HX Report
Irishman in the Middle East
The War In Syria
Posted on March 26, 2015
Last night MB watched an elderly Syrian lady cross an Istanbul street on her hands and knees as her two children begged for money nearby in the cold Spring night. Her feet are too sore or too diseased to stand upright.
By the end of 2015 Turkey expects to have 1.7M Syrian refugees within its borders who are fleeing the fighting back home, where over a quarter million people are already dead as a result.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Rule Of Thirds
Posted on February 20, 2015
This week’s challenge is the photographic concept – the rule of thirds.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul is the Topkapi Palace, which lies in the old town next to the Hagia Sophia Museum & Blue Mosque. The palace was home to the Sultans and their harem of females for three hundred years in the days of the Ottoman Empire, until Sultan Abdülmecid in 1853 decided to move to the nearby Dolmabache Palace.
MB visited Topkapi Palace in early November 2014. The palace lies on the bank of the Bosphorus Sea Straits and the views from the palace grounds are spectacular.
Caught this shot of one of the soldiers on duty, with the Bosphorus blurred in the background:
PS – Ignore the tree!
Photo 15/30: Sugar
Posted on May 3, 2014
The Idea
Have decided to post a photo per day for 30 days, each based on a word or theme. Feel free to offer a word or theme challenge to MB in the comment box below.
Photo 15/30
When it comes to food (or anything else), never under-estimate the Turks! They are the food wizards of the world. The entire population should be called Merlin.
The recent trip to Istanbul has left MB with many tasty tastes long lingering in the mouth. And some extra inches on the waistline. Will return to the Istanbul food topic another time. But for the moment, and on the theme of sugar – MB gives you a shot of some fruits (from an Istanbul food shop) made entirely from marzipan (which has sugar ingredient). And get this. Those crafty Turks have added some magical flavourings that make them taste exactly like their real fruit cousins!
Photo 11/30: Urban
Posted on April 29, 2014
The Idea
Have decided to post a photo per day for 30 days, each based on a word or theme. Feel free to offer a word or theme challenge to MB in the comment box below.
Photo 11/30
Thanks to MB2 for the ‘Urban’ challenge. From recent trip to Istanbul.
Photo 7/30: War
Posted on April 25, 2014
The Idea
Have decided to post a photo per day for 30 days, each based on a word or theme. Feel free to offer a word or theme challenge to MB in the comment box below.
Photo 7/30
Thanks to Blogger – A Silver Voice From Ireland who posted earlier today on the occasion of ANZAC Day (nice read – http://thesilvervoice.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/anzac-day/#comment-2546).
In her post she mentions that approx 3,000 Irish-born (amongst the British forces) lost their lives in Gallipoli, more than the number lost by New Zealand (some 2,700 from my research).
When I was in Istanbul 2 weeks ago I looked into taking a bus trip to Gallipoli but it was a 5 hour journey away, and time (as well as a 13 year old daughter!) just did not permit. Met an Australian lady who was heading onwards in that direction and she was hopeful of attending the morning service on the beach – which I think is now a ticket-only affair.
The capture of Istanbul was the main reason the allied forces invaded but it was repelled by the Turks. More than 100,000 men lost their lives over the ensuing months and more than that number again were badly injured.
Liam Clancy (Bob Dylan’s favourite ballad singer) sings the definitive version of the famous anti war song written by Scottish born Australian Eric Bogel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFCekeoSTwg&feature=youtu.be
War is not nice!
Photo 3 of 30: The Kebab Maker
Posted on April 21, 2014
The Idea
Have decided to post a photo per day for 30 days, each based on a word or theme. Feel free to offer a word or theme challenge to MB in the comment box below.
Photo 3/30
This guy makes kebabs early morning with real cuts of meat & spices in a small back-street shop. He sells to various kebab sellers around Istanbul.
Photo 2 of 30: The Busker
Posted on April 20, 2014
The Idea
Have decided to post a photo per day for 30 days, each based on a word or theme. Feel free to offer a word or theme challenge to MB in the comment box below.
Photo 2/30
Met this guy last week. Making music on the 15 minute Bosphorus ferry crossing from European Istanbul to Asian Istanbul.
Istanbul – Outside & Inside
Posted on April 10, 2014
Istanbul. Shots from recent days. Five buildings.
The Blue Mosque
Galata Tower
St Trias Greek Orthodox Church
St Anthony’s RC Church
Hagia Sophia Museum (formerly a Christian Cathedral and later a Mosque)
Preparation
Posted on April 4, 2014
Assalamu alaikum to all
MB is a tad tight for time this week and will be for next four weeks. Family & friends arriving to MB’s desert encampment. So MB presently busy sweeping sand from magic carpets, picking dates, baking bread on hot stones, giving water to the camel herd, erecting guest tents, digging wells, and other such desert pursuits in preparation for the arrival of the Westerner infidels.
First camel train arrives tonight and MB is whisking his guests away to the Bosphorus on Sunday – a stretch of water crossed by two bridges that divides Europe and Asia. MB will try to take shot with one foot in each continent, to reflect his life overall in his current scenario. Many sites to be seen and MB’s camera will be flat to the boards. Expect the usual foto fest upon MB’s return. MB promises you all some truly visual awesomness.
And if you have never previously seen the Bosphorus from outer space – here’s what it looks like:
The land on the left is Europe. The land on the right is Asia. The blue sea on top is the Black Sea, and the blue sea on the bottom is called the Sea of Marmara, which is connected to the Aegean Sea (by another Strait called the Dardanelles). The city that is visible on both sides of the Bosphorus is Istanbul. The Bosphorus is also known as the Istanbul Straits.
Note 1 – No other Blog provides Geography lessons as an aside to the main event (kudos to the HX Report!)
Note 2 – the above photo was not taken from outer space by MB. It was taken by a satellite. Or more probably, by a camera that is affixed to a satellite.
So MB will not launch into any stories or engage you all in any banter this week. He will however give you all some photos to stop your moaning.
When MB was visiting Dubai a few months back on one of his monthly visa runs from KSA, he went early morning to an equestrian centre where he took some shots. Click, click, click went MB, and the below are some of the results. The guys who run the place and some of those who keep their horses there are competitive show jumping riders and take part in weekly competitions throughout the UAE. Hope you like.
So until next weekend Crossers, when MB will inform you of his trip amongst the Ottomans.
Have a nice weekend.
MB
|
HX Report 