When the Ruins Were New by Colin Thubron | NYRblog | The New York Review of Books.

Yet in his studies of architectural splendors, the contemporary inhabitants — peasants, caretakers, laborers —provide merely a sense of proportion and a touch of oriental romance. The torpor of the declining Ottoman empire is palpable in his rare group photographs—unreliable Ottoman mercenaries or ragged Albanian water-carriers—as it is in the empty-looking villages of Hebron or Bethany. Even the streets of Cairo appear deserted. And there are no Jews.

"...Even the streets of Cairo appear deserted. And there are no Jews."

With a throw-away, out-of-the-blue line like that 

— hear the drum roll: "And there are no Jews." —
you have to tell us more: 

• Who says/said "No Jews"? Your conclusion? Does he state it? Explicitly? 
• How did he know there were no Jews? No costumes?

• Throughout the region? Or merely Cairo?

You obviously yearn to tell us, to reveal some great significant truth. So go ahead. You have our attention.

Comments

[Craig]

(Hopefully this wasn't submitted several times - browser playing up...)

Hi David,

Read that abstract on my RSS reader directly before your comments above, and so this one hit the spot.
The article title had looked promising.

Great book btw, I liked to old pictures of Queenstown. Auckland is trying harder, perhaps you will be able to put some photos in from here in a future edition.

http://transportblog.co.nz/2013/07/08/britomarts-birthday-celebrated-with-news-part-of-crl-to-start-early/

Cheers
Craig