Afghanistan. The name instantly conjures up all kinds of unpleasant images in the infantile American mind: the launching pad for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; Osama bin-Laden’s hideout; endless civil strife; suicide bombings; shadowy terrorist groups; U.S. soldiers … Read the rest of this article.
Whatever Happened to Hitchhiking?
Goddamn, has this country changed in my lifetime, and for the worse in almost every way. The 1960s, and especially the last three years of that decade, was a tumultuous era, what with nationwide race riots, violent street protests against … Read the rest of this article.
Iran 2016 — Journey to a Politically Incorrect Land
“Boy, you really do like danger, don’t you?” “Better not bring any bibles with you.” “What are you going there for? They hate us”
I turned a deaf ear to all the nonsense. People whose horizon is no wider than … Read the rest of this article.
Africa — the Big Picture
(Note: I wrote this in 2015, intending for it to be presented in some form on a radio program. That didn’t happen, but it did appear on the website whitebiocentrism.com. It’s more an attempt to educate than entertain, to … Read the rest of this article.
Morocco, Land of Endless Hassles
Before I begin telling you about Morocco, a country in its own league, let me wrap up my overall impressions of the Arab world, which encompasses a large chunk of the Middle East and stretches across the entire Mediterranean littoral … Read the rest of this article.
Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt
Nusaybin Hudut Kapisi, the fresh Turkish exit stamp in my passport read. Straight ahead was El Qamishliye, Syria, a remote, sleepy frontier town near the desolate point where Turkey, Syria and Iraq meet. It was 1984 and I was not … Read the rest of this article.
Bolivia and a Side of Paraguay
I travel to discover lands and people, not so much to visit famous places, though I enjoy that too. This is what distinguishes travelers from tourists. I admit to a little snobbery here, considering myself a traveler and looking down … Read the rest of this article.
Beware of Coca Leaves
I was never into drugs, but I can’t say I’m a virgin either. When I was a senior in high school, I smoked an illicit substance with some friends, which on that first occasion happened to be hashish. After that, … Read the rest of this article.
I Remember Kindness
I don’t know about where you live, but on Long Island, my home turf until recently, there are a lot of elementary schools. Many of them are surrounded by chain link fences, and often messages of two or three words … Read the rest of this article.
What’s Your Favorite Country?
When people learn of my travels far and wide, they often ask what my favorite country is. I never tire of the question because I always love to talk travel. But in reality it’s an impossible question to answer, for … Read the rest of this article.