Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Paul]

Dear All,

Once again, thanks for all your positive comments regarding my travel photography in the past. It's always heartening to know that people appreciate them...

In 2009 I made two further trips to Algiers with work, and had more freedom to visit sites and take more and better photos than I ever had previously, supplementing the photos I posted from 2007. Algiers is an amazing city by the Mediterranean, a jewel of North Africa with a mixture of Arabic, Socialist Realist and Colonial French architecture, and still untouched by modern tourism - almost without western-style shopping malls and brands. Emerging from the terrible shadow of civil war in the 1990s (and still affected by a terrible terrorist threat), Algiers is undergoing great change as the country's oil and gas wealth has been used to develop the city to a hitherto unseen extent. Some aspects of the city are extremely beautiful and unique, and thus I have been greatly honoured by the opportunity to spend time and document the city and its warm, friendly people.

The photos are left as they were taken, and some are not perfect in terms of focus or composition. I apologise for this, but wish for the city to speak for itself. I have no time to explain all the photos (but will do so today), but please take a look at this amazing, still undiscovered city...

Views from the El-Aurassi hotel and surrounding streets





The Eglise de Notre Dame d'Afrique, the oldest still-used Catholic church in the North African Maghreb, and still continually used today by the Catholic population in Algiers. Also, surrounding views of the bay from the church have been shown...













The Monument des Martyrs at the hill of Djmaa El-Fna, the major landmark of the city of Algiers, along with surrounding architecture...











The Grande Poste (Main Post Office), one of the best examples of Colonial French/Moorish-blended architecture in Africa



Views of the City Streets

[imaginary friend]

i like them.

#@!

[dj50tonhamster]

Thanks for sharing. I'll be spending some time in northern Africa next year. I don't think I'll make it to Algeria this time but I really want to get out there. The clash of civilizations that's inherent in things like the architecture is really interesting to see and, I'd imagine, experience.

Did you get to talk to any of the locals about how they feel about their country and its history?

[CeeGBee]

Thanks for sharing. I'll be spending some time in northern Africa next year. I don't think I'll make it to Algeria this time but I really want to get out there. The clash of civilizations that's inherent in things like the architecture is really interesting to see and, I'd imagine, experience.

Did you get to talk to any of the locals about how they feel about their country and its history?

I trust you'll take (and possibly share) a gazillion pictures?

It'd be interesting to compare your styles...

[Paul]

Hi, thanks for the nice comments!

Thanks for sharing. I'll be spending some time in northern Africa next year. I don't think I'll make it to Algeria this time but I really want to get out there. The clash of civilizations that's inherent in things like the architecture is really interesting to see and, I'd imagine, experience.

Did you get to talk to any of the locals about how they feel about their country and its history?

In a work context, I deliberately stayed away from discussing the War of Liberation and the subsequent Civil War. However my impression is that Algerians are very proud of their victory over the French (and despite the fact that Algiers is a very "French" city and French is effectively the language of commerce and government, there is a lot of anti-French sentiment around), but do not discuss the civil war and subsequent terrorism.

[dj50tonhamster]

I trust you'll take (and possibly share) a gazillion pictures?

It'd be interesting to compare your styles...

But of course. I'm actually planning to upgrade to a 5D Mk II (expensive-ass camera w/ full HD video) and do pics and video. I've got an idea for a documentary of sorts, seeing as how I could land in some places that people consider pretty hairy.

In a work context, I deliberately stayed away from discussing the War of Liberation and the subsequent Civil War. However my impression is that Algerians are very proud of their victory over the French (and despite the fact that Algiers is a very "French" city and French is effectively the language of commerce and government, there is a lot of anti-French sentiment around), but do not discuss the civil war and subsequent terrorism.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I wasn't necessarily coming at it from the civil war/unrest angle, though (although I do find it fascinating). Henry Rollins likes to go to "odd" places and talk to people about their countries, what their lives are like, etc. His usual discovery? Surprise surprise, these people are proud of their countries, want peace and want better tomorrows for their children. Anyway, that's what I meant more than anything else. That and things like pre-colonial history.

Sorry to hear about the anti-French sentiment. It's amazing what people will and will not tolerate. I'm still kind of blown away, for example, by how well Americans are tolerated, and even liked, by the Vietnamese. I guess not all cultures are so willing to forgive.

[CeeGBee]

I'm actually planning to upgrade to a 5D Mk II

oooh!  I looked at that one!     


Then I looked at the price tag...

Maybe after I have approached utilization of the full capacities of the one I did buy...