Matt's Writing

My last photo from inside Bethlehem. A Dutch documentary film crew was in front of me. (Tel Aviv, Israel) 26 December 2008: Eight days had passed since the six-month Hamas/Israel truce agreement ended on December 19, 2008. Each day I traveled in Israel, more and more mortars were launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. I had seen many Israeli soldiers near the Western Wall in the Old City, Jerusalem during the start of Hanukkah. Legions of their army green bags were stacked in giant piles. M16-yeilding, smoking soldiers sitting on top of the piles, waiting for buses outside Zion Gate. I sensed that something was going to happen in the near future between Israel and Gaza based on this large military gathering in Jerusalem, what I read in the press, and "word on the street"--informal conversations with Israelis, Palestinians, and "adventure travelers" at Petra Hostel who vacationed in conflict areas . Little did I know that the current Isr...

Thanksgiving break 2008, I visited the Christmas Markets in Frankfurt and Heidelberg, Germany, Strasbourg and Colmar in the Alsace region of France, and Basel, Switzerland. This photo is of the Strasbourg Christmas Market also called "Les marchés de Noël" with the Strasbourg Cathedral in the background. This is definitely worth checking out if you're in the Alsace region between Thanksgiving and Christmas. On the cold nights they serve Glühwein, which is heated mulled wine, served with all the cookies you could want.