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Let me show you a world that is too often misunderstood.
Women gossiping in a park.
Istanbul, 2013.
Soft sand, palm trees, and some of the bluest waters you’ve ever seen.
Senggigi, Indonesia, 2011.
Bikes and bread and girls in matching dresses.
Prizren, Kosovo, 2013.
Camel rides at sunrise.
Wadi Rum, Jordan, 2011.
Chilled out beach resorts.
Ksamil, Albania, 2015.
Opulence.
Dubai, 2013
New friends who are dressed a million times better than you.
Amman, 2011.
Bridges across the divide.
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2012.
Best friends forever.
Brunei Darussalam, 2014.
Desert dunes.
Wadi Rum, Jordan, 2013.
Graffitied pyramids dwarfing cities.
Tirana, Albania, 2015.
Whirling dervishes.
Istanbul, 2013.
Women with style.
Kuala Lumpur, 2010.
Reverence for American leaders.
Prishtina, Kosovo, 2013.
Mocktails made with gold leaf and camel milk.
Dubai, 2013.
Ruins that could rival anything in Rome.
Jerash, Jordan, 2011.
The call to prayer beautifully punctuating the day.
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, 2014.
Bazaars packed with traditional goods.
Istanbul, 2013.
Bridges, mosques, minarets, and fortresses.
Prizren, Kosovo, 2013.
World wonders.
Petra, Jordan, 2011.
Daredevils showing off for the camera.
Koh Lanta, Thailand, 2014.
Olives. Lots and lots of olives.
Istanbul, 2013.
Fiery curries, not a bite of pork in sight.
Koh Lanta, Thailand, 2015.
Cevapciki with pita, sausages, and the only time you’ll ever willingly eat raw onions.
Sarajevo, 2012.
Pink sunsets over the Mediterranean.
Fethiye, Turkey, 2011.
Pink sunsets over Lombok.
Lombok, Indonesia, 2011.
Pink sunsets over the Bosphorus.
Istanbul, 2013.
Pink sunsets over the Andaman.
Koh Lanta, Thailand, 2015.
Spellbinding traditional architecture.
Istanbul, 2013.
UNESCO World Heritage-listed architecture.
Berat, Albania, 2015.
Avant-garde architecture.
Prishtina, Kosovo, 2013.
Gold-domed mosques that bring together colorful streets.
Singapore, 2011.
And the tallest building in the world.
Dubai, 2013.
Not to mention the largest flag in the world.
Amman, 2011.
Tea served in tulip-shaped glasses.
Istanbul, 2011.
Tea cooked over an open fire.
Petra, Jordan, 2011.
High tea overlooking a luxurious city.
Dubai, 2013.
Young men who live on the edge.
Istanbul, 2013.
Young men who died far too young.
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2013.
Feeling at home. And welcomed.
Ajloun, Jordan, 2011.
Did I ever feel in danger?
Not once.
Beauty, joy, friendship, and the best hospitality in the world — this is just a fraction of what the Islamic world has to offer. And this doesn’t even count western countries with sizable Muslim populations, like London and Paris, nor places where I interact with Muslims daily, like my home city of New York.
Looking back, I thought that Islamophobia would slowly decrease in the years following 9/11. Now, it seems to be worse than ever. Considering how Islamophobia is ricocheting across America and the globe right now, I think it’s vital to change perceptions by sharing the truth about these beautiful, welcoming destinations.
I’m adding another priority of 2017: to visit at least one new Islamic region or country, and hopefully more. That could be Uzbekistan or Tunisia, Oman or Azerbaijan, Western China or Northern India or Turkish Cyprus.
In the seven years that I’ve been publishing this site, my goal has been to show women that they shouldn’t let fear stop them from traveling the world. Now I want to change perceptions about this oft-misunderstood region.
