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This is the site of MazAlien. My passion lies in travel, astronomy and blogging. I have been to many continents in the past years. All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware. I should like to spend the whole of my in life traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home. No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place.
...As the Spanish proverb says, "He who would bring home the wealth of the
Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him." So it is in travelling
a man must carry knowledge with him, if he would bring home knowledge.
 Varanasi - India Asia is the largest and most populous region or continent depending on the definition. It is traditionally defined as part of the landmass of Africa-Eurasia lying east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas. About 60% of the world's human population lives in Asia, of whom only 2% live in the northern and interior half (Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, western Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan); the other 98% live in the remaining half. In july 2006 we went to China, Tibet and Nepal/India.
Head over to the picture gallery : 
....I believe if I were to one day accept a religion, it would be of Buddhism. No other faith seems to offer such an eloquent expression of hope and beauty with its array of imagery, fashioned seemingly by devoted geniuses of a fantasy world.(Joseph Conrad, The Shadow Line)
 Kruger N.P. - South Africa ....Safari.The word simply means "travel" in Swahili, but for many, it alludes to wonders first envisioned in childhood: sweeping savannas, big snarling cats, thundering herds of elephant and wildebeest. Like its meaning, the word roams the imagination, becoming other words and places, like serengeti, sahara, or Kilimanjaro. Safari crosses the landscape of the mind, until it finally merges with the name of the great continent itself, Africa. We have been to Morocco, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. People go to Africa and confirm what they already have in their heads and so they fail to see what is there in front of them. This is what people have come to expect. It's not viewed as a serious continent. It's a place of strange, bizarre and illogical things, where people don't do what common sense demands. We have been to Morocco, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
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....Africa is not so much a place as a feeling. It enters through the skin, taking its time to unfold in your bloodstream, and when its time to leave, you realize Africa has taken hold of your soul.....(Zulu)
 Salar de Uyuni - Bolivia A region of the world that has long been the stuff of legend in the annals of exploration. The glorious empires of the Inca and the Aztec arose here, amid a natural world no less magnificent. At the heart of South America lies the Amazon rainforest, the realm of one of the world's greatest rivers and the richest ecological region on our planet. Along the continent's spine are the Andes, a spectacular wall of snow-capped peaks and sulfurous volcanic turmoil. Add to this some of the world's most fabled resorts and it becomes easy to see why the last few decades have witnessed an exponential growth in travel to Latin America. We have been to Chile, Peru and Bolivia.
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....I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn't study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people” Dan Quayle quotes (American 44th US Vice President under George Bush (1989-93).
 Agios Nicolaios - Crete - Greece The isles of Greece, the isles of Greece! Where burning Sappho loved and sung. Where grew the arts of war and pace, Where Delos rose, and Phoebus sprung! Eternal summer gilds them yet, But all, except their sun, is set.Having exported chaos, drama tragedy and democracy before most nations were staying up late enough to want souvlaki, Greece boasts an unrivalled legacy. But don't expect a visit there to be a sober study of the ancient world - the Greek propensity for partying dates back to Dionysus. From smoggy Athens to blindingly bright islands, ancient fragments abound - the belly button of the cosmos at Delphi, fallen columns galore on the sacred island of Delos, frescoed Minoan palaces on Crete and even, quite possibly, the remnants of Atlantis at Santorini. Greeks are fierce guardians of tradition, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to have fun. In addition, hot sun and limpid seas conspire to make Greece a perfect place to relax. Whether you're supping in a beachside taverna, sipping coffee in a shady plateia or disco-dancing till dawn, chances are the gods already have you ensnared! We have been to many Greek Islands like Rhodos, Chios, Lesvos, Karpathos, Lefkada, Zakynthos and Samos.
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....Wherever I go, Greece hurts me" (Lord Byron).
If your dream is to travel around the world , then we have a common point. If you would like to try everything in your life, then we would have two commons point. Finally, if you like to share other travellers experiences, then we have a third common point. Your are consequently at the right website. Leave your comments behind in the geustbook or use the comment form below each article.
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Video Hilite
 New Zealand
New Zealand's Maori name is both romantic and apt: Aotearoa.
 Bushmens' secret
An old ethnic group in Namibia & Southern Africa.
 Himalaya
"Of immovable objects I am the Himalayas"
 Vietnam War
This was not a jungle war, but a struggle for freedom.
 Niger
Travel across the simmering heat of the Sahara with a Tuareg.
Tibetan Tragedy
Believers hope a new leader-in-exile can complete the Dalai Lama's mission.
 SiberiaFearfully cold in winter, swelteringly hot in summer.
 ApartheidJohn Pilgers report on Aparthed in South Africa.
