Month: January 2025

There have been hopeful news coming out of Bambi’s birth country recently, going in the direction of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Today, there is an additional piece of promising news, related to the investigation concerning the Beirut port surreal explosion: Judge Tarek Bitar resumed work after two years (https://shorturl.at/v0lvQ; https://shorturl.at/x7f1H).

In several posts, over the past 4-5 years, Bambi paid tribute to the courageous Judge Tarek Bitar. As a reminder, she even argued that he deserves a Peace Noble Prize for having resisted both impunity and corruption.

Indeed, despite threats to his personal safety, along with legal obstacles to prevent his work, he kept his inspiring courage as an impartial judge. Today, he resumed his investigation. Thanks to him and bravo!

May justice be finally served in Beirut so the families of the victims can grieve in peace. They deserve to be able to believe in truth and justice.

Bambi sends her continuous full solidarity and gratitude to Judge Bitar. She sends her heart again and again to all the victims, along with love to Beirut, which deserves brighter days filled with hope, healing, and justice… for a change.

To conclude this post on a musical note as usual, Mr. Ghassan Saliba’s lyrics remain timely, today more than ever… once again, here is a quick English translation by Bambi for your convenience, if you are interested:

“Is it possible to go back in time and forget what happened

In the city inhabited by sadness and destruction?

Is it possible, one of these days, to extinguish the fire

In the hearts they have burned and made them collapse?

Is it possible, one of these days, to resume writing poems

about the beautiful city we fell in love with and keep waiting and waiting for?

Is it possible, one of these days, to be able to erase what happened to this sad city

So the journey can begin?

The bewildered population of this country when it has no decision-making

It begs for justice from any place and any forum of decision-making

Is it possible, one of these days, to do something for the many who have survived

Reach the end of the story and put an end to the defeat?

Is it possible, one of these days, that the generations that do not chose their destiny

will get rid of this injustice and change the course of history?

One day will come when all the secrets will be uncovered

And this stubborn land will be crowned with glory…“

Bambi misses her awesome dad and looks forward to seeing him again as soon as realistically possible… hopefully in 2025 ❤️!

Same for her adorable four relatives and family friend, in Beirut and Montreal, who are also celebrating their name day ❤️❤️❤️❤️!

May Saint-Anthony, or “Mar” Anthonios the great, protect them all :)!

May Saint Anthony also protect Mary and her family; today more than ever…. and may their/our beloved Mounir’s memory be eternal, both in heaven and in our hearts ❤️.

Bearing the above in mind, it is time for music now to celebrate love, family gatherings, baba/papy Antonio (+ all the dad’s of the world), and… Saint Anthony, with his own Byzantine prayer, chanted by the Choir of Beirut in Arabic.

Due to a heavy workload filled with several deadlines, Bambi had no choice but to remain silent for about four days. She missed her daily writing, and most importantly, she felt that something very meaningful was missing day after day (or night after night, she must say): YOU, dear readers. Yes, she missed you, even if she had the opportunity to communicate with some of you about older posts. Thank you for your continuous interest in visiting her blog and for sharing your opinions, mostly publicly and at times privately.

This being said, Bambi hesitated among several more serious topics. She finally decided to make this post about lightness.

Yes, the topic is related to the lightness of the heart when we are in love or in harmony with a friend, especially during summer times (but not only!). Consider it also as a post about being in love with life, especially when our wings are made of hope.

If she may, she now dedicates this Egyptian-Arabic song, in both adult’s and kids’ versions to all of you, and especially to two readers who have shared that they liked this song, as per an older post shown below :).

We all have our reasons to like this or that song (or to dislike this or that melody). Bambi has always liked the “3 dakat” song because its melody is joyfully light, calling for dancing. Even the kids’ version was a joy to listen to.

She does not know about you, but Bambi started this working day on a light note. She remained filled with inner happiness, despite imminent deadlines. She considers herself to be blessed in life in genral in so many ways, especially on a beautiful day, like this one.

May your forthcoming days be filled with rest if you have worked hard, lightness if you had deep worries, increased healing if you have been sick or are grieving, and with continuous happiness, if you feel happy.

—

The “3 dakat” song, instrumental: Talented artists’ faces light up when playing this beautiful music

Those who know Bambi well might recall how much she loves Haiti. Indeed, she honours this country not only in her heart (or some house decoration), but also in her posts.

Hours before January 12, she pauses with Haiti and Canada (fellow citizens of Haitian heritage; Canada’s army, air force and navy staff who rushed to help) to remember the devastating 2010 earthquake. The latter affected about three million people, namely almost one-third of the country’s total population (https://shorturl.at/o8MU6)! Tragically, about 300,000 lost their lives, according to official count (https://shorturl.at/o8MU6). May everyone’s memory be eternal.

On a personal note, Bambi is thinking of her friends in Toronto, Montreal, and the Maritimes who are of Haitian origins or who like Haiti. More specifically, she is praying for you Smith and Jean (et al.), along with your beloved angel in heaven 💜. May your loving hearts keep being filled with faith, inner peace, and hope (“espérance” “en piles en piles“).

This post cannot be concluded without a fond thought for Michael, along with his peers, for the inspiring generosity, if he happens to be reading. Two additional thoughts go to: (1) all the kind cab drivers Bambi had encountered while living in Montreal; and (2) the inspiring Canadian artists she appreciates (some are prematurely in heaven like the uniquely talented Ms. Mélanie Reynauld, shown below).

May Haiti see brighter days. Enough of disaster after disaster, and not just naturally.

Bambi’s birth country finally has a President and he seems very promising (https://shorturl.at/VoNLK). Lots of work ahead. “Mabrouk” and all the best!

Bambi had been very busy lately and has been silent for a few days. She missed both writing and communicating with you, dear readers.

