Shweir Photos     

 December 2004    From Riad Khuniesser:  One week before Christmas, the temperature in Dhour El Shweir Saha is minus three degrees centigrade without snow, this is unusual, I stand alone in the middle of the square looking at all sides and see nobody. I thought of taking few shots and send it to you all.  The people of Shweir Wish You...      

Also, you will find few pictures from the Community Center lecture by Mrs.  Rania Sawaya Jurdak about Balanced food for balanced health.

Taking a walk in Shweir... Continued

Walk in Old Shweir continued...  from Ain Al Ma'asara to picking grapes, yes, even at night, can't get any fresher...
 

Yes, we still have many pictures from last Summer, we will post highlights and invite our readers to comment on the BB.

	Grapes from our areeshe < L. Vines climbing 3 levels R> to our cousin's home			What a great setting
			how sad... Ain Al Ma'asara

More pictures of old Shweir

For those who missed Summer in Shweir, we bring it to you, courtesy of Samar Kiame

To see photos on new webpage of Churches, click here  

Its spring time, 2004

Thanks to Gabi Ataya for sending this picture, he bids all "Gidday"

Wishing you all the best for this Christmas season and a very happy new year.
Attached is a christmas card which is done by a 10 year old girl from Shweir  Public Elementary School through a christmas card drawing competition,this was the first rated card, we would appreciate if it can be placed on the home page in a small size for clicking as a greeting card from the center. Thanks,
George
P.S. We are also forwarding now the 2004 calendar to be put on shweir.com for downloading
 

Gidday guys,  One of my friends over in Shweir sent me these pictures today.
I thought I'd better send em all in to you so you guys can see the freezing cold, beautiful white christmas they are going to have back there :)  cheers

Gabi Ataya

Thank you Gabi, Hope more people in Shweir would take your example and send more pixs.

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The aftermath of War... A walk from Saha towards Douwar Cinema Florida today > >

Thanks to Najib Rahbani for sending these great pictures

----- Original Message -----

From: "Oula Aoun"

Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2003 1:38 PM

Subject: Fwd: pictures

Hi
these beautiful pictures in choueir were taken by the
architect Samih Halabi, maybe we can add them to the
shweir archive.
Regards
Oula
Note: forwarded message attached.
       

Thank you Oula and thank you Samih Halabi.  these are valuable pictures of our classical architecture. Anwar

Dear shweir.com family

I'm sending you some pictures from the christening of my daughter Sophie (13 october 2002)  the delivery of some books  for the library and some views we may see it from Dhour.Thanks a lot for your great job we are feeling Shweir closer ,if you can insert these pictures it will be great.  Best regards

Walid Abikheir

  Thank you Walid for such great pictutres

Marhata Trade Show 1907

-----Original Message-----
From: Riad Khunieser [mailto:rk26@aub.edu.lb]
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 5:25 PM

This picture and the info are found in "Travels in America and Commercial directory of the Arabic speaking people of the world", a book by Najib Abdou, bublished in NY,1907.  Don't you think we are a little behind what our ancestors did?

Riad

Thank you Riad,

This is one of the oldest pictures that we have of its kind.  

Your point and question are well taken.  Keep those rare gems coming.  It is items like these that make the best cause for a new Library/ Museum for our town. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Alfred Sawaya [mailto:alsawaya@cyberia.net.lb]
<mailto:[mailto:alsawaya@cyberia.net.lb]>
Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 12:00 PM
To: GEORGE MATAR

Thank you for putting me on your personal list. I am enjoying what you are sending although I don't know some of the people you show.  When we got introduced you sent me a picture of a house asking me to guess what it is. I told you it is owned by our neighbors Nasr Nasr. Your answer was "it is villa Sawaya".

It took me time to have picture of Villa Sawaya which I am sending you attached and which you can include in the Shweir web page I hope your summer was not as hot as ours this year and that I shall meet with you next season. 

Alfred.

-----Original Message-----
From: Riad Khunieser
Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 11:25 AM
To: A. G. Kenicer
Dear Anwar, Hello
To whom the bell rings?  Only to Nabil, this year.  Where are you Anwar, George, Elias and the rest.
This picture and the poem is from "Almushrekyat".  A book by Najib Mushrik, pub.1931.
Riad

Update about Old Souk (Market)

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Hello Oula, Your email just made my day and I am sure it will make a better day for those who will read it.  The "dear team" is alive and well... no, FANTASTIC, specially when they hear of wonderful news like you shared above... this is like the beginning of a beautiful dream... at times, for us mughtaribeen, we can cheer for the achievements that you and all the participants accomplish and the rewards of the great camaraderie and stronger community as a result. 

May that become a common theme that will continue and pick up momentum... These are the kind of news that prompt more and more of Mughtaribeen to come to visit more often and bring their families and friends. 

Please send some pictures and frequent reports so we can share in your joy and the greater success and renovation of a great old town. 

I will post this on the Shweir Bulletin Board under an appropriate topic and also on the Shweir Photos section where we have info about old Souk. 

