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Category Archives: History
Salaspils – A Train Ride to the Countryside
The local train which departed in Riga is almost fully occupied this Friday noon. It stops every few minutes, at every possible stop. I am going to Dārziņi, a stop in the middle of the forest. A beautiful Baltic pine and … Continue reading
Posted in History, Holocaust, Latvia, Photography, Travel, World War II
Tagged Riga, Salaspils
6 Comments
Garibaldi was here
Italy is full of commemorative plaques and statues, many of them about the Risorgimento, the unification of Italy, and the independence wars from 1861 on. There are plaques and statutes to commemorate the landing of troops, successful battles, sustained defeats and … Continue reading
You think you travel a lot?
You may think that you travel a lot because you have already been to Bali and to Australia. Or, if you are American, you may think you have seen the world after your trip to Rome and Paris. Even I … Continue reading
How different countries catch their “most wanted”
How different countries go about finding their “most wanted” tells a lot about the respective country. USA: The US invades the country where the culprit is located, sometimes invading another country in the process. It locks up hundreds of people, … Continue reading
Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013
Does it really matter if Nelson Mandela dies, as long as Morgan Freeman is still alive? And what does this say about the line between reality and film? Before you criticize me for publishing this now, keep in mind that … Continue reading
Posted in Cinema, History, Politics
Tagged Cinema, Invictus, Morgan Freeman, movies, Nelson Mandela, South Africa
5 Comments
Who is responsible for the Boston Massacre?
I don’t understand all this excitement on CNN about the manhunt for the alleged perpetrators of the attacks in Boston. I thought it was perfectly clear that the Boston Massacre was committed by British soldiers. And why is this being … Continue reading
Isn’t that a beautiful place? (Part 2)
Ten days ago, I had presented you with this photo and had posed the leading question “isn’t that a beautiful place?”. Predictably, and I would not have responded differently, all of you agreed. Many exclaimed how beautiful of a scenery … Continue reading
Isn’t that a beautiful place? (Part 1)
I am going to write about my walk to that forest in a week or so, but in the meantime I’d like you to guess where it is. If someone gets it right, you will win a prize of my choosing. … Continue reading
Grutas Park – a Museum of Falsification of History
Last weekend I was in Druskininkai, in the South of Lithuania, and of course I wanted to visit nearby Grūtas Park (Grūto parkas in Lithuanian), a sculpture park of Soviet monuments and a museum about the Soviet occupation of Lithuania. … Continue reading
Posted in History, Holocaust, Lithuania, Military, Photography, Politics, Travel, World War II
Tagged Grutas Park, Gruto Parkas, Soviet Union
38 Comments
Film Review: “Django Unchained”
When a film is bad or mediocre, there is a lot to write about it. When a film is as perfect as Django Unchained, one could keep the review short: Go and watch it. You will enjoy it. The plot … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 