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Streets of Ramallah, Palestine
Sep. 16th, 2014 11:00 pm
I've been going through my photos from the Alaskan journey, and one thing is clear. The shots are almost entirely of the beautiful landscapes, with few humans in the frames. The opposite was true during my trip to the West Bank, where so many interesting faces were ready to pose at a moment's notice. So, my photos from Ramallah are almost all portraits. The people here completely captivated me, drawing me in with their warmth and hospitality. I couldn't imagine that I'd be walking the streets of Ramallah a year ago. This city was my first introduction to a predominantly Muslim region, and I had no idea what to expect. Any small ounce of inner fear was completely overcome by curiosity. Few Westerners venture deep into the West Bank on holiday, instead limiting time to the relgious sites in Bethlehem. Those sites are interesting, but fail to capture the essence of ordinary life.
To understand the complex nature of life here is impossible. As an American citizen, I passed freely through Palestinian and Israeli controlled checkpoints, with absolutely no hassle. No prohibition on movement, no prohibition on visiting relgious sites. Ramallah falls under "Area A", and the Palestinian Authority is in full control. Entry into the area is prohibited for all Israeli citizens, and there are threatening signs at all checkpoints warning that entry by an Israeli citizen is "forbidden and dangerous to your life." I showed you the ominous sign in this post. What is the purpose? Personally, I think the language is meant to scare foreign tourists away, thus limiting exposure to ordinary life in the West Bank. Today I'll show you what I saw during my walk in Ramallah on a hot Sunday afternoon a few months ago. ( Read more... )
