The name Bombay was most likely taken from the Portuguese who arrived there during the 16th century and named the area Bom Bahia (good bay), yet in the mid ‘90s the local powers-that-be decided to give it a more Indian name and renamed it Mumbai, after the Hindu patron goddess of the city. Technically both names are still permissible. Below are some quotidian images from the city:

Though most visitors to Georgia put Gori on their itinerary due to its Stalin-related attractions, it is actually a town with quite a few worthwhile sights.

Gori can trace its history back at least 1300 years when the fortress of Gori (Goris-Tikhe) is assumed to have been built.

This ancient citadel on top of a hill overlooking the town, has over the centuries been the subject of attacks and occupation from Armenian, Persian, Ottoman and Russian invaders (not to mention a severe earthquake in 1920), but still looms proudly. The town’s defiant spirit in emphasized in the artwork dotting various points around town.

Though the country of Georgia is renowned for its tea and tobacco, the Gori market is a boon for those in search of fresh homemade cheese and vegetables.

A short walk from the bazaar leads to city hall (the same location where a Dutch journalist was killed on August 11, 2008 during a Russian air raid). Beforehand the area had the somewhat less onerous distinction of having one of the very few standing statues of Stalin anywhere in the world, as the thousands of others were brought down all throughout the USSR and the Soviet block in the years following “Uncle Joe’s” passing in 1953.

A left turn at city hall leads to a walk down Stalin Avenue and Stalin Park.

Off to the side of the park is the very interesting museum of the Great Patriotic War, commemorating, of course, the war led by Stalin between 1941-45 against his erstwhile and ersatz ally, Hitler.

At the end of Stalin Avenue stands a compound with various treats for history buffs and fans of Uncle Joe, first being the preserved hovel where he was born in 1878.

Next to it is the Stalin museum containing dozens of pictures of his life, gifts given to him while leading the USSR, examples of Soviet agit-prop and even a bronze death mask left from March, 1953.

Stalin’s personal train which he used to travel in relative comfort throughout the USSR while the country usually suffered through war, famine and other hardships is also a part of the museum’s collection.

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Ergo, keep Gori in mind as a travel destination once peace returns to this charming and historic town in the Caucuses.

Author and Photographer – Arya Kazemi.

It is estimated that anywhere from one-third to nearly half of all hashish sold around the world originates in Morocco, but until the 1960’s and the start of the huge influx of foreign ‘hippies’ into the country, much of the cannabis produced domestically went toward satisfying the native men’s appetite for kif (a mixture of tobacco and chopped pieces of marijuana). The enterprising, long-haired foreigners familiarized Moroccans with the procedure required to reduce cannabis plants to a much more potent form.

Use of a sieve to extract the resin powder from female plants, which can then be rubbed together to make hash in a matter of seconds, was practiced for some time in a few of the traditional hashish producing regions of Asia, most notably in The Lebanon’s Bekka valley, but Morocco’s cannabis farmers managed to perfect the art within a short amount of time, and given both the good reputation of their product and the country’s extremely favourable location in terms of maritime trade with Europe, they inevitably came to outdo the profits of traditional hashish exporting nations, such as Nepal, by the 1980’s.

Nearly all Moroccan hashish originates in the scenic Rif Mountains, which stretch from the Mediterranean Sea to the famous port city of Tangier. This region has traditionally been populated by Berber tribes, who for the most part have had a stormy relationship with the Arab-dominated central government and consequently the region has been ranked as the nation’s poorest for many decades. There seems to be a de-facto understanding in place between the powers that be in Rabat and the natives of the region that cannabis cultivation and the production of hashish are to be tolerated by the authorities as a means of economic self-reliance for the Rif Berbers.

Considering that nearly everyone, except government officials, concedes to hashish being Morocco’s most profitable export, there are invariably many shadowy elements at play in and around these mountains. Unfortunately the hashish trade also has a visceral relationship with another booming illicit trade from Morocco to Europe – illegal immigrants. Most Western European governments estimate the majority of Moroccans residing illegally in their countries to be Berbers from the Rif somehow involved in the hashish trade.

The pictures that accompany this report illustrate a routine sequence of events used to produce hashish at one of the many semi-furtive cannabis farms in the Rif. Note the drum method, used by the farmers on the pile of cannabis plants. Though any and all use of kif or hashish is technically illegal throughout Morocco, in towns such as Tangier men can frequently be seen carrying a traditional pipe (as seen in the last two pictures) inside their clothing, and discreet smoking of kif in cafes and shops is rather common.

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Author – Arya Kazemi

The exhibition was spawned by two separate factors: The first had to do with the views of Iran’s new President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is both staunchly anti-Israel and incredulous towards the generally accepted historical versions of the Nazi’s bloody “Final Solution” for Europe’s Jewry during WW II. The exhibit was not actually officially sponsored by the Iranian Government, but rather a newspaper run by Tehran’s municipality, but it’s worth noting that till his election to the Presidency, Ahmadinejad was the Mayor of Tehran.

