Hamra Street is one of the liveliest areas in Beirut. It has a storied history as a center of commerce, performing arts, and social activity. The street (and surrounding neighborhood which is also called Hamra) is filled with retail stores, cafes, restaurants, theaters, murals, and offices. Hamra Street is constantly bustling with people and no visit to Beirut is complete without passing through it. In this episode, Dareen shares with us the story of how Hamra Street evolved from a humble road to become an iconic part of Beirut.
Lebanese-Arabic Transcript and English Contextual Translation
1
مرحبا أنا دارين.
واليوم حلقة مميزة عن نجم من نجوم بيروت، ما بيقل أهمية عن أي من المشاهير. بس هالمرة مش عم نحكي عن شخص، عم نحكي عن “شارع الحمرا” بمنطقة راس بيروت.
Hello. I am Dareen.
Today is a special episode about a star of Beirut, which is no less important than any of the celebrities. However, this time we are not talking about a person, we are talking about “Hamra Street” in the Ras Beirut area.
2
اخترت إحكي عن شارع الحمرا لأنو عايش على مدار السنة وبكل الأوقات. شارع عمل وضجة وشغل بالنهار، وشارع كلو حياة وسهر وفرح وثقافة بالليل.
I chose to talk about Hamra street because it is lively throughout the year and at all times. A street for business, bustle, and work during the day, and a street full of life, evenings, happiness, and culture at night.