TOLERANCE!
HAPPY PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFUL!
happy people, uncut, uncensored, raw, beautiful, lovely, wild, dancing, smiling.
ZÜRICH STREETPARADE 2024
Kategorie: HOPE
Stockholm Pride 2023
Recently i visited Stockholm and just bumped in the Stockholm Pride Parade.
The solidarity of the people with the LGBTQIA+ community was overwhelming. Not only the many spectactors are supporting this movements, but also many groups from police forces alike as from resque teams, fire fighters and also military gave their supporting statement by joining in the parade.
Among all the colorful people there were also some political statements and fight paroles for the oppressed ones.
Over all it was a happy and joyful event with lots of dancing and laughing people, who all wants the same as humans: peace, respect and equal rights.
Israel – Eilat, beach town at the Red Sea
After a long drive trough the Negev desert along the Jordan border, the road ends in Eilat at the Red Sea.
It appears as holiday destination like so many others on this world. Israeli and tourists all over the world coming here for some relaxing days, parties or a foodie weekend at the sea.
There’s not much more than the beaches in front of big hotels, food courts and bars. The landscape around is stunning tho. If you get on an elevated point you can overlook the Red Sea and its riparian states, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. All within a coastline of approximately 35 km.
Israel – Tsukim, the art village in the desert
Nothing else better than a good coffee for starting a new day. Even better in beautiful or interesting surrounding.
It’s happened i got an overnight stay just in Tsukim, just near the gate to the art village. And it’s just happened i woke up there on a Friday morning, the day when the art village is open for public, as they told me.
The Artists‘ Colony of Tsukim, also know as Zuqim, lies in the Negev desert, far away from a bigger settlement. A perfect place to follow your inspiration and create artsy stuff, as also more handy ones, like roasting coffee.
And coffee i got in the gallery, where beautiful landscape pictures of winterly Turkey were displayed. Ironically i did travel in Turkey just before and was fleeing the cold, while i enjoy the pictures here in the desert now.
Later i roamed trough the little shops, talked with a few artist and admired their art work. Paintings, pottery, fairy puppets, jewelry and wonderful creatures and things made from natural materials. And this coffee roastery, owned by a nice guy and his father. A good reason to stop by for another espresso.
The Wall – Art between Israel and Palestine
„There’s a sniper observing the area“ the Palestinian guide was pointing to the watchtower at the wall corner.
From there, a huge wall expands on both directions. This wall, also known as West Bank Barrier , was build by Israel for security reasons, as they claim. For the Palestinians it’s rather an act of segregation and further restriction of their freedom.
On the Palestinian side, it became a canvas for graffiti art. Palestinian and international artists put their messages and art on it, making it a huge board of resistance and shout for more freedom and peace.
Palestine – Bethlehem, Banksy and Jesus
There’s quite a controversy about the birthday of Jesus. While some historian beliefs it was actually in Nazaraeth, where he supposed to spend also his youth, other stays with the place written in the Gospels: Bethlehem.
After entering the city trough heavy guarded check-points, we stopped at one of the best known graffiti by the anonymous artist Banksy.
The main program lead to the spot where, according to the gospels and the belief of christians, Jesus was born in a little shack. Around this place a big church with several units and chapels were build.
This Church Of The Nativity has different section according to different Christians churches, similar like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Old Jerusalem. And like there, here too they have this agreement of ‚Staus Quo‘.
Palestine – Jordan River, where Jesus got baptized, maybe.
A big crowd was gathered at the small, brown muddy river. It’s supposed to be the place, where Jesus got baptized in the Jordan river. These groups of believers obviously want follow their religion idol by get also blessed in that dirty water.
There’s a singing, praying and even screaming all over the crowd. A few standing in the water, all in white clothes, and holding the believers. Some seemed to hesitate, but loud prayers demanding to the supposing daemons to leave. Then, in a quick move, the priest dived the believer backwards into the river. A guy with a horn blows a deep tone to announce the new baptized, while the crowd was cheering and the singing is swelling in excitement.
