It was a busy and rewarding year!! I covered a lot of ground, some of it old, but plenty of new. In 2016, I traveled to eleven new countries; including: Cuba, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Iran, Bulgaria, Iraq, Eritrea, Honduras, and Guatemala. This brought my country count to 103. A great feeling to finally have crossed [...]
Communist era monuments of Bulgaria. An amalgam of Soviet brutalist architecture and dreary grey cement resulted in numerous communist monuments throughout the country of Bulgaria. Bulgaria resides on the edge of Europe. While a member of the EU its bonds and history tilts toward its protector of Russia and its communist progenitor, the Soviet Union. Bulgaria [...]
Three must-see churches in Bulgaria. Bulgaria is not the first country that comes to your lips when you are planning a European road trip, but it should be. Bulgaria offers so much for a traveler. Here are three highlights. Tsarevets Fortress Several hours east of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, on a relaxing bus ride, is [...]
War Tourism In Eritrea. Eritrea has been gripped by war, violence, and occupation for decades. The Italians in the 19th century brought colonization, cappuccino, and apartheid laws. After WWII, the Brits temporarily occupied Eritrea stripping the country of its valuables. After the Brits departed, Eritrea was placed in a federation under Ethiopia. Ethiopia chipped away at Eritrea’s [...]
Visiting The Axis Of Evil. Over the last 6 weeks I have visited 2/3 of the Axis of Evil, Iran and Iraq. And I also traveled to Eritrea, which is sometimes referred to as the North Korea of Africa, which is the third member of the Axis. George W. Bush, opined in his speech after 9/11 [...]
Visiting Massawa, Eritrea. Massawa rests on the coast of the Red Sea. It has been traded more times than the worst gift at a Yankee Swap. The Axumite Empire, the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Italy, Britain, Ethiopia and others have all taken their turn ruling this port city. Massawa is only 113 km from the Asmara, the [...]
Faces Of Eritrea. Have you heard of Eritrea? Many people have not. And fewer even visit. The people are friendly and many happy to pose for the camera. Here are some portraits of the people I met. Faces of Eritrea. Want to learn more about Eritrea, read this! Learn more about visiting Massawa and taking a ride [...]
Introduction To Travel In Eritrea I shuffled up to the counter. I was hungry. “Can I please have spaghetti with tomato sauce?” I inquired. I had been given a hamburger for dinner, but I had no intention of eating it. It was swamped in mayonnaise. A big no-no for me. And to be honest the meat [...]
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