Syrians Unknown
Posted on August 5, 2017
I also know many Syrians from my years in the Middle East. Impressive people all.
Syria, a country torn apart by a relentless war, five years of disturbing headlines, dreadful imagery, chemical weapons and a refugee crisis not seen since the Second World War: this is what we know of Syria.
Brutal media headlines reducing innocent people seeking peace and security to mere statistics and derogatory adjectives.
Individual stories and histories are removed as the media simplifies, homogenizes and represents people through stereotypes: often the sole source of information for the wider general public. After years of conflict, what does the public know about Syria and its now tormented people?
Turkey is currently hosting around three million Syrian refugees. Whilst the most vulnerable are living in camps, the majority are determined to continue their lives, not only to survive but flourish and follow dreams, overcoming adversity and the constant hurdles that the stigma of simply being Syrian brings
The reality of strong personalities, creative and…
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Foto Friday – Statues
Posted on August 4, 2017
Many will be aware of the terrible destruction wrought by the ISIS/DAISH group throughout their areas of occupation in the Middle East. Destruction of statues at the world heritage site of Palmyra, amongst others, received huge international attention. The acts of destruction have their basis in certain teachings of Sunni Islam, from whom ISIS has spawned. Those teaching state that the recreation of the human form is prohibited, albeit the principle is not included in the Quran. That such thinking can lead to the destruction of antiquities of world importance is obviously unfathomable for most reasonable people.
MB was explaining to a Sunni Muslim colleague in recent weeks that if ever he will travel to Ireland, he will see religious statues along public roads as he explores the country. Many of those statues date from 1954, which was a year dedicated by the Vatican authorities to the honouring of the virgin Mary – the Marian Year.
MB caught these shots on his May 2017 trip to his homeland. They are not atypical of what one will find in numerous Irish locations.
Qatar Blockade – Update
Posted on August 4, 2017
Weekly Photo Challenge – Textures
Posted on August 2, 2017
Foto Friday – The view of & from Le Château
Posted on July 27, 2017
HX followers were left agog following publication two days back of MB’s Photo Challenge post. What lay beyond that teasing and tantalising ‘château’ shot? – numerous followers were asking (too numerous to mention of course). Sleepless nights have been the order of the day, since Wednesday night last (some sentence MB!). At least MB assumes that was the case. Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – Satisfaction
Posted on July 26, 2017
MB has a Yankee friend called JL from Connecticut. MB remembers JL telling him a story many years back about a 6-month French language course that JL had attended. Now JL has many gifts, but the gift of languages is not one of them. And never will be. The end of the course arrived and JL could only mutter one single phrase en Francais; which was:
“Marie, où est la bibliothèque?”
After 6 months – that was the sum total of JL’s French!!!
Anyway, a few weeks back, MB found himself in Nyon, a small French-speaking town some 15 minutes train-journey from Geneva. MB had heard that there was a castle on the outskirts of the town, on the lake edge, that was worth a visit and a few camera shots.
“Parlez vous Anglais?” said MB to a couple of shop assistants, a few minutes after disembarking from le train.
“Mais oui Monsieur” replied les deux Francais.
And just at that precise moment, all of MB’s school French came flooding back to him. Like un tres grande linguistic sunami, en Francais.
“où est le chateaux?” said MB, casually, to les deux Francais, who looked quizzically at l’Irelandais, wondering if this guy before their eyes wasn’t some kind of major p**s taker. He had just asked them if they spoke English and had then addressed them in perfect Francais. ‘Quell assh**e’ they were thinking for sure, thought MB.
“à droite Monsieur” – instructed les deux Francois.
“Merci beaucoup, merci beaucoup, au revoir” replied MB in accent-perfect Francais.
“Un plaisir (assh**e)” replied les deux Francais.
MB turned right just down the street as instructed. What satisfaction did MB not feel on seeing le beau chateaux before his eyes, a mere 100m in the distance. All as a result of MB’s tres bon multilingual skill-set!
Voila!
Foto Friday – The bull in the field
Posted on July 21, 2017
For all MB’s Arab friends in particular, who like to see Irish greenery.
Moscow – That’s a wrap!
Posted on July 20, 2017
One final Moscow post!
Some random Moscow shots, with text explanation, to finally conclude MB’s Moscow photos stories.
Foto Friday – Jet L’eau
Posted on July 13, 2017
MB was in Geneva last week and captured this early-morning shot of the city’s famous water fountain, or ‘jet l’eau’ as the French-speaking Genevois refer to it.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Collage
Posted on July 12, 2017
Back in the HX heartland, there’s a cultural museum on the HX/Meanus road called the Old Irish Ways Museum. It includes a large collection of agricultural implements and multiple other mementoes from an older Ireland; the Ireland of our parents and grandparents. The contents were gathered over many years with huge dedication and effort by HX local Dennis O’Connor who travelled the length & breadth of Ireland in his quest. Many acquisitions needed repair and renovation, and as can be seen from the end result, it was very obviously a large labour of love on the part of DOC. If ever you get to visit HX, then do not miss the Old Irish Ways Museum.
Every room and exhibit within provide a spectacular visual collage for the visitor.
Example:
Moscow – Armoury Chamber Museum
Posted on July 9, 2017
The Kremlin complex contains a hugely fascinating museum called the Armoury Chamber, which is in operation since 1851. It is full of religious, political and military historical artefacts from over a 1,000 year period, and is one of the most interesting cultural venues that MB has ever visited. The piece de resistance is a glass case that contains 6 or 7 Faberge Eggs. 00MB must inform followers that photography is not allowed within the Armoury, but followers are also well aware how much respect MB generally gives to that particular rule when he is on his travels. During the course of MB’s visit, he received four “final warnings” from Kremlin security staff. They really were giving MB a hard time, unaware, obviously, that MB’s efforts were solely in the interests of furthering international peace and harmony.
The security staff were obviously watching the Faberge case like hungry hawks. So trying to get off a decent shot or two with the camera proved, sadly, impossible. To raise the camera to one’s eye, depress the button 50% to lock the autofocus, and continue to execute the shot as per normal procedure, would certainly have seen MB ensconced in the nearby and infamous (just around the corner) Lubyanka Prison.
In hindsight, MB is a tad sorry he wasn’t willing to suffer a spell of incarceration in order to get a few decent egg shots, but there was no guarantee that the KGB prison lads would have respected MB’s camera memory card, or even the camera itself. Two rushed shots, whilst hiding behind some Spanish tourists, produced a couple horribly out-of-focus shots that MB is far from proud of, but gives them to you below nevertheless.
Herewith, MB’s shots, at much personal risk, from his Armoury visit:
Weekly Photo Challenge – Bridge
Posted on July 9, 2017
MB is too tired & busy to find some deeper meaning ‘bridge’ photo. Followers will just have to put up & shut up with MB’s quickly selected ‘bridge’ offering.
The same photo appeared in recent weeks in one of MB’s awesome Moscow posts. But as the old MB saying goes, one can never get too much of a good thing!
Enough of your inane ramblings MB. Just give us the photo. Ok, ok, lads. Relax.
Voila or Eureka or whatever. A night shot of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, behind some bridge whose name is unknown to MB.
HX Report 