The other reason was the infamous cartoon published in a Danish newspaper on September 30, 2005, which to many Muslims showed the Prophet Muhammad in a blasphemous manner and in turn resulted in violent anti-Danish protests and a boycott of Danish products in many Islamic nations.

In reality the exhibit was aimed just as much towards antagonizing America (and to a lesser degree Britain) as Israel and Denmark (oddly enough, only two out of the 204 caricatures on display dealt with Denmark!)

A curious side note about the exhibit is the fact that a lot of the time there were no visitors on site, and those who attended fell into three categories; students or government employees, ordered to attend; Tehran’s hip and avant-garde circles (composed mostly of authors, filmmakers and television personalities); and foreign correspondents from many of the world’s major media outlets.

Author and Photographer – Arya Kazemi.

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Disinterested pedestrians going past a portrait of Fidel in an abandoned shop.

According to the sign in a print shop Fidel believes “ideas are worth more than weapons”.

Portraits of Cuban independence leader Jose Marti and Fidel at an intersection in Havana. According to Castro “Ideas illuminate the world”.

Graffiti commemorating Fidel and the 26th of July (date of his original uprising in 1953 against the pro-American Batista regime).

A bulletin board in central Havana features news and photos relating to some of the day’s major political themes. A protest in front of the American Interests Section in Cuba which supposedly drew more than a million denizens, Fidel and his newest regional ally, Bolivian President Evo Morales and the five Cuban-Americans being held in U.S. Federal prisons after being convicted of espionage on behalf of Castro’s regime.

A road sign on the island’s main highway commemorates the CDR’s (Committees in Defense of the Revolution) which maintain Castro’s grass roots level appeal by organizing various pro-revolutionary activities (including espionage!) in every neighborhood on the island-notice the machete and the motto on it stating “on high alert.” Another of Fidel’s proclamations is included;”the genius is in the masses, the genius is massive”.

A poster in a Havana pharmacy celebrating the 47th anniversary of the revolution while declaring: “47 years of sovereignty, dignity, independence, liberty, battle, patriotism, hope and revolution”.

A young man wearing a t-shirt featuring Fidel and his staunchest regional ally Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Typical Cuban Post Office.

A classic image of Fidel’s early days on display in front of a residential window.

Billboard commemorating the 47th anniversary of the revolution along with an image of Fidel and one of his iconic fallen comrades; Camilo Cienfuegos.

For those Cuban households with a TV set Fidel is an oft-invited guest!

A mural for the revolution’s most famous fallen soldier; Ernesto “Che” Guevara. An encomium from Fidel praises him as a “man of ideas and action”.

A granite sculpture in honor of Fidel and his socialist revolution.

Colorful painting in Havana’s main bus terminal glorifying Marti and the revolutionary struggle of the 1950’s.

A photo from 1962 (and on display in Havana’s museum of the revolution) showing Fidel partaking in Cuba’s national pastime of baseball.

Poster with a caption of “Hail Cesar, we who are about to die salute you!” while showing Fidel hoisting an AK-47 at an anti-American rally.

Photographs by Arya Kazemi.

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It may amount to a petty squabble or it could escalate beyond our worst nightmares, but for the time being, sparked by the audacious kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers on 12th July, Hezbollah are continuing to throw sticks and stones over the fence, and Israel has gone round to sort it out.

Various nations are evacuating their nationals by land, air and sea, while the Beirut skyline regales with loud explosions and TV stations report new casualties by the hour. It’s been described as a “war by proxy”, with Iran in the red corner and America in the blue corner, but Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, and Israeli Prime Minister-designate, Ehud Olmert, are both big boys, who can fight their own battles. Perhaps more importantly… they’re both willing to.

The following photographs were taken before the latest hostilities kicked off; when Hezbollah were still huddled around the blackboard hatching plots to kidnap Israeli soldiers.

A road sign commemorating the erstwhile leader of Lebanon’s Shiite community, Imam Musa Sadr (who still remains unaccounted for after a mysterious disappearance in1978); the current Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Nasrallah, and the putative spiritual leader of all Shiites, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.

The square of a Shiite village.

Two pictures showing decrepit remnants of the Israeli war machine bearing Hezbollah’s insignia.

Road sign commemorating a Hezbollah member killed in an anti-Israeli operation named ‘Islamic Unity’.

Pictures of Hezbollah’s founder (Iran’s revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini) and current leader (Sheikh Nasrallah) on display in a shop.

Looking over a Shiite village in Southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah souvenirs.

A surreal scene combining natural beauty and rocket launchers.

An Israeli settlement in the distance.

The courtyard of al-Khiam prison, which was originally built in 1930 by the French colonial authority. During Israel’s occupation of Lebanon (1982-2000) it was used to hold those suspected of being Hezbollah members or sympathizers.

Signs and a flier inside the courtyard, outlining what took place there during the 18-year occupation (including two executions).

The leftovers of the prison’s administrative and interrogation center. The prison was almost entirely staffed by the mainly Lebanese Christian members of the SLA (South Lebanon Army), but Israel’s role as the backer of the group is not in doubt.

The prisoners’ quarters, featuring walls covered with inscriptions (including homage to Allah).

