#turkiye and egypt

[kyndaris]

The Return Flight Home

In 2020, I had intended to travel overseas and revisit the United Kingdom in order to see the sights and sounds I’d missed on my first trip. COVID-19 prevented that from happening. It was only after three years of isolation and staying within the borders of Australia that I finally ventured onto a plane to take me away from the familiar. But instead of reinstating my original travel plans, I went one step further and joined a tour headed to Turkey and Egypt. Accompanying my grandmother, of all people.

And what an adventure it was!

True, it might not have been the one I had been hoping for but it was certainly something to experience, given my interest in Ancient History and love for mythologies that date back several millennia. 

Although, as it soon came to pass, many places throughout Egypt and Turkey didn’t feel like I was enjoying their own cultural history so much as also getting a dose on Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome as well. That isn’t to say it’s a bad thing. Far from it! It shows how interconnected the ancient world was with trade ad culture. On the downside, it did dampen a little of my enthusiasm to realise that many of sites we visited weren’t exactly built by the local populace but rather the remnants of another civilisation that had dominated the area in ages past.

I suppose, though, that it goes to show the complex and interconnected nature of world history. After all, no nation can truly rise and fall in isolation. History has shown us time and again how greed and the entrepreneurial spirit of humans has led to new discoveries and the subsequent shrinking of the world. 

That said, on the day of our flight back to Sydney, we made one last pit stop at the Suleymaniye Mosque as the Blue Mosque was still under renovations and not open for visitors. Smaller, it seemed than the Hagia Sophia, the Suleymaniye Mosque was decorated with a rich red carpet underfoot (that didn’t stink too much of unwashed feet) and had the usual trappings that I’ve come to associate with Baroque style mosques.

Built in 1557, it took about seven years for completion. Inside its walls, it contained medreses (a type of educational institution), a hospital, a hospice and Turkish baths to name but a few of the amenities.

For us tourists, it served as simple shelter from the drizzle that had hounded us since waking that morning. The rain, it should be known, followed us throughout the entire day with a vengeance. Even when we had finished looking at the mosque and headed to a retail outlet centre, the rain followed. All up until the time we headed to the airport for our flight back to Sydney.

As for the shopping centre, there wasn’t much difference to what we might see in Australia. What caught my eye as I wandered through the food court of the megaplex, though, was the fact that it had a Shake Shack! Of all things!

We don’t even have a Shake Shack in Australia yet! So, how come Turkey has one of the most popular East Coast burger chains and Australia doesn’t? It’s completely outrageous and I demand that a Shake Shack or an In-N-Out be properly established in Sydney.

They even have a Popeyes (although Google tells me that there is one in Melbourne)!

Other than the food court, I also saw shops that could be found in Australia as well as a few international brands. There was even a bookstore, the first I’d seen while overseas. Granted, it wasn’t just a bookstore but it had books as well as video games on display. For the first time in twenty or so days, I got a taste of actual normalcy!

I also caught sight of a spiffing leather jacket. Red, like the blood that would flow from when I’ve decapitated my enemies, and it was rocking a detachable hood. Sure, it cost 5000 Turkish lira, and was a little on a the expensive side. But you know what? I bought that sucker because it was screaming my name. And yes, it was a bit tight around my girth but I can always wear it unzipped...

Besides, they also say that leather stretches! And I was wearing multiple layers before trying it on.

Which, I know, sounds like excuses considering that it was XL but I’ll be the first to readily admit that I am on the overweight side of things. But only just a little! And...you know, that my face is too round. Which is why I hate photos and why it’s been tough on the dating scene as I have a minimal amount of photos that star me in them. Also, posing is an issue. How ought one stand? What should these upper appendages called arms be doing? Is it still acceptable for me to be doing the classic ‘v’ sign or is that too stereotypical of every Asian ever?

Gah! I’m having a meltdown over photographs!

What was I writing about?

Ah, yes, the last day in Turkey. Well, after downing a burger from Shake Shack - which, honestly, was my favourite meal during my entire trip - it wasn’t long before we waved a fond farewell to Turkiye. On the drive to the airport, we parted with the remaining lira we had, tipping the driver and the tour guide, Abdullah, for their services.

And then, it was a short-ish flight to Dubai before we were on our way back to Sydney (wherein I managed to sneak in Woman King and HBO’s adaption of the Time Traveler’s Wife starring Rose Leslie). 

Overall, I must say, that the trip was one that I’ll remember fondly. While it had its ups and downs, I still learned a lot and got to see more of the wider world than if I’d still been too afraid to leave Australia. Books and movies and documentaries can bring the world to me but there is something about actually going out there and seeing things for myself that makes travelling so eye-opening and special. A picture might say a thousand words, but they’re almost always especially curated to evoke a feeling. Actually walking beside remnants of the past, interacting with the locals and trying their food is an entirely different experience. And one I hope to continue to experience now that the rest of the world is back on the menu.

COVID-19 might not be gone (and it might never be gone) but that shouldn’t stop people from living their best lives and seeing what the world has to offer. True, there might be limitations based on a person’s socioeconomic status and the physical capabilities, but for those that can, it’s something that can change you. 

The world may be small in the grand scheme of things, but it’s also so much bigger than just a pretty blue bauble hanging in the heavens. There is a rich history here that is begging to be uncovered to its fullest extent. And from what I’ve learned from travelling, as well as reading a history book as I travelled, the progression of the human race as a whole is all about engaging with their culture, beliefs and way of life rather than crushing it all under an imperialist heel or the misguided attempts of defending one’s interests.

We can all learn from being a little bit more open-minded and tolerant of the ideas of others rather than falling back into a tribal mentality of us versus them. As history has shown, it never works well and it’s all fuelled by self-interest. Open dialogue is the real path forward to success. Here’s hoping people can see that before they allow themselves to blindly trot down the path of mutual destruction.

