Food / Drink / Travel…
AUGUST, 2013 TWO-TONED “HALLOWEEN” LOBSTER STORY IS NOT AS RARE AS YOU MIGHT THINK—HERE ARE THREE TWO-TONED LOBSTER TALES…
Here are three stories where two-toned “Halloween” lobsters were caught. What makes the last two catches so interesting is that they were caught so close to Halloween where the primary color scheme is orange and black. Hmmm…
A recent story is exploding online about a two-toned lobster that was caught in Maine. Although the claim is that the odds of this happening is about 1 in 50 million, we have three catches in 7 years, that I know of…
This July 20, 2006 story is about Alan Robinson of Steuben, ME who hauled up this two-toned lobster the week before. This lobster is black on the right, orange on the left. He donated the lobster to Maine’s Mount Desert Oceanarium…
This November 1, 2012 story reported in TheBlaze is about a two-toned lobster called “Pinchy” (named after a lobster in a Simpson’s episode), that was caught in Beverly, MA by Beverly fisherman Dana Duhaime. This lobster is black on the left, orange on the right (includes a video of the Halloween Lobster)…
This August 30, 2013 story is about a recently-caught two-toned “Halloween” lobster that was caught by lobsterman, Jeff Edwards, in Maine and was donated to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland, ME by Ship To Shore Lobster Company in Owl’s Head. This one’s black on the left, orange on the right…
Not only are we seeing more diversity on land, now we’re seeing more diversity in the sea as well. Color me “not so shell-shocked”…
QueenBee
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CONTAMINATED CANTALOUPE SICKENS 17 PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, MARYLAND, OREGON AND WASHINGTON…
Last June, I posted a LIST OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES THAT CONTAIN THE MOST PESTICIDES AND THOSE THAT CONTAIN LITTLE OR NO PESTICIDES…
Now I learn that about 17 people have gotten sick since early February in California, Colorado, Maryland, Oregon and Washington possibly from cantaloupe contaminated with Salmonella Panama. Authorities traced the outbreak to the Asuncion Mita Farm in Guatemala, that’s operated by Del Monte Produce, N.A., located in Coral Gables, FL. Sales receipts show the tainted cantaloupe came from Costco stores located in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Washington.
I had no idea that Del Monte douses whole melons in a chlorine and acid wash to kill bacteria on the skin before packaging. Makes you wonder what other companies are doing to their produce before it hits grocery store shelves. I now thank God I wash melons thoroughly. As a matter of fact, not only do I use a fruit and veggie wash on hard-skinned produce, I also scrub the outside with a fruit-based natural dishwashing liquid and rinse well before we eat it. I’m even doing it with bananas. When I see people taking fruits and veggies and run them under cold water for just a couple of seconds and eat it, I cringe.
Here are The Negative Health Effects of Chlorine.
You may think I’m a germaphobe, but I think it’s important to take precautions when it comes to food. Obviously, the efforts [of the Food and Drug Administration] to keep our food safe needs to be taken up a notch or two. Since that will never happen, we have to depend upon ourselves to keep our families healthy. Here’s the complete story…
Contaminated cantaloupe sicken people in Oregon, Washington and three other states
QueenBee
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SKIPPY REDUCED-FAT PEANUT BUTTER 2011 RECALL DUE TO POSSIBLE SALMONELLA (INCLUDES UPC CODES AND USE-BY DATES)…
According to peanutbutter.com, Unilever announced a recall of Skippy® Reduced-Fat Creamy and Super Chunky Peanut Butter as follows…
The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). No other Skippy® products are affected by this recall.
The product was distributed to retail outlets in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The affected product, which is packaged in 16.3 oz plastic jars, is as follows:
• UPCs: 048001006812 and 048001006782 (located on the side of the jar’s label below the bar code.)
• Best-If-Used-By Dates: MAY1612LR1, MAY1712LR1, MAY1812LR1, MAY1912LR1, MAY2012LR1 and MAY2112LR1
(Stamped on the lid of the jar.)
