culture – Michael Reid Books

Taksim, March 2025 — Bosphorus Part II

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March 14, 2025 Even places of worship were shrouded, or hidden behind walls. Historically targets of terrorism, they were often marked by the presence of police, especially churches and synagogues. An ancient Catholic Church was found through the arches pictured below, behind gates and down steep steps. You could easily walk past; carried along by…

Taksim, March 2025 — On the Other Side of the Bosphorus

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March 14, 2025 Unlike the wide open spaces of the Namibian desert, or the endless rolling hills of the South African countryside; Taksim called us to its’ interior landscapes. This side of Istanbul seemed to be about the discovery of what remains hidden and out of sight – small spaces that lay behind or underneath.…

Taksim, March 2025 — International Women’s Day

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March 9, 2025 We’re back in Istanbul. This time in Taksim (pictured below from our balcony). It may not look it, but Taksim is a more modern district on the other side of the Bosporus. We decided to stay here as a contrast to the even older neighborhood, Sultanahmet, where we stayed last month. We…

Serra Cafema, February 2025 — The Season of Milk

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February 28, 2025 On our last day at Serra Cafema, I asked Michael E (one of the staff who happened to also have my name) why there seemed to be less flies around at night. He laughed and said, “It’s dark at night! They can’t see!” We continued on with an interesting discussion about flies.…

Serra Cafema, February 2025 — Himba

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February 22, 2025 We’ve lucked out again with an awesome guide. Athonosius (called Athon) has been assigned to us for our 5 days at Serra Cafema, and we are absolutely thrilled. He reveals an impressive trove of knowledge about so many different things; while being able to drive a Land Rover without GPS nor street signs on challenging terrain,…

Bodrum, February 2025 — Discovery

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February 11, 2025 Who knew? I hadn’t heard of Bodrum until thumbing through a hotel brochure a few months ago, and there it was. Bill had actually heard of it but knew very little. Ancient history, coastal town, Aegean Sea, out of the Schengen zone, a short 50 minute flight from Istanbul, diverse natural beauty.…

Istanbul, February 2025 — Resilience & Restoration

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February 5, 2025 I had no idea that Istanbul was considered by many to be the hair transplant capital of the world. Over here, “Turkish Airlines” is also know as “Hairkish Airlines”. It’s disturbing to encounter men walking around with raw patches of scalp, post-surgery. Especially at the airport where you see them in large…

Lisbon, February 2025 — Reality or Illusion

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February 1, 2025 I woke up this morning at 2:00am, overwhelmed by a delicious aroma of fresh croissants. The scent dissipated when I remembered I was in a 5th floor hotel room in Lisbon. Not a bakery in sight. Ever since the Convento dreamscape, I have struggled to keep track of events while attempting to…

Lisbon, January 2025 — Moving Through

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January 24, 2025 Now that I’ve gotten in touch with my feelings about our new president, his unfolding policy actions and political appointees; it’s been strongly suggested that I try to move on, not internalize negative energy, and to do my best to enjoy our time abroad. Well, it’s going to be a process. But…

Heraklion, October 2024 — Arrivals & Passages

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October 22, 2024 We’re now in Heraklion – the capital city of Crete. People from the Continent of Africa have been arriving here for millennia. They still are. Moustafa smiled broadly when I told him that Bill and I were going to Crete. He is a young man from Egypt we met in Santorini, who…