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 …
“When the Yakuza first went international, they relied almost entirely on banks to launder their money. At the beginning of the 1970s, however, the Yakuza discovered the stock market. With the help of Malaysian Chinese gangs, they opened brokerage accounts in Malaysia and Singapore. As their business grew, they moved quickly into Hong Kong, Australia, … Continue reading
Written: November 2007 Occurred: July 2004 I don’t know about the rest of you, but facial hair gets uncomfortable to me after a while and so I feel compelled to periodically shave it all off and start over again. During one of these shaving moments, I decided to leave myself with a mustache (looking very … Continue reading
A Thanksgiving Prayer Thanks for the wild turkey and the passenger pigeons, destined to be shit out through wholesome American guts. Thanks for a continent to despoil and poison. Thanks for Indians to provide a modicum of challenge and danger. Thanks for vast herds of bison to kill and skin leaving the carcasses to … Continue reading
How could you not want to smoke after seeing this? Continue reading
“At least fifty major real estate properties in Hawaii are owned by the Yakuza. Hundreds of millions of dollars of Yakuza money has been poured into hotels and golf courses around the United States. Many of the private Japanese gambling clubs that dot Midtown Manhattan are also believed to be backed by Yakuza groups.” Continue reading
Mountain View, CA to Wenatchee, WA 1st gas stop in Redding, CA. The following were available in the bathroom (So, in case you weren’t pumped up enough about your trip aready, you can get a “glo boy extender” or a “love kit” for 75 cents)… Roads like this made it relatively easy for me to … Continue reading
Brazil has become the global superpower of the orange industry Over the last three decades, South America’s largest nation, which has warmer weather and cheaper labor than Florida, has become the world’s number one source of orange juice. The Brazilians have built oceangoing tankers to transport concentrate, port facilities to offload it and tank farms … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 