CNN had far less information on this important story…Recall issued for Skippy reduced-fat peanut butter sold in 16 states
Last week, my husband and I were in BJs getting a few things. Trying to stay within our budget, we’ve been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. We went over to the aisle, and when I saw the reduced-fat version of my husband’s favorite brand (I eat organic peanut butter), I immediately read the ingredients. What I read made me put it back on the shelf, and we chose the natural version. When this story broke, my husband just looked at me and asked which version we bought. I said the more healthy one. Look at the ingredients here. Which one would you want to ingest?…
SKIPPY, NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER INGREDIENTS: Roasted Peanuts, Sugar, Palm Oil, Salt.
SKIPPY, REDUCED FAT CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER INGREDIENTS: Roasted Peanuts, Corn Syrup Solids, Sugar, Soy Protein, Salt, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Cottonseed, Soybean and Rapeseed) to Prevent Separation, Mono and Diglycerides, Minerals (Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Ferric Orthophosphate, Copper Sulfate), Vitamins (Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid).
I rest my case…
QueenBee
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )LIST OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES THAT CONTAIN THE MOST PESTICIDES AND THOSE THAT CONTAIN LITTLE OR NO PESTICIDES (VIDEO)…
‘Dirty dozen’ produce carries more pesticide residue, group says
June 1, 2010 1:31 a.m. EDT
(CNN) — If you’re eating non-organic celery today, you may be ingesting 67 pesticides with it, according to a new report from the Environmental Working Group.
The group, a nonprofit focused on public health, scoured nearly 100,000 produce pesticide reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine what fruits and vegetables we eat have the highest, and lowest, amounts of chemical residue.
Most alarming are the fruits and vegetables dubbed the “Dirty Dozen,” which contain 47 to 67 pesticides per serving. These foods are believed to be most susceptible because they have soft skin that tends to absorb more pesticides.
“It’s critical people know what they are consuming,” the Environmental Working Group’s Amy Rosenthal said. “The list is based on pesticide tests conducted after the produce was washed with USDA high-power pressure water system. The numbers reflect the closest thing to what consumers are buying at the store.”
The group suggests limiting consumption of pesticides by purchasing organic for the 12 fruits and vegetables.
“You can reduce your exposure to pesticides by up to 80 percent by buying the organic version of the Dirty Dozen,” Rosenthal said.
The Dirty Dozen
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce
Not all non-organic fruits and vegetables have a high pesticide level. Some produce has a strong outer layer that provides a defense against pesticide contamination. The group found a number of non-organic fruits and vegetables dubbed the “Clean 15” that contained little to no pesticides.
The Clean 15
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions
What is a pesticide?
A pesticide is a mixture of chemical substances used on farms to destroy or prevent pests, diseases and weeds from affecting crops. According to the USDA, 45 percent of the world’s crops are lost to damage or spoilage, so many farmers count on pesticides.
The Environmental Protection Agency, the FDA and the USDA work together to monitor and set limits as to how much pesticide can be used on farms and how much is safe to remain on the produce once it hits grocery store shelves.
“In setting the tolerance amount, the EPA must make a safety finding that the pesticide can be used with ‘reasonable certainty of no harm.’ The EPA ensures that the tolerance selected will be safe,” according the EPA’s website.
Although the President’s Cancer Panel recently recommended that consumers eat produce without pesticides to reduce their risk of getting cancer and other diseases, the low levels of pesticides found on even the Dirty Dozen are government-approved amounts.
Can small amounts of pesticides hurt you?
The government says that consuming pesticides in low amounts doesn’t harm you, but some studies show an association between pesticides and health problems such as cancer, attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder and nervous system disorders and say exposure could weaken immune systems.
The Environmental Working Group acknowledges that data from long-term studies aren’t available but warns consumers of the potential dangers.
“Pesticides are designed to kill things. Why wait for 20 years to discover they are bad for us?” Rosenthal said.
Some doctors warn that children’s growing brains are the most vulnerable to pesticides in food.
