Addis Ababa, as Africa’s fourth-largest city, is massive and incoherent. It’s probably easiest when broken down into districts and neighborhoods and I have divided some posts up by district – such as the Merkato or Meskal Square – to reflect this reality. However, this post is about the areas of Addis Ababa that can’t be … Continue reading
One does not visit the outlet of the Blue Nile to say hello to the river. One visits it to say goodbye to Lake Tana’s water and wish it well on its 5223 km journey to the Mediterranean (Along the way, it connects with the White Nile in Khartoum, Sudan). And you may even see … Continue reading
Life in Somalia is not easy. These rural villages are lucky if they have a generator to provide electricity for even an hour or two a day. Water is only obtained from wadis or deep wells (such as those in Sudan) in the most remote areas of the desert. And almost all food comes in … Continue reading
While exploring the Entoto Mountains, my Italian and I were approached by a local boy who, after a brief conversation, offered to show us an “outlaw’s cave” in the woods. Eleonora was slightly reluctant, but I interrupted with, “Yes. Absolutely. Please show us.” And so we were led through the woods along a route I … Continue reading
Finally meeting up with my fixer at the Islamabad airport, we were soon on our way to Peshawar. Driving out of Islamabad, we passed through a prime example of the sprawl cities in the developing world are experiencing as they continue to grow at tremendous rates. The area pictured below was forested a few weeks … Continue reading
Flying into cities in the Gulf states at night is an interesting experience. Unlike many countries, there are virtually no small towns between the massive cities. So, you will fly along in complete darkness and then all of a sudden find yourself on top of a brilliant, swirling metropolis. They remind me of elaborate crop … Continue reading
Resting all on its own, south and west of the northwestern and southeastern groups of churches, is what is perhaps Lalibela’s most interesting church, Bet Giyorgis. Representing the apogee of the rock-hewn tradition, the Bet Giyorgis is the most visually perfect church in Lalibela – a 15m-high three-tiered plinth in the shape of a Greek … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 