Posted by Justin Ames

Programming Notes

When The Velvet Rocket occasionally goes dark for stretches of time, it is not because our staff are on strike or because we are being lazy. No, it is because we are out investigating and developing new content for your viewing pleasure. That shall be the situation for the next couple of weeks as we … Continue reading »

Driving Through The Sicilian Countryside

Driving Through The Sicilian Countryside

I’ve been giving you a lot on the cities and towns of Sicily lately, but what about rural Sicily, which makes up the majority of the island? I’m glad you inquired because below is what rural Sicily looks like… Now, I don’t have much commentary on these specific scenes as I just took these pictures … Continue reading »

Taormina, Sicily

Taormina, Sicily

Taormina is a small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, found north of the city of Catania and close to Mount Etna… Given the region of the world in which it is found, Taormina, of course, has an extensive history which stretches back to pre-Greek times. Taormina has been inhabited or … Continue reading »

Siracusa (Syracuse), Sicily

Siracusa (Syracuse), Sicily

Described by Cicero as “the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all”, Siracusa still possesses quite a bit of charm: Located on the southeastern corner of Sicily, the 2,700-year-old city was once one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world. Siracusa was founded in 734 or 733 BC by Greek settlers … Continue reading »

Photos Of The Day: The 1989 Romanian Revolution

A Romanian soldier holds a machine gun while on guard outside the House of the People days after the December 1989 uprising, which marked the end of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s rule: Security forces holding talks with Romanians following the execution of Ceausescu to see where to go next: Discussing the future: Photos by Patrick Durand … Continue reading »