Dean Christakos« Looks like I picked an interesting time to go to Turkey | Main | Today in Interesting Numbers »
April 3, 2006
Day trip to Xanthi
My guidebook wasn't kidding when they spoke about the heavy military presence in Thrace. Alexandroupolis and Xanthi both have military offices, and there are larger military bases further out of town. Soldiers frequently arrive at these bases via the train, so likely stops at the train station invariably involve some soldiers embarking or departing, to be picked up by another soldier in an army truck. I'd provide you all with wondrous pictures of the ubiquitous military presence in these cities, but the last thing I want is to attract their attention to a lone traveler snapping pictures. Sorry, guys.
Another unique feature of Thrace is the presence of the Turkish minority or, as they're known to the government, "Greeks who are Muslim and happen to speak Turkish." In Xanthi, I took a picture of the first functional mosque I've ever seen in Greece:
In the old town, one can see old Turkish women speaking with each other in the streets and speaking Turkish in the stores. When I took this picture of some Turkish families waiting outside the local school, the women turned their heads away from me:
What I didn't find was a particularly Oriental flavor to the towns of Alexandroupolis or Xanthi. Possibly if I headed to the towns that dot Greece's eastern border with Turkey, I'd find places with more of a middle eastern feel, but I don't know. Tomorrow morning, I head to Turkey.
Posted by Dean at April 3, 2006 11:08 AM
Comments
be careful, man!!!
xoxo
t
Posted by: t-rat at April 3, 2006 5:58 PM
it's not nice to take pictures of muslim women.
Posted by: de at April 4, 2006 12:33 PM
Well, it wasn't about getting pictures of Muslim women, spceifically. It was more about taking pictures of Muslims in Greece going about their day-to-day lives, which included women in the crowd who apparently didn't want to be caught on camera.
Posted by: Dean at April 4, 2006 3:13 PM
it doesn't much matter if the picture is 'of' them specificly, or just happens to include them, just like military installations. you might be taking a picture of the neat looking rock right next to the troops, or even of the troop's lunch layout, but to the troops...
although making sure they notice you so they can turn their face away makes it merely an imposition rather than being offensive.
Posted by: de at April 4, 2006 5:04 PM