I took a little trip down to the Sahara Desert a while ago and had a great time exploring the cities of Ghardaia, Illizi and Ouargla (Southern Algeria). I took some photos and thought I'd share them with you.
0
Sahara Desert
Started by Kimo, Jan 17 2012 07:26 AM
17 replies to this topic
#1
Kimo
-
- Members
- 746 posts
THIS IS NOT A PARABLE.
- LocationAlgiers
Posted 17 January 2012 - 07:26 AM
Heya,
I took a little trip down to the Sahara Desert a while ago and had a great time exploring the cities of Ghardaia, Illizi and Ouargla (Southern Algeria). I took some photos and thought I'd share them with you.
I took a little trip down to the Sahara Desert a while ago and had a great time exploring the cities of Ghardaia, Illizi and Ouargla (Southern Algeria). I took some photos and thought I'd share them with you.
It's the poison that it measures
Brings illuminating vision
It's the knowing with a wink
That we expect in Southern women
It's the wolf that knows which root to dig to save itself
It's the octopus that crawled back to the sea.
#2
michaels
-
- Members
- 292 posts
Registered User
- LocationGlasgow
#3
michaels
-
- Members
- 292 posts
Registered User
- LocationGlasgow
Posted 17 January 2012 - 11:25 AM
The rock carving in the second pic is amazing. A friend of mine explored the Sahara a couple of years ago. He said it was unforgettable. He also got floored by sunstroke!
Ahoy!
#4
Lori
-
- Members
- 6,291 posts
Gone pie
- LocationAdelaide, Australia
Posted 18 January 2012 - 05:08 AM
Great scenery pictures Kimo! I really love the city one and the camels. Thanks for sharing.
__________________________________________________
......as birds take wing they sing through life, so why can't we....
......as birds take wing they sing through life, so why can't we....
#5
Kimo
-
- Members
- 746 posts
THIS IS NOT A PARABLE.
- LocationAlgiers
Posted 18 January 2012 - 08:27 AM
I am glad you guys liked them 
Hahah! Yeah it can get very, very hot in the Sahara. The highest temperature I witnessed out there was 55° Celsius, no need to tell you how unbearable it was. I heard it gets even hotter sometimes.
The Rock carvings are the work of Tuareg tribes (nomads of the desert, you might have heard of them if you're familiar with a band called "Tinariwen").
The city photographed from afar is called Ghardaia. It is known for its medieval architecture!
michaels, on 17 January 2012 - 11:25 AM, said:
The rock carving in the second pic is amazing. A friend of mine explored the Sahara a couple of years ago. He said it was unforgettable. He also got floored by sunstroke!
Hahah! Yeah it can get very, very hot in the Sahara. The highest temperature I witnessed out there was 55° Celsius, no need to tell you how unbearable it was. I heard it gets even hotter sometimes.
The Rock carvings are the work of Tuareg tribes (nomads of the desert, you might have heard of them if you're familiar with a band called "Tinariwen").
The city photographed from afar is called Ghardaia. It is known for its medieval architecture!
It's the poison that it measures
Brings illuminating vision
It's the knowing with a wink
That we expect in Southern women
It's the wolf that knows which root to dig to save itself
It's the octopus that crawled back to the sea.
#6
Kimo
-
- Members
- 746 posts
THIS IS NOT A PARABLE.
- LocationAlgiers
Posted 18 January 2012 - 09:39 AM
Double post - Sorry!
It's the poison that it measures
Brings illuminating vision
It's the knowing with a wink
That we expect in Southern women
It's the wolf that knows which root to dig to save itself
It's the octopus that crawled back to the sea.
#7
michaels
-
- Members
- 292 posts
Registered User
- LocationGlasgow
Posted 18 January 2012 - 11:14 AM
Ta for the info Kimo. My friend is Scottish, so he would get sunstroke at 15 degrees celsius!
Ahoy!
#8
Driver Nate
-
- Members
- 17,771 posts
Miles Standish Proud
- LocationRaleigh, North Carolina
Posted 18 January 2012 - 11:45 AM
Kimo, on 18 January 2012 - 08:27 AM, said:
The Rock carvings are the work of Tuareg tribes (nomads of the desert, you might have heard of them if you're familiar with a band called "Tinariwen").
I love Tinariwen. I missed them when they passed through here recently but did catch them a couple of years ago when they played at UNC in Chapel Hill. Mesmerizing and hypnotic are two words that come to mind.
"We were listening to the UNC radio (station) there and they were playing an R.E.M. song. I like R.E.M. fine, but at the end of it, the DJ says, 'Ya that was R.E.M., the sound of the new South'. I looked at my roommate and we said, Gawd, if that's the sound of the new South, I preferred it when it was on the skids. That's how we got the name."
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
#9
Kimo
-
- Members
- 746 posts
THIS IS NOT A PARABLE.
- LocationAlgiers
Posted 19 January 2012 - 10:39 AM
michaels, on 18 January 2012 - 11:14 AM, said:
Ta for the info Kimo. My friend is Scottish, so he would get sunstroke at 15 degrees celsius!
