Photograph

Algiers Series | Timimoun Connections | A young boy orders some snacks from the tea hotspot in central Algiers. Customers are plenty at this favourite snack hut in the heart of the capital. Friendly chat is exchanged as people wait for their orders of fresh mint tea. The tea shop resembles a hole in the wall but one that is not easily missed. In a box-like store in the wall, a window allows passersby to peer in from the sidewalkRead more

Photograph

Marrakech Series: Motorbikes in the Medina I These days the Medina is synonymous with the rumbling sound. Motorbikes whizzing through the narrow streets of the Kasbah, dodging traffic to get to the other side. Brown, blue, white djellabas blowing in the wind.  Apart from being the most conventional way to navigate through heavy traffic, most Marrakechis choose to commute on bikes because they are simply more affordable than cars and marginally cheaper to maintain. This medieval city with a Berber spirit dating back toRead more

Photograph

Madinat Shamal Series: Wooden Boats l Two wood carvers sit under a tent in the Al Zubarah desert land located on the north western coast of Qatar. They are making miniature model dhow boats – traditional and specific in style to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. These wooden vessels were often used for carrying goods around the Persian Gulf, South Asia and East Africa. Smaller dhows were used for pearling around the peninsula.Read more

Photograph

Sti Fatma Series: Flour Grinder l A local inhabitant of the Sti Fatma area in the Atlas Mountains shows me a traditional stone grinder used to make flour. Grains are tossed into the funnel shaped basket which ensures the right amount of grain falls onto the stone grinder. A handle is turned in a circular motion and grains are crushed to produce fresh flour.Read more
3 Comments

Photograph 

Madinat Shamal Series: Stories from the Ocean l Pahalwan – The Old Pearl Diver shares stories about his ventures out at sea near Madinat Al Shamal in the north of Qatar. Among the items he carries with him are nets, oyster shells and old pearling relics which he has collected over the years. He has set up tent near an old village and archaeological site dating back to the 18th century called Al Zubarah – a place which witnessed much diaspora.Read more

Photograph

Muscat Series: The back streets of Muttrah l In the very backstreets of Muscat’s Muttrah Souq, hidden from view, lay stacks of a dying art craft. A shopkeeper standing on the side encourages the small number of tourists that have made it the extra mile to stop and look at water pitchers, storage urns, vases and decorative objects. But it’s to no avail. It’s a ghost town of old pretty buildings, uphill roads and empty streets. Here is a craftRead more