The drive from Kunduz to Mazar-i-Sharif took us far away from the Hindu Kush mountains and into the desert regions. The landscape was different, the people were ethnically different, the culture was different – I felt like I was on another continent rather than in another part of Afghanistan. We stopped at a police station … Continue reading
Obsidian Dome is located a few miles south of the June Lake Loop along Hwy. 395. It’s easy to figure out how to get there though if you just look at a map online. One takes a dirt road off of 395 to get there, but I drove my Honda to the site if that … Continue reading
Cruising into Rome one afternoon, Ele decided to show me a new (well, new for me) neighborhood along the Tiber River: Traffic was very backed up along the route we were on, but, hey, it’s Italy and such things are expected. However, as we advanced we came across this motorcycle accident pictured below and realized … Continue reading
After departing Bamiyan, we headed up north to Pul-i-Kumri… Arriving in Pul-i-Kumri , where else could we spend the night but where “respectable guests” stay? Unfortunately, the guests were far more respectable than the hotel: The street in front of the hotel, as usual, was filled with men trying to sell all manner of goods … Continue reading
**** I visited Ireland with my mother almost twenty years ago. It was a good trip, but it didn’t include Northern Ireland. At the time, Northern Ireland was spoken of in a lowered voice and usually described as follows – “nothin’ up there ‘cept bombs and factories.” Naturally, this made me want to visit. This … Continue reading
It was interesting to see Hitler’s World War II bunker, where he spent his final days, when I knew that I would be seeing the bunker where he spent his front-line service in World War I only four days in the future. Below is a picture of the parking lot under which Hitler’s bunker lies. … Continue reading
The thought that Jock died for his country is of no comfort to me His memory is all I have left to love. – John Low’s fiancee, 10 January 1918 World War I saw many firsts. The first aircraft in combat, the first tanks in combat, the first use of chemical warfare, the first use … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 