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Alien Settlement On Earth

2008-12-18T17:21:00.001-08:00

Socotra Island: you have to see it to believe it

(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)

(image credit: Jan Vandorpe)
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: 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 4x4 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:

Bravest Dog In The World

2008-12-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

Gearing Up For Beijing 2008 Olympics - Part 5

2008-08-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

More fascinating delicacies to celebrate after winning a medal in the olympics. The Guolizhuang Restaurant in Beijing. There are four franchises in the city alone, and the chain is expanding: there's one in Atlanta, Georgia, in Chinatown.

The Guolizhuang menu is a broad introduction to the medicinal benefits of eating animal penises and testicles..

Ox penises help manliness. They're cut along the side and shaped into little stars.

The yak penis is served with a dragon. In the Guolizhuang restaurant there are more than 30 different animal penises on the menu. And for very special guests there's a list of others.

'Henry's whip' is the house speciality at Beijing's Guolizhuang restaurant. It's a sheep's penis on a stick covered in mayonnaise, sweet cheese, served on a bed of lettuce.

A platter of ox and dog penises. The consistency and taste remind one of overly bitter rings of calamari, apparently.

The penises are often dipped in soy or hot sauce. For women, eating penises is supposed to be good for the skin.

Donkey penis served on a bed of lettuce: For Chinese guests, eating the sexual organs is not a test of courage, but rather a treatment for the libido.

'The Chinese eat everything with four legs, except tables and everything that flies except airplanes,' goes a Chinese saying. At the Guolizhuang restaurant, customers can even order deer and sheep fetuses.

WOW! Raid on Mexican drug dealers house.

2008-08-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

Now the Mexican National Debt has been cleared.

Gearing Up For Beijing 2008 Olympics - Part 4

2008-08-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

More Beijing Olympics Grand Opening Photos.

Gearing Up For Beijing 2008 Olympics - Part 3

2008-08-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

The Grand Opening Ceremony. As always the chinese kung fu can walk on air. Luckily the crouching tiger and hidden dragon didn't appear.

When Sh*t Happens

2008-08-07T01:47:00.000-07:00

I wonder if I can spot one of these scenario in the Beijing Olympics?

Gearing Up For Beijing 2008 Olympics - Part 2

2008-08-07T00:47:00.000-07:00

Beijing Olympics is bringing good business. Come on folks, lets go there!

Now I can see who is trailing me, hehe.

Hope I can reach Beijing before noon.

I hope selling this gate will make us rich like Bill Gates...

Ops, I forgot the matches. Maybe I could borrow the Olympic torch.

Gearing Up For Beijing 2008 Olympics - Part 1

2008-08-07T00:36:00.000-07:00

Look how stressfull this little chinese kid here. After hearing their parents going to expect him to bring back a gold medal from the next Olympic games.

Why Dogs Attack Their Owners

2008-08-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

Helmets Do More Than Saving Lives

2008-08-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

Now that's something that makes head turn.

The Secret Ingredient

2008-08-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

If you happen to be in Malaysia. Don't be surprised by getting a little extra on your meal. It's just a Malaysian way of life.

Beware of what you eat at Syed Abu, Damansara Jaya

Dear colleagues and friends,

Take note of what you order from our local Indian Muslim restaurants,

especially the one near the post office in Damansara Jaya. A colleague

and I were shocked to find a cockroach in our nasi lemak yesterday

morning. To be precise it was in the sambal or chilli paste. The worst part of it

all was that the shop owner even after clearing our plates continued to

sell the dish to other patrons. Can you imagine if children were to eat it?
The restaurant is Syed Abu, along Jln SS22/19,

Please forward this email to anyone who might patronise this

restaurant.

Concerned citizen

Damansara Jaya.