Author: Tom

Santiago de Cuba – Raw, Historic, and Slightly Forgotten

Part of: Cuba – A Country That Doesn’t Quite Move Like the Rest of the World Santiago de Cuba is often described as the most Caribbean city on the island. Which, loosely translated, means:...

Viñales and Las Terrazas – Green, Quiet, and Far from Havana

Part of: Cuba – A Country That Doesn’t Quite Move Like the Rest of the World After a few days in Havana, heading out to Viñales Valley feels like someone has turned the volume...

Cuba – A Country That Doesn’t Quite Move Like the Rest of the World

Cuba is not the easiest country to understand. Not because it’s complicated—but because it doesn’t behave the way you expect. I started in the west. Green landscapes, quiet places, and a pace that felt...

Madrid, why not go here instead of Barcelona?

I know many countries have competition between the capital and the second city. That is very much the case in Spain as well. We have the same in Norway between Oslo and Bergen, and...

Kunya-Urgench and Merv – Silk Road Cities, Mostly Forgotten

Towards the end of a journey through an unfamiliar country, you inevitably start reflecting a little. The trip had begun abruptly in Ashgabat—a surreal city of white marble, empty streets, and police officers standing...

Darvaza Gas Crater – The Door to Hell

Today’s final destination was the Darvaza Gas Crater. But as usual in Turkmenistan, the road there turned out to be just as interesting as the destination itself. Our first stop was one of the...

Yangykala Canyon – And the Road Not Taken to Awaza

Part of: Turkmenistan – Where Crazy Is Normal You can’t visit Awaza. Not because it’s far away. Not because it’s difficult to reach.But because you’re simply not allowed. So instead of marble resorts and...

Ashgabat, a white utopia, or just a nightmare?

Part of: Turkmenistan – Where Crazy Is Normal When a dictator wants to impress the world, there are many options. One of them is to build an entire capital city in white marble—and make...

Turkmenistan – Where Reality Feels… Controlled

I haven’t been to North Korea, so I can’t compare. But from what I’ve read, Turkmenistan is often mentioned as a strong contender for second place in controlling information—and, to some extent, its own...

Transnistria, nostalgia is the norm in this shadow country.

Transnistria, or Pridnestrovie, as they like to call it, does not really exist, and they are longing for the USSR. It is a breakaway, self-declared state internationally recognised as part of Moldova. It is...