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 …
Best known for its 20-below winters, scorching summers and trigger-happy “bad men,” Bodie was once one of the most active mining camps in the West. The town flourished between 1878 and 1882 with over 30 operating mines, its own narrow-gauge railroad and a population of about 10,000. Among the inhabitants, Bodie’s infamous gunmen stood out, … Continue reading
A journey to Justin’s past… On Sunday I went to check out the neighborhood and home I lived in back in 2001. As the title alludes to, it is close to the High Street Kensington stop on the Circle Line. I noticed immediately that the neighborhood had become more of a shopping neighborhood since I … Continue reading
I just checked my email and couldn’t help noticing a higher than usual volume of spam. Some of these are genuinely funny. Well, to me at least… There must be a lot of guys out there with small dicks (or at least a major concern that they have a small dick). Does anyone actually click … Continue reading
*** UPDATE – Although I now live in Swiss Cottage, it’s fun to look back on this time when I was slumming in Old Street…The Old Street post continues below in its original and unedited format. *** This is the view out my window to some apartments and businesses across the way. Not much of … Continue reading
Part 2 I loved random shit like this… This guy plugged in and just started rocking out. Art Car. This is your dear editor playing with a flame thrower. Note the other two individuals in the picture recoiling from the blast. Part of a camp on the edge of the playa. Playa art projects. One … Continue reading
I’ve updated this post by adding a recent profile from Forbes Magazine to the “comments” section… The original post follows below: ******** I’ve been surprised by how many emails I have received from people wanting to know more about Peter Thiel simply because I list him as someone I’d like to meet. So, I thought … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 