Now, to end it all with inexplicable photos of animals. Mostly cats.  Why? Because both Turkey and Egypt had way too many feral animals on the prowl. So, while they may appear cute, do not approach! You can, however, take quality photos of them from a distance.

[dappy-dappernette]

Can't believe they made Cuba sacrifice his melanin for the other black/brown characters. /j

[bighugelargebig]

Drew this in 2022 and I kinda feel like doing this challenge again it was very fun drawing all these characters

[nyeobium]

"Born to be a Nobel Warrior, forced to baby sit." - Persia

[agentfascinateur]

Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey demand the US lift its veto on Palestine's UN membership and that all countries stop supplying weapons and ammunition to Israel.

👏🏼👏🏼

https://www.aol.com/developing-countries-call-us-lift-131300181.html

[republicofyolossia]

[REUPLOAD]

From my drawing every character series - East Mediterranean

Don't repost/steal

[good-old-gossip]

Meet the collaborators of Israel's Genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank!!!

Egyptian exports to Israel doubled in 2024 compared to the previous year despite Israel’s devastating war on Gaza since October, according to a new report by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.

The data published on Thursday showed that Egyptian exports in May 2024 stood at $25m, double that of the same period in 2023.

Despite increasingly fraught relations, energy and security cooperation between the two countries has intensified since October, with Israeli natural gas exports to Egypt sharply increasing in the last year.

Meanwhile, exports from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Israel also increased to $242m in May 2024, compared to $238.5m in May 2023, the report said. Jordanian exports to Israel also continued to rise in 2024, reaching $35.7m in May 2024 compared to $32.3m in the same period last year.

In contrast to Egypt, the UAE and Jordan, Israeli statistics found that Turkish exports to Israel dropped by over half in 2024 compared to the previous year amid the Turkish trade ministry’s restrictions on exports to the country over the war in Gaza.

In May 2023, Turkish exports to Israel amounted to $376.6m, a value that plummeted to $116.8m in May 2024.

Israel’s trade with Egypt grew by 56 percent in 2023 and was up 168 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter, according to the Abraham Accords Peace Institute report.

In 2022, the two countries set a target for annual trade at around $700 million by 2025, up from about $300 million in 2021.

Trade between Turkey and Israel continues through third countries like Greece, despite Ankara’s decision to halt direct trade with Tel Aviv over the Rafah invasion in May, according to data released on Thursday.

Figures from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reveal that Israel imported $116m worth of goods from Turkey in May, marking a 69 percent decline from the $377m in the same month last year.

In contrast, the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) recorded only $4m worth of goods exported to Israel in May, a drop of over 99 percent compared to the previous year.

However, two Turkish businesspeople facilitating trade between Turkey and Israel informed Middle East Eye that since early May, Turkish goods have been re-routed through Greece and other nearby countries to reach Israel.

This shift follows Ankara’s proclaimed imposition of a total trade ban on Israel until a permanent ceasefire in Gaza is established.

“The Israeli authorities don’t even ask Turkish companies to amend their certificate of origin to re-export the goods through Greece because it would increase the costs further, so they are Turkish products,” one Turkish businessman told MEE.

Businesses favour Greece due to its proximity to Turkey’s industrial base and its comparatively cheaper shipping options to Israel.

TIM data indicate that Turkey’s exports to Greece surged to $375m in May, up 71 percent from $219m in the same month last year.

Israeli data from May doesn’t show an increase in the quantity of imports from Greece, despite the Turkish re-exports. Murat Yapici, the general manager of My Advisor consultancy, told MEE that Israeli records more accurately reflect the bilateral trade since they are based on the origin of the goods, even if they come through third countries like Greece.

The trade volume between the two countries was $6.3bn in 2023, with 76 percent being Turkish exports, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. Turkey had been a key supplier of affordable products to Israel.

[serinyxx]

[heracleskarpusi]

hassan drawing (that was supposed to be a doodle but i got carried away) and some doodles :3 first two are sadik cause i desperately need to practice drawing him, third one is hassan but i mostly just wanted to draw a camel, and the last one is my most genius idea yet… the mediterranean trio… but mean girls… 🤯🤯🤯

[bloodycoolfrye]

The Muslim Ummah shouldn't help genocide be carried out by the Zionists😡

لَّا يَتَّخِذِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ فِى شَىْءٍ إِلَّآ أَن تَتَّقُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ تُقَاةً ۗ وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسَهُۥ ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ٢٨

The believers may not take the unbelievers for their allies in preference to those who believe. Whoever does this has nothing to do with Allah unless he does so in order to protect himself from their wrong-doing. Allah warns you to beware of Him for it is to Allah that you will return. (3:28)

[bornwsunrise]

The Reception by John Frederick Lewis (1873)

[ramonder]

Preparations for winter have started with our RAMONDER CHINCILLA productions. Please contact us for information about the campaign and product. www.ramonder.com 7/24 online Worldwide Network #ramonder #chincilla #furnow #winteriscoming #houtecouture #lifestyle #specialoffer #discount #nisantasi #istanbul #turkiye #luxury #streetstyle #womenfashion #businesswoman #qatar #dubai #ksa #beirut #egypt #london #paris #rome #erbil (Ramonder nişantaşı) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjDDB8etcSf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ripley-ryan]

watching a movie not gonna tell you which one but one question why are they playing an orchestral arrangement of paint it black

[kirstythejetblackgoldfish]

A glimpse into what the Qatar World Cup could have been like

Also available on DeviantArt here

[agentfascinateur]

"A ceasefire should be imposed on Israel. There is no other way to stop this carnage in Gaza..."

- Francesca Albanese, UN Rapporteur

#I agree

#I volunteer