In a country full of beautiful landscapes, the Valle de Cocora still stands out. The valley stretches east of Salento into the lower reaches of Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados, with a broad, green valley framed by sharp peaks. Everywhere you’ll see wax palm, the largest palm in the world (up to 60 meters high) … Continue reading »
The following is straight from the notebook I had with me at the time and, I believe, helps give a feel for what it is like walking around Herat: …Wandering around Herat shafts of sunlight penetrate serpentine alleys lined by canvas-covered wooden stalls; the harsh light illuminates the faces of the merchants and their bountiful … Continue reading »
Perhaps not surprisingly to those that know me, I found the military dimension to Arunachal Pradesh interesting. Tensions between India and China run high in this area… Currently, India administers all of Arunachal Pradesh. However, the Chinese lay claim to the majority of Arunachal Pradesh as they believe it to be an extension of the … Continue reading »
If you ever make it to Omdurman, Sudan (across the river from Khartoum) be sure to check out the Omdurman camel market. Or, you can just read this site… Most of the animals are brought in (on foot – like the old days of the American cowboy) from Darfur and South Sudan since these areas … Continue reading »
Viewed from a distance, Port-au-Prince seems a pleasant and mellow Caribbean port city: Once one is out on the streets though, the fact that all is not well in Port-au-Prince soon becomes apparent. And the January 12, 2010 earthquake only served to push Haiti closer to the top of the Failed States Index… Destruction, dysfunction … Continue reading »
Zululand is an interesting place with quite a history…
Chernobyl Reactor # 4 shortly after the meltdown: Part 1: Chernobyl and Reactor # 4 Until the late 1990s it would have been impossible for me to come here. The whole area was sealed off. Now though, the United Nations is encouraging “ecotourism” to the former Chernobyl disaster zone in order to help the area … Continue reading »
There aren’t a lot of roads in Somalia. Those that do exist mostly pass through rough countryside, interspersed with the occasional village and frequent checkpoint. Upon arriving at a checkpoint, if you don’t have an armed guard with you, a bribe will be required and all of your passport details will be carefully taken down … Continue reading »
Sculpture by Hennie Potcieter… Taken in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Taken in Rome…
Having just returned from a backpacking trip where I pushed myself quite hard, I have been pondering the issue of proper packing quite a bit in recent days… When backpacking, one has to make a cost/benefit decision regarding weight versus comfort for every single item. Everything one brings is something that adds to the overall … Continue reading »
With Americans being abducted during visits to St. Catherine’s Monastery, bombings along the Sinai Peninsula, the present turmoil in Egypt, Ansar al Jihad making their presence felt and Israeli traffic to the Sinai on lockdown, visits to the Sinai Peninsula have collapsed. The Sinai beach town of Nuweiba was built on the back of tourism. … Continue reading »
At the foot of the Judaean Mountains, along the western shore of the Dead Sea, can be found the Ein Gedi Oasis. Ein Gedi is fed by several springs which flow through two canyons, Wadi David and Wadi Arugot. The springs are, in turn, fed by rain that falls in the Judaean Mountains which, after … Continue reading »
These were taken from a flight making its way to London from Calgary… We were along the edge of Hudson Bay – north of Churchill and at about the same latitude as Yellowknife – when the sun started to rise and I took these pictures: Any time I fly over the Arctic regions, I am … Continue reading »