“A kid’s brain goes through extraordinary development, and if pesticides get into the brain, it can cause damage,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
Can pesticides be washed away?
Not necessarily. The pesticide tests mentioned above were conducted after the food had been power-washed by the USDA. Also, although some pesticides are found on the surface of foods, other pesticides may be taken up through the roots and into the plant and cannot be removed.
“We’ve found that washing doesn’t do much,” Rosenthal said. “Peeling can help, although you have to take into account that the pesticides are in the water, so they can be inside the fruit because of the soil.”
All fresh produce, whether it’s grown with or without pesticides, should be washed with water to remove dirt and potentially harmful bacteria. And health experts agree that when it comes to the Dirty Dozen list, choose organic if it’s available.
“To the extent you can afford to do so, [parents] should simply buy organic, because there have been some very good studies that shows people who eat mostly organic food reduce 95 percent of pesticides [in their body] in two weeks,” Landrigan said.
UPDATED 01-01-10: 10 “GOOD LUCK” FOODS TO EAT ON NEW YEAR’S DAY AND OTHER INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT NEW YEAR’S…
UPDATED: Friday, January 1, 2010 4:39 PM (My original post follows my update)
I’m so happy that 2010 is here! This year, we have the power to change it back to where we have the upper hand. We’d all be wise to remember that…
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For as long as I can remember, I have never let a new year begin without consuming the traditional Southern good-luck triad of peas with pork, greens, and cornbread. “Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold,” said the old expression. “Eat poor on New Year’s, and eat fat the rest of the year,” echoed the refrain. This practice was learned at the family table, handed down for generations. Over the years, I’ve learned subtle variations on what I believed – for example, a penny should be placed under each person’s bowl of black-eyed peas to boost the luck potential. Hog jowl should cook with the peas and smoked bacon with the collards; more pork equals more luck. Some golden cheese and bits of corn in the cornbread intensifies the prospects. As I learned more about world cuisines through the years, it became apparent that every culture has its own traditions of good-luck foods, meant to ensure abundance and prosperity in the coming year. When you examine the different rules around the world, similarities begin to emerge.
One thing to consider is that the dates of the celebrations change around the world, whether New Year’s is based on the calendar used, on harvest or seasonal dates, or on religious influence. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is in the fall. Buddhist countries vary widely. In Theravadin Buddhist countries (Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos), the new year is celebrated in April. That’s the hottest part of their year, an ideal time to purify deities and splash a lot of water on each other in the process. Tibetan Buddhists generally celebrate it in March, and in Mahayana Buddhist countries, the new year usually starts on the first full moon day in January. In Iran it’s usually celebrated on March 21.
Most of the good-luck foods around the world are supposed to be eaten on New Year’s Day, not New Year’s Eve (although the seconds right after midnight are considered fair game). In the Philippines, you need to have the table covered with as many dishes as possible at the stroke of midnight. The intent is for the good-luck dishes to be the first thing eaten right from the start, setting the standard and providing luck for the coming year. Regardless of the date used, the first day of the new year is a time of celebration and propitious food.
Prosperity and Abundance
Universal among good-luck foods is symbolism, sometimes subtle, sometimes more obvious. Often the shape or color of a food looks like money, which is why cabbage or greens are so common in many traditions. Not every country has green currency, but green is the symbolic color of hope, and green is a color associated with natural growth: the new buds of a tree or new shoots in a rice field, for example. Collard greens (or kale, chard, mustard, or turnip greens) symbolize money in the South, cabbage and sauerkraut are eaten in Europe, and lettuce in some parts of China. They eat foods wrapped in lettuce during the Chinese New Year because the word for lettuce is similar to the word for “rising fortune.” In Bosnia and Croatia, minced beef is rolled inside large cabbage leaves to make sarma, said to bring health and wealth.
