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 …
What I had to endure to receive this: And to have this returned to me: But, it was worth it because now I can live and work freely in the following European Union countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, … Continue reading
I had wanted to visit Cappadocia since reading an article about the region in high school. I saved the article and would be reminded of my desire to go every time I was going through my things. So, while it might have taken me some time to make it there, I did finally make it … Continue reading
As I mentioned in the last post, a significant part of Pakistan is verdant agricultural land. Here is a continuation of that theme around Peshawar: These guys were selling strawberries along the road. A frequent sight (and the strawberries were really good): Now, of course, it isn’t all rolling hills and manicured fields as this … Continue reading
Most people don’t associate Pakistan with rivers and lush farmland. However, a large swath of territory around Peshawar is exactly that. One river village (that I unfortunately don’t know the name of) left a particularly favorable impression on me: It turned out that I was the first Westerner these girls had ever seen: So, naturally, … Continue reading
Now, anyone that knows me knows that I generally like animals even more than people. So, trust me when I relay that no animals were harmed in the following production… Still casting about for activities to kill time around Peshawar as we waited for the Khyber Pass to be opened again, Prince suggested that he … Continue reading
I found Sai Island to be quite remarkable – definitely one of my favorite places in Sudan. The island is one of the largest in the Nile Valley yet remains almost completely uninhabited today. This is despite the discovery of human remains that are over one hundred thousand years old and the presence of a … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 