The United Kingdom Never Fit in the EU in the First Place On the fate of Great Britain in the European Union and Brexit, the people have spoken. A good number of them. Now, The Mob has been set loose. It’s more vociferous than ever before. But it’s not the gang of thieves you may […]
The Good, the Bad, and Brexit
Austria is leagues beyond its past: So stop invoking it
A modern visitor to the vibrant Alpine Republic of Austria can be forgiven for succumbing to its charm, beauty, and permanent sense of order. From the stunning Alps in the west to the cobblestoned streets of the Imperial City of Vienna in the east, it’s a majestic country which boasts great pride from its 8.5 […]
A Glimpse of Ottawa
It’s an oddity that I would only explore the capital city of my birth nation well into my 20s. Then again, it’s a curse which befalls most natives of colossal and reaching lands. One can live an entire life alienated from the decreed city of administrative bureaucracy, far from paper pushers and stamps. At least […]
Hoi An, Vietnam: The Monopoly of Tailors
Right through puffs of smoke and soot we did motorbike. Sucking it in for the pure joy of it. Even though 90 percent of locals always have specially decorated face masks on, we figure we’ll suffer for holiday’s sake. Besides, we can leave anytime, they cannot. Even within the country. In order to change residences, […]
The Roman Holiday
The Qatari Layover
The ringleader in traditional garb speaks in short, concise shouts of Arabic. He holds the floor. Another blows the smoke from the hookah pipe into his face and he easily retaliates. No shame there. His deputy to his left motions to a group of western women and their flowing hair who’ve made an entrance. They […]
Book Review — Wanderjahre: A Reporter’s Journey in a Mad World
There’s nothing more satisfying than the thoughtful ravings of a wily foreign correspondent who returns home. Especially once it can be melted down into a kind of beautiful soliloquy on the mad state of affairs in the world. That’s what I picked up in Lutz Kleveman’s Wanderjahre: A Reporter’s Journey in a Mad World, a […]
When German Jihad Set the Islamic World Aflame
Max von Oppenheim, Oriental enthusiast and the Germans’ secret weapon during the First World War A few weeks ago, I made a brief stint in Istanbul, the former capital known as Constantinople in the former Ottoman Empire. Much to the chagrin of my family and loved ones, my boots hit the ground not more than […]