Dried beans and peas are very popular because their shape loosely resembles a coin. More importantly, they swell up when they cook, greatly increasing their volume, much as you want your wealth to expand during the coming year. In the South, it’s black-eyed peas cooked with salted hog jowl. Some believe you’re supposed to eat one pea for each day of the coming year. In Italy and Brazil, lentils are eaten with pork sausages; rice cakes stuffed with sweet red beans are popular in Japan and Cambodia, and red bean dumplings in China.
Rice is also popular worldwide. The many grains signify abundance, while rice greatly increases volume when it cooks, all pointing toward growth in the coming year. In Korea, rice-cake soup is the preferred dish; eating a bowl is thought to add one full year to your life. Japanese eat cakes made from pounded sticky rice called mochi, topped with a bitter orange called daidai. The orange makes the dish doubly lucky because “daidai” also means “several generations.”
One popular New Year’s Day Southern American dish is “Hoppin’ John,” triple-blessed since it includes black-eyed peas, rice, and ham hock. A shiny dime is often thrown into the Hoppin’ John cooking pot, and the person getting the dime in their bowl is due an extra portion of good luck. On the day after New Year’s Day, leftover “Hoppin’ John” becomes “Skippin’ Jenny,” and eating it demonstrates powerful frugality, bringing one even better chances of prosperity.
Noodles are another food that swells in size and increases yield as it cooks, signifying abundance and prosperity. In China, uncut long noodles are desirable on New Year’s Day. It is critically important to suck each strand of noodle into your mouth without breaking the strand. Long noodles signify long life and longevity; breaking the strand shortens life. In Japan they substitute long soba noodles for long life on New Year’s Eve.
Live Like the Animals
Nothing expresses prosperity in non-Jewish and non-Muslim cultures like the pig. Pigs root going forward, symbolizing progress without dwelling on the past. Pigs can feast on scraps, bear many young, and yield lots of meat, much of which can be preserved for later consumption; fatty meat equals a fat wallet. In Austria and Hungary, roast suckling pig is the dish of choice, while many cultures include sausages and ham. Pork is also featured in many Vietnamese Tet celebration dishes, especially their luscious headcheese.
Incidentally, lobster is almost universally avoided since it walks backward. That is contradicted in Japan, where New Year’s lobster decorations are prized; the lobster’s curved back resembles an elderly person’s posture, symbolizing a wish for longevity. For the same reason, chickens are seldom included on the New Year’s platter. They move backward when they scratch, which could mean regret, and you might be scratching around for money like a chicken scratches for food on the ground. Another theory warns against eating any winged fowl because good luck could fly away like a bird.
Fish, especially those bearing silver scales, are thought to be very lucky foods for New Year’s since they symbolize silver and wealth. In Germany, carp is considered fortuitous, and some people will remove several of the scales and keep them in their wallets during the coming year for good luck. Pickled herring is a lucky food for midnight there and in Poland; in Denmark it’s boiled cod with mustard sauce. In Sweden, the New Year’s smorgasbord always has a variety of fish dishes for luck. In Japan, herring roe is eaten on New Year’s for fertility, shrimp for longevity, and dried sardines for a good harvest. In China, cooked whole fish signify continuity and longevity. In Vietnam, a whole carp is cooked, as the carp is thought to carry the god of good luck on its back. Hungary is the only anti-fish country known. They refuse to eat fish on New Year’s because it means that your money could swim away or become slippery.
From the Hearth
Lucky baked goods are popular worldwide. Going back to pre-Christian days, ring-shaped breads and cakes were always considered fortunate because they signified continuity by “coming full circle.” Many cultures today make special cakes or sweets around New Year’s in round shapes which symbolize coins. Often they are incredibly sweet, with the thought that overindulgence (or oversweetening) stands for a wish for abundance. Armenia has their darin: a large flat bread baked with a coin inside; whoever gets the piece with the coin is assured good luck for the coming year. The French indulge in a stack of sweet crepes for good luck.
