Too True Somalia is one country I have never been in, but I had once two seamen from there, who were pretty literate in Italian and English.
- Therefore your experience was read with interest.
- Ranging in philosophical grounds, I wonder how freely the U.S. dispense of their own people, being soldiers of "freedom".
- On the other hand, I never considered U.S. politically-minded, but strictly business-minded.
It seems they have no conception of what "politics" means.
- I do admire your disposition to write such many words - I mostly begin writing with a full head but somehow a laziness takes over.
- Keep up
Dangerous place I'm a Somali man living in the US. Your trip to the dangerous Somaliland is equivilent to my dangerous journey from an airport gate to inside a plane. I am terrified of what I go through everytime i present my ID. Some days just a minore 1 hour wait in the waiting room. Somedays a full interrogation of why am traveling to Vegas for 3 days (gambling is unacceptable), and some days I get turned back for undisclosed reasons. What an adventure it is but perhaps a little exageration in comparing it to your trip to Somalia. Aside from the minor comparison I just like to say I love when I see a westerner going to the non christian/white/western countries and telling the story about his fellow people about the adventures and the dangers he faced. WOW! I actually spent 2 weeks with those crazy monkies and survived to tell, oh by the way I had an escort (another monkey) thank god. Touching story, cheers to a hypocrit and screwed up world.
chips on some shoulder I wonder why some people especially someone from far away would try to find his identity by criticising our nation without not knowing the reality of the history and the same history applies to all
Wow, you're all astonishingly full of shit! Wow, I'm amazed. The three posts prior to mine are outrageously ignorant and you should be ashamed.
Mr. Farah, like most right-wing Lebanese, you sit there and exclusively blame the civil war on Palestinian refugees! Take off the blinders! Yes, there was a radicalized, militant Palestinian presence in Lebanon and this was not in Lebanon's interest, but who illegally invaded Lebanon with overwhelming and unnecessary force? Who bombed and murdered thousands of her civilians with total impunity and abandon? Who practices a policy of collective punishment? Palestinian refugees? No, the Israelis. And let’s not forget, the Syrians, the Iranians, and the Americans also had a hand in squeezing more blood out of Lebanon to suit their interests. All of these parties have blood on their hands and it is they who exploited Lebanon’s pre-existing internal tensions. You even say to bedreddin, the journal’s author to meet the “real proud Lebanese people(Christians)”. What? Are you suggesting that the only real and proud Lebanese are Christian? You’re ridiculous. It’s stooges like you that helped perpetuate the civil war; and your mentality belongs in the ruins of the past. But I agree with you, the militias should be disarmed and corruption should be reigned in, but don’t forget, while Aoun was sitting pretty keeping Baabda safe from the Israelis and then went on to fight his fellow Lebanese Muslims and Druze, it was Hezbollah that kicked Israel out of the South and organized schools and hospitals and a semblance of normalcy for people left with nothing after fifteen years of war. Or would you not consider them Lebanese because they’re not Christian? It’s sectarian tensions and hatred like yours that have put Lebanon in a weak and exploitable position. If that’s been the “hand of God” that you want touching us, I’ll pass. It’s more like molestation and I’ve had enough.
Then there’s the next comment, by the coward who titles his post “Stupid Arab” but doesn’t even sign it with a pseudonym. He takes what Mr. Farah said and applies it to all Arabs, then he asks this brilliant rhetorical question: “When are Arabs ever going to learn that nationalism only leads to their descrution.” When are people who post comments on the Internet going to learn to think before they click SUBMIT? Wow, you’re deep, guy. It really makes you stop and think :-P
On behalf of the Arab World, if I may, I say to this anonymous racist (actually I can’t tell if he looks down upon Arabs, or is a self-hating one himself), thank you for your wisdom! Of course, the Americans and Israelis don’t suffer from nationalism. No, not them. They’re so peace-loving and enlightened and tolerant and respectful of international law. They bomb our cities with white roses, respect us as equals, and always tell the truth. Nationalism is a human affliction that we’re all to blame for, okay? There are plenty of current examples of American Nationalism spinning out of control: Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, the lies about Saddam’s WMDs. So go point that accusation someplace else. And Israeli Nationalism? There isn’t enough space here to begin to tell you.
