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 …
Assam (also spelled Asom and Axom) covers the fertile Brahmaputra valley, making it the most accessible of India’s Northeast States. The typical Assamese landscape offers golden-green vistas over endless rice fields that are patched with palm and bamboo groves, and framed in the distance by the hazy blue Himalayas rising up out of Arunachal Pradesh. … Continue reading
We stopped at this village for provisions and I found it photogenic in a “slice of life” sort of way. You’ll notice, no doubt, that this appears more like a scene from Cambodia or Vietnam. The Northeast States are very different from the rest of India. Continue reading
This hill station was the capital of British-created Assam from 1874 to 1972 when the state of Meghalaya was carved out of Assam. Since becoming the state capital it has rapidly developed into a typical modern Indian town and in doing so, some of its older colonial buildings have been demolished. However, in parts it … Continue reading
In my prior post, I mentioned gaining access to the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project through a bombing range utilized by the Indian Air Force. Below is that bombing range… Not all the pictures are not up to normal Velvet Rocket standards in terms of focus or composition, but given that we were not supposed to … Continue reading
Those of you that know me well, know that I have a strange photographic fascination with industrial carnage. Also, my country doesn’t really do many large-scale engineering projects anymore and so it is interesting to see one up close (I’m not suggesting we should go out and build dams everywhere, but it is interesting to … Continue reading
With a population of almost 13 million (official) inhabitants and with nearly 23 million (official) residents in its greater metropolitan area, Delhi is a crowded place. And an intense place. It is quite probably the most intense city I have ever visited and that is saying something. I can think of no other city that … Continue reading
Here’s one for you, dear readers… (And, yes, this is all true). Inexplicable behavior. Bizarre facts. Inconclusive evidence. Missing body parts. And not a single clue, almost 50 years later, as to what really happened. The outline: In 1959, ten Russian cross-country skiers — eight men and two women, led by a man named Igor … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 