For the Greeks, the most important New Year’s dish is the vassilopitta or St. Basil’s cake. Inside the cake is placed a coin, and the cake is distributed in a strict order. The first piece is for St. Basil, the second for the house, the next for the oldest member of the household, following down to the youngest member. Whoever finds the coin in their piece of cake will be lucky for the next year. In Holland, they feast on olie bollen, which are round puffed doughnuts filled with apples, raisins, and currants.In Italy, there are many sweet treats for the season, but the most interesting might be an almond-filled cake baked in the shape of a snake. The theory is that as the snake sheds its skin, it symbolizes leaving the past year behind.
Most Latin countries celebrate the Feast of Epiphany on Jan. 6, or Twelfth Night. In Mexico, the King’s Cake (rosca de reyes) is served. The cake is baked in a ring to resemble a crown and decorated with candied fruit, with a small doll hidden in the batter. Whoever finds the doll becomes the king for the day and must select a queen. The royal couple then must host a party on Candlemas (Feb. 2), to light candles for purification of the Virgin Mary. Sweden and Norway have no shortage of baked goods, but they do have a tradition of hiding a whole almond in rice pudding; whoever gets the almond is assured great fortune in the coming year.
In Scotland, where New Year’s is called “Hogmanay,” they have the “first footing” tradition, where the first person to cross your threshold after the stroke of midnight determines your luck for the coming year. The “first footer” brings symbolic gifts such as a lump of coal to keep the house warm or baked goods such as scones, currant loaf, oat cakes, or a mincemeat and shortbread crust cake called “black bun” to make sure the household always has food. Three-cornered cookies called Hogmanays are also eaten for good luck. In Switzerland, things are much simpler. A large dollop of whipped cream is dropped on the kitchen floor as a symbol of surplus food and wealth.
The Fruits of Your Labor
Fruits play a role in global good-luck foods, as well. In China, tangerines and mandarin oranges are considered auspicious fruits because they are round and golden like the sun. Symbols of abundant happiness, they are given as gifts and used for decoration. In Vietnam, the watermelon is the ultimate New Year’s fruit because the meat is red, the luckiest color. The seeds are also dyed red and toasted, to be eaten as snacks. Vietnamese families have a tray of five fruits on their altar including banana, orange, kumquat, pomelo, and finger citron. Each symbolizes a different meaning: Pomelos promise a lucky year, banana and finger citron symbolize a protective hand, while kumquats and oranges represent wealth and success.
In Southern Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean, pomegranates are considered lucky because of their bright red color and the shape of the seeds, which represent wealth and prosperity. In Israel, apple slices are dipped into honey, and all bitter foods and fruits are avoided.
One of the more interesting lucky fruit traditions is the practice in most Hispanic countries of eating 12 grapes, one with each stroke of the clock at midnight on New Year’s Eve, one for each month. The sweetness of each grape will determine how good that particular month will be. Some wash them down with wine, some name each month before the grape is eaten, but remembering which sour months to avoid is the hard part, and they must all be eaten by the final stroke of the clock. In Peru, they insist on eating a 13th grape for good measure.
Armed with this wide-ranging cornucopia of global good-luck foods, I can now greatly expand the reach of my New Year’s food blessings. No more will I rely solely on peas, greens, and cornbread to provide my luck for the coming year. With a whole world of symbolic dishes in front of me, can that winning Mega Millions or Lotto ticket be far behind?
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A GLOBAL LOOK AT WHAT IT COSTS TO FEED A FAMILY FOR ONE WEEK…
One week’s worth of food by various cultures
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98
Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23
SOCOTRA ISLAND: THE MOST EXOTIC LOOKING PLACE ON EARTH…
(images credit: Jan Vandorpe, socotra)
Imagine waking up on the Socotra Island and taking a good look around you (let’s say your buddies pulled a prank on you and delivered you there, and lets also assume that you don’t have any hangover from abuse of any substances). After a yelp of disbelief, you’d be inclined to think you were transported to another planet – or traveled to another era of Earth’s history.
The second would be closer to the truth for this island, which is part of a group of 4 islands, has been geographically isolated from mainland Africa for the last 6 or 7 million years. Like the Galapagos Islands, this island is teeming with 700 extremely rare species of flora and fauna, a full 1/3 of which are endemic, i.e. found nowhere else on Earth.
