop in the old fashioned way at the green grocer, then the baker, the butcher, etc..

*Her two darling children are treated "like rock stars" everywhere they go, especially Ruby, who is petite and blonde.

*Laura's early efforts to speak Arabic have been greeted with laughter and cheers of appreciation.

*They've had some hilarious experiences around Ramadan. They tried to participate in the fasting for about 3 days, but then gave up. Laura says it's particularly impressive that no one drinks water all day when it's 90F+ outside. Dwayne ran into issues because there was no one willing to taste during the day in the kitchen.

* The kids have started at the German school in Beirut (which apparently does a lot of teaching in English). The American School was full when they got there. So far James loves his Arabic class.

*The hotel (which was a new start up for the Four Seasons) is doing well and Dwayne loves his work.

*People have assumed they were British (the children had developed accents after years at British schools) and were complimented on their "bravery" when they said they were American (presumably for coming to live  in Lebanon). Laura gleefully points out that Beirut has not been bombed "since at least 2008" -- but says the place feels very safe.

Here they are visiting Byblos, which was founded in 5000BC and is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.