I’ve been following the work of Russian journalist and activist Masha Gessen after listening to an interview with her on NPR about her recently released biography of Vladimir Putin, The Man Without a Face on a road trip to Oklahoma City (from Dallas, not San Francisco). Even though I was half a world away from Russia, I still…
FAR
Both Gorgeous & Gruesome in Sicily
Juxtaposed: There’s always more to a place than the stereotypes we’ve heard before arriving or what easily meets the eye… In this case, Sicily’s gruesome history has probably overshadowed the beauty of this part of Italy. Sicily has become synonymous with organized crime, specifically as the home to the Sicilian Mafia (called the Cosa Nostra). But,…
A Sandwich and an Assassination in Sarajevo
What does a sandwich have to do with an assassination? How much do you know about the assassination brought on the beginning of WWI? I can’t say I remembered much about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria beyond that, other than that it took place in Sarajevo, Bosnia… Until I began snooping around in the…
This Wall Will Fall in Berlin
Reagen’s famous speech at the Bradenburg Gate was on June 12, 1987. 25 years ago today. Below is an excerpt from an op-ed published yesterday in the NY Times, Reagan at the Wall, by Ted Wimer, about the speech: In a way, it was a no-brainer. No one had ever liked the wall, since its construction in 1961. But…
What To Do With a Rainy Weekend in San Francisco?
Today is a dreary Sunday in Dallas and the sound of the rain falling on the patio reminded me of this post languishing away in my drafts folder, almost completely forgotten… When I wrote it months ago, the 10 day weather forecast for San Francisco looked pretty gloomy. They were predicting days and days of…
What I Love about San Francisco
While in San Francisco, a quick trip to Whole Foods and dinner with an old friend each brought me face to face with something new, something that provided a window into a new part of the world. I love that feeling, and it tends to throw my research skills into high gear. In this particular…
Greetings from San Francisco!
If you ask me, the key benefit of making yourself freer and more flexible is being able to take advantage of great opportunities when they come up. Less baggage, more options. So I was excited when I discovered (through the serendipity of Facebook) that a friend of mine was about to embark on some extended…
Around the World in 7 Links
Today we’re going to take a little trip… I’ve selected stories from 7 different spots across the globe and put together a ’round the world jaunt just for you. So sit back, fasten your seat belt, and get ready to depart! # 1 – First, we’ll snake our way down through Central America to the…
5 Busy Days in Cairo
I’ve been struggling with how to tell you about my recent trip to Cairo, which is funny since my friends and family can attest that I’ve hardly stopped talking about Egypt since returning, especially with the return to Tahrir and elections. Even in talking about it though, I’m not sure I’ve done it justice. The…
Khan el-Khalili Souk – Cairo, Egypt
Having heard that Khan el-Khalili, a major souk in Islamic Cairo, was great to see in the evening, we made the trek across town to see it after a long day of touring the pyramids in Giza. I was very glad to be with companions for the visit to the souk, including the men who accompanied…
