Wednesday, June 25, 2008

CANT MAKE IT UP: A Phoencian theme park in Lebanon:
Beating the heat is easier than you might think
Beirut offers slew of venues to keep kids happy

By Esther Krenz Muller
Special to The Daily Star
Thursday, June 19, 2008

BEIRUT: Children across Lebanon are wrapping up their school year and anxious to get away from their desks for a dose of summer. However, having youngsters sit around indoors at home is hardly an ideal way for them to spend their free time, and the country - the Beirut area in particular - has far more options than was previously the case.

Theme parks, especially those involving swimming pools and water slides, are a favorite for children of all ages - and more than a few parents. Such aqua-boasting enterprises have long been a favorite method for beating the summer heat. With numerous, state-of-the-art water and other amusement parks, the capital region has become an ideal vacation destination for many young families.

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The Phoenician Theme Park Habtoorland in Jamhour (05-768888) has over 30 rides and attractions that bear the markings of the ancient Phoenicians. The motifs of the park set the stage for timeless stories, with the organizers' creation of an archetypical Disney-style experience. The park has a number of attractions which drive home the theme-driven approach: a cruise down the Nile on the back of a crocodile, a mission in your own battleship, or a ride on the "Colossus" roller-coaster. The locale rounds out its offerings with special events such as plays, ballroom dancing and karaoke competitions.

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UPDATE (6 July): Carthage Land too!