I had booked myself into a small hotel in a village called Ollantaytambo (Ollanta), of which I had no knowledge and few expectations.⠀Low expectations constitute a favourable starting point for any village hoping to exceed them but are entirely wasted on Ollantaytambo. This village, and its surroundings, are brimming with Inca fortifications and constructions that […]
It must have started something like this: Salty water came out of a small spring on the hillside. The flow rose and fell with the seasons. Some surfaces that were submerged when the flow was high dried out when the flow lessened. Left behind, was a white substance.
Historians and scientists agree unanimously – and with absolute certainty – that the concentric circular terraces of Moray were made for an important purpose.
Within an hour of landing in Cusco, I found myself standing at a bridge near Ollantaytambo, taking in this most pleasing scenery.⠀“This isn’t how Peru is supposed to look”, I thought to myself. “This is how Alaska is supposed to look. Where are the colourful, pipe-smoking ladies with bowler hats, where are the pan flute […]
http://boingboing.net/2016/04/15/the-ultimate-minimalist-wristw.html
Dear friends, new and old, As suddenly as it arrived, 2015 has ended and 2016 is at the gate. As it is, the year stands empty – but it is brimming with potential. It is my sincere wish that the upcoming year will be prosperous, rich in experiences and filled with happiness – and similarly […]
[Article version of presentation delivered at the INSPIRE Geospatial World Forum in Lisbon on the 27th of May, 2015] In this article I am going to introduce you to a business case for Linked Open Data from a project we are doing for Abu Dhabi Municipality and the Department of Municipal Affairs in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. […]
It is symptomatic of my life in 2014, that I am three days late with my New Year's greetings.
Dear Friends, old and new, With 12 small glimpses from a memorable and eventful 2013 I would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy 2014. To those of you that I have seen a lot of in the year that has passed I say: “until we meet again”; to those I’ve seen […]
Alcohol isn’t too healthy nor is it entirely in line with Islamic faith. It is therefore not to be marvelled at that alcohol commercials are kept discrete in the United Arab Emirates. However, some of the attempts at discretion would perhaps have been better left untried. The one above I find to assume a naivity […]