Buses - riding through Turkey

Well, this first picture isn't even from Turkey actually (it's Aleppo, in Syria) but the idea was to illustrate travelling through Turkey on intercity buses. The other pictures are all taken at different service centers belonging to one of the major bus companies.

Sheep again...

Or sheepskins and wool, at least.

I'm digging deep in my backlog now and bringing out features I may or may not have shown you before.

Istanbul from above

Thanks to Carpetblogger (read her, is my only advice for you!, even if I brazenly stole her picture...) and Wikipedia, I can share this exceptionally cool image of Istanbul taken from space with you. You actually can't imagine how detailed it is - and I thought I got a really good view of the city from above when flying in over it late Saturday afternoon...

At the top of the picture is the Black Sea and the Marmara sea at the bottom. And the Bosphorus as a live highway, or something... You can also see the bridges and the Topkapi and and and and... everything!

Abundance

Well, you all know I like fruit and vegetable markets - they are so visual and aestethic. Here is a real mountain of watermelons, from last summer. This year's season hasn't started yet, of course.

Tractors!

Some old pictures, here: agriculture machinery!

Middle East-reading

As usual, I have several links to recent reports and articles to share, that the reader interested in the Middle East may appreciate.

First Göran Rosenberg (in Swedish) in Dagens Nyheter today on the opposition in Syria and the need for democratization with (as opposed to without or against) islam.

A report on Egypt from Amnesty International. And Human Rights Watch on detained women's rights activists in Iran. Lastly, ICG on regional peace negotiations.

And finally, a non-Middle East recommendation - A Swedish Save the Children report on the need for development assistance targeting the Millenium Development Goal on schooling for children.

Re:Orient

The Re:Orient festival programme for this year has now been announced! As I believe I have said before, it takes place 7-10 June this year, in Stockholm - as usual. The only difference is the number of locations... ;-)

Johnston still missing

BBC correspondent in Gaza Alan Johnston is still missing, one month after being seized in Gaza. Several important international news media (BBC, Al-Jazeera, CNN and Sky News) are acting for his release (read here also) as well as the British government.

There is still a petition to sign for him, too.

13 april update: more on the release action.

Google Earth

I'm a bit low on photos in the backlog right now, but don't worry, I'll be back!

In the meantime,a I guess you've all discovered Google Earth? Otherwise, I can only suggest it for download - if you are the least interested in maps and images. The quality can be a bit varied though, mostly things are clearly visible to the point when it's almost scary (I can see my Ankara-balcony...). But, having been to Aleppo we wanted to look at that - but that was a non-starter.

Svenska Dagbladet reports today that you can clearly see traces of atrocities in Darfur on the images of that region - especially after a cooperation with a Washington holocaust museum that marks out i a burned houses.

Iraq anniversary

On the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad to American troops in 2003, the BBC shows these photos from Iraq.

Schildt exhibition - photos from the Eastern Mediterranean

We saw the Göran Schildt photo exhibition in Stockholm today - with photos from the Finland-Swedish travel-writer's sailing trips on the small sailing boat Daphne in Greece and Egypt in the 1950's. Fantastic faces and sceneries, absolutely amazing imagery! Monasteries, folk art, sailing, antique remnants and people inhabit his world which is all but lost today. I recommend all to see the exhibition and perhaps read his books on the trips.

You can read more here on the Göran Schildt Foundation in Finland, Villa Schildt (in Swedish). Schildt's book may be purchased here.

Photos - "Vintage Egypt"

Another black-and-white photo book recommendation here: "Vintage Egypt" on travel on the Nile in the early 20th century.

Easter again

Apparently I missed the other day that Pesach is also celebrated this week, so all imaginable Easters coincide this year.

Here is a BBC picture gallery of some Orthodox celebrations having taken place.

"Beyond the river"

Photography is a main topic of this blog and I recently read a review of this book (Beyond the River - Ottoman Transjordan in Original Photographs) and decided to get a copy. I haven't had time to look at it properly yet, but would still like to share it with you. Old and black-and-white photography is a favourite of mine - I'm fascinated with old photos.

Al-Jazeera

Read here (in Swedish, Bitte Hammargren from Svenska Dagbladet as usual writes excellent analyses on the Midde East) about Al-Jazeeras English-language channel, launched in November 2006. I've also added links to their websites (Arabic and English) in the righthand margin. I'm just waiting to have access to seeing it myself on a regular basis!!!

Mesopotamian plain

The view from Mardin, out across the plains of Mesopotamia. As I said, Mardin is pretty much on the last hill, before the plain stretches out southward. Placed mid-between the two rivers, Euphrates and Tigris (Firat and Dicle in Turkish), too.

Happy Easter

I understand that for once also (at least some?) Orthodox Christians also celebrate Easter this weekend - like Catholics and Protestants do. That is at least in my exeperience not a common calendar coincidence. So all the more reason to extend greetings to all!

40 martyrs

The Syriani church of the 40 martyrs, in central Mardin. I think I have previously mentioned how many early martyrs (from the persecutions of Christians under Diocletian in the 2nd century AD) came from Anatolia.

Mardin

A view up Mardin hill - the last before the Mesopotamian plain...

Alan Johnston petition

BBC and the Guardian here have an online petition where you can add your name to a demand for the immediate release of BBC reporter Alan Johnston. Johnston is missing kidnapped in Gaza since 3 weeks now and has not been heard of since. Support him and his family. Read more here.

