A week in the beautiful Island of Phuket, a southwest arm of Thailand, was unexpectedly extended when the Bangkok airport closed on the 26th of November due to political protests. This was our first stay at the Banyan Tree resort, and their professionalism and hospitality throughout our stay - including their assistance when we were stranded there - were outstanding. Thai people are friendly, in an exceptionally warm and sunny, pleasant way Westerners can scarcely imagine unless visiting and experiencing it in Thailand. There is a reason why it is called "The Land of Smiles". Khun Phen [View Full Entry]

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The royal jewels of the Pahlavi and Qajar dynasties are held in The Treasury of National Jewels in Tehran. It is highly secured and no photography is permitted, but purchased and public domain photos are included here in order to share a rare view of these breathtaking pieces. The video-add feature refused to upload a montage I created of the jewels and crowns through their history of being worn - please see a 2-minute video at Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrALU7dAYlw The "museum" is located behind thick steel doors, and entered via carefully guarded and escorted tours. [View Full Entry]

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We are the flute, our music is all Thine; We are the mountains echoing only Thee; And movest to defeat or victory; Lions emblazoned high on flags unfurled- They wind invisible sweeps us through the world. -Rumi, The Unseen Power Hidden from the West behind a curtain of contemporary politics lies a land of indescibable beauty. To draw back that curtain is to enter into a palace of splendor, where chivalry echos through the palaces and statues, where snow-capped mountains breath crisp life into the air of the city. This is the land of the mystic poets, Hafiz and Rumi. This [View Full Entry]

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Still Shots of the Alborz Mountains The still shots you are seeing were taken from vantage points that were in no way still. Some of them were through the front windshield, zoomed in to crop out the steering wheel. A breathtaking snapshot of graham-cracker folds of earth jutting out into an intense blue sky is the result of an illusion created by the blue strip on the windshield. When at one point I leaned out of the window to film a magnificent pass, I saw in front of me a line of cars, arms protruding from the windows, all holding digital [View Full Entry]

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Underneath Day's azure eyes, Ocean's nursling, Venice lies, A peopled labyrinth of walls, Amphitrite's destined halls. -Shelley, Percy Bysshe We stayed at the Hotel Danieli, the oldest in the city - the first photo you are looking at is the view from the first floor. It was built in the 1400s, and is near to a now defunct prison where we were told Casanova had escaped from. Filled with red carpets, chandeliers, sweeping drapes on long windows, and antiques, the old-world charm permeated our romantic stay. Even the keys to the Danieli rooms dangle from a very large red tassel, and [View Full Entry]

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St. Peter's Basilica is an unassuming name for what seems to surpass all churches in the world. And well it should be, as it is situated in Vatican City, the residence of the Pope and the Holy See. However, it is not a cathedral. Our plans to visit the Basilica were foiled when we arrived on Saturday, June 9th, and were turned away being told that President Bush was inside speaking with the Pope at the moment. This papal visit was the cause of a spread of riots throughout Rome, particularly at the location of the American Embassy. The Embassy happened [View Full Entry]

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As Time magazine reported about New Year's Eve of 2007, "Year's Eve got off to an unexpected bang in the Thai capital, Bangkok when a series of bombs detonated across town, killing at least three people and injuring dozens, including several foreign tourists". Our plans were to explore the city of Bangkok as soon as we arrived that New Year's Eve. We had a map in our hands, marking out sites we intended to visit, some of which were where bombs actually exploded. We might have been there at the time. However, just as soon as I set foot in the [View Full Entry]

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In Thailand, particularly at the resort where we stayed, fruit carving was a fine art form. Here is a true "Land of Smiles" welcome carved expertly into a watermelon. The red, immense beauty with apparent "scales", pure white on the inside and melting in the mouth, is the dragonfruit, a rare delight to be enjoyed at every possible opportunity. The same goes for the rose apple: pure paradise. We were quite surprised in the bustling town of Chawang Beach to find a roadside snack cart filled to the brim with worms and other nasty-looking critters. We watched in astonishment as the [View Full Entry]

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After leaving the suffocating heat of the desert city, and strings of demanding workdays behind, as Joni Mitchell so aptly put it, “I was a free man in Paris, I felt unfettered and alive.” I woke up to the last birthday of my thirties to find a gorgeous bouquet of flowers from my beloved, with a card that read, “Happy Birthday in Paris.” My black abaya and scarf were tucked away in the front pocket of my carry-on, all but a memory that would resurface vociferously somewhere between Dubai and Riyadh. Meanwhile an animal print Versace skirt was speaking the [View Full Entry]

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Somewhere along the line during our stay in Paris, the faint memory was recalled that lead vocalist of The Doors, Jim Morrison, had died and been buried in Paris. Images were evoked in my mind of the carved bust adorning his grave, surrounded by a constant stream of flowers. I soon learned that the cemetery where he was buried in Paris, Pere-Lachaise, is also the resting place of Frederic Chopin, Sarah Bernhardt, and other historical figures. Jacques-Louis David, court painter to Napoleon, is also buried there. However, as his revolutionary activities prevented him from entering France a [View Full Entry]

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