(images credit: dianadrz, Irina Travina)
(image credit: socotra)
The climate is harsh, hot and dry, and yet – the most amazing plant life thrives there. Situated in the Indian Ocean 250 km from Somalia and 340 km from Yemen, the wide sandy beaches rise to limestone plateaus full of caves (some 7 kilometers in length) and mountains up to 1525 meters high.
(image credit: Marco Pavan)
The name Socotra is derived from a Sanscrit name, meaning "The Island of Bliss"… Is it the beaches? The isolation and quiet? or the strange and crazy botanical allure?
Alien-looking plants: H. P. Lovecraft’s secret inspiration?
Was the famous Chtulhu myths creator aware of these forbidding mountains with their hauntingly weird flora (think of plant mutations from his "The Color out of Space") ? We almost tempted to call Socotra the other "Mountains of Madness" – the trees and plants of this island were preserved thru the long geological isolation, some varieties being 20 million years old…
We begin with the dracena cinnibaris or Dragon’s Blood Tree, the source of valuable resin for varnishes, dyes, and "cure-all" medicine; also (predictably) used in medieval ritual magic and alchemy –
(image credit: Christian Besnier)
The branches spread out into the sky and from below appear to hover over the landscape like so many flying saucers… and from above they have a distinct mushroom look:
(image credit: Jan Vandorpe)
(image credit: dianadrz)
There is also the Desert Rose (adenium obesium) which looks like nothing so much as a blooming elephant leg:
(images credit: Jan Vandorpe)
(image credit: Denis Romanov)
Dorstenia gigas – apparently does not require any soil and sinks roots straight into the bare rock:
(images credit: Jan Vandorpe)
It also has a distinct personality and likes to smile for the camera:
(image credit: Tomas van Houtryve)
Somewhat similar to the weird Dorstenia gigas, is this "bucha" vegetable, found as far north as Croatia. I hope it’s not pregnant with anything malignant inside this sack. John Wyndham (with his "The Day of the Triffids") would’ve loved it:
(image credit: Damir)
Also found in Socotra’s landscape is the ever-strange and extremely rare Cucumber Tree (dendrosicyos socotranum) – and yes, it’s related to what’s sitting in a pickle jar in your fridge:
(image credit: Jan Vandorpe)
Getting around can be a challenge, as there are almost no roads
Despite the fact that this island has around 40,000 inhabitants, the Yemeni govenment put in the first roads just 2 years ago – after negotiations with UNESCO, which has declared this island a World Natural Heritage Site. I would prefer a camel ride to what is bound to be a bumpy and slow 4×4 ride… It is a quiet and peaceful enclave in an otherwise troubled world. If you decide to visit there, you can forget about beachfront hotels and restaurants; this island is geared towards eco-tourism and sustaining the local economy and way of life.
(images credit: Adele Obice, Marco Pavan, Denis Romanov)
This island is a birder’s paradise as well, with 140 different species of birds; 10 of which are not found anywhere else in the world. A unique Socotra warbler, sunbird, starling, bunting, sparrow and cisticola are among the ones found here. There are also Socotra Cormorants:
(images credit: Magellan Tours, Rafeek Manchayil)
Want to see some fairy-tale (and possibly haunted) shipwrecks? There are diving tours available… Hopefully some IMAX crew would film it in all its glory one day.
(image credit: socotra)
To give you a glimpse of Socotra’s and Yemen’s in general totally unique architecture, check out this place located on the mainland:
Al Hajarah, Yemen – Walled city in the mist
Computer game designers take note – this mysterious city in the foggy Yemen’s Haraz Mountains can surely fire up imagination of anybody who decides to explore it:
(image credit: Jan Vandorpe)
(image credit: Bellosta)
(image credit: Michaela Diener)
Dune? Clark Ashton Smith’s Zothique? Pack your bags, for this is on our good old planet Earth, no interstellar visa required.
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