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 … Continue reading
First settled in 1853 when mines known as the Union Company and California Company were discovered, Howland Flat was once second in size and importance only to La Porte. Located twelve miles north of Downieville on the East Branch of Slate Creek and at the base of the dramatic 7,000′ elevation Table Rock Mountain, Howland … Continue reading
Picturesque Nameri National Park was not officially established until November of 1998 (although it began to receive some degree of protection as early as 1978). Access to Nameri is from Potasali, 2km off the Tezpur-Bhalukpong road. So, in other words, it is on the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh… According to the government of … Continue reading
Moldova can get very cold. This picture below is of the ice on the front of our rental car after some time spent in freezing rain – not the easiest driving conditions. And this was in November, so I imagine winter conditions are even more sporty: However, with the weather taken out of the equation, … Continue reading
Welcome to Gagauzia! Never heard of Gagauzia? I forgive you because not many people have… It is worth mentioning though because this autonomous region of Moldova was the scene of fierce fighting in the early 1990s between the Moldovan armed forces and Gagauz nationalists fighting for independence (with a little help from Transnistrian militia forces … Continue reading
A significant source of income in many of the tribal areas of the Arunachal Pradesh jungle is derived from logging. This is a legal gray area. Technically, the jungle is a protected area. However, the villagers are grudgingly permitted by the Indian government to retrieve timber from the jungle for their own use. “Their own … Continue reading
I’ve been banging on a lot recently about the road to Tawang… So, what is it that’s so great about Tawang? Well, as I hope my prior pictures will help to demonstrate, a significant component is very much a case of the journey being the destination. That said, Tawang is certainly a worthy destination in … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 