Broadcasting was extended to 20 hours in 1998 but reduced to 18 hours in 2000. In 1996, the Lebanese government granted broadcasting licenses to only five television stations, not including Al-Manar. So it was a good thing Al Rifai has a large kiosk at the airport where I stocked up on even more , along with all the locals, who also wanted to be as certain as I that we would have plenty of nuts and seeds while outside of the country. (Either that, or they were also looking for a way to pass their time when their plane got delayed for nine hours, too – oof.) Another treat that people in Lebanon snack on are fresh fava beans. They weren’t my favorite, nor were the tiny, green underripe plums, which were too sour for my taste.
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