Then there’s the last comment before mine, also not signed and titled: “Damn Arabs never learn ”. I have to say, I admire Mr. Farah for at least having signed his own comment; but this one here truly IS a self-hating Arab. I pity you, brother. There is a sickness inside you and you must have to lie to yourself everyday. You say “they [the Arabs] say one thing and do another”. Really? I didn’t know Arabs had an exclusive mastery over hypocrisy. Of course, the Bush White House always means what it says; and its words match its actions. Then this retard goes on to say “Live your life outside, in America, if not the UK, in Europe, just forget Lebanon”. Are you issuing counterfeit visas now, friend? Yes, that’s it, forget your identity and lose yourself in name brands and a purely consumerist lifestyle. This guy is a Lebanese (or should I say Phoenician?) Uncle Tom. As if Lebanon has never produced beautiful things after the Arab conquest? Fairuz and Gibran would give you a crisp slap on each cheek, ya kalb! What the hell is wrong all of you? These three that posted before me all suffer from selective historical amnesia. They only see what they want. I pity you all. As for me, I’m just a smartass and have a poor work ethic, so I’m pissing around at work. Pity me as well. I’m going to the bar to drink to Lebanon, its beauty, its people, and you for reading this rant. Kisses!
dude, good blogs your blogs are always great to see and read. Full of insight and great pictures, and you travel to places no-one else would dream of going to....imagine trying to get into the u.s with all those middle east stamps in your passport (bring an extra big tube of ky for full body search! :) but anyways keep us informed of your trip.....
Meh Good blog until it got all political. I don't even like Bush but I really didn't want to hear this kind of stuff on a travelblog unless the locals brought it up. Could have done without the rants.
Arabs never learn.. Arabs never learn.. I am a lebanese arab but don't like the arabs myself, I think they are the most hypocritical, lowlife, undeserved race on earth, they say one thing and do another. So I just say forget about Lebanon and the Lebanese, live your life outside Lebanon and do leave Lebanon for the arabs, yes I said arabs, because we have been so influenced by the dumb arab mentality that we have forgotten all of our former roots dating back to phoenicians till the beginning of the arab era. Live your life outside, in America, if not the UK, in Europe, just forget Lebanon.. Lebanon is for the arabs now, not for the Lebanese unfortunately
Lots of People agree with you the world leaders are the criminals I have been enjoying reading your blog, Your route is inspirational. I am from Scotland and currently on a world cycle tour, I have been out of contact with the news for a while but learnt recently of the london attacks and the craziness that is sweeping britain. It makes me really glad that I am in Romania heading towards Turkey rather than back home having to put up with the crazy fear factory media of Britain at the moment. Keep writing and good luck with the rest of your travel
Tolerance Türkiye talks the talk, but does not walk the walk. Did the Turks show the same tolerance to the Armenians, or are they showing the same tolerance to the Kurds just yesterday, but of course tolerance must be shown today for a ticket entry into the EU. But will the Kurds get there homland...I think not if Türkiye still just talks the talk of talerance.
Shall we just sweep under the Turkish Carpet the "Treaty of Sevres in 1920," which the Turkish powers that be at the time agreed to and signed. This same agreement stated that the Kurds can have there own home state if they wanted. The Kurds wanted, and the US Pres.Woodrow Wilson promised this to the Kurds. But Kemal
Ataturk denied the Kurds there homeland by being tolerant and breaking the treaty. The Kurds deserve a homeland too just like our Jewish brothers and sisters were given one and also our Palistinian brothers and sisters deserve one too). As far as our Greek brothers and sisters are concerned, they have resided in those parts of the mediteranian and black sea as far as one can go. No diffrence than my nation/people in North America. I am not European or from the Middle East, I am Ojibwa from the Algonquian-Wakashan stock.