6 April update: a protest has taken place in Gaza. The sad thing, apart from of course at the individual level and for Johnstons family, is of course how it decreases the decent reporting on ongoings in Gaza even more...

Diyarbakir wall

A popular viewpoint on the city wall, around the corner from the Kervansaray Hotel. Unfortunately, much of the city's modern urban misery also centres here in close quarters. Previously, I almost had my bag snatched at this very point and this time we ran into a large gang of young boys hanging out armed with thinner and knifes...

Gazi Kösk

The Diyarbakir Gazi Kösk, where Atatürk stayed upon visiting. The house is a museum these days and the gardens sold out and used for strolling, drinking coffee, parties, picnics, etc. Probably a wellneeded lung in the urban fabric of Diyarbakir.

Reading the Middle East

Regional developments are pacing faster than in a long time, at least, even though we have yet to see anything like substantial progress. Read some commentary here (Bitte Hammargren in Svenska Dagbladet), here, here and here (all from BBC World).

Re:Orient

This year's Stockholm Re:Orient-festival takes place 7-10 June and reportedly in several downtown locations. I am sooooo looking forward! The schedule is not clear quite yet, though.

The walls of Diyarbakir

The black basalt stone walls of old Diyarbakir - dating from Ottoman times??? - surrounding the old sity can here be seen from the distance.

Overlooking the Bosphorus

The last sight from our Istanbul weekend...

Photos from Afghanistan

The Museum for the Near East and Antiquity (? well, Medelhavsmuseet in Swedish) has a photo exhibition from Afghanistan this week. I will not have the opportunity to see it myself, but encourage all others interested to go!

Turkey and Europe

Ingmar Karlsson is speaking in Stockholm tonight (scroll down) on his new book, which is as yet not translated, as far as I know: "Europe and the Turk".

Dagens Nyheter reviews it enthusiastically, but also problematizes issues not fully explored in the book (at least according to the reviewer). The Svenska Dagbladet reviewer doesn't fully agree with his views though, even if he appreciates the factual content.

Previously Karlsson has published this article on the same theme.

Other reading on Turkey here (on Swedish business).

All the links are in Swedish, by the way.

Angles on the Suleimaniyye

Two slightly more unusual shots of the Suleimaniyye, one taken from the row of restaurants next to it and the other from the upper floor of the IMC Carsisi down towards the Atatürk bridge.

On the Bosphorus

Life on the Bosphorus on a Friday afternoon in early February - very beautiful and peaceful-looking. Birds, fishing, very few (extraordinarily so) passing boats.

All the pictures are taken from Emirgan, from a bench on the quay outside the Sabanci Museum (Atli Kösk).

Istiklal caddesi

Something funny happened to a previous post - the photo disappeared. So I republish it...

The far (or near?) end of Istiklal Caddesi, the one near the Tünel and at the other end from Taksim. It's pretty much my Istanbul haunt, I guess. And you can see the tram approaching here too.

Bosphorus piloting system

The white tower you see among the buildings behind the line of shoreside villas is a part of the electronic piloting system of the Turkish straits - installed a few years back only. I may have had pictures of similar installments near Canakkale to show you last summer - they span the full length of both straits.

Bridging the Bosphorus

I showed a lot of bridges not so long ago. Now, this time it is the second (upper) Bosphorus bridge, the Fatih bridge, between Rumeli Hisari and Anadolu Hisari, about halfway up the Bosphorus. See the steady stream of passing cars... and glimpse the fortress behind on the European side.

Congratulations, EU 50 years!

The EU celebrates 50 years this weekend! You may not all appreciate it to the full, but it is the best we have and an great achievement for peace and stability in Europe. The transforming power it extends to Europe's vicinity is also very compelling and not yet utilized to the full - so we have more work to do in coming years. The formal celebration takes place tomorrow in Berlin, but already today a range of activities take place all over Europe. One important initiative is a youth meeting in Rome.

Read more media comments here (Swedish Dagens Nyheter) and here (BBC World). The Swedish primeminister & EU-commissioner write this joint declaration for a deepening cooperation in Europe. The commissioner develops her vision further here.

Sunday addition: these views from EU commission president (also in Swedish).

Tram!

We spent a very sunny February weekend relaxing in Istanbul. This is the newly reopened tram on Istiklal caddesi.

Aleppo Gate

It was almost dark when we reached Harrans Aleppo Gate (Halep Kapisi). As I think I have previously indicated, the historical economic and social ties to Aleppo and regions across the border is strong.

A prize for Cordelia

Previous Svenska Dagbladet Israel-correspondent Cordelia Edvardsson (one of Sweden's best renowned and most humane Middle East correspondents) has today been awarded a culture-prize by Natur & Kultur publishing house. Congratulations, Cordelia!

Moulid

BBC today has a photo gallery from a Tanta moulid - a sufi saint's festival (sort of) - that I would encourage you to take a look at.

Castle nooks

More interior details from my ramblings around Harran castle.

More from Harran castle

The Harran fort was a real paradise for adventurers and curious visitors, with towers, caravansarays, stairs, vaults and courtyards all over the ramshackle construction. Standing on the plain with no ticket-booth, no signs, no real entrance, just some goats and some kids' graffiti, it was an amazing tribute to forgotten history - and very exciting!

Harran castle

I spent half an hour or more climbing around in the castle ruin at dusk - quite an experience!