Many thanks again to you and those who took and are taking part in this very important endeavor.

Anwar

Photos of Old Shweir, courtesy of Oula Aoun

Hi, These photos are a part of an academic study concerning shweir, and the possibility of restoration, especially the case of the Saydeh 'NOTRE DAME' church. The old houses, and the souk, should be preserved, and maybe a big "shweir project" must be proposed.

Many villages like Douma and Zouk, are  similar cases, and they r now a place for tourism and activities.

It's clear that we should'nt forget the particularity and the importance of our architectural heritage, and we must all do something. 

Thank you Oula, that is an excellent presentation... Yes, we agree about preserving and celebrating our cultural heritage...
we briefly discussed this on the BB and we are glad that you are re-enegizing it with your art, photos and eloquent message.  Here is an excerpt from a discussion about a new library in Shweir and potential revival of old Shweir..

"Imagine that a successful library launch could lead to a new Shweir Revival.  Imagine a master plan for old Shweir Souk, take as many of the under utilized properties whose owners would be willing to be part of the master plan and do a theme that incorporates a library... a theme that would invite visitors and tourists to come from Europe and even America to enjoy the experience... something that is more traditional and authentic rahter than touristic... where each store complements the other rather than compete with... this way by helping collective theme, everyone benefits.... I can write a few pages on this....

Oula, is it possible to get more reports of Shweir academic study so we can publish it on Shweir.com?  We have a new and energetic town council and we would like to see them make this a top priority.  Thank you Oula, please continue to share such progressive and valuable ideas and suggestions. 

The team at Shweir.com

Many thanks to Riad Khunieser for providing these old pictures, some from the AUB Jafet Library  ...

[Encased model of campus: Syrian Protestant College, Beirut] To my friends who debated on the BB about Beirut being referred to as part of Syria, I am sending you this nice old picture from our Jafet library collection.

>>  To make you feel cool at the Shweir on the beach (or Bay) party I am lending you an [Ice cream seller] from Beyrout. I hope you like it. This photo is from the Jafet library collection (The Blatchford collection).  SAHTAIN

Chief of a tribe. Camil bey Assad [on decorated horse with riflemen in shirwal and khimbaz]

Snow Storm of 2001-2002

The following photos are courtesy of Lama Katoul from Abu Dhabi who visited Shweir around the 2001-2002 Holidays and experienced this big snow storm.

Thank you Lama... Good work.. 

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January 28, 2002:  Snow in Shweir 
Kindly find enclosed some latest pictures from Dhour Shweir, for our Web reference. This years snow was catastrophic for the environment, lots of pine trees have fallen and broken due to the heavy snow.  Cheers,  Michael Sawaya

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January 5, 2002:  Photo courtesy of George Moujaes (Via Al Mukhtar) with a picture of his home showing a white Christmas in Shweir.  Phone lines were down... so he had to send via a friend's computer... George asked Saad to stop sending big storms from Europe.  
Beyond that iron gate, and under that snow in front of the house, there is the best looking grass lawn that we have seen so far in and near Dhour.  It looks like those well manicured American grass lawns... hope that will catch on and we will see more green grass lawns next spring and summer.  To find out how to grow it, just ask George Jamil Moujaes 

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From al Muktar's message:  Now honestly folks, how many of you would rather be the one taking these picture? Well you didn't. These came our way from Shweir courtesy of George (Great first name) Jamil Moujaes. It is also so fitting blaming it on Saad Merhej because the colors matches his phantom act....Where are you Saad? For that matter the same can be said about a lot of you, where are U? 

Calling Chadi Sawaya... Hello Chadi... I hope you remembered to take some great professional photos in Medium or Large format of Shweir and Sanneen that are worthy of making posters and calendars... so we can help you sell them on Shweir.com... 
BTW (By The Way), for those who do not know, Chadi is a very talented young man who works in the creative arts, has a state of the art IT hardware and software and he is an expert in the Photoshop.  He salvaged great photos of old Shweir and made them into posters.  Thanks for scanning some photos and burn them onto a CD for webmaster last August. 

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Thank you George Moujaes, Michael Sawaya and Chadi Sawaya for your efforts.

Photo of Shweir Courtesy of Samih Baaklini 

Click on thumbnails above and below to see a larger one... 

  
the Saha in late 1950's

Picture from Sandy Habib (Jouka) Moujaes 
-----Original Message-----
From: Sandy Khoury Mjaes [mailto:sandykm7@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 1:01 PM
To: gematar@sbinfra.com
Subject: hi

hi, the big news this time ya moukhtar is that i am sending you as attachememt a photo shweir of our house appears (you must know it) i hope you will like it... next time i will send the second couldn't find the pictures on the shweir .com so i can not answer you yet but anyway if i am not looking nice i won't tell where i am standing, hahahah! please tell me where to find them on the web.

finally i just came back from syria, i went there with nijad and his mother and his fiance for two days, it was nice. this all for now waiting for your reply

love from shweir  

Thank you Sandy, this is a beautiful picture from a whole new perspective. 
Was this taken from an airplane?  

