At an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters, next to the summit of the cross, over Horsh Ehden Reservation and on the road to Qurant as Sawda’ lives Jamie Al-Haj in his snow house. This is where he receives all the region’s snow adventure lovers, day and night.
Jamie Al-Haj who is an environmental activist from Ehden, North of Lebanon, dug his snow house after the storm “Miriam” that hit Lebanon last month.
Al-Haj snow house consists of a reception hall, bedroom, and bathroom. Electricity is secured from a small generator or a “skidu” battery. Food, shisha, and sleeping bags are provided. “But I don’t stay or sleep in my snow house every day,” Al-Haj told Annahar.
This is not the first time that Jamie Al Haj digs a snow house. Last time, he dug the house in Qurant as Sawda’ where he stayed for days and it took him several days of work – which he did alone. He said he’s “extremely happy with the calmness I’m surrounded in.”
As for the cold, frost and the low temperature, he says: “When the sun is up, the snow reflects its rays and warms up everything around. At night, when the sun is down, the heat inside the house remains high and I do not feel the coldness and frost of outside.”
Jamie’s visitors are mostly his friends and some fans of Ehden. “We spend amazing times together, sharing bites and drinking, and at the end of the night everyone goes back to his own home.”
One of Jamie’s visitors is Pierre Abou Tannous, a Lebanese snow activist as well, who visits Jamie in his snow house. “This year’s ice and snow are different from the previous year.” Abou Tannous says.
