The rapid-fire invasion of Iraq and then Kurdistan by ISIS, as the Islamic State was calling itself at the time, stunned the world. For several hours, it even presented an existential crisis for Kurdistan itself as the momentum of the invasion by ISIS brought them to within mere kilometers of Erbil – with little standing …
Even in a country with a wealth of beautiful landscapes, the Valle de Cocora still stands out. The broad, emerald green valley stretches east of the village of Salento into the lower reaches of Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados where it is framed by sharp peaks. Everywhere you’ll see wax palm, the largest palm in …
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 …
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 …
An evening exploration of the streets of Damascus… “…no recorded event has occurred in the world but Damascus was in existence to receive news of it. Go back as far as you will into the vague past, there was always a Damascus… She has looked upon the dry bones of a thousand empires and will …
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 …
Baalbek has long enjoyed a reputation as home to some of the finest Roman ruins anywhere in the world. However, even without the Roman ruins, it would still be an interesting town… To reach Baalbek, one passes through the hot, dry Bekaa, not so much a valley as a high-altitude plain, with its Hezbollah flags …
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 …
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 …
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 …
One can see some interesting things on the Tube. For example, I found this guy to be photo-worthy due to his unusually wide stance. Really, one could speculate for a while about the need for such a posture… Of course, he was also rather inconsiderate as the train was quite crowded and as you can … Continue reading
The Best Movie Shootout Scenes, The Best Gun Scenes, The Best Movie Gun Scenes… Give it the title you want. I tried to collect the very best. Hands down, I think the best movie shootout scene of all time is the sequence in Heat between the bank robbers and the police. Simply incredible and like … Continue reading
My Italian interpreter and I went to the Royal Academy of Arts today. They had a special exhibition on Japanese woodblock prints, but there are enough Japanese woodblock originals in the Ames family for me not to consider the fee to enter the cramped rooms (stuffed with tourists) to be worth it. We explored the … Continue reading
Jimmy Ames has enthusiastically agreed to provide financial support to my and Brandon’s ambitious project to set a new land speed record on the flats of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. We’re aiming to break the 1,000 mph barrier (The current record is 766 mph). Here is a prototype of the vehicle we are constructing in … Continue reading
Standing before flashing cameras in a white Abercrombie & Fitch jogging suit with trendy glasses and a swish haircut, Vicente Carrillo Leyva doesn’t fit the classic image of a gun-toting drug kingpin. The 32-year-old was detained quietly enough: police nabbed him while he was exercising in a park in a plush Mexico City suburb. Carrillo … Continue reading
Something really not to miss around Khartoum is the gathering of the Whirling Dervishes at the Hamed al Nil mosque every Friday until the sun goes down. This Sufi order gathers together in the cemetery around the mosque to sing, chant and whirl in the dust wearing colorful patchwork clothes. Everyone stands in a huge … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 