War and Peace in the Basque Country
Thirty Basque men, women, children and seniors stand in the rain silently, forming a long human chain in front of the Kursaal Building in San Sebastian. The modern, stylish building stands triumphantly over the beach and the old town, a physical symbol of the Basque people’s opening their doors to the world and a peaceful … Continue reading
The Anarchist Bookshop of Barcelona
There is a little anarchist bookshop in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, just off Las Ramblas. It is an anachronism of a bygone era. It sits beneath towering tenement houses on a road so narrow that the laundry drying from the fifth story balconies almost totally blocks the sun. I felt like I was wandering … Continue reading
10 Outlets for the Social-Minded Travel Writer
I never assumed that making it as a travel writer would be easy. When I embarked on this career in 2008, the world economy was free-falling and the publishing industry was suffering even worse. My family called my dream idealistic, but I knew I could make it happen. I’m now twenty five and I can … Continue reading
How I Was Mistaken for a Terrorist (Arévalo)
“It’s that damn beard of yours, Marko,” reasoned my mom over the phone, “That’s exactly why you were supsected of being a terrorist. I mean, what do you expect? Walking around with a backpack and a guitar case like a dirty hippy…you just stick out like a sore thumb. It’s time you cleaned up before … Continue reading
The Anarchist’s Pad Pt. 3 (Lisbon, Portugal)
I am writing about this weekend in Lisbon for a reason. In many ways, it was a turning point for my time in Europe. The depressing monotony of Arevalo that had engulfed me in the past months was replaced by a new world of alternative lifestyles. Small town life in Arevalo was boring, but I … Continue reading
Sic Transit Gloria (Lisbon, Portugal)
I had come to Portugal out of curiosity. While traveling through Asia last year I had seen the footprints of Portugal everywhere from Goa to Macau, but never a single Portuguese. I felt like some sheriff from a cheesy western movie, always on the heels of his man but never finding more than a smoldering … Continue reading
I discuss Freedom with Athena (Great Wall of China)
I the train journey from Lhasa to Beijing took two days. The train traveled across all of China, from the Tibetan Plateau to the mountains of northern China, past the terracotta warriors in Xi’an and onwards to Beijing. The Beijing municipality is roughly the size of Belgium, so it took a while to get to … Continue reading
Thoughts on Tibet (Train from Lhasa-Beijing)
The next morning I arrived at the newly constructed Lhasa Train station and boarded the Lhasa-Beijing train, the world’s highest train and a remarkable feat of engineering. The train is completely sealed and pressurized, and in case you feel lightheaded, oxygen masks are provided…which might come in handy now that Mitori was gone. The train … Continue reading
Leaving Lhasa (Tibet)
After three days in Lhasa we were ready to explore the rest of Tibet. Ferguson, Kiwi Kevin, Tripp the German, little Mitori and I jumped in the Land Cruiser and set off on the two-day journey to Mt. Everest. We departed early in the morning with the intention of visiting a holy lake, a … Continue reading
The Dalai Lama’s Palace (Lhasa, Tibet)
The most enchanting place in Lhasa may be the Jokhur Temple, but the place that best embodies the image of Tibet, the peaceful Buddhist kingdom on the top of the world, is the Potala Palace. The enormous white and red palace sits atop the Red Hill like a crown smiling benevolently over all of Tibet … Continue reading
Marko Polo Travels 