Middle East – Tom Vater

The football match between the two most evil countries in the world – USA vs Iran 1998

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020tomLeave a Comment

As the USA is threatening war with Iran again, I am republishing the only football story I´ve ever written. Watching the World Cup Match between the USA and Iran in Esfahan in 1998, was one of the highlights of my time in Iran. The streets of this beautiful city were crammed with revelers, celebrating the […]

The Travels of Marco Yolo: Blazing Trails where Marco Polo Feared to Go

April 20, 2017August 6, 2017tomLeave a Comment

My friend Marco Ferrarese has published his latest and very very cool travel anthology, The Travels of Marco Yolo: Blazing Trails where Marco Polo Feared to Go. It’s a great read that jumps all over Asia and the Middle East, including some pretty obscure and remote corners, proving that good travel writing survives […]

Castle Made of Sand – The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai

March 12, 2010April 7, 2010tomLeave a Comment

As Asian politicians, business elites and even the region’s poor are dreaming of turning their cities – from China to Cambodia – into futuristic Bladerunner-style neon ghettos, the United Arab Emirates appear to be well ahead in creating superlative anti-people environments. On January 4th 2010, Dubai gave the world a fantastically absurd New Year’s present […]