USA – Gino's Blog

Silicon Valley Trip Round-Up

May 6, 2013 By Gino 2 Comments

As many of you may already know if you follow me on Twitter and Instagram, I toured several major tech and web companies with Lebanese telecom minister Nicolas Sehanoui and two of his advisors, Karim Kobeissy and Ralph Aoun. The reason I went there was because I won a competition after writing a blog post about “reinventing the world” from Lebanon which was selected by a panel of 4 judges of Lebanese origin in top exec positions at silicon valley.

Here’s what happened at each stop

Cisco and the Internet of Everything

Cisco is the biggest company the average consumer has never heard about (myself included). However, they’re behind a lot if not most of the networks that connect the world. From VoIP solutions, to integrated systems between usually incompatible components, Cisco wants everything to be connected.

Several Cisco execs including George Akiki, who’s originally Lebanese and very involved in Cisco’s 15-million dollar investments in Beirut gave us a run-down of what they’re up to and where they’re headed. It would take a lot of words and sentences to try and explain what connecting every single device and appliance to the internet would be like. From cars to fridges and even lightbulbs, imagine if everything is connected and smartly coordinates to make life easier. Like red lights turning green if there’s no cross-traffic, or them changing to let an ambulance of fire truck through faster, and while en-route, patient files and history would be pulled up by the paramedics, who in turn update the doctor waiting for them at the ER. Pure heaven, yet unbelievably complex.

Here’s a cool video that illustrates how that would work.

The guys at Cisco also showcased their disaster-response vehicle, which in 15 minutes, can have a disconnected region connected to the world via satellite, 3G, and radio. Doctor trips will also become more and more connected, since most visits to the doctor do not necessitate the patient’s presence, but can happen remotely, with connected devices to measure biometric data like blood pressure and heart rate. This would be awesome for remote areas without access to enough healthcare professionals for example. It would also save you the trips to the waiting room for a 15-minute check-up.

Cisco also explained how since 2006, it planned to invest 15 million dollars in Lebanon, and has already trained and sent back over 100 interns from Lebanon. Oh, and by the way, 2 million dollars of those 15 are still uncommitted, so, if you have the brilliant ideas, especially something within the Beirut Digital District, Cisco might be the investor you’re looking for.

The Googleplex

This was a dream come true for me. Visiting the legendary Google Campus was surreal, to say the least. Najeeb and Eessam, Googlers of Arab origin, took us on a tour of many of the fabled buildings and then we sat down for a meeting with 3 other originally Lebanese Googlers.

The topics discussed were across-the-board, but the main focus and something I think we can innovate in (and Google agrees) is content on YouTube. With better Internet connection, streaming on YouTube has been steadily growing in Lebanon. The problem though, is intellectual property and rights respect, which is still lax in Lebanon. One really interesting project suggested by the guys at Google was digitizing and uploading Tele Liban’s vast archives of copyrighted material.

I loved this idea because, let’s face it, TL is struggling today. It wasn’t always that bad though, and in its golden days, animated and drama series aired on it were the hottest thing out there. Converting them to a digital format and immortalizing them online would be an amazing project that would help preserve Lebanon’s cultural and artistic heritage, but also give an example of how to successfully shift to YouTube and make shows like Mamnoo3 (which the Googlers are big fans of btw!) hits that’ll captivate the entire nation, Arab World and maybe even the rest of the world.

We also urged Google to come set up shop in Beirut and discussed how we could make the Google News Lebanon edition even more comprehensive and relevant.

LebNet Dinner At the French Club

At the end of a long and fruitful first day, we headed to The French Club in San Francisco. There, some 45 successful Lebanese businessmen and women held a dinner for the occasion of the delegation’s visit and attendees which included success stories such George Harik, one of the founders of Gmail and Elie Khoury, founder and CEO of Woopra, got to ask the minister questions and give their feedback on what they think should happen in Lebanon and how they would like to be part of its future.

