Outside America 2019

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Istanbul, a city of many mosques. I thought the rhythm of the call to prayer, people washing their feet, praying, gave the city a grounding and beautiful feel.
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One of many Turkish cats I met.
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The souk (market) in Hawler (also known as Erbil) in Iraqi Kurdistan.
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Feminist graffiti in Sulaymaniyah.
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Each shard represents a Kurdish village bulldozed by Saddam. This was a museum dedicated to the Kurdish independence struggle, in a former military base of Saddam's where Kurdish fighters were tortured and imprisoned.
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My friend, Ibrahim, said this was one of the most famous coffee shops in all of Kurdistan. The walls are littered with the portraits of famous revolutionaries and politicians. Tea is very important in Kurdish culture, we would drink tea three times a day minimum.
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Rawanduz canyon. Photo doesn't do it justice.
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Rawanduz Canyon. Again, I was really not expecting this in Iraq.
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Villages above a gorge.
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A stray dog in Choman, Ibrahim's home village close to the border with Iran.
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A very small, mountain mosque. Humble and beautiful.
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Every year, children and adults in this village still lose limbs to cluster bombs/mines left from the Iran-Iraq War. This has been going on for four decades. Fuck war.
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Ibrahim at his favorite hometown restaurant with some friends. The cook caught or harvested a fish from outside and grilled it.
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The long winding road into the valley that the Rabban Hormizd Monastery is based in. This monastery is 1400 years old plus, fortified in the mountains. From time to time, the villagers and monks would hide in tunnels in the monastery while invaders or attackers loomed outside.
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Lalish, a holy village for the Yazidi people. I really really liked this village, you got the sense of a completely different pace of life and of a people infused with a spirituality that I lack.
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Wadi ben Khaled.
Dcm 101
The coastal city of Sur.
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Bimmah Sinkhole in Oman. A surreal sight.
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My Omani fishing friends who invited me aboard their boat. We didn't catch any fish this day.
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Glad this game is universally loved. At Extinction Rebellion protests (completely coincidental with my trip, I didn't plan on it).
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A wee lad protesting for his future without knowing it. I attended the Extinction Rebellion protests (completely coincidental with my trip, I didn't plan on it).
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I attended the Extinction Rebellion protests (completely coincidental with my trip, I didn't plan on it).
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Hippies ... in Britain! At the Extinction Rebellion protests.
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A cathedral in York I believe.
Dcm 194
I admit it, the British are good at gardening.
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Subway (Tube, I should say) music, British style.
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A cute toddler pushing a cart (her mom was not far behind).
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London from the housing conference I helped at.
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Inside a Cathedral (unsure which) in Paris.
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Captured a moment of love in Paris. This man was biking this woman with her on the handlebars and she was laughing and giggling. A cute scene.
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Outside the Jungfraujoch.
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Inside the museum in the Jungfraujoch. I want to be a dad.
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Hello Swiss dairy cow! You live in a paradise.
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A dairy worker tending to her cows. They seemed to mind her well.
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A friendly cat as I walked through the streets of Lauterbrunnen.
Dcm 27
Lord of the Ri... sorry, Switzerland. Lauterbrunnen.
Dcm 584
A view from an elevated park in the middle of Zurich.
Dcm 651
Sunset in Zurich. So pretty.
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Zurich was truly a city of transit opportunity. Biking, trams, and buses galore. Loved it!
Dcm 722
Imagine how big the parking lot would be if instead of each bike here, there was a car.
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A co-op in Basel. Note the cargo bikes!
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Sunset in Zurich.
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A neighborhood tram in a residential area of Zurich. A beautiful, beautiful city.
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Bike with petals caught my eye in Zurich.
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Social housing in Vienna. I liked the unique color of this building. Huge density, but right next to a park that was bustling. Cities done right.
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Alt-Erlaa is social housing in Austria, meaning it is government or cooperatively owned and limited or non-profit. It is one of the most famous developments, showcasing innovative architecture that combines greenery with density.
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From the roof of Alt-Erlaa. There was a swimming pool up top. Dense, green, and affordable. Truly a beautiful achievement of humanity.
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Boat tours in Tübingen.
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Street art in Tübingen, one of my favorite cities in Germany. The vibe was laid back, and I loved the architecture and layout of the city.
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A Jewish cemetery in Frankfurt, where my Oma was born.
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So much interesting street art in Leipzig.
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The colors of Leipzig.
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A goth festival in Leipzig. Very cool.
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The housing activist I stayed with in Berlin had a giant banner outside their co-op using my last name (Herz, meaning heart in German). Heart over profit.
Berlin Carnival
The day before I flew back to US I attended the Carnival in Berlin. Goodbye, Germany. Goodbye, world outside my crazy country that I love.
Juneau Alaska 2021