Summer, Sea, and Eddésands
Utter the words “Byblos” and “beach resort” in one sentence,
and you’re likely to elicit “Eddésands” in the yield. The sprawling property,
comprising a number of swimming pools, sandy shores, a health and wellness spa,
and even lodging for those looking to stay the night, might be known for its
summer beach parties and candlelit dinners next to the lapping waters. But in actuality,
Eddésands is a calm oasis situated a mere 600 meters from the archaeological
sites of Byblos, its souks and the Crusader castle.
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| The sandy shores of Eddésands in Byblos |
Against such an historic backdrop, you’ll be awe-inspired to
learn that thousands of years before you, this is where Cronus built the first
city of Phoenicia, the oldest continuously inhabited community in the world. This is
where an important military base in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem was
erected, which would later form part of the Ottoman Empire. But today this is
where you’ll be basking in pristine waters under the hot blaze of the
Mediterranean sun.
We arrived to Eddésands on a Saturday morning in mid-June, just
a quarter past 10, and the resort was gently pulsating with other early birds
seeking solitude en soleil.
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| Eddésands resort is an oasis of greenery |
There are three bodies of water near which you can install
yourself. A trio of cascading pools toward the center of the resort is popular
among families and provides a beautiful vista of the sea. You could also descend
to the source and let your toes dig into the silky quartz before taking a plunge in
the undulating Mediterranean. That’s what we did last year, on our first visit
to the resort.
But this time, we tucked into the VIP pool, seen first as
you traverse the wooden bridge leading away from the entrance. Midweek,
admission fees, which include a queen-sized mattress decked with plush pillows
poised front-row around the round pool, are LBP 45,000. Weekends, it doubles to
some LBP 100,000. Compounded to the resort entry fees for adults of LBP 45,000
on weekends, Eddésands can quickly get pricey. But in Lebanon, that’s the cost of
exclusivity.
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| The VIP pool at Eddésands houses 42 mattresses |
Slather on sunblock, pull shades over your eyes, and curl up
with a book. A cocktail from the bar will elevate the euphoria. Then, just sit
still as you watch the sun make its deliberate journey west.
When hunger sets in, leave behind your belongings and find
your way to the Lebanese restaurant La Pêche du Jour. You really can't beat
this seaside location, floating above the sands of the Byblos shoreline.
Service, led by a troop of local young men fit to be lifeguards, is attentive
and correct.
Among the opening numbers, opt for the tangy fattouch;
adequately lemony stuffed grape leaves; and creamy hummus topped with cubes of
beef, pine nuts, and jalapeno.
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| Creamy hummus topped with cubes of beef, pine nuts and jalapeno |
In the seafood department, there's a nice blend
of calamari and chorizo lightly dressed with parsley and lemon. I enjoyed the grilled scallops rubbed in a slightly piquant red pepper sauce,
accompanied by strips of crisp bacon. Don't miss the crunchy breaded calamari,
which pair finely with cubes of fried potato tossed in garlic and
cilantro. Forego the unnaturally yellowed fries -- poor choice of frying oil,
perhaps?
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| Calamari with chorizo |
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| Scallops with beetroot leaves |
Grilled taouk and beef are succulent and beautifully
seasoned, whereas the kafta spears seem dotted with excess fat and threaten to be a sure
source of indigestion.
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| Grilled meats: kafta, marinated chicken (taouk), and beef |
Dessert is a real hit, namely the assemble-your-own ice cream
goblet filled with as many scoops of ice cream as you elect, topped with
whipped cream and wafer fingers.
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| A giant bowl of ice cream! |
While unfortunate that La Pêche du Jour doesn’t offer a
seafood formula replete with grilled and fried fish as mains, cherry-picking
from the mezza menu will more than do.
After lunch, you could pop in to the Tropical Spa, boasting
an extensive selection of treatments from the classical to Ayurvedic, the
latter of which figures among the world’s oldest holistic healing systems and
is delivered by therapists hailing from the southernmost state of India, Kerala.
Otherwise, some pampering at the salon doesn’t sound too bad, nor does an
outdoor yoga class followed by a hand scrub.
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| Spa & Wellness Center |
Frankly, we made a beeline back to our VIP sanctuary where
we lingered till sunset. A day in the sun equates to the perfect summer
pastime, and that’s precisely what we did.
Lugging our beach bag back to the car, we looked up at the
cliff where Byblos perches in all its timeless grandeur. From either vantage
point, the view is majestic. But the whispers of the sea are better heard from
the shores of Eddésands.
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