This dinner was a fantastic experience to network with everyone there. You’d be surprised how well-connected and extremely successful so many originally Lebanese folks are, and how they appear at times more concerned about Lebanon than us locals! It was a pleasure meeting so many amazing people, and I am especially grateful to have met and become friends with folks like Jessica Semaan, Elie Khoury, Nathalie Issa, George Harik, George Akiki and many, many more folks I hope to stay in touch with and keep you up to date with what they’re up to.

Facebook is just starting

The next morning, we made our way to 1-Hacker Way in Menlo Park to visit Facebook’s campus. I was honestly blown away by how awesome a work space it was. Everything felt real and authentic, as if designed, named and created by the employees themselves, with names of Star Wars-alcohol-inspired areas like “Brewbacca” and “Vader Bombs” and conference rooms named after viral video clips like “Charlie bit me”.

The shared working spaces were nice and gives you the feel of a shared view on where the company is headed, instead of corporate-looking cubicles and offices that split instead of unite employees. One major thing I did notice in our trans-continental conference meeting though, is that Facebook thinks its just starting to do what it intends. You’d find that quite surprising from a social network that has changed the entire world and boasts over 1 billion active users around the globe.

They’re looking to expand slowly and surely, and the MENA region is one of their most exciting sites. They plan on opening up new field offices, and we made the case of why Lebanon could be a perfect spot for them to open in, to which they were really receptive and decided to follow-up on with whoever is in charge in Lebanon.

Another major impression I got from Facebook’s reps, is how important mobile is. A London-based public policy expert explained that in the past, Facebook was a website with a mobile app as an addition, but that today, the focus is on the mobile world and that he feels that shift is already happening, with mobile traffic skyrocketing while web traffic is staying steady. So, if you’re a developer, I’d definitely get into the mobile world and away from the desktop one.

Skype Lunch

After Facebook, we went further into Palo Alto for a business lunch with the President of Skype, Tony Bates, who gave us some very cool numbers and explained where he sees Skype going after its acquisition by Microsoft.

One interesting topic the Mr Bates and I engaged in was how social media was shifting how we interact in our societies, and the fact that Skype adds video and voice to our online interactions, adds the much-needed and craved for facial expressions and body language that we have evolved which are reduced to emoticons and 140 characters these days. He also explained how every day, one billion minutes are spent on Skype and how Skype is already the world’s largest telephony operator.

We also explained how important Skype was to so many Lebanese folks that have friends and family across the world and how we could optimize that by for example, giving free Skype credit to users of Lebanese operators, who in turn will generate revenue from the data being used. So, for example, you might get X amount of free minutes from Skype (to call a phone, not another Skype account that is) every month or with each refill.

Airbnb

I adore Airbnb. I travel a lot and I do so on a tight budget. Hotels are usually out of the question for me and crashing at friend’s places isn’t always an option. Airbnb is arguably the largest player on the emerging “shared economy”, where folks rent out their personal property or belongings to others for much cheaper, while generating some revenue on the side for them. So, for example, I have an extra room in Beirut. I rent it out for 20$ a night, a far-cry from the 400-something-dollar rooms in some Beirut hotels. I make some money on the side, a tourist gets to stay for a bargain and most importantly for me, the tourist gets to befriend a local, which I have done in several cities across the world.

How awesome would it be to save so much money, stay with amazing hosts that can give you an experience of the area you’re visiting no guidebook or app ever could. In Lebanon, there are 109 properties listed, which I was thrilled about! The shared economy concept is fairly new, but already exponentially growing to a multi-billion dollar industry. The awesome gals at Airbnb, Molly and Jessica (who’s Lebanese) walked us through the extremely elaborate process that has so many people around the world finding all sorts of accommodation in tens of thousands of cities with a few taps on an app or clicks on a website.

Ways of promoting more Lebanese folks to list their properties on Airbnb were discussed and the rest of the delegation who wasn’t as familiar as I was with the awesome platform, were quite intrigued. Airbnb was arguably the most enlightening visit since so much of its inner workings and models were obscure and new. I will be reviewing Airbnb in-depth soon after interviewing Jessica so that those of you who still haven’t, make sure you use it next time you’re abroad!