You're welcome ! You know, I used to work in the oil fields in the Desert and most of my coworkers were Scottish, working on a 28/28 day rotations. At first, they really hated it. They used to drink like 15 liters of water per day and all but after a few months they adapted to the climate and always looked forward to coming back !
Driver Nate, on 18 January 2012 - 11:45 AM, said:
I love Tinariwen. I missed them when they passed through here recently but did catch them a couple of years ago when they played at UNC in Chapel Hill. Mesmerizing and hypnotic are two words that come to mind.
That is great! I saw them a couple of times in Algiers 2 years ago. They are huge in North Africa. Not only because of their music but also because they were amongst the first artists to promote the Tuareg culture throughout the Maghreb. They are extremely influential to thousands of bands (most relevant one : Kel Assouf, see video).
It's the poison that it measures
Brings illuminating vision
It's the knowing with a wink
That we expect in Southern women
It's the wolf that knows which root to dig to save itself
It's the octopus that crawled back to the sea.
#10
Driver Nate
-
- Members
- 17,771 posts
Miles Standish Proud
- LocationRaleigh, North Carolina
Posted 19 January 2012 - 11:04 AM
I have all of Tinariwen's other albums but I don't have the new one. I first heard of them through Robert Plant around the time of his The Mighty Rearranger record. Not long afterwards I read an interview with Buddy Miller about his first meetings with Plant in regards to joining what would later become known as The Band of Joy. One of several things they had in common was a love for Tinariwen. That, coupled with several friends who kept recommending Tinariwen to me resulted in me buying their Aman Iman: Water Is Life album. They're definitely among my very favorite discoveries in recent years.
"We were listening to the UNC radio (station) there and they were playing an R.E.M. song. I like R.E.M. fine, but at the end of it, the DJ says, 'Ya that was R.E.M., the sound of the new South'. I looked at my roommate and we said, Gawd, if that's the sound of the new South, I preferred it when it was on the skids. That's how we got the name."
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
#11
High_Speed_Train
-
- Members
- 195 posts
Berlin, Kyoto or Marseilles
Posted 19 January 2012 - 11:12 PM
Tinariwen are a fine band, I became aware of their existence thanks to their collaboration with a member of Wilco.
Unfortunately I've read reports of very few people showing up at their US concerts, I suppose it'll take quite some time for them to get a wider audience. (reports like this: http://www.dfw.com/2...at-loft-in.html).
I have never been to the Sahara although I made a lot of friends from Maghreb countries when I was studying at the faculty a few years ago. On another occasion our plane made a short scale at a Dubai airport, I only got to see the country through the large glass windows of the airport, this was in the mid-eighties, Dubai didn't impress much as it does today with its high rises and Vegas-inspired attractions. (This is as close as I've ever been to the Sahara).
I also read that some Saharan countries have a large percentage of very young population (as opposed to European countries with their ageing populations) and that this reflects in the large number of people attending universities in the region.
Kimo, a technical question, how did you attach these photos? I haven't been able to attach any and I don't have the option in My Media, I thought the function didn't exist and we could only link to external images?
Unfortunately I've read reports of very few people showing up at their US concerts, I suppose it'll take quite some time for them to get a wider audience. (reports like this: http://www.dfw.com/2...at-loft-in.html).
I have never been to the Sahara although I made a lot of friends from Maghreb countries when I was studying at the faculty a few years ago. On another occasion our plane made a short scale at a Dubai airport, I only got to see the country through the large glass windows of the airport, this was in the mid-eighties, Dubai didn't impress much as it does today with its high rises and Vegas-inspired attractions. (This is as close as I've ever been to the Sahara).
I also read that some Saharan countries have a large percentage of very young population (as opposed to European countries with their ageing populations) and that this reflects in the large number of people attending universities in the region.
Kimo, a technical question, how did you attach these photos? I haven't been able to attach any and I don't have the option in My Media, I thought the function didn't exist and we could only link to external images?
"But now you're here and it's different, how the light shines in your eyes, and every second a century, it's then that I realized, the world as we know it, a high speed train, we'll pick it up and start again"
#12
Kimo
-
- Members
- 746 posts
THIS IS NOT A PARABLE.
- LocationAlgiers
Posted 20 January 2012 - 10:24 AM
Driver Nate, on 19 January 2012 - 11:04 AM, said:
I have all of Tinariwen's other albums but I don't have the new one. I first heard of them through Robert Plant around the time of his The Mighty Rearranger record. Not long afterwards I read an interview with Buddy Miller about his first meetings with Plant in regards to joining what would later become known as The Band of Joy. One of several things they had in common was a love for Tinariwen. That, coupled with several friends who kept recommending Tinariwen to me resulted in me buying their Aman Iman: Water Is Life album. They're definitely among my very favorite discoveries in recent years.
Led Zeppelin are very passionate about traditional maghrébine music. The madness of Joujouka (Morrocco) fascinated Jimmy Page who took the trip with Brian Jones in the late sixtees. I love Band of Joy by the way, great album.
As for Tinariwen, they collaborated with serveral artists and helped a lot of bands in Algeria, Mali and Libya by providing musical instruments and help them get gigs.
