Wandering the Souk | ||
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Wandering the Souk: Marketplaces and Peoples of Israel and Turkey, is an exploration of history and culture in the Middle East. In the winter of 2006 - 2007, I had the opportunity to travel through Turkey and Israel. Although officially I was there to do senior thesis research, my trip was more about experiencing the unique culture of the region and interacting with the incredibly diverse groups of people, from Israelis and Palestinians to Turks, Kurds and Armenians. In the span of six weeks, I visited Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Galilee, Istanbul, and a number of cities in eastern Turkey. In particular, I enjoyed the West Bank, where the city Ramallah, an autonomous and thriving Palestinian city, contrasts starkly with the city Hebron, where Palestinians are constantly pressured by Israeli settlements. And Diyarbakir, a city with a large and fascinating Kurdish population, where I spent the New Year raising a glass to Kurdistan. My hope is that this project conveys more than just the beauty of places and people in Israel and Turkey; I will also provide insight on my perception of the social and cultural realities in the Middle East | ||