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Filed Under: Leb, Tech, Travel, USA

8 Shots from Coachella 2013

April 17, 2013 By Gino Leave a Comment

I won’t review anything and ruin it for everyone going to Weekend 2, but here’s a feel of what it was like being part of the 3-day magical experience that is The Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival. For more, follow me on Instagram

Filed Under: Artsy Fartsy, Clubs, Travel, USA Tagged With: arts, coachella, coachella 2013, coachella valley music, coachella valley music and art festival, photography

13 Beautiful Shots of Snowy New York and Central Park

February 11, 2013 By Gino 5 Comments

Beautiful red versus white ice and snow

Here are a few shots I took the day after blizzard Nemo. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed capturing them!

: Sunset Park in Brooklyn

: Sunset Park in Brooklyn

: South Central Park

: A bridge in Central Park

: Resilient shrubs

: Beautiful red versus white ice and snow

: Magnificent, no?

: Beautiful nature vs urban

: Old vs New

: Belvedere Castle

: Flowing water doesn’t freeze

: Lexington Ave

: Bucky ball!

Filed Under: Artsy Fartsy, USA Tagged With: blizzard, nature, nemo, new york, nyc, white ice, winter

Le Bain New York Review

January 30, 2013 By Gino 2 Comments

I’m Lebanese, so the tendency to flock to nightclubs on rooftops is an innate feature of mine. That’s why, Le Bain, on top of the iconic Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District in Manhattan, is my new favorite club in the city that never sleeps.

The Standard arches over the Highline Park, a repurposed 10-block or so elevated railroad track that is now every architecture student’s dream come true: a park, a place for cultural events, art exhibits and a place for society to mix in a free space with some nature in one of the world’s most populated cities.

It’s famous for having floor-to-cieling windows everywhere, including guest rooms. So, if you’re into getting freaky with the rest of New York City watching, or at least you having a good view of the Manhattan skyline, consider The Standard next time you’re in town.

Le Bain is on the top-floor and rooftop of the hotel. May to October, the center of the club is a large jacuzzi where nights can become extra sultry with beautiful, scantily clad revelers getting intimate in the warm bubbling water under a massive disco ball. This is on the top level of the hotel, but you have breath-taking views of Mid-town (Times Square, Empire State, etc.) to the North, Down Town and the Liberty Tower on the South Side. There’s also New Jersey across the Hudson.

In winter, the jacuzzi is turned into extra tables and the club in general becomes more laid-back and underground, if that’s the right word. A blend of nudisco, tech-house and progressive sounds are spun tastefully depending on who’s performing that weekend. Guests often include folks like Diplo, so expect superior deck skills when you’re there. Also, no Top 40 trash, which is a much-welcome change to most other venues in these United States I’ve visited.

Two flights of stairs up, is the completely outdoor terrace, with synthetic grass and comfy patio furniture letting you catch some sun with arguably the best views in town. If you’re there in summer, and came unprepared and forgot your swimsuit, worry not, Le Bain has a swimsuit vending machine!

Cocktails are for 14$ and my favorite hands-down is “La Bicyclette” (thanks Hye Yon!). The door policy is strict in terms of ID-checking, which is completely normal. As for dress code, remember, you can come here in a swimsuit in summer, so don’t go all-out fancy, but dress smart too. No one likes to party next to a guy with a studded t-shirt and big shades on. Go with a shirt and a cute bow tie (what I usually do).

Go there around 11-11:30 so you don’t spend too much time in line and coat-check. Enjoy a couple of cocktails, and soon enough, the music will be loud and the beats per minute just right to get you dancing in the ever-so-slightly foggy club that adds to the enchantment of the centerpiece of the venue: the disco ball above the jacuzzi area and the gorgeous Manhattan skyline all around you.

