While in Moscow, I discovered that the space aliens who landed at Chelyabinsk have now set up camp in Red Square. A giant shimmering force field covers Lenin’s Mausoleum. Of course the authorities claim it’s a bubble tent to shelter repair work on the mausoleum, but this is Russia and who believes the authorities? More […]
Browsing Posts in Travel
Space Aliens in Red Square
March 3, 2013
Titan Missile Museum
November 27, 2012
You enter the silo control room and take the command chair. Bob enters the launch codes and takes the deputy commander chair. The green “Ready to Launch” light comes on. “One – Two – Three” and you both simultaneously turn your launch keys. The “Launch Enable” light comes on. The ICBM launch is now irrevocable […]
Baghdad: National Museum
April 2, 2012
Some sections of the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad are now open. (More PHOTOS.) The star exhibit is a stunning collection of Assyrian works from Khorsabad, including two enormous larger-than-life carved scenes of courtiers bringing gifts to the King, two giant guardian Lamassu, a large statue of Nabu the god of Wisdom and Writing, and […]
Ancient Babylon Rebuilt!
March 30, 2012
At first glance the Babylon site is a strange Disneyland vision of what Babylon ought to look like, with impossibly pristine new brickwork and fanciful towers and ramparts. Just as though some Wizard has cast a magical “rebuild” spell. But much of this fanciful reconstruction is built on original foundations. Our site guide pointed at […]
Uruk
March 28, 2012
The Uruk site is well organized, with large explanatory signs, a strong perimeter fence, and (wonder of wonders) an actual ticket office, which doubles as a guard post. We were the only visitors of the day so it took a few minutes to round up the ticket seller. Uruk was the first great city, the […]
Ancient Ur
March 26, 2012
There are very few tourists in Iraq at the moment, so I was expecting the ancient city of Ur to be almost deserted. But no, as we approached the great ziggurat, we saw about 40 tour buses parked and hordes of teenagers cavorting around the site. Say what? It turns out it’s the last month […]
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