As we were entering Damascus, our taxi driver pointed out the palace where Bashar al-Assad lives on a hill overlooking the city. It’s quite a structure: You can get a pretty good view of the impressive layout of the palace and the surrounding gardens from Google Earth. Just type in “Damascus, Syria” and zoom in … Continue reading
Author Archives: Justin
Visiting The Mleeta Resistance Landmark
Regardless of where your sympathies lie in the various conflicts in the Middle East, the Mleeta Resistance Landmark is an interesting place to visit. Established by Hezbollah and opened in 2010, the Mleeta Resistance Landmark is Hezbollah’s presentation of their conflict with Israel and a celebration of their role in it. The “Tourist Landmark of … Continue reading
Obiettivo Bellezza: Che Cosa Ci Rende Attraenti?
This one is for the Italians… The original English version can be found here. *** Quali sono quegli elementi che rendono una persona attraente? O uno schianto? O bellissima? (O qualunque sia il vostro aggettivo preferito)… Qualche bicchiere di troppo? No, sto cercando una risposta un po’ più articolata. Una sorta di formula per la bellezza … Continue reading
The Syrian Countryside
Most of the attention on Syria is focused on the cities (such as Damascus) and the towns (where much of the activity associated with the current uprising is taking place). But, I wanted to give you a better feel for what all of the space in between (which represents the majority of Syrian territory) is … Continue reading
Photo Of The Day: Libyan Rebels Fighting In Ad Dafniyah
The Cedar Forests Of Lebanon
The cedar forests of Lebanon first began to resonate with me after reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, perhaps the oldest written story on Earth. The Epic of Gilgamesh describes vast, unexplored cedar forests dominating the lands of the Mediterranean and Middle East. During the tale, Gilgamesh journeys into the cedar forests to slay the ogre-guardian … Continue reading
Visiting Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is also known as Trablous… And despite being Lebanon’s second largest city, very few outsiders make the journey up to Lebanon’s north to pay a visit. Evidence of settlement here goes back to the 14th century BC, but Tripoli’s past likely goes back much further. Today, Tripoli is a conservative city comprised primarily of … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 