A Fez of the Heart Assignment

a) A passage in the reading I found particularly interesting was "There is a yawning gulf between their lives that cannot be closed, only recognized. The shrine is testimony to a time when life in Pomegranate changed so fast that the tools of working men were museum pieces before those who once had used them had had time to die" (Page 5). I thought this passage was interesting because it really makes you think about how quickly things in life change and how sometimes you don't notice it. For instance, with the increased cost of education has come the increased popularity of online classes and textbooks. People have attended colleges and universities for hundreds of years, but now that more people seek an education and cannot always afford it, some of them turn to the internet. In terms of Pomegranate, the city completely changed in the span of 20 years simply because tourists wanted to go there. A person who was born and raised there before the tourism boom saw this incredible metamorphosis in their lifetime and I find that pretty remarkable.

b) A big issue the author seemed to have with what happened in Pomegranate was the effect economics had on the culture of the city. In many locations, economics and culture go hand in hand in the form of historical tourist sites and celebrations. In this particular case, however, economics completely changed the identity of the people and their customs in Pomegranate. Being primarily Muslim, the city valued modesty and when women started strolling around in their bikinis, the people did not approve and even stoned them. But as the tourist populations continued to increase, it seems that the customs the people once valued became history. Economics in the form of tourism caused the culture found in Pomegranate to be eradicated. Locals didn't mind the large numbers of half naked women walking around and they adopted foreign cuisine and merchandise. In a sense, the Turkish culture once found in Pomegranate was pushed aside so that the city would be more modern and appealing to tourists.

c) People are drawn to the historical sites I listed in part 3 of my Country Profile because of their majesty and beauty and they serve as a reminder of how life used to be. The Alcazar de Segovia was a necessary fortress back in medieval times when the region could be invaded by foreign armies. Now it stands as a majestic artifact. Natural parks such as the Doñana bring in tourists who have a great appreciation for nature in its untouched state and wish to see it preserved.