With the lack of proper public transport in Lebanon, shared taxis provide a great way of getting around.
For a tourist or the uninitiated, the ritual of hailing a “service” can seem puzzling. The system relies on a speedy negotiation.
When a driver sees a potential passenger on the side of the road he honks a few times, slows down, gives a quick glance at the would-be passenger, barely stops and quickly decides if the requested destination fits his route.
There is something fascinating about the immersive experience of sitting on the leather seat of an old Mercedes “service”, sandwiched between two passengers, chatting about the current situation, getting insights on Lebanese social and political life, all while driving erratically across town.
These taxis feel like the veins and arteries of city life and urban landscape.
*Pictures by talented Lebanese photographer Ghaleb Cabbabé taken from his “Crossroads” series. ghalebcabbabe.com