: http://www.flickr.com/photos/louisperpere/7752397974/

Filed Under: Clubs, USA Tagged With: fashion, le bain, le bain new york, new york, nightlife, nightlife new york, ny, nyc, the standard highline

Jon Stewart Live: What It’s Like and How To Get In

January 16, 2013 By Gino 2 Comments

So, many of you guys who follow or friend me on social media already loathe me for rubbing it in everyone’s faces that I watched The Daily Show with Jon Stewart twice in two days. I’ll walk you through what it’s like seeing this legend live, and keep in mind, that to me, Jon Stewart is a hero and role model. When I write, deep down, I’m dreaming I’m writing my satirical posts and tongue-in-cheek analyses for his show… Or a show like his where I’m the funny pundit…

Scoring Tickets

This is the hardest part. I have been checking in on The Daily Show’s website for almost 13 months, and I have never seen tickets available. BUT, as you all know, Jon took a 3-week vacation over Christmas and New Year’s, and I decided to check in on the website the second week of January. To my luck, there were plenty of ticket slots available and I pinched a few while I still could (they ran out in little over a few hours!).

Now, do not despair. Why? Because after you book the tickets, you need to confirm, and some people forget to open that email and click that link, so new spots are always suddenly popping up. The only thing I can tell you, is check in right after the show comes back from a break, and as often as you can. Good things come to those who wait!

Tickets Don’t Guarantee Entry

So, you found a couple of spots open online and you successfully reserved them. I’m sorry to tell you that those tickets aren’t tickets into the taping, they are just tickets that will allow you to stand in line. Meaning, to be able to stand in line in front of TDS studio, you need that email confirmation.

GO VERY EARLY! They open the doors at 2:30PM but be there at 1:00 or even sooner. Don’t whine, you all have smartphones or books. Just plug something in your ears and waste some time educating yourself while in line. The line swells to over 200 folks at around 2:20PM and they begin issuing yellow and blue tickets (yellow first).

Then, you go kill a couple of hours and come back at 4:30PM where they start letting you into the studio (past metal detectors) according to your ticket number (so you don’t stand in line again with a first-come, first-serve basis). Sometimes, they issue over 200 tickets, but cut-off the line before that. For example, on Monday, they cut it off at 176 and about 30 people were told they’d be given “VIP pass” tickets to a future show if they emailed and did the due process.

So, go there early, it’ll be worth it because, you won’t stand much in line at 4:30PM and you’ll get much better seats inside.

The Show

Perhaps the absolute best part of the show is right before the taping. Jon comes out, takes a microphone and lets the audience ask him questions. This lasts for about 15 minutes, and the improvised, witty and extremely sweethearted back and forth between Jon and the audience, is the true gem of watching the show live.

Sometimes, right after Jon announces his guest at the beginning of a show, he says something that sorta seems out of place. A joke that would make you say “huh? why? idk!” That’s the part where Jon punishes an audience member for a stupid question by turning that into a joke somehow. So, that’s another cool perk of being there live.

The taping of the show is basically hiccup-free and what you see live is the show you see later that night on TV. Jon and everyone involved work like clockwork and they rarely ever do a second take. Last night, they had to redo the opening, but not for lack of professionalism or experience, but because Assef’s whipped cream skit proved to delicious and Jon had to taste it and take up more than the 21 minutes and 30 seconds the show needs to be. Man, I love their jobs!

Also, you’d think the audience is given cues like “applause” or “laughter” on some screen. They’re not! The laughing is natural and organic, although probably a little louder than your laughs at home… After all, you are in the presence of Mr. Stewart and you bet your ass I was gonna laugh a hearty HAHAHAHA!

Conclusion

Go watch it. Empty up and afternoon if you score those tickets. If you’re a fan like me, the waiting will fly by and you’ll forget everything when your face muscles ache from too much laughing. Jon’s an extremely nice, courteous and hilarious comedy genius. It was perhaps one of my favorite parts of moving to New York!

Filed Under: How To, USA Tagged With: entertainment, jon stewart, jon stewart live, jon stewart tickets how to, the daily show

Shots from Around NYC

January 14, 2013 By Gino 1 Comment

A glimpse into what daily life in New York is. Not just the typical touristy shots, but also tiny things you come across in this endlessly fascinating city…

: NYU Campus

: NYU Campus

: The Brooklyn Bridge

: The Brooklyn Bridge

: Midtown from The Brooklyn Bridge

: The Highline Park (any architect’s dream project, right?)

