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 …
This has nothing to do with the comic book character. And if you don’t think this is just awesome then I seriously believe there is something wrong with you… Uppsala Run – Part 1 (Don’t worry, the annoying opening text soon goes away) Uppsala Run – Part 2 Now, perhaps not surprisingly, Ghost Rider has … Continue reading
I saw a pretty gnarly tattoo yesterday in Trader Joe’s which made me wonder what could be found on the internet (in the way of tattoos). I’ve posted the highlights of what I found below. Anyone have any other contributions of wild tattoos, over the top tattoos, crazy tattoos, insane tattoos, stupid tattoos, awful tattoos, … Continue reading
All of this took place in the span of less than 24 hours last weekend… Brandon showed up early Saturday for his surprise birthday party (he thought we were going on a skiing trip). Embracing the ambiguity of the situation (and wishing to continue the celebration), Brandon almost immediately proposed that we go shooting instead … Continue reading
Given the high level of interest shown in my very brief previous report on Norman’s Cay and Carlos Lehder, I realized I owed it to my dear readers to provide a little more depth on this subject… (previous report) THE EARLY YEARS The son of a German father and a Colombian mother, Carlos Enrique Lehder … Continue reading
For those of you in search of a solid road trip that doesn’t last more than a day (unless you want it to), I believe I may be of assistance. This trip covers the best of the Napa Valley as well as the surrounding mountains and Lake Berryessa. I first did the following trip with … Continue reading
So, a good friend of mine recently got a boob job. I hung out with her a few days after the surgery and, of course, I had to take pictures for your benefit, dear reader… Sure makes you want to get a set of your own, huh? Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 