I remember listening to a jingle of the Voice of Lebanon, a shortwave radio station that operated well outside the conventional 49 metre short-wave band. So even though it had a low power, it didn't have competition from higher powered stations and would propagate into Northern Europe most evenings. But I had to visit the station, and hum the tune of the jingle before I realised that, for the locals, the music had a very different significance. When I visited Beirut in June 1998 to take part in a training course for journalists, the country was on a lift. From current reports, it seems to have become very polarised again. And that could not be more dangerous. The cafes in the hills around Beirut are still fantastic - and you could see why artists and singers preferred to work there than in dusty Cairo or the heat of the Gulf. Thanks to Sorgul for the photo. Mine still have to be digitized. Like the show? Leave a comment.

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