people

Since July 2020, Israel is undergoing an unprecedented protest wave. Claims against government corruption in general and particularly against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu take people to the streets. This blog post contains a collection of video clips from the various dmeonstrations.

Israelis are fed up with the government and the Knesset parliament members, and with Prime Minister Netanyahu undergoing a corruption trial. Protests have been going on for a while, and here are some photos from one of the more intense ones.

Israelis wished for trees, green spaces and a café, most of them missed the sea, hugs and a grocery store, were looking for a quiet corner at home, and some wish to slow down. How did Israel experience the lockdown? Here are the notable findings from an independent survey conducted in a collaboration with XNET magazine.

Peculiar yet inspiring, Malagasy culture demonstrates how the commemoration of the deceased can be a celebration.

13th Alpine Peace Crossing Peace Hike took place on June 29th, 2019. Here is a collection of sights from the event.

What makes Almaty, Kazakhstan’s former capital and its main commercial and cultural hub, so welcoming and attractive? Here’s an introduction to a city which is a journey, a must visit for anyone related to urban design and planning.

Visiting a vanishing village in Japan, where scarecrows were turned into an open museum, only enhancing the feeling of rural realm decay.

Entrepreneurship for the sake of entrepreneurship misses the main point – identifying cores of problems and providing them with proper solutions. Why do people avoid digging into problems and prefer solving wrong problems? A few thoughts about it in this article.

What can we learn from makeshift housing along active railway tracks about Kolkata, India and people’s lives?

A hundred men and women, history enthusiasts and descendants of Australian Mounted Division and ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers, came to the Negev to retrace the ANZAC cavalry charge at Beer Sheba that took place exactly a hundred years ago, during World War I

Outdoor scenes, an ethnic festival, marshrutka rides, the warm hospitality of Kyrgyz people… Intimate interactions make a journey in Kyrgyzstan an unforgettable experience.

Traveling in Kyrgyzstan in the summer means summer vacation also for children. They roam everywhere, playing on the streets, helping their parents with house or farm duties, or joining them for a vacation time. And interactions with them are always cheerful.

Markets provide an unmediated interaction with colors, smells and smiles of people, inevitable for us as social creatures. Markets (“Bazaars”) of Kyrgyzstan are no exception.

Want to buy a mare milk drink? Enjoy summer pastures? Meet inspiring shepherds? A glimpse into rural life in Kyrgyzstan via encounters with local communities.

The city of Naryn is stretched 15 Milometers along the narrow Naryn river valley in Kyrgyzstan. Lovely hospitable people make up for a place seems forgotten in time.

Some urban scenes from amazing Delhi, December 2016.

Back in July 1996, Nha Trang was a beautiful quiet beach town, with a lively fishing industry. Here is a collection of photos of people from that visit. Can you identify yourself..?

Riding Yangon’s circular railway provides a glimpse to people and life in Myanmar. But this train can be much more useful for locals even without a huge investment. Let’s hop on the train and learn what can be done!

A tour through the alleys of Kumartuli – a historical quarter in Kolkata where local artisans build majestic statues of idols, deities and festive figures

A collection of street scenes and people in Kolkata, from a visit in December 2016.

Join a visit to a neighborhood with a mix of small workshops, mainly for processing metal and creating various tools, and tiny dwelling units surrounding common courtyards where meeting and washing take place.

On the 24th of November 2016, the city of Haifa witnessed its first large scale fire. Its delicate greenery surrendered to extreme dry weather, and flames engulfed buildings burning apartments. Several urban nature spots were completely burned. In this photographed diary I describe my day by day experiences – from the day of the fire to field trips in affected areas.

Exploring the world earns you important skills and tools to become a better architect and city planner; From developing sensitivity and feel for spaces, through learning communication skills to getting inspiration from vernacular architecture.

A footage of Venice in the morning with Vivaldi on the background became an editing Étude, an urban concert dedicated to those who make Venice – sweeping, collecting garbage, loading, carrying and unloading, through the meandering alleys and canals.

Trekking from Bazena through Rifugio Tita Secchi and Rifugio Maria e Franco to Passo di Campo – 24-26 June 2016

Visiting The Floating Piers was a once in a life time experience. A unique installation that enabled people to walk on water. A video, photo gallery, impressions and a few thoughts about the project and its “aftermath”.

A visit to rural areas of West Garo Hills in Meghalaya, India, where unique traditional life is still kept by Garo People.

Four boys participate in a Buddhist Ordination ceremony to become novice monks. Two days of transformation of body and soul into a new chapter in life.

Waiting to cross the street can be extremely annoying on hot summer days. Placing parasols on the sidewalk in front of pedestrian crossings may provide a relief and encourage walking.

A beautiful day hike up Breithorn via Südwandsteig, with a beautiful rewarding view to Steinernes Meer, and a relaxing stop at Riemannhaus. A day in the Austrian Alps.

A beautiful day hike crossing the Alps from Italy to Austria through Kehrer Alm, Birnlückenhütte and Birnlücke pass

Photos from the events and walk of the 9th Alpine Peace Crossing – commemorating the 5,000 Jewish refugees who crossed the Alps on their way to the Land of Israel in 1947

Discover Buzludzha Monument – a fine example of socialist/communist – brutalist architecture currently in decay. By video and stills we shall discover the unique architectural and artistic features of the site.

Tobacco leaves decorate the streets of Prilep in Macedonia as part of the curing process. Watch a clip of a family preparing the leaves for curing and enjoy stills of the colorful streets

Three enthusiastic young Bulgarians run an isolated large mountain hut. Without permanent electricity and no road connection, everyday life in the hut is a challenging task even in the 21st century. A glimpse into hut management and an original campaign for facilities improvement.

