on the Malecón seafront boulevard in Havana
sunbathing dogs near the Plaza Vieja in Old Havana
waiting in line for something or other in Havana
Plaza Mayor, Trinidad de Cuba
Foto Friday – Cuba
Reply
Author Archives: yalla2013
NAME THAT COUNTRY
In the shadow of sacred Mount Parnassus, Delphi was an important religious sanctuary and known as the center of the world by the ancient people of our mystery country.
For centuries, pilgrims, including civic and military leaders, came from near and far to consult the oracle here, where the wisdom of the sun god was channeled through priestesses known as Pythia. Today, the site is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
The Saadian Tombs, Marrakech, Morocco
In the Kasbah neighborhood of the Marrakech medina, tucked behind the Kasbah Mosque are the Saadian Tombs, burial grounds of the Saadi dynasty, which ruled Morocco in the 16th & 17th centuries. The mausoleum was built during the reign of sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, not the first Saadi ruler but definitely the most famous.
There are near 200 graves altogether, with the sultan and princes inside and women and officials in the garden. After the fall of the Saadis, the succeeding Alawites (still ruling Morocco today) walled up the Saadian tombs and they were lost to history until discovered in 1917.
Unless you’re seriously into Moroccan history, the main appeal of this place is the interior architecture and embellishments – Carrara marble, elaborately carved cedar and plaster, and colorful tiles, as well as the peaceful courtyard garden, which feels far removed from the busy medina.
The tombs are accessed by a path around the right side of the mosque (non-Muslims cannot enter the mosque). This is a popular tourist stop in Marrakech and can get quite busy, with long lines to enter, best to go early and with a guide.
Foto Friday – Israel
Ein Gedi
Jezreel Valley with Mt. Tabor in the background
Tel Aviv-Jaffa
Galilee vineyard
Caesarea Philippi
NAME THAT CITY
This city literally bridges Europe and Asia, East and West. It’s known for its dramatic setting, spilling down rolling hills to water’s edge, the skyline punctuated with monumental Byzantine and Ottoman buildings. In amongst the hills and monuments, in everyday lanes of shops and homes, the people of this city dwell peacefully alongside many thousands of stray cats. The cats of any given neighborhood are loved and cared for collectively. Walking the streets, you’ll see plenty of cats, as well as water and food dishes and baskets and boxes made cozy with blankets. Cats wander freely in and out of businesses and residences, curl up on benches, snooze in shop windows, and approach passersby for pats and scratches. An old story tells that a cat saved the Prophet Muhammad from a snake, so cat fancy has deep roots in this Muslim city.
These cats are becoming famous far beyond their city. They have had their own Facebook page for years and now there is a beautiful documentary about the cats, the people who care for them and the stunning city they share.
Can you name that city?
See below for answers.
Street Food in Turkey – Kumpir
my homemade kumpir, topped with bulgar pilaf, pickled, spicy green beans, olives, roasted red and yellow peppers, tabbouleh salad, and tahini drizzle
One of Turkey’s favorite street foods is kumpir, what we in the U.S. would call a loaded baked potato, dressed up a la carte, with a kaleidoscope of toppings selected according to the taste, adventuresome nature, aesthetic and upper arm strength of the imminent consumer. The combinations are endless. Some common toppings are corn, peas, hot peppers, sweet peppers, chopped greens, pickled vegetables, kisir (bulgar salad, aka Turkish tabbouleh), chopped hotdogs, mushrooms, olives, chick peas, carrots, yogurt, mayonnaise, ketchup… really, anything goes. At a typical kumpir stand, baked potatoes are split in the middle and the steaming, fluffy innards are roughly mashed with a dollop each of butter and Kaşar cheese. Then they’re yours to top with the flavors, colors and textures of your choosing. Kumpir stands are found all over Istanbul, and around the country, but the Bosphorus-front Ortaköy neighborhood in Istanbul is practically synonymous with kumpir.
Kumpir with a view in Ortakoy
Foto Friday – Morocco
NAME THAT COUNTRY
The Mutrah Corniche is a waterfront promenade wrapping around the harbor of Mutrah, the historical district of Muscat, capital of our mystery country. A leisurely stroll along the corniche is a highlight of a visit to Muscat, especially at dawn or dusk, when the lights play on the water, and the temperatures are mild. The corniche attracts locals and visitors alike and is a prime people-watching spot. Popular attractions, the Mutrah Souk and fish market, are adjacent to the corniche.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
the Bent Pyramid, Dahshur, Egypt
the Bent Pyramid, Dahshur, Egypt
About 25 miles south of Cairo, Dahshur is a necropolis of ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom and site of some of the very first pyramids in Egypt. The so-called Bent Pyramid was the first try at a smooth-sided pyramid in the evolution from the Step Pyramid to the true pyramid form that we are familiar with. For reasons not entirely clear, construction of the Bent Pyramid began at a 52-degree angle of inclination but changed partway up to a more gradual 43-degree incline. Structural and foundation issues were most likely the reason for that. Whatever the reason, the Bent Pyramid preserves evidence of the development of architecture and engineering in ancient Egypt.
Despite the angle miscalculation, builders of the Bent Pyramid successfully encased the monument in polished limestone, a major step forward in pyramid construction and a standard element in later pyramids. More than four thousand years later, it is the only pyramid in Egypt with most of its outer limestone casing intact.
The Bent Pyramid was built for the pharaoh Sneferu, but it is doubtful he was buried there. He was reportedly not pleased with the imperfection and ordered another pyramid nearby. Now known as the Red Pyramid, it is the first known true pyramid.
Between the two pyramids, it’s more likely he was buried in the latter, but there’s no conclusive evidence either way. The chambers of both pyramids are empty, surely looted by grave robbers thousands of years ago. Sneferu was the first pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty and father of Khufu, for whom the Great Pyramid at Giza was built.
Foto Friday – Egypt
worker at Abu Simbel, Egypt
Nefertari Temple at Abu Simbel, Egypt
Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo, Egypt
the Nile River at Cairo
donkey cart in the Nile Valley, Egypt
The Ya'lla Blog 