It is easy for leaders to mislead there people (for an eg. Hitler, Sadam Hussien, and even Bush re: arms of mass distruction).
Türkiye must and need to reconcile there past history. Like Deutschland and Nippon have done.
My dear Turkish brothers and sisters, Turkyie is a very big country. Please do not deny our Kurdish brothers and sisters there homeland.
And if Türkiye is still in denial, than Türkiye should go please sell crazy somewhere else.
Great pictures! Hadn't read your blogs for a while and today treated myself to a few hours of blog reading. You have a sensitive and astute perspective on things. It was nice to see your pictures and see your face again!!
fair comment Respond to a comment made in 1994 by a Greek person, it would be only fair to make my comment and hoping to be read by this particular moron or by any greek with the same mentality.Turkey has been home by many civilations for centuries not only for greeks and run by us for some hundreds of years.Longer than America and Australesia and so on changed to their existing name and up to thelate nineteentwentiees many greeks enjoyed the tolerance of our nations for HUNDREDS Of years unlike some continents didnt even bother showing the same respect to the cultural differences and if Iam not mistaken there isnt any native tasmanian left in Tasmania.Now as this goes on ,my answer to how I feel about converting Church to a Mosque is quite simple a lot better than converting to a Bar as you have done that in Cos island [Istankoy in Turkish]anybody would have seen this mosque is not mosque anymore A bar.So As we are proud of being Turkish we also proud of our tolerant past.
awesome I've been following all your blogs, they are awesome, was a little worried when you were in Sudan and hadn't left any blogs for a while. Good to see things are well. Continue to enjoy your adventure, I'll be waiting to hear more.
Stupid Arab Saying Lebanon For Lebanese is the same facsist mentality which drove Nazis to say Germany for the Germans. When are Arabs ever going to learn that nationalism only leads to their descrution - -
catchy was searching for a boyfriend's blog and I incdentally chanced upon your blog and great pics on Ethiopia. Wow! It's 1AM Bangkok time and I have been dying to go to bed since I got home from work today but your writing power kept me glued to my screen, eyes wide!
Keep it up dude! - Brens
just to say..... .....been following your travels for a while now, it's an interesting route you're planning on doing, I look forward to hearing about it, especially after your last two blogs on Sudan and Ethiopia had me glued to the moniter for a full hour! Happy travels! - Conor
My initiation to Bedreddin Well, mr Bedreddin for what it's worth you have a new fan. Drawn to your homepage article, I was enthralled all the way to the bottom - of your article that is, and look forward to reading your other blogs.
Now, to write some more of our somewhat less adventurous and articulate blog!
PeteSarah
eniste nashiati bu arap seysi merakin bittiyse afrikaya git zenci seylerini gör ....
yediin ictiin senin olsun gordukleini anlatmasanda olur "EniSten" - bEn
My trip began (July 19, 2004) as a 14-month leave of absence from my job, with the intention of "seeing the world", and a bunch of unrealistic ideas of what can be accomplished in a year. Turns out a year isn't as long as it seems, so I've recently quit my job (yeay!) to become a full-time traveler. Until, that is, I run out of money or decide I'm ready to rejoin the ratrace.
In the meantime, I'm trying to blog at least once a month from the countries I'm visiting. I'm not interested in Western Europe, so don't expect pictures of Venice here. My blogs are basically my impressions of pla... full info
SpyrosDT
non-member comment
Too True
Somalia is one country I have never been in, but I had once two seamen from there, who were pretty literate in Italian and English. - Therefore your experience was read with interest. - Ranging in philosophical grounds, I wonder how freely the U.S. dispense of their own people, being soldiers of "freedom". - On the other hand, I never considered U.S. politically-minded, but strictly business-minded. It seems they have no conception of what "politics" means. - I do admire your disposition to write such many words - I mostly begin writing with a full head but somehow a laziness takes over. - Keep up