The Sounds of the Old City festival, is held for the fourth time in the Old City of Jerusalem, bringing various musicians to the vivid paths of the Old City

Visiting the enchanting landscapes of Mariovo, southern Macedonia, and the villages of Štavica and Manastir

The story of Vitolište in Macedonia is the story of numerous villages all over the world that were left to decay due to massive urbanization processes. We shall tour the village that once knew lively days, guided by Vane who used to live there as a child.

Intervention in Warsaw / Muranów inspired by pre-war urban tissue. Summary of first semester of the project presenting historical development, values, commemoration issues, master plan and sample intervention ideas

Initial intervention ideas inspired by pre-war Warsaw urban tissue are presented through excerpts from a computerized model

In this post we shall get a glimpse to pre-war Warsaw and its urban characteristics, followed by a comparison to current Warsaw, through aerial photos and analyses.

Iceland National Trail is an initiative to create a long circular hiking & biking route that passes through Iceland’s best locations, in order to spread tourism across the country, encourage encounters between visitors and locals and bring tourism as a source of income to remote communities.

I chose the former Warsaw Ghetto area as the site for the final Architecture and Town Planning studies project. In this post a summary of the first phase of the project is presented – observations, data analysis, history, conflicts, and finally architectural research questions, some ideas and relevant references

Encounters with people of Iceland in the capital Reykjavík, most of them during Menningarnótt – “culture night”

Excerpts from fascinating encounters with people of the country of ice and rocks, during a 40 days trip in Iceland. In this part – encounters throughout the island

Haifa Trail was inaugurated, as Thomas Fietz, a Trail Runner from Germany, completed the 70 Kilometers of the trail in 15 hours, divided to two days. Thomas was the first to complete the whole trail, the first tourist on the trail, and the first to run it.

My first bike ride in New York City, in the heart of Manhattan!
Experience the exciting ride yourself…

A visit to the Nepali village of Syange, along the Annapurna Circuit trek, in 2011 carrying photos from the 1996 visit, creates wonderful opportunities for new-old acquaintances…

A steep climb takes trekkers and expedition members to Manaslu Base Camp – the first camp used by mountaineers on their way to the top of Mount Manaslu. Lets take a look how this climb looks like…

Whether it is a short “Namaste” greeting on the trail or “home staying” with a family, acquaintances with people of Manaslu region and Tsum valley in Nepal are joyful and inspiring. Meet some of these people…

A notable construction of lodges currently takes place along the Manaslu Circuit trekking route. Locals identify the increase in trekker numbers and build new accommodation facilities, some of them quite different from traditional local structures

Photos from the social protest rally that took place in Tel Aviv streets and ‘Kikar Hamdina’ with approximately 300,000 participants.

The melting pot of the Summer 2011 social protest in Israel – Tel Aviv Rothschild boulevard tent city – in photos

A 24 hours visit to New York brings observation into the reciprocity of forms and people taking place above and below ground in the ‘Big Apple’.

Palm Sunday was celebrated today in colorful festivities in Downtown Haifa.
Here are some souvenirs from the events…

Two weeks after the Carmel blaze back to the usual rambling at home – From Haifa to Beit Oren – and the inevitable but optimistic encounters with the fire aftermath

A Glimpse of Georgia (Gruzia), the wonderful Caucasus country rich with natural beauty and wonderful people…

Photos from the opening ceremony of the International 420 World Championship in Haifa.

Everybody knows that being a student in the Technion means hard work. But during the breaks, it’s the students who challenge themselves…

An enchanting lake is situated inside a dormant volcano mouth in Ethiopia. Villages are scattered around the lake, making it a fascinating destination for hiking. Watch a photo gallery of this unknown paradise.

2009 Delhi is dazzling and enchanting as ever, but with a strong flavor of renovation. The fabulous Metro system, cellular everywhere, CNG operated rickshaws and even rumors about a Main Bazar face lift, bring a fresh sight to India’s vibrant capital.

People of Ethiopia – A magnificent photo gallery

A journey to Romania in April 1999. It was a voyage back in time… Join a journey through Romania’s rural areas as well as some more familiar urban places, and meet its landscapes and people.

On March 26th, 2006, a total solar eclipse was visible from the Mediterranean cost of Turkey.
These pictures were taken about 30 kilometers East of Antalya.

A historical cruise along China’s Yangtze river, where people, villages and towns are relocated due to the rising water level following Three Gorges Dam construction.

A three months long journey is coming to an end, time to checkout the construction works of China’s national stadium in Beijing, which is going to be the focal point of the 2008 Olympic Games. Will I be able to go inside and explore?

A casual stop at a touristic site along the Yangtze river turns into a journey in a city being dismantled brick by brick. The Yangtze water level is rising due to the Three Gorges Dam construction, local people of Fengdu are relocated, their real city becomes a Ghost City, while tourists rush to see the other Ghost City that lies above – a tribute to the afterlife.

A visit to a unique 1700 years old village-town in Chongqing’s remote Youyang County, which will be vanished underwater, due to the construction of the Pengshui Dam on the Wu Jiang (river).

Photos from Bulgaria – A trip in Rila, Pirin, Rodopi ranges with a climb to Vihren Peak, and visit in Shiroka Loka, Plovdiv, Sofia, Trigrad Canyon, Bansko and more…

Travelogue and Photos from Vietnam

Images from Turkey – Kaçkar, Erzurum, Kars, Ani, Cappadocia, and more…