by Bernie Debusmann At first glance, the Indian city of Mumbai – or Bombay, as my wife constantly reminds me – is an odd place for an archaeological site. It is, after all, very crowded – more than 18 million people crammed into just over 600 square kilometres of space. It’s also a city that’s … Continue reading
by Bernd Debusmann Jr. Given the fact that most of you out there are on coronavirus lockdown – or should be – The Velvet Rocket has decided on a much-needed update as we revive the magazine for what we hope to be a successful and exciting 2020. Let’s get ready for thinking of past adventures … Continue reading
This is a version of our article that first appeared in War Is Boring… The future of Iraqi Kurdistan is on the minds of many in the region today as the invasion of the Islamic State in the summer of 2014 has now been successfully repelled. Many dire and pessimistic predictions can be heard, with … Continue reading
Located near the town of Sheki, this abandoned fortress was actually one of my favorite sites in Azerbaijan (and by “this” I am including the hike in as well as Gelersen-Gorersen itself)… A fragment of the fortress now almost lost to the forest: Although the fortress dates back to the 8th or 9th century, the … Continue reading
Black markets seem to be an integral part of human existence. Supply and demand trumps all. The authorities (rightly or wrongly) ban a commodity for which there is demand and the profit incentive will drive entrepreneurs to find a way to supply it. The punishment or consequences for participation in these illicit activities dictates how … Continue reading
Amber, that lovely fossilized tree resin, that is found in the Baltics and Kaliningrad is particularly noted for its quality… There is also a lot of it. Therefore, it should probably not come as a large shock that amber mining and the sale of amber is a big part of the economy in Kaliningrad. Given … Continue reading
The majority of the articles I write for outside publication (stuff outside of The Velvet Rocket) have been printed in Italian newspapers. This makes things relatively easy as I can simply post the English version here and not conflict with a publication that would be upset about the duplicate content. However, the main eastern Ukraine … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 