This was supposed to be in the “Photo Of The Day” category, but the title would have been too clumsy to tack “Photo Of The Day” in front of it. So, surprise! This is a Photo Of The Day… Actually, it’s going to be a bit more than that because an explanation is needed. It … Continue reading
We arrived in Hodeidah two days after the Houthis took over… They had checkpoints set up at every point of entry into the city including, as we would find out, at the airport and the seaport. However, our driver and fixer had a well-rehearsed routine at checkpoints. The driver would slowly roll through while thrusting … Continue reading
Zabid resonates in the minds of some given its history as not just the former capital of Yemen (from the 13th to the 15th century), but also a center of learning (particularly the famous university in Zabid) and culture with more than 230 schools and mosques at its peak around the 14th century. In addition, … Continue reading
There are a lot of wild rumors about North Korea. In one of the weirdest countries of the world, this is understandable. However, the rumors about the Pyongyang Metro stand out even in the crowd of North Korean rumors. Rumors that the subway system is a facade, functioning only for the purpose of impressing visitors … Continue reading
Taiz is at something of a crossroads in Yemen. It is close enough to the south to be touched by the separatist sentiments found there. It is close enough to the north to be caught up in the intrigues in the capital. It is close enough to the wilderness of Yemen to have Al Qaeda … Continue reading
As Ramzan Kadyrov and the Kremlin seek to legitimize their control of Chechnya, there is a steady rewriting and glossing over of history underway. One dramtic example of this is found in the strenuous effort to promote Akhmad Kadyrov as the father of modern Chechnya. Indeed, Grozny’s stadium has been named after him. And the … Continue reading
Welcome to Grozny! Before the First Chechen War broke out in 1994, Grozny was a fairly typical Russian city of a half a million people – the same size as Oslo in Norway. One notable aspect of the city though was that it was one of the Soviet Union’s most important oil centers. Grozny was … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 