: Buildings on The Highline Park

: The Empire State Building from The Highline Park

: Center-stage: Urban Life and Traffic (The Highline Park)

: Catching some sun at The Highline Park

: From The Highline Park

: That’s where JayZ’s name comes from

: Supreme Court and City Hall

: Old vs New

: Wall Street

: Trinity Church

: Google NY

: Greenwhich Village

: Balloons

: Construction Work

: Please No Pee Pee

: Monopoly

: Upper West Side Staircase

: Subway Squared

Filed Under: Artsy Fartsy, USA Tagged With: architecture, arts, brooklyn bridge, empire state buidling, highline park, jayz, manhattan, new york, new york city, photography, subway

Lebanon Street in Down Town LA + 30 Other Awesome Shots

December 2, 2012 By Gino 2 Comments

Lebanon Street in Downtown LA

I spent some time on the West Coast last month. Here are a bunch of photos taken with my Galaxy Note II phone and edited and filtered on Instagram. Don’t forget to follow me y’all @GinoRaidy

: Lebanon Street in Downtown LA

: Surf’s Up on Venice Beach

: Skate Park on Venice Beach

: LACMA lights (featured in many movies)

: The ACTUAL typewriter prop from Kubrick’s The Shining

: At the LACMA Museum

: A Clockwork Orange prop (Kubrick Exhibit at LACMA)

: Graffiti on Melrose Avenue

: Universal Studios Metro

: Korean BBQ

: Ducks at MacArthur Park

: Disney Adventure Park at Night

: DJ Base and I at Disney (surprise present for my birthday!)

: Fun bakeries

: Medicinal Marijuana on Venice Beach

: Hollywood

: Hollywood Hills and Sign

: Hollywood Freeway

: Assassin’s Creed III at the Skee Lodge on Hollywood Blvd

: Cemetery

: Graffiti on Venice Beach

: Krustyland!

: LA Flats

: LA Palm Trees

: Sparky!

: Santa Monca Pier (End of Route 66)

: Sand Diego Vista

: Down Town San Diego

: Hollywood & Vine Metro Station

: Couture LA Opening

: LAX

Filed Under: Artsy Fartsy, Travel, USA Tagged With: arts, california, instagram, los angeles, photography, san diego

New York City

October 29, 2012 By Gino 2 Comments

Here are some shots of my visit to the top of the Empire State Building as well as other places around Manhattan the past few weeks. Hope you enjoy them! They’ve been edited using Instagram only, and all taken by yours truly with the Samsung Galaxy Note II and LG Optimus 4X.

And some panoramic shots

Filed Under: Artsy Fartsy, Travel, USA Tagged With: architecture, arts, city grids, empire state building, manhattan, mobile, new york, new york city, ny, nyc, photography, technology

Madonna Live in DC + Controversy Over Calling Obama a “Black Muslim”

September 30, 2012 By Gino Leave a Comment

So, before going into the details of the controversy, allow me to talk a bit about the awesome performance of the 54-year-old Queen of Pop. It was one of my favorite live performances ever. The choreography, stage props, visuals, gimmicks, dancers, stunts and the oozing energy from Madonna really was something to be lucky to witness.

She sang a solid two hours and a half, with barely any break between each song, wardrobe and full-on stage reshuffle for each song. Grand pianos, marching bands and cheerleader outfits, guns and rifles, the show had everything. Among the songs that pleased the crowd the most and had everyone on their feet, was “Like a Prayer” which was towards the end, after the controversial mini-speech she gave about America and endorsed Barrack Obama for a second terms in the White House. Watch the short clip below.

Here’s a part of what she said

“Y’all better vote for f–king Obama, OK? For better or for worse, all right? We have a black Muslim in the White House. Now that’s some amazing s–t,” she said. “It means there is hope in this country. And Obama is fighting for gay rights, so support the man, goddamnit.”

Now, after a huge uproar about the comments and every far-right conservative jumping on the “black muslim” comment, Madonna later clarified she was being “…ironic on stage. Yes, I know Obama is not a Muslim – though I know that plenty of people in this country think he is. And what if he were? The point I was making is that a good man is a good man, no matter who he prays to. I don’t care what religion Obama is – nor should anyone else in America.”

