Tag: History
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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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My First Guest Post: Uncovering the Shores of Aqaba
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I’ve met some great people through this blog, twitter and other social media outlets. One person in particular stands out as someone whom I feel especially lucky to have met, the talented creator behind For The Intolerants, JoAnna. JoAnna and I have a lot of similar interests, as do many travel bloggers; exploring exotic lands,…
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Hookah of the Magic Bowl
For several months the hookah served as an icebreaker as I worked my way around the Middle East. Embracing the culture, I learned to appreciate the traditions and social norms attached to this symbol of community. While the beginnings of this exotic device are unclear, several sources from the 16th century mention a “water pipe”…
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Sufi Wisdom
There are times throughout the week when I can use a little inspiration. This is often when I turn to the Sufi master Jalal ud-din Rumi, better known as Rumi. His unique vision of Islam really speaks to me. I’ve recently picked up water coloring and felt the urge to render this portrait, to capture…