Tassili, their new album, is a solid effort. You should check it out if you liked Aman Iman. I can translate the lyrics for you if you're curious.
High_Speed_Train, on 19 January 2012 - 11:12 PM, said:
Unfortunately I've read reports of very few people showing up at their US concerts, I suppose it'll take quite some time for them to get a wider audience. (reports like this: http://www.dfw.com/2...at-loft-in.html).
I guess it's too... "unusual" for the general public. I think it's a good thing that those guys got the opportunity to travel around the globe to have their music heard and promote their culture, even if they play small venues for small audiances.
High_Speed_Train, on 19 January 2012 - 11:12 PM, said:
I also read that some Saharan countries have a large percentage of very young population (as opposed to European countries with their ageing populations) and that this reflects in the large number of people attending universities in the region.
That is correct. Maghreb countries (Tunisia, Algeria, Morrocco, Libya and Mauritania) have a young population and a high percentage of children. 90% of the Algerian population lives in the urban areas for several reasons, so I don't really know whether the Saharan population is young.
High_Speed_Train, on 19 January 2012 - 11:12 PM, said:
Kimo, a technical question, how did you attach these photos? I haven't been able to attach any and I don't have the option in My Media, I thought the function didn't exist and we could only link to external images?
Click on "more reply options" on the bottom of the page and then upload your pictures using the 'Attach Files' tool (see attachment) !
Attached Thumbnails
It's the poison that it measures
Brings illuminating vision
It's the knowing with a wink
That we expect in Southern women
It's the wolf that knows which root to dig to save itself
It's the octopus that crawled back to the sea.
#13
Driver Nate
-
- Members
- 17,771 posts
Miles Standish Proud
- LocationRaleigh, North Carolina
Posted 20 January 2012 - 11:02 AM
I'm not sure what attendance was like for their recent show at the Cat's Cradle but when I saw Tinariwen a couple of years ago at UNC it was sold out. Not sure how many other Tinariwen fans there are out there but in the event that there's more, I've started a thread for them here.
"We were listening to the UNC radio (station) there and they were playing an R.E.M. song. I like R.E.M. fine, but at the end of it, the DJ says, 'Ya that was R.E.M., the sound of the new South'. I looked at my roommate and we said, Gawd, if that's the sound of the new South, I preferred it when it was on the skids. That's how we got the name."
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
#14
wagtail
-
- Members
- 8,888 posts
beyond security
- Locationbeneath the southern cross
Posted 21 January 2012 - 11:05 PM
Kimo, thanks for posting these pics, they're amazing. As I've mentioned before I'd love to go to the Sahara one day. Can't see it happening in the next couple of years, 'cause I really want to go to Libya and I think I'd have to be a bit nuts to go there at the moment.
#15
clicli
-
- Members
- 3,163 posts
lost in motion
- LocationSweden
Posted 25 January 2012 - 04:27 AM
Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos Kimo. Amazing place… I want to go!
And how lucky to be introduced to some new music as well, thanks to this post. Wonderful stuff.
Do any of you guys listen to PRI's Global Hit podcast (http://www.theworld.org/global-hit/)? There's a place to discover some fascinating music from around the world…
And how lucky to be introduced to some new music as well, thanks to this post. Wonderful stuff.
Do any of you guys listen to PRI's Global Hit podcast (http://www.theworld.org/global-hit/)? There's a place to discover some fascinating music from around the world…
#16
Driver Nate
-
- Members
- 17,771 posts
Miles Standish Proud
- LocationRaleigh, North Carolina
Posted 25 January 2012 - 09:39 AM
clicli, on 25 January 2012 - 04:27 AM, said:
Do any of you guys listen to PRI's Global Hit podcast (http://www.theworld.org/global-hit/)? There's a place to discover some fascinating music from around the world…
I think I've heard it but it airs in the wee hours of the morning here. I'll have to investigate further. Thanks for the heads up.
"We were listening to the UNC radio (station) there and they were playing an R.E.M. song. I like R.E.M. fine, but at the end of it, the DJ says, 'Ya that was R.E.M., the sound of the new South'. I looked at my roommate and we said, Gawd, if that's the sound of the new South, I preferred it when it was on the skids. That's how we got the name."
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
- Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids
#17
clicli
-
- Members
- 3,163 posts
lost in motion
- LocationSweden
Posted 25 January 2012 - 01:49 PM
Driver Nate, on 25 January 2012 - 09:39 AM, said:
I think I've heard it but it airs in the wee hours of the morning here. I'll have to investigate further. Thanks for the heads up.
I usually listen to podcast. You can get it from iTunes (http://itunes.apple....st?id=101192633) or by going here: feed://www.theworld.org/rss/glohit.xml
It was an interesting coincidence coming across this: http://www.theworld....en-mustt-mustt/
#18
wagtail
-
- Members
- 8,888 posts
beyond security
- Locationbeneath the southern cross
Posted 11 February 2012 - 01:53 AM
Thought this was kinda cool:
"Music from Saharan Cellphones" @ http://sahelsounds.b...aran-cellphones
"Music from Saharan Cellphones" @ http://sahelsounds.b...aran-cellphones
0 user(s) are reading this topic
members, guests, anonymous users