The speech might’ve been a resonating yet unorthodox endorsement for Obama, with Madonna stripping down to her lingerie with the word “OBAMA” drawn on her lower back and saying “she would take it all off when Obama wins” right after suggesting Obama was the result of the accomplishments of American icons like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.

However, her “Black Muslim” comment threw off the astonished audience and gave the conservative media a field day, allowing them to revive and elaborate the rumors, which Obama himelf laid to rest several times, that he was a Muslim seeking to enforce Sharia Law on America. A farfetched conspiracy theory which still seems to rile up parts of the GOP conservative base.

Anyway, Madonna was crazy on that night, telling everyone she had had a little bit too much to drink. But, she delivered one hell of a show that did not fail to please at all. This is one extra thing to cross off my bucket list and tell my children about some day. Oh, and one of the perks was the guest appearance of Benny Benassi right before Madonna took to the stage, warming up for her. It was a complete surprise and one that made me scream like a little fangirl “WOOOOHOOOO! BENNY BENASSI”

source

Filed Under: Clubs, USA Tagged With: barrack obama, cheerleader outfits, current-events, madonna, madonna live in DC, MDNA tour, politics

The Gathering Review

September 27, 2012 By Gino 1 Comment

Of all the places in Beirut, few of them can be called my favorite. Favorite as in I’d actually want to go there just to go there, not as an excuse for a date or fun night out. The Gathering is certainly one of them, winning a special place in my heart with their tummy-friendly, nature-loving, history-conserving comprehensive concept of food and wine.

Whilst a few blocks away, old Lebanese houses are gutted and destroyed to make way for high-rises none of us can afford, the guys behind The Gathering decided to renovate 3 gorgeous traditional Lebanese houses on Pasteur Street and make them one of the few organic and sustainable restaurants and bars in Beirut.

The furniture was all bought from flea markets and second-hand shops, used cooking oil is distributed to local automobile garages, the outside is lit up by LED fixtures supplied with wind and solar energy, leftovers are composted into fertilizer, papers and placemats are recycled paper and glass bottles are used instead of plastic ones for water. Forgive me if I forgot anything, but that is quite an impressive (and beautiful) way of considerably reducing their carbon footprint, something I deeply respect them for.

Now on to the more important part, the food! The three buildings are divided into an Italian cuisine restaurant, a wine bar and a steakhouse and butchery. I had the fortune of dining in the Italian restaurant twice, and I must say I loved it. I’m a sucker for mushrooms and truffles, and The Gathering offer an amazing truffle pizza for just 19,000 LBP. The crust is thin and crispy, as an Italian pizza should be, with the focus on the toppings flavor and seasoning, not the dough like most pizzas we’re used to in Beirut.

The decor fits in perfectly with the magnificent stone masonry that is characteristic of Lebanese architecture. Wooden chariot wheels, empty wine bottles and other vintage, reused novelty items and books make you feel like you’re at your teta’s, both in terms of the nice setting and the perfect cooking.

I’m told they have an impressive wine selection at the wine bar, but I wouldn’t really know, so why don’t you guys fill that part in? As for the steaks, I never ate one cooked there, but I once ordered one to take home from their butchery and they made a delightful dinner with some good old fettucine I cooked up myself. How cool is that? A butchery and a restaurant, goes to show how confident they are of their meat, that they’d give it to you raw!

The three gorgeous buildings surround an open terrace with a fountain in the middle. You can sit on any table and order from any of the two restaurants and bar. What’s also nice is that The Gathering does not take reservations, preferring a fairer first-come-first-served policy which is a welcome change from the usual over-prestige ritual in good restaurants in Beirut.

Verdict: Absolutely love it. Perfect for dates or friends, maybe even business lunches.
Price: 80,000-120,000LBP should be enough for you and your date (appetizer, main course and drinks)
Location: Pasteur Street
Atmosphere: Gorgeous traditional houses and courtyard, super eco-friendly.
Staff: Great, very helpful and accommodating. Respond when you need them but otherwise don’t bug you with unnecessary questions.