The following photos are courtesy of Waleed Mojaes

Rachid Bou Kheir (Bou Aziz) God bless his soul. This is a special gift to Elie Bou Kheir. This picture was taken sometime in 1986-87 for Abou Aziz preparing his harvested onions (mejdal basal) for the winter	Rocks, pine trees and  "lezzan" in ain al hannout	An old neighborhood in Shweir	Sculpture by  our famous  Walid Emile Tebeshrani.
Antone Saadeh House	Khalil Saadeh Statue	A villa in Shweir	House on Sheer
New Mar Gerios	Retaining Wall	Rolling Stone *	View of Sheer from Saideh

*  "Mahdaleh" ... Shweir had its Rolling Stones centuries before the Rolling Stones became famous.  Here it is ... centuries old and most likely invented in Shweir.  This Rolling Stone is used to compact roofs made out of clay and pebbles to seal it and minimize roof leaks.  

An email sent on 02-20-01 and a photo from Habib Moujaes titled Dhour at 8:a.m.

Brrr...at 7:00 am it was -3 deg C in Dhour 
For those of you in warmer climate this is what happens when it get this cold..  
The roads of the saha were covered with 8 cm of ice 
This was one of the worst storms to hit Lebanon this season..  
Winds gusted to over 100km/hr in the south... 

P.S. For those of you who which for a special photo for a place, a relative, a friend or a loved when..(In Dhour area) send me a note, I will snap one and e-mail it to you....  (for a small fee of $500 per photo!.. just kidding)

Please let me know..

Habib

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The following is courtesy of Waleed Moujaes

1- (001) Apple orchard and a part of the new Saint Coeur of Shweir on the road between Shweir and Dhour.  2- (002) Part of the ghwab taken from Kou3 7arf mard early in the morning.   3- (007) Old Saint Coeur in Shweir with the oak, cedar and white berry tree ( in the front). Shweiriyieh depended on silk production which depended on those trees. See 1922 book.   4- (008)Nahr bou Daoud and the Sadd restaurant on the road between Shweir and Ain Al Sindyaneh. This restaurant is managed by George Saadallah Samaha.  5- (011) An old Shweiry house.	1	2
	4	5

More photos from Waleed

Thank you Waleed.  these are great photos.  Look forward to feature more of your photos.

The follwing is courtesy of George Matar 

Dhour Shweir in Snow 

The following is courtesy of Nabil Matar

View of Sannine from Dhour

The following are from Elie Baaklini, Houston, Texas, USA

Saha & Al Mukhallis	Saha & Fountain	Saha & Baladiyeh	"Dhour Choueir Hotel" At Saha & Fountain
Pine & View to Sea	View to Dhour Bldgs	View of Shweir	"Dhour Choueir Hotel"
View to Sea 2	Villas New & Dstryd	Villas Near Mtull	Villas Near Mtull

Thank you Elie Baaklini for sending us these new updates.

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Shweir, the Town	Shweir Churches
Mar Boutros	Al Saydeh

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The following photos are courtesy of Lara Emile Sawaya Jouby & Khaled Jouby. 

	Camels, Elephants, Donkeys in Shweir???
Dhour el Shweir Aerial	Old Souk and Antara

Thank you Lara and thank you Khaled, our adopted honorary Shweiry.

The following photo is courtesy of Nabil Matar :  
The attachment is and old picture for Hawi store before it became a Casino. It was send to me last year by Wadih Mouchrik. It would be nice if you posted under a section ( the way we were). I wonder who are these guys in the picture,I recognized the one who is sitting and wearing a hat , I think he is Tofic Braheem Al Khoury Wadih, I understand that you have the greatest collection of old pictures. It would be nice if you send some to Anwer so he could post them in Shweir.com. Also we would like you and the Shweirieh in Dhour to view the web site. It is fantastic. Keep in touch guys.  
Nabil  

Hawie Caffe

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The following photos are courtesy of Habib Halabi, (from Saudi Arabia)
Click on the photo to enlarge it... click on "Back Arrow" to return to Photo Page. 

Thank you Habib Halabi for these wonderful pictures,	Arzeh Bldg	Mar Butros Akad	Mar Butros Interior
Abajour	Carslow Bldg	Monastery Gate	The Old Souk
Ain El Sindianeh	Cedar Bldg	Saideh Oak Tree	Typical Shweir view
Al Saaha	Kassouff Hotel	Shweir Valley	Typical Shweir House
Arouse 3 in 1	Kharma	Souk	View from Sheer

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Now	And	Then
	Shweir, the Town Looking from near Nahr Abu Dawoode  towards Dhour,     View of Shweir from Dhour       Dhour Town Square "Al Saha"   Mar Butros and Al Saideh Courtesy of Antoinette Khnaisser "Hotel Sawaya" circa 1940's Courtesy of Nabih Baaklini  Mar Elias Hotel Al Kassouf Courtesy of Nabih Baaklini    Basha Emad Building Courtesy of Nabih Baaklini	1942