The prison’s still-active watchtower.

A mural at the prison, stating “till the extinction of Israel”.

Photography by Arya Kazemi.

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When Nicaragua comes up in conversation, a few minds might perhaps flash to Bianca Jagger (or Bianca Perez Morena De Macias, as she was known during her youth in Managua), or even the luscious taste of the country’s exported coffee and cigars. But for most this nation is synonymous with the political violence and repression that gripped the country for nearly half of the 20th century (1936-1979), when the despotic Somoza family ruled with an iron fist, and then afterwards when a civil war raged throughout the 1980’s between the ruling leftist Sandinistas and the American-backed Contra rebels.

Despite the fact that Managua is the modern day capital, the historic city of Leon was the centrepiece of the aforementioned bloody battles for power. It has always been seen as a leftist haven and it was there that Somoza Sr. was assassinated. Later on most of the FSLN’s (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional) rank and file members would hail from Leon or the general vicinity.

Alas, very few travelers are aware of the fact that since 1990 (when the Sandinistas were defeated in the general elections) Nicaragua has been free of political violence and that in terms of general safety for tourists it is widely regarded to be the best in all of Central America – much more so than its richer southern neighbor, Costa Rica.

The current regime has such a pro-American stance that it included Nicaraguan soldiers in the “coalition of the willing” that took part in the war in Iraq. It also seems to have made an effort to remove, or at least de-emphasize, the relics of the Somoza/Sandinista era in much of the country. But this is not the case in Leon, as the FSLN’s now splintered factions have their base of support and offices there.

One of the main roads leading into the center of Leon.

A mural with the heading “Leon Is Culture,” and beneath it “after 475 years we have history, we’ll make the future.”

A mother and daughter selling various local fruits (sugarcane, mandarins and passion fruit among others) at the entrance to Leon’s main market.

Varieties of Nicaragua’s delicious cheese (including barbecued, fried, smoked and cream) for sale at the Leon market.

An antique sculpture of the animal, which gave the town its respective name at the side of the historic cathedral.

A variant of Leon’s traditional dish, the “Spotted Rooster” (Gallo Pinto). It consists of rice prepared in coconut oil, kidney beans and fried plantains.

Notice the mosaic on the right saying “no more Somozas’ and the book titled ‘Ode To Roosevelt”.

Sundry CD’s for sale in the center of Leon. The one featuring Daniel Ortega is titled “The Promised Land.”

Memorial marking the 26th anniversary of the death of six Sandinistas (a few weeks before the fall of Somoza Jr.)

Anti US graffiti on the walls of a Leon FSLN office: ‘Bush Genocide’ and ‘enemy of mankind’.

A statue commemorating fallen Sandinista fighter Edgar Munguia Alvarez (nicknamed the cat or “la gata”). As seen on the inscription, Munguia fell in 1976 (during Somoza’s rule) and the memorial was dedicated in 1984 when the Sandinistas were in power. The inscription further states: ” we are not going to cry now for those dead who don’t die. We’ll seize our rifle to continue history.”

Munguia again, this time painted on the side of a Leon edifice.

A mural in Central Leon depicting Sandino, the armed struggle of the Sandinistas and a serpent representing the CIA’s nefarious role in Nicaraguan elections!

A mural commemorating the “martyrs’ of July 23, 1959, when five Leonites were killed during anti-Somoza protests. The Spanish term ‘Presentes” can be roughly translated as “still with us.” The second anniversary of the massacre in 1961 would herald Carlos Fonseca’s founding of the FSLN.

A mural of Che and Fonseca together. The slogan has been partially wiped away but seems to emphasize ‘fighting for a more just Latin America”.

Portraits of Sandino and Fonseca among other artefacts found in an FSLN office in Leon.

The figure of a rock-throwing Sandinista youth (notice the colors of the bandanna covering his mouth and neck) and a sculpture of someone picking up a fallen comrade adorn the entrance to Leon’s museum of legend and traditions.

Above the entrances to the Museum/prison’s rooms, the various methods of torture and execution under the Somoza regime are drawn up.
This building was built as a prison in 1921 and is commonly referred to by the locals as simply ‘la 21″ (the 21). It remained a prison (and occasional boxing gym!) until 1979 and the coming to power of the FSLN. In the year 2000 the city of Leon decided to move the museum of legends and traditions, which mainly displayed traditional ritual masks and costumes and also commemorated the reputed ghost of a former Spanish Colonel and mayor of Leon (Arrechavala).

The “torture pillar” inside 21.

The portrayal of an attempted escape from “the 21,” or just a prisoner trying to catch a glimpse of his surroundings?

A page from a local newspaper (dated August 1979) inside one of the rooms of ‘the 21′. The heading describes all the individuals pictured as ‘victims of tyranny” and at the bottom, the question: “do you know anything about them?”

Some of the traditional masks and figures on display in the “the 21.”

A wall near ‘the 21′ that has been left intact all these years.

A reminder that former President and head Sandinista Daniel Ortega is aiming to regain the presidency in November’s elections.

Author and photographer – Arya Kazemi.