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Author Archives: johnamck68
Syriac Wine
Those who know me will not be overly surprised that I came across a local wine tradition while visiting Mardin and the Tur Abdin region in east Turkey the other week. The bleak limestone plateau of Tur Abdin is of … Continue reading
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Posted in Wine, Travel
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Mespotamia | Day 3
Another bright sunny day and we head 150km east from Mardin to the Mor (Saint) Gabriel Monastery, which is located in somewhat the middle of nowhere. One and a half hours driving though a high plateau of limestone, a part … Continue reading
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Mesopotamia | Day 2
After an early night in the nice, albeit “dry”, Edorba Elegance Hotel – Saturday morning was bright and sunny. A nice breakfast and the tour bus leaves to go visit the various Syriac monasteries in the area as well as a Kasımiye … Continue reading
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Mesopotamia | Day 1
A couple of months ago a local tour company called Sen Anlat Istanbul, advertised a tour to the south East of Turkey. Over the last couple of years we had been on a number of their walking tours discovering Istanbul … Continue reading
ShareBafa Night Sky | Time Lapse
A short 6 second time-lapse video composed of some 30 shots per second of video. However with it being pitch dark in the middle of the night each shot had a 30 second exposure. So, of course, the sky itself … Continue reading
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Posted in Astronomy
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2004 Saturn & Moon Shoot
I shot these pictures of the Moon and Saturn using a 200mm SkyWatcher refractor telescope back in October 2004 in Squamish BC. It was 4am in the morning and fortunately mum actually got up to take a look as I … Continue reading
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Experimental Coconut Irish Cream
Tried to do an experimental version of Irish Cream using – well – no dairy! Substituted 2 x 400ml cans of coconut milk for the normal sweetened condensed milk, and used honey as a sweetener, and a little brown sugar. … Continue reading
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Posted in Mixed Drinks
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All Grain Brewing
October 2018 Between 2001 and 2006 when I was living in Squamish & Vancouver I took up home brewing. A very satisfying activity, very relaxing and in those days you could have as much fun making your own brewing equipment … Continue reading
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Posted in Beer & Brewing
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Casablanca-Abidjan – in 3 mins
Finally managed to do a video montage of some of our pictures from the trip down West Africa Last year. Had to use some classic road trip music for it 🙂 Share
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Posted in 2017 | Casablanca - Abidjan
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Box carriers sail towards a tipping point of ocean freight rates and fuel
The predicted cost impact of the low sulphur fuels in 2020 is estimated to be in the order fo USD$50-$60 billion for the industry as a whole. Maersk alone estimates some US$2 billion in additional fuel costs for its own … Continue reading
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Posted in Logistics
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Market Insight: Damco FF – a people business, but does it have too many?
An article in today’s Loadstar analyzing the Damco FF business in light of the recent announcement from Maersk. Share
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Posted in Logistics
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Making Limoncello & Arancello
This after dinner drink is a traditional finish to a meal in Italy and not having one would be like refusing desert. It’s also a good mixer for cocktails. Additionally, there’s also an orange version of it called Arancello. So … Continue reading
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Posted in Mixed Drinks
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Irish Cream Recipe
So I reckoned, given the cost of a bottle of imported bottle of Baileys here in Istanbul, that it might be worth having a stab at making the stuff. It’s pretty simple and you just put the ingredients in a … Continue reading
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Posted in Mixed Drinks
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The Digital Imperative in Container Shipping | IDM Magazine
Interesting article with the President and COO of INTTRA, Inna Kuznetsova, regarding the current digital challenges in the container shipping industry. Share
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Posted in Logistics
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The Turkish Pyramids
Just rode out in the blazing heat here (37C or so) today to take a look at the enormous Tumuli (ancient burial mounds) about 100km east of Izmir at ancient Sardis. Some of them are on a similar scale to the … Continue reading
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Posted in History
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Video | Dusty Biking in East Senegal
The dusty roads of east Senegal on April 17th, 2017. We started the day in Tambacounda in south central Senegal and headed south west through a game park where they said we may see monkeys, elephants and lions. Share
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Posted in 2017 | Casablanca - Abidjan
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Motorcycle Maintenance: II
For those interested, here’s how to install the Kyryakin Mach2 air cleaner. Essentially more air, and a bit more fuel increases the number of horses you have, in this case by up to about 20%. It’s pretty easy, just pull … Continue reading
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Posted in Motorcycling
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Dakar: The Return & Beyond
A cunning and devious plan is slowly making itself known. Boiled down, it entails two gentlemen of dubious sanity riding two Harley Davidsons from Casablanca, Morocco, starting at Rick’s Cafe, of course, and finishing up 5400km later in Abidjan, Ivory … Continue reading
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Posted in 2017 | Casablanca - Abidjan
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Zen & the art of motorcycle maintenance
Time for a few upgrades on the 2010 Road King. How I wish I still had a garage or a shed and all my tools in one place 🙂 Most everything on the bike is stock with the exception of … Continue reading
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Posted in Motorcycling
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9 months in Turkey
Well, I finally got around to getting the blog updated and I put a selection of some 32 snaps together to kind of give a flavour of the place. Last winter here was foul with blizzards and snow-days in Istanbul … Continue reading
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Posted in Travel
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Reflections & Gratitude
Looking back now, with only a weeks distance from the trip, and with a new challenge in Turkey coming up next week, this was certainly a splendid trip. I’m still not entirely sure as to “Why Dakar”, it certainly wasn’t … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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Day 22 – Dakar, Senegal
Amsterdam|Dakar – Day 22 – Dakar, Senegal September 23rd, 2011 Bike has to be left to the airport today but need to buy a baggy or two to put clothes in to take back on the flight. The rest I’ll … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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Day 21 –St Louis | Dakar
September 22nd, 2011 Not the earliest start, but brekkie of french pastries and coffee and orange juice (with bits) and get the bike packed. I can’t quite believe that we will finally actually make it to Dakar – the bike … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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Day 20 – Nouakchott | Saint Louis, Senegal
September 21st, 2011 Set out early after another brekkie of baguettes and croissants. In usual fashion there is little in the way of signposts to get out of the city. But thanks to the odd policeman we make it out. … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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Day 19 – Nouakchott, Mauritania
September 20th, 2011 Today has officially been designated a recovery and administrative day ……… which means essentially that when I recover from my hangover I will do some admin and work out how to get me and the bike back … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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Day 18 – Nouakchott, Mauritania
September 19th, 2011 Today I have arranged to meet Willem van der Sanden from Maersk Logistics, and it’s a non road day. Hopefully there’s a Maersk fixer guy/agent down on the border with Senegal. I don’t have a Carnet de … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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Day 17 – Nouadhibou | Nouakchott, Mauritania
September 18th, 2011 Up early and more laughing cow cheese on baquettes for brekkie. The coffee is not as good here as in Morocco, all instant with hot milk. A few adjustments and pack the bike. Head off, but first … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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Day 16 – Nouadhibou, Mauritania
September 17th, 2011 The plan is to leave today for Nouakchott, however my contact, Willem van der Sanden is in Spain and not back until Sunday. So decided to explore Nouhadibou and have a non road day. I’m also a … Continue reading
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Posted in 2011 | Amsterdam-Dakar
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McKinstry.ca is Back !
Well, after being deleted by the good people at the Canadian Internet Registration agency, the blog is back! It’s been inactive this year, but I’ll get some posts up shortly 🙂 John Share
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