LET THE GAMES BEGIN - There are no winners in the recent protests in the East. Tashi Wangdi, representative of His Holiness, on Tibet

With only a few months before the Beijing Olympics, an outburst of protesting and unrest has erupted within Tibet, spreading not only awareness but also outrage throughout the world. But what many do not understand is the unique situation – culturally, politically, as well as historically – in which Tibet stands. In order to get a better grasp of the situation in Tibet before the Olympics propaganda fully explodes on both sides, here is an exclusive interview with Kasur Tashi Wangdi, former Kalon and current Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Americas...

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LIVING IN A DREAM AT LAS POSAS - The surreal vision of Sir Edward James exists as a lush Mexican jungle paradise

I’m sitting high up in the trees, overlooking the incredible hidden city of Las Posas, in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. A light rain is falling from an electric sky, which is itself obscured by towering extraterrestrial trees. Abstract buildings lie dormant—swallowed up by the jungle. Massive tree roots spiral up around concrete obelisks like boa constrictors. Welcome to the tropical La Huasteca rainforest at Xilitla...

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JIMMY CARTER IN SYRIA - Striving for peace, or in bed with the enemy?

Last month, former president of the United States of America Jimmy Carter flew out to Damascus and held talks with Hamas – a radical Islamic group that legally came to power in the 2006 Palestinian Parliamentary elections...

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AT CHARLEVOIX’S LA FÊTE DES SAVEUERS

It seemed to be a confusing mob scene as the elite of Quebec’s Charlevoix gourmet region milled around – some arguing, some gossiping, some discussing politics while others were simply enjoying themselves at La Fête Des Saveuers held at École secondaire du Plateau: a cooking teaching establishment. Hosted by the Table Agrotouristique de Charlevoix, it was the fourth annual celebration by this eco-friendly organization, which draws some 250 annual participants...

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THE WOULD-BE TEACHER - A traveler, a rebel, a writer, and the path that chose him.

Once upon a time in a far off distant land known as America, there lived a woman named Muriel who gave birth to a baby boy and called him Julian. Since this was during the time period following the minor conflict known as World War II, there was no need for political correctness. Thus, Julian grew up totally oblivious to the fact that such a preposterous idea ever existed. However, once it had manifested itself he stubbornly refused to have anything to do with it, just as he would throughout the rest of his days...

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39 MONTHS IN SIBERIA - CHAPTER 9 AND EPILOGUE

As soon as I had returned from my visit with my parents in California and moved into the flat on Morskoy Prospyect, I called Galina to arrange to get together, just as we had agreed in June of 2002. So my second day back, I went to her flat. The minute she opened the door, I was struck by her beauty and charm, as I had only seen her once before, and that was three months prior. She looked exactly as she did in a photograph, which she had e-mailed to me during the summer. She was simply stunning with her green eyes, shoulder length blond hair, and model-like figure. Her mannerisms were notably feminine and kind. She definitely represented a younger age than she had, while at the same time, one could see experience in her face...

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THE GREAT TRIP TO THE GLORIOUS AMERICA - Part 7: Music Park

The second day of our stay in Freeport we were invited to a music show by the students of the local university at a very beautiful green park. It was almost six when arrived. The orchestra was already there and they had set up their instruments. People started arriving from every corner. We chose picked seats that were right in the front. Said, Abdul and I sat in the same row on the same bench. The other colleagues and the interpreters were sitting three rows behind us...

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