Landschlacht, Switzerland, 19 August 2018 It has been ages since I have written about Turkey, but those who know me are aware that there are both many things I adore about this bridge between Asia and Europe and many things I abhor. Of the little exploration I have done in this great republic (the Turquoise… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Museum of Innocence
Tag: Kurds
Canada Slim and the Birth of a Nation
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 9 October 2017 I was 24 and living in Ottawa, Canada, in 1989, when I read the news about the fall of the Berlin Wall that had separated West Germany from East Germany for a generation. Above: Centre Block, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Canada I would see remnants of this wall in subsequent visits to… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Birth of a Nation
The rise of Recep
Landschlacht, Switzerland, St. Patrick’s Day 2017 I am a Turkey watcher. I have twice visited this beautiful country and I have rarely met a Turk I haven`t liked. I began to talk about Turkey in this blog, because of the event that began 2017: the ISIS attack on a nightclub in Istanbul. Above: The Reina restaurant/nightclub,… Continue reading The rise of Recep
The sorrow of Batman
Istanbul, Turkey, 10 September 2016 In Istanbul, extraordinary experiences are found around every corner. Here, dervishes whirl, müezzins call from minarets and people move between continents multiple times a day. Istanbul is home to millenia-old monuments and cutting edge art galleries – sometimes on the same block. It is an utterly beguiling city full of… Continue reading The sorrow of Batman
The sons of Karbala
St. Gallen, Switzerland, 9 January 2017 “Turkey seems to be falling to pieces, the fall will be a great misfortune. It is very important that England and Russia should come to a perfectly good understanding… and that neither should take any decisive step of which the other is not apprized.” “We have a sick man on… Continue reading The sons of Karbala
Questions of self-determination
It has been an interesting past 24 hours… Last night after completing my shift at Starbucks, I was spontaneously invited for a quick impromptu supper at my co-worker’s apartment. Augustin was a warm and welcoming host. I was fed well and drank well and the conversation was very interesting. We, of course, discussed issues of… Continue reading Questions of self-determination