During her silence, many major events took place, both domestically and worldwide.

As she is sleepy right now, she will not dive into any serious event, especially that she has nothing to say about any of them.

This being said, and if she may, she will share a beautiful international French love song, which was performed a week ago in Lebanon (i.e., Casino du Liban). Bravo to Ms. Jana Salameh, Ms. Manel Mallat, Mr. Bruno Tabbal, and Mr. Marc Reaidy Baz. Same for Ms. Yasmina Sabbah (Conductor), Mr. Eddy Jazra (Mixing and Mastering), Mr. Marc Achkouty (Costume), and all the musicians. Finally, thanks to the “Takreem Foundation” by Mr. Ricardo Karam for its most recent event, which was entitled Shining Stars of Hope (https://shorturl.at/U8oxC).

As it is already January 9 at her end, Bambi will conclude this post by offering the song to her dear cousin and cousin-in-law, Tony and Rania ❤️ while wishing Tony a wonderful birthday! Long live love with all its hymns. Long live hope. Long live beloved cousins :)!

Today, Québec, Canada, and the world lost a GREAT actor.

CTV News- Montreal reminded us that he appeared in about 100 movies (https://shorturl.at/7IZOJ). Of course, his most famous role was that of the funny Elvis Gratton in “Elvis Gratton”, which was directed by the highly talented (and late) Mr. Pierre Falardeau.

Bambi appreciated Mr. Poulin’s talent when she used to watch TV (the last time was over 3 or 4 years ago). In an older post honouring New Brunswick’s late yet great Ms. Viola Léger (shown below), she introduced her readers to the hilarious Elvis Gratton.

Here he is again as her way of paying tribute to Mr. Julien Poulin. The YouTube scene below lasts only 0.45 minute. In it, the cute Elvis Gratton tries to explain what is a “Canadian français” or a “Québécois” to a European tourist on an airplane. It is very complicated :).

Bambi sends her heart to your family, Mr. Poulin. As for you, she will say: “Merci Mounsieur pour votre oeuvre“! Yes, many thanks for your impressive career AND immense talent! Québec (+ Canada) would have surely not been the same without you…

—

Ms. Viola Léger: good-bye and thank you, “Madame”!

On the doomed August 4, 2020, 2,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut, capital of Bambi’s birth country.

As a reminder, this largest non-nuclear blast in history (https://shorturl.at/E9X1u) resulted in 220+ deaths, 7500 injuries (some of whom are still in the coma, imagine), 800 regular floor admissions as well as 130 intensive care unit admissions, 300, 000 homeless people at once, 150+ permanent disabilities, over 3/4 of massive destruction of Lebanon’s capital, total destruction of 4 hospitals, and US$15, 000, 000, 000 worth of damage. To all this, one must add the collective trauma followed by migration to countries around the world, including Canada.

Thank Goodness, Bambi’s parents survived miraculously, despite the heavy destruction in their apartment and store. Her childhood friend was badly injured and now finally healed (thank God). Her brother-in-law and her niece were also injured. Sadly, as shared above, many residents of Beirut were not as lucky. Some of them were firefighters (the very first victims), police or internal forces, healthcare providers, patients, seniors, mothers, fathers, young adults, teenagers, and toddlers or infants. May their memory be eternal.

Unsurprisingly, there is still no justice for the Beirut port surreal explosion, despite the heroic courage of Judge Tarek Bitar. Of note, Bambi honoured him in a few older posts. She did the same with regard to the legendary tenacity of the families of the victims.

Bearing the above in mind, Bambi keeps on standing in full solidarity with these families. She thanks An Nahar for sharing pictures of their monthly silent, and likely smaller, demonstration in front of the Lebanese Emigrant statue (https://shorturl.at/pb4CR). She selected one of these pictures to share it with you, dear readers. It is her way of supporting these families while sending her love to the Lebanese capital at the start of 2025.

May the beautiful yet tired Beirut FINALLY see brighter days filled with increased safety, a sense of justice, peace of mind, love, and prosperity for all.

In Canada, as travellers, we fly in the great hands of our most highly talented pilots who transport us in the middle of snow storms or other extreme weather conditions.

What about the pilots of Lebanon who are officially trained to fly in Nature’s four seasons, but not in a human-made season of fire and blood. How did they manage to keep focusing on their professional tasks, despite fear?

Related to the above questions, “last” year (on November 14, 2024), Bambi shared a brief video featuring the courage of the Lebanese Middle East Airline‘s pilots during war. They kept operating, flying civilians in and out Beirut during the entire last Hezbollah-Israel war.

Today, we are lucky to hear directly a pilot telling us about her work experience (in English and sub-title in both English and French). Thanks again L’Orient Le Jour (OLJ) for another uplifting podcast on courage.

The OLJ YouTube channel describes its new podcast as follows (thanks to Mr. Google Translate for his assistance even during the holidays :). “In this new episode of our podcast “I’m telling you about Beirut”, we interviewed a pilot from the Middle East Airline who continued to ensure air connections between Beirut and abroad during the war. Dubai, Paris, Larnaca,… while Lebanon was undergoing one of the worst moments in its history, her back and fourths, steeped in the anguish of not being able to return to her country, tell another vision of the catastrophe. From the first day of the bombings on Beirut, which she discovered when she had to land at the international airport to the ceasefire, including especially her long evening layovers in foreign airports. “Will we be alive to make another flight tomorrow?” she asked herself in Beirut. Here is the poignant testimony of a Lebanese pilot who is more in love with her country than ever“.

May the New Year bring increased stability to Lebanon. May peace finally know how to prevail, and be sustained, in Bambi’s birth country and its entire neighbourhood.

—

TV5 Monde Info shared “Li Beirut” sung by Ms. Hiba Tawaji in Paris and Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) keeps impressing us!