Author: Nicholas Andriani
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Sketching Sights: Galata Tower (Istanbul, Turkey)
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Like a great minaret, the Galata Tower represents so much more than meets the eye. Built in 1348 as the re-imagining of an earlier structure the tower has gone from hosting inmates, as a prison, to holding great secrets as an observatory for the astrologer Takıyeddin Efendi. What’s more, Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi the 17th century aviator… if you…
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Islamic Art: An Exhibit
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in Anthropology, Archaeology, Art, Culture, history, Islam, Kansas City, Middle East, spiritual, TravelIt’s safe to say that the visual arts have always been an extremely inspirational medium to me. This is especially true when it comes to Islamic Art. The heavy use of geometrical forms and the rhythm of mingling patterns that move in harmony with passages from the Quran. Traditionally, many schools of Islamic thought have…
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Cafe Tajine in the Mountains of Morocco
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Ourika, Morocco Though only 6 hours (460 km) separate Marrakech from the oasis town of M’Hamid I could have dedicated six days between the two place names. The villages that scatter Ourika Valley hold their own against the more popular Imperial Cities (Marrakech, Fes, Meknes and Rabat) and it’s out here in the wilderness of the…
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Sketching Sights: Fes, Morocco
I’m led through the imperial city of Fes by a pair of shrouded figures. We dance through the shadows of mud brick passageways and into the medina in time for the Asr call to prayer.
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The City of Roses Part II: Sights
With Portland’s philosophical temperament, insane amount of breweries (something like 71) , and solid, mellow vibes it’s hard to break away from the inner city. Yet, when you manage to, the surrounding areas contain an abundance of natural beauty. Moving away from the bells and whistles of city life, the call of the wild echoes from…