Villas in a Gated Residential Place

The newer developments in the actual Middle Eastern cities like Cairo or Amman are all classified by contemporary architecture, Mediterranean style villas and mansions, and they are expensive. All of these villas take the form of more European style homes like in Spain or something like that. They seem very nice from the outside however some people tend to exhibit discomfort towards these places because it is the actual manifestation of the social class difference in these countries. However, I think that some people deserve a break form the rush of the inner city traffic and noises. So essentially the people who live in these developments are not trying to show any disrespect to the actual state of their nation.

These interiors of these villas are modern, clean, organized, and expensive. Numerous t.vs are lines up all over the place. Bedrooms upstairs that show contemporary architecture and the master bedroom is like a king's room. The kitchen can either be locked away in the back and it may share some of the characteristics of an older Arab home or it may be open to the living room like any modern home and be clean and organized.

The backyards all have swimming pools that are very nice. The garden is large and the greenery is very nice. The in these areas tend to have a nice car and all the amenities of a city are available.

I like these new developments. I think they are very nice and people shouldn't show any discontent. We're not sure of the intentions of the home owners and blah blah blah.. I could go on about both sides of the situation and talk about it however I'm only informing you the reader of how different the newer areas are from the older places.

Old Arab City

The Old Arab City is literally something that just came to me when I was thinking of a title for this post, however the true nature of this title truly reflects the vast amount of options that may be used in order to title the posts that deal with old Arab homes.

Indeed, the old Arab homes are old. In fact they're so old that I sometimes think I took a few steps back in time into something like the 18th or 17th century (when these developments were actually built). The fact that they presevre these old places provides support for either two things; they are too lazy to tear them down and build actual modern homes or they like their past because it makes them feel unique.

Nonetheless, these homes are so old and unique in their designs that it seems like a touristic center in itself. Preserved Roman architecture and complicated designs are found a lot, especially in the older cities like Alexandria or Amman. The architecture in Alexandria in particular is something that amazes me a lot. It is something more closer to Mediterranean style place.

That's the exterior and what they look like. Inside however, is something more unique than the exterior. Ok, we can temporarily dismiss the fact that the density of the six to ten story apartment buildings is present. However, I personally need to address the fact that you can literally hear/see the actions that take place in other homes. It's like nothing's a secret, yet people will in fact get caught in tangles over privacy.

We go into a specific home now and you will find more elaborate images of the living room, kitchen, bathroom, etc.

The contemporary living room in an older city in the Middle East consists of something along the lines of this: a nice t.v., a few very large couches (I'll get to why they're large in a second), and some table that's probably off center and with old decaying flowers in it. The nice t.v. is necessary because everyone watches t.v. at some given point in time. So they need this luxury because it justifies some leisure time home because they make plenty of sacrifices elsewhere in the house. For example, the reason why they have such large couches is because the grandfather or grandmother or someone will essentially be forced to sleep on it because of lack of beds that need to be in cooperation of the people. The decaying flowers is their form of decoration. I mean, they just do not care what it looks like in there. If they were forced to actually tidy their living room some time it would be because of a very important/prominent guest. Other than that, it pretty much looks like ancient history in there, except for the fact that there's a large and expensive t.v.

Kitchens are dreaded by everyone, yet everyone knows very well that they need to make their way in there some point in time. For one, they all are small and crowded. There's an enlarged fridge in the corner that can only be opened half way due to lack of space and there is also the ten thousand year old oven that some how still works. The sink is large as well. There's a window that leads out into the clearing area between the apartments of the building. It probably smells something like a combination of spices, onions, and old food leftover.

Bedrooms are nice. The master bedroom is the only thing that probably represents the remnants of the marriage of the owners of the house. It has some nice furniture and it also looks pretty well kept. However, the other smaller bedrooms are old, peeling walls, and multiple beds to accommodate the over flowing house of people.

Dining rooms are kept clean as well. The only reason why they're kept clean is because nobody eats in them. The entire family will spread out a mat or some old sheets onto the floor in front of the t.v. in the living room and they'll eat sitting down. The only time, I believe, when the actual dining table is used is when there's an important guest or something.

Do you see why now the older homes are unique?

Time for a New Topic- Homes in the Middle East

If you are anywhere in the Middle East, and you plan on going into a home there, then you need a few tips and pointers so you're not comparable to a foreigner. You can go into a shack on the roof of a rundown building somewhere in the older downtown areas or you can go inside a mansion in some gated community with palm trees lining the road and essentially you will find the same features in both.

I won't go into minimized detail about separate topics because each feature of a Middle Eastern home requires its own elaborate explanation. I haven't been inside a home in the Middle East that deserves the title "organized". The houses there can be clean and new but that will never change the activities that occur behind the walls of the home itself.

First and foremost, a Middle Eastern home, whether it is a shack or a villa, is probably filled will more than the immediate family members that actually own the home. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and etc will all be in there at some given point in time. Whether it is three in the morning or three in the afternoon, the homes there will always be crowded and people will always be yelling, crying, laughing. All kinds of noises from all ages ranging from a few months to more than ninety.

There will always be the diva girl who's on the phone with whoever, and the teenage boy kicking around a soccer ball screaming at the television that probably has a soccer game running. There will be the mother and the grandmother cooking in the overheated kitchen and there will always be an irritated grandfather and possibly even father.

It's these qualities that make the Middle Eastern homes much different than any other place in the world. The unique characteristics of these establishments embody the true nature of elaborated exhibition of Middle Eastern and nothing more to it.

Spotlight on Iran (part II)

It's not that I want Iran to build a nuclear weapon, but if that's what it takes to shut out the major powers opposing the advancement of them, then by all means prove them wrong. The Iranians have something that they need to fulfill; and that is dotted with plenty of different advancement in their science and technology sector. 