World History
 Pol PotPol Pot is one of the most brutal and hated leaders of modern history.
 Fidel CastroThe untold story covering 40 years of Cuban Revolution.
 Che Guevara
A Latin American guerrilla leader and revolutioniar.
 Kim Jung Il
He enjoys an absolute power.
 Hugo Chavez
A colorful, unpredictable folk hero.
 Evo Morales
He swept to power promising to help the poor.
 Idi Amin
The butcher of Uganda - Africa.
 Augusto Pinochet
The crimes of Pinochet: he claimed he was Chile's saviour.
 Nelson Mandela
He is one of the world's most revered statesmen, who led the struggle to replace the apartheid regime.
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Travel videos
Rajasthan - India.
From the cackle of its colour-charged cities to the luminous splendour of its sun-kissed desert, Rajasthan is romantic India wrapped in gaudy royal robes. Here the fearsome Rajput warrior clans ruled with gilt-edged words, plundered wealth and blood-thick chivalrous codes.
(Kum Kum Pagle Maadi padharo re/ Dholida Dhol Vagad/ He mano garbo)
A vast and wonder-laced state with treasures more sublime than those of fable, the Land of the Kings paints a bold image. Compiling a must-see list in Rajasthan can cripple the fussy traveller: Meherangarh looming over bright blue Jodhpur, the giant gold sandcastle at Jaisalmer, the palaces and pageantry of Udaipur, Pushkar’s reverent yet carnival charm, the storybook whimsy of Bundi and the havelis (traditional, ornately decorated residences) sprinkled through Shekhawati – see them all, and you’ll see a month fly by faster than the express bound for Pakistan. Like a microcosm of Mother India, there’s also abundant wildlife and warm people, glitz and camels, soulful music, glittering saris, tottering turbans and a surprisingly rich cuisine. Om Mani Padme Hum.
The mantra Om Mani Padme Hum (literally: "Aum, to the Jewel in the Lotus, hum) is recited by Tibetan Buddhists to invoke Chenrezi, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Repeating this mantra accumulates merit and eases negative karma; meditating upon it is believed to purify the mind and body. Spinning prayer wheels, physical or digital, are believed to confer the same benefit as speaking the mantra. It is often recited with the aid of a mala (string of prayer beads.)
(Mazalien 2009)
Tibetan Buddhists believe that saying the mantra (prayer), Om Mani Padme Hum, out loud or silently to oneself, invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect -- it is often carved into stones, like the one pictured above, and placed where people can see them. If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home. Some places speak distinctly. Certain dank gardens cry aloud for a murder; certain old houses demand to be haunted; certain coasts are set apart for shipwrecks.
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Bolivian memories
Bolivia may be one of the poorest countries in South America, but its cultural wealth, the vastly differing Amazonian and Andean landscapes, and the remnants of mysterious ancient civilizations make it a rich and exciting destination if you're looking for more than postcards.
This landlocked country is sometimes compared to Tibet - it's the highest and most isolated of the Latin American republics. It is also the most indigenous country on the continent, with more than 50% of the population maintaining traditional values and beliefs.
Equator series
 Equator 1
Simon Reeve's journey along the equator - Africa.
 Equator 2
Simon Reeve's journey along the equator - Asia.
 Equator 3
Simon Reeve's journey along the equator - Latin America.
Other series
 Full Circle
Blizzards, Bogota's Bullet Street and Alaskan abandonment pushed Michael and the crew to the limit as they trekked around the Pacific and helped forge an astonishing series.
 Sahara
The Sahara. The size of the United States with a population the size of Norfolk. And with extreme temperatures and camel poisoning thrown in, Michael always had his work cut out.
 Street Food
Street Food -- the very essence of a country or region's tradition. Wherever you go in the world, the food of the streets mirrors the ways of ordinary people - each recipe reflecting lifestyle, race and religion. Join us on a unique global exploration of street fare.
 Pole to Pole
In "Pole to Pole", Michael Palin follows the success of his original global trek, Around the World in 80 Days, with a race against time to get from the North Pole to the South Pole. Palin balks at nothing, tries just about anything and always finds time for a spot of tea.
 Himalaya
In "Himalaya", Michael visits the Earth's greatest mountain range - 1800 miles from the borders of Afghanistan to southwest China. He'd covered none of this ground before, let alone milked a dri, washed an elephant or swum at 14,000 feet. "Himalaya" might well have been called "Silk Road".
About
Maza is born in the Netherlands about 40 years ago and has studied economics in the 90's. He is very much a travel buff. He has also a hughe intrest in science and astronomy. At the moment he is working for the local municipality. If you like you can contact him at info @ mazalien.com.© Mazalien 1999 - 2010
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