The Jordan river is the border to the state of Jordan too. At the other side there’s also a small access to the river. The wooden platform is smaller and much less crowded. The few tourists from Jordan side was watching and filming the event. In between, there was a lonely guy, a bit off the crowd dipping himself into the river. When he reappeared he looked around, seemed to be almost a bit lost.
Palestine – Jericho, the oldest city ever?
Actually, there’s not really much to see on the excavation site of Jericho. At least it’s not as impressive than other sites in the area. But it claims to be „the oldest city of the world“, as our guide it stated proudly too.
However, the findings and some walls are dated back around 10’000years BCE. This would be as old as the newer founds in Anatolia, like Göbekli Tepe or Karahan Tepe, both i just visited recently too (there is upcoming more blog posts about my Turkey trip soon. Stay tuned!)
Near to the archeological site of Jericho raise also the ‚Mountain of Temptation‘, where according to the bible Jesus get tempted by the devil in his time of fasting.
We hadn’t the time to climb up or even get a ride up in the cable car. That’s the downside of a booked group tour, i have to admit. At least we had a stop for a splendid view on it and a juicy drink in the shade.
Israel – Jerusalem Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum)
To understand Israel, one have to understand the history of its people.
The traumatic peak of the Jewish diaspora was the so-called holocaust in the 1930’s in Europe. The official website of Yad Vashem explains:
„The Holocaust was unprecedented genocide, total and systematic, perpetrated by Nazi Germany and its collaborators, with the aim of annihilating the Jewish people. The primary motivation was the Nazis‘ anti-Semitic racist ideology. Between 1933 and 1941 Nazi Germany pursued a policy that dispossessed the Jews of their rights and their property, followed by the branding and the concentration of the Jewish population. This policy gained broad support in Germany and much of occupied Europe. In 1941, following the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Nazis and their collaborators launched the systematic mass murder of the Jews. By 1945 nearly six million Jews had been murdered. „
Walking through the rooms of museum/memorial, the visitor learn about how the hate against the Jewish people raised. It displays many individual fates and the suffer of an entire folk. Not to forget all the heroes, who fought and helped these people to escape.
It’s a place to remember the loss and keep in mind to fight for a peaceful future. At least i’d like to understand it that way. Unfortunately, i was informed at this very day, that Israel army attacked and destroyed the airport of Aleppo, which is crucial for the help of victims of the recent earthquake in that region. This incident wasn’t confirmed, nor denied, from the Israel officials. But it let me a bitter taste when thinking of the future of this region.
Israel – Holy Places In Jerusalem (1/2)
Jerusalem isn’t that huge, but full of spots, which considered to be holy to religions as Jews, Christians and Moslems, and if you want so, also the many markets, which could be considered as places to worship the capitalism 😉
To visit most places and get more informations i joined a tour group for the day.. Tour guide Tania lead the group to the many interesting places. Starting in the Armenian quarter, stopping by at ancient Roman columns, we arrived one of the highlights on this tour. The Western Wall, also known as Wailing Wall!
The Jews coming here to pray, because it’s the closest spot to the former most holy place within the ancient temple. It’s not only a place to pray, but also to study and teach. A rabbi appears with a big group of young believers. A film team is following them. Seemed to be quite a famous guy.
Left to the open square, the wall continued behind a big gate into great halls, or tunnels respectively. More prayers inside there. To my surprise, there’s also a big library with books and texts to study.
On the top of the temple plateau lies not only the famous Dome of the Rock, but als the third important mosque of the islam, the Al-Aqsa mosque. There’s no way to get in for non-believers, but at least i got look on it and the square in front of.
Around the temple plateau are narrow streets with markets. Between all the tourists and local shoppers a procession of pilgrims carry a wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa.
I come trough one of the city gates past playing children. Outside are big cemeteries, jewish and muslim ones. Between them lies the Garden of Gethsename with its old olive trees. Just behind it the ascent of Mount of Olives starts. From the top is a stunning view back to the old city, the city wall and the temple plateau with the Dome of the Rock. But more about it tomorrow.
rene bauer photography 