Photos courtesy of @lorikharp, Beirut Restaurants, 109Architects and Mingle in Style

Filed Under: Food, USA Tagged With: beirut, beirut restaurants, lebanon, restaurant, the gathering beirut, the gathering gemmayzeh

Shots and Impressions from Around DC

September 22, 2012 By Gino Leave a Comment

Here are some two dozen hi-res, normal and filtered photos in and around DC in the few days I’ve been here. Hope you enjoy them, and realize that this city is much more awesome than you’d think (I certainly underestimated it!)

Filed Under: Artsy Fartsy, USA Tagged With: panoramic, photo journal, photography, sightseeing, travel, usa, washington dc

The Day I Went to 3 Different Protests by Mistake in New York City

April 25, 2012 By Gino Leave a Comment

New York was my favorite city in my USA tour a few weeks ago. Manhattan is my new favorite place in the world and deep down I’d really hope to move there for a while. One of the most random things that happened in New York was my stumbling into 3 different protests in one day in different parts of Manhattan.

Free Tibet

One of the spots I wanted to visit was the United Nations Headquarters. I was getting close, when I decided to double-check on Google Maps if I was headed in the right direction. Then, out of nowhere, a dozen or so cameras were taking photos and recording me, with my backpack and phone in hand. I was of course startled and didn’t know why, when I finally looked behind me, I saw a few dozen people walking with Tibetan flags. It was a silent march, to support 3 activists who were on hunger strike. It was a silent vigil, so I’m not a complete idiot for accidentally leading a procession of Tibetan activists!

I stuck around a little, and realized how random that had been. A cause we all feel so far away from, and I was in the middle of it without even trying. One thing I loved about this protest, is that it was the opposite of the Arab kind: it was silent, slow and very humble. No taunts, no chants, no burning flags or stepping on photos. It was calm, with urgent but unoffending slogans being held up.

Syrian Opposition

After completing my tour of the UN HQ with 17 Chinese men who didn’t speak English and were more interested in replica coins than the Security Council’s meeting hall -_-, I walked out onto the street and heard faint chants in what I made out to be Arabic. Further down the road, on the corner opposite to the Free Tibet movement, I ran into 300 or so Syrian and Arab people protesting against Bashar El Assad’s regime. The new Free Syrian flags, lotsa families and even what looked like a fundamentalist sheikh, with a bluetooth headset, were present. Hilarious rhymes were hurled at Assad and even a rap skit by a young girl which fired up the crowd.

I stocked up on water and met a bunch of fun reporters and bid that protest farewell as it marched towards the Syrian envoy’s offices a few blocks away. It then hit me that I had just been at two protests, for two countries, on the same street, by mistake.

A fitting quote perhaps, at the very spot of the protest

Occupy Wall Street

After watching a Broadway show later with my dear friend Yara, we decided a trip to NYC would not complete without catching a glimpse of Lady Liberty. So, we made our way to the Staten Island ferry, cause its route passes right infront of Liberty Island giving an awesome (and free) look at the Statue of Liberty. It’s also where I took this epic photo from:

On our way down though, we passed by the 9/11 memorial site, which turned out to be almost adjacent to Zucotti Park: the heart of the Occupy Wall Street movement. It was the 6-month anniversary of the movement, an after having some sympathy and faith in the movement, those glimmers of hope for them in my mind completely faded. The protest lived up to its comical stereotype perfectly: dirty hippies making drum circles and chanting moronic phrases like “fuck the police” and “wall street sucks” (which means either a 2 year old said that, or an up-and-coming rapper). There was even one guy typing on a typewriter, typing nonsense and interacting with no one, hoodie and all included. Heck, even the chalk graffitti on the the ground had one that said “I don’t understand”, which was exactly what I thought.

Also, one comment a bored police officer made to me was that “if they have 6 months to occupy a street, they could’ve found a job”. Later that day, the hundreds of police broke up the protest violently and that was that. I guess the turn out was that bad, cause most people preferred to go get wasted, after all, it was St Paddy’s Day!

Filed Under: Thoughts, USA Tagged With: new york protest UN, NYC protest, occupy wall street, statue of liberty, syria, tibet