Almaty, Kazakhstan May 22, 2015 I am in a mild state of shock. I am not quite sure what I expected of Almaty, but it is not these wide boulevards, tall chrome and glass skyscrapers, swanky cars and glitzy shopping arcades with smatterings of posh cafes, bars and restaurants. Perhaps most of all, I had … More All About Almaty
May 19, 2015 I was wearing a neck brace (thanks to a recently acquired herniated disc), baggy clothes several sizes too large (erring on the side of caution in Islamic countries) and carrying an arsenal of pain medications including prescription narcotics. I could have made a healthy living peddling medicines in any part of the … More Off to Central Asia
At the top of the list are countries in Central Asia that I will be traveling in this summer. Stay tuned for posts & photos beginning May 19th, 2015. Someone I met recently told me on a mildly annoyed note that although Afghanistan leads the list of countries, it is blank. “Well”, I explained, “I … More Ways of a Wanderlust
El Salto, Panama January 14, 2014 Justin, the Peace Corp volunteer sited at the village of El Salto, offered to take me there and I of course jumped at the chance. The trick however, was getting there. As the crow flies, it is not that far; there are other sites that are much more remote. … More Life in the Darien
Meteti, Panama January 11, 2014 I had met a local woman in Meteti called Alva. As we chatted, I asked her about the indigenous peoples of this area and she told me of a couple of settlements of the Embera and the Wounaan. I wanted to visit them and Alva decided to play tourist and … More In a Village called Wahira
Panama City January 8, 2014 I have been wandering around Panama for a couple of weeks but the one place that draws me more than any other is the Darien. I want to see the tribes that live there. From all accounts it is home to not only to the tribes but to that segment … More To the Dreaded Darien
Tabriz, Iran June 25th 2013 “Salaam”, I heard as I trudged along a street in Tabriz, hitching up the backpack. “Where are you from?” asked the young man who had materialized beside me. “Please”, said his friend with a shy smile “Can I help you?” We were in a crowded street and I had been … More Come as a Visitor & Return as a Friend
Shiraz, Iran July 22, 2013 Imagine a high plateau to the north of present day Shiraz. Set amid rocky bare mountains at 1630 m, imagine lush fields watered by an elaborate system of underground qanats or water channels that are fed by mountain snow. Imagine it is sixth century BC. The even more ancient empire … More Whispers Of Ancient Persia
Kashan, Iran July 6th, 2013 Kashan lies just a few hours south of Tehran, yet it is often overlooked by visitors. Perhaps therein lies the charm of this small town. There is an unhurried pace to life here unruffled by tourist hordes. Like elsewhere in Iran there are remnants of history. The grand buildings here … More Understated Elegance
Dogubayazit, Turkey June 25th 2013 I did not have to look for a bus or a ride to the border; Bilal and Mustafa both insisted that they would take me and they did. Early in the morning they arrived, I hopped into the van and rode to the border. But first we had to stop … More So this is Iran
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 