Category Archives: Middle East

Bethlehem, or how the other half lives.

Posted on October 10, 2015 by

Call me ignorant, but Bethlehem always evoked pastoral ideas, of secluded grottos – or shacks, depending on the version you liked the most – and of comets. What we found was (once we got on the Arab bus that no … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Faith, Middle East, Palestine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The world from above – An air race over the skies of Iran

Posted on February 28, 2015 by

The flight was rather uneventful, a barely half-full Qatar Airways Airbus A380 from Doha to London. Meal trays were being cleared away and I was about to decide which film would’ve been more appropriate to induce me to sleep as … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Dubai, Middle East, Public Transportation, The pleasure of flying, The world from above | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Stray pets.

Posted on February 14, 2015 by

Recently, in some of my travels at the fringes of the European continent or in the Middle East, I stumbled upon many stray domestic animals. Even though I’ve always seen cats happily going about, minding their own business, the sight … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Europe, Middle East, Random memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Marooned in Muscat

Posted on February 8, 2015 by

“How are you, brother? You look a little lost.” The young, tall Omani – immaculate in his neatly pressed green dishdasha – was absolutely right. I was tired, red-eyed, yearning for a shower and, above all, utterly lost. Faithful to … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Middle East, Oman, Overlooked locations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

“Shadow of the Silk Road”, by Colin Thubron

Posted on October 10, 2014 by

The first time I took this book in my hands I almost regretted buying it. Mind you, it was a cheap bargain at Turnham Green’s Oxfam branch, so at least I was sure that those £2.90 had not been wasted, … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Books review, Middle East, Overlooked locations, Turkey | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Maids in the Middle East

Posted on October 2, 2014 by

There’s a brilliant cartoon on the BBC Magazine this week. It’s called Almaz’s Story and it’s been made by Benjamin Dix and Lindsay Pollock of Positive Negatives. It’s a story that most of us must’ve heard frequently, the one of an … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Dubai, Middle East, Politics, Reflections | 4 Comments

“Unreasonable Behaviour”, by Don McCullin, Vintage

Posted on July 29, 2014 by

I was ravaged and confused by this war as never before, and could not see not the smallest justification for it. Or for my presence here – unless it was to remind people, through my pictures, of the futility of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books review, Israel, London, Middle East, Palestine, Politics, UK, War journalism | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Sand, slavery and racism: welcome to Dubai, y’all

Posted on July 1, 2014 by

I landed at Dubai’s airport in the worst mood possible: one part crossed and two parts pissed in the hangover sense of the term. I was crossed because this was a no-notice job and, for once, I had plans that … Continue reading →

Posted in Dubai, Middle East, Random memories, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment