Most of the large homes here—the wealthier people’s homes—have a special room set aside like a parlor which is usually decorated with period furniture and tapestries. It shows a heavy French influence. France controlled Lebanon for quite a while and the people’s idea of gracious decorations in a room is about Louis XIV to Louis XV period. One of the biggest industries in town is making copies of period furniture—it’s beautifully done. The wood in the furniture is carved very deeply and the upholstery is tapestry or something very valuable looking. Part of the furnishings are marble-topped tables. The marble comes from this part of the world and they polish it and put it on carved legs and it’s really quite attractive in its own way, but to me it’s very over-done.
The houses of the wealthy reach for a style of living that is practically regal and, of course, being an American from a democracy, it seems a little bit pretentious, but that’s the way they like it here and I am not here to teach but to learn so I just keep my eyes and ears open and my mouth closed. When I do say things they listen patiently but I can tell that they feel that their way of life is so superior that they’re not much interested in learning.
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