I would hope to see the west and Iran come to some sort of agreement regarding this topic that doesn't even need to be discussed. And it's not like the Chinese or the Russians are supporting Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, but they are doing the right thing by trying to advocate a peaceful route to obtain a solution. Turkey is trying to moderate between Iran and the west and everyone is waiting on Iran now. Whether they agree to international terms or not, it's up to them to do whatever they want.

Perhaps Iran wanting to obtain a nuclear weapon (that is if they even want make one) will indeed drive the other nations in the region to follow through and obtain the same technology. So what? What's the big deal? If it is not for defense then it's for advancing their science and technology sector. People need to eliminate the thoughts of "extremism" from their minds. Nations in the Middle East aren't trying to start problems. But since the west as been deliberately distributing tainted images of the Middle East, then everyone is forced to think of them as extreme; which is very very wrong in my opinion. 

There will not be one nation in the world that will benefit from war with Iran; not israel or Iran or Russia or any other nation. But that is something commonly known throughout the world; yet people still insist on keeping this option available.

In the end, I sure do hope that Iran and its enemies do come to some sort of agreement.

Spotlight on Iran

The current spotlight on the Middle East these days is centered around Iran and their extremely controversial nuclear program. To make a long story short; there are major powers around the world such as usa, uk israel, france, and all of their puppet states that are completely against Iran obtaining nuclear energy. These nations put together the equation that Iran plus nuclear power would equal israel's massive destruction....?

Ok, hypothetically speaking, let's say that Iran did in fact obtain a nuclear weapon(s). What's the big deal? They're not bullies, they're not murderers, and they are not terrorists. I happen to know that israel is suspected of having a massive arsenal of nuclear weapons. In fact, they indirectly admit to having it because they openly advocated the use of their so-called "samsun option" (look if up if you don't know what it is). Why would israel be making threats to destroy itself and all of the nations around it with nuclear weapons and at the same time they don't openly admit to possessing it. If you ask me, israel's the real threat in the Middle East. Not Iran. I mean, they never once admitted to even have the intentions of manufacturing nuclear weapons; yet everyone in the world seems to think that it is their number one priority. The only argument that the west has against Iran is the whole idea of the Iranian government not allowing international atomic energy officials to inspect their own classified military base that's "suspected" of possessing these weapons.

Responding to what has been said above, I don't believe the IAEA or anybody other than the Iranian government have the right to go to classified areas of their country and "inspect" vital points about their so called "nuclear program". I fully fully support the Iranian government wanting to enrich their uranium and I would even support them if they wanted to build nuclear weapons. People in israel claim that if Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons, then it'll spark a Middle Eastern "Cold War". Even if it does, what is the business of the other nations??

The opposition of the west and major world powers against the Middle East's advancement is something that seems to anger me a lot. It so happens that fallacies about the Middle East are viewed through the same pair of binoculars that essentially provide a tainted panorama of the Middle East and its "extremist" intentions. Iran nowadays is known as the "warmonger" because their holding excessive amounts of military exercises because of direct threats from opposing nations to make air strikes on Iran. So it's only natural for them to respond with the same, if not, more aggressive threats for they are not the ones who initiated the conflict in the first place.

Other people claim that this conflict over Iran is going to be the reason why the world is plunged into world war three.........no it's not. Nobody is going to initiate massive world destruction over some nation that appears to be advancing, because that is what is comes down to. World leaders aren't dumb and they know that if an attack on Iran happened the consequences would be devastating. Only then would a massive war break out; but until then, I don't believe in any military actions....from either side.

Politics

Politics of the Middle East is a very controversial topic that can essentially spark up anger and drive it to a certain point in which people will go crazy. Of course the topic of the Middle East these days has to do with the so called "extremist" country of Iran and the international dispute as to whether Iran should have nuclear energy or not. This topic can be talked about for hours and I love talking about it. I love hearing what the other side has to say. They don't respect Iran's liberty for building something that they (the west) have and have had for a while. Keep in mind that Iran has claimed that its intentions to generate nuclear energy is because they need it for electricity and other things essential for its nation. I believe them and I even support their right to build the nuclear weapon in they wanted to.

Tourism in Dubai/Doha/Kuwait City (they're all the same)

Tourism in Dubai and Doha and Kuwait City essentially all offer the same thing. No doubt that some of these cities are on different levels, but keep in mind that they all share the same qualities as well; low population, plenty of money, nothing to spend it on, and good weather all year.

I won't single out one city in particular, but I do really want to advocate the fact that these cities as well are in need for the tourism sector in their economy. If they don't strengthen this sector (among other ones) then they will be in deep trouble for when their oil runs out.

Now, what these cities have to offer is very luxurious hotels, world class amenities, and a stable society (for the most part). Indeed, the hotels there deserve commendation, but I just don't see the point in over doing it. The amount of competition these hotels that are essentially located on the same roads might cause some trouble or disputes. I don't think that they care for that at the moment since revenues from other things seem to cloud that fact.

Like I said, the tourism industries in various countries around the Middle East tend to compete with each other. But the competition can be very subtle. But as for monuments and historical centers, these new "world class" cities can't compete. It also angers me when tourists go visit these cities before thinking about the other actual Arab cities in the Middle East and claim that they went to the "real" Middle East. Oh man, can Dubai put on a show for its visitors. Apart from hotels and world class beaches and seven star hotels (which essentially all offer the same thing) they have nothing to offer its visitors.

I know I mentioned this a little bit before in the previous post, but these Gulf Arabs tend to leave their countries and spend their money in other cities. You know, it's good for these other cities but it makes them look bad, in my opinion.