Skip to content →

Category: Americas and Eurasia and Africa

Signage & Signification (#11 in series: defiant but vague)

Published November 10, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#11 in series: defiant but vague)

 

The location is a “historic”, cobbled street in Catania, which sits below Mount Etna.

Contrary to popular misconception, Europe’s biggest volcano has never “devastated” Catania. (although an earthquake once did)

Catania is second to Palermo in population, but Catania is Sicily’s industrial/commercial hub.

If Sicily/Italy ever does go down whatever “revolutionary road” the graffitist had in mind, let us hope that it leads to a less corrupt, less bloodthirsty, more fair and more freedom-favouring future than any avid student of history would have good reason to expect!

read moreSignage & Signification (#11 in series: defiant but vague)
Comments closed

Signage & Signification (#10 in series: 100% pure propaganda)

Published November 9, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#10 in series: 100% pure propaganda)

 

The fabled “Silk Road” city of Kashgar (aka Kashi) in southern Xinjiang has been a trading hub for thousands of years.

One of China’s westernmost cities, it is home to circa one million residents, and is a fascinating destination.

Its gleaming, newish museum is huge.

Unsurprisingly, it houses many historical treasures.

It is billed as a “must see”.

If your desire is to learn anything meaningful about Xinjiang’s history, Kashgar Museum is in fact a “must miss”.

However, as a cheerlessly relentless example of the lies and utter drivel which totalitarian states inflict upon their citizens (and visitors), Kashgar Museum certainly offers a “world class” experience.

read moreSignage & Signification (#10 in series: 100% pure propaganda)
Comments closed

Signage & Signification (#9 in series: after “an exertion of fraternal aid”)

Published November 8, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#9 in series: after “an exertion of fraternal aid”)

 

On 14 May 2024 we enjoyed an unforgettably delicious meal at an Afghan restaurant in Pakistan’s capital city.

You are looking at the sign in front of it, in Islamabad.

Sometimes a sign “tells” an already well-informed viewer something significant that is not stated directly.

Consider the establishment’s opening date.

read moreSignage & Signification (#9 in series: after “an exertion of fraternal aid”)
Comments closed

Signage & Signification (#8 in series: even more unappetising, in “translation”)

Published November 7, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#8 in series: even more unappetising, in “translation”)

A surprisingly large number of Pakistani citizens have a good grasp of English; we enjoyed more than a few mutually-intelligible and rewarding conversations with complete strangers during our visit in 2024

Presumably, the proprietor of the pictured fruit juice stand does not have such a grasp!

read moreSignage & Signification (#8 in series: even more unappetising, in “translation”)
Comments closed

Signage & Signification (#7 in series: unappetising, in “translation”)

Published November 6, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#7 in series: unappetising, in “translation”)

 

On 25 May 2024 I took the photo as we sped by the pictured billboard.

It was lunchtime in Kashgar – the “fabled” Silk Road city in western China, where it is known as “Kashi”.

Doubtless, before it was “translated” into English, the description of the soup was altogether more enticing.

read moreSignage & Signification (#7 in series: unappetising, in “translation”)
Comments closed

Signage & Signification (#5 in series: accidental sociology)

Published November 4, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#5 in series: accidental sociology)

 

 

 

In one of Europe’s most “touristic” towns –  Taormina, Sicily – two adjacent signs have accidentally combined forces to “call out” one of the characteristic idiocies of the 21st century’s first quarter.

”Narcissism” and “ethics” used to be entirely discrete/separate terms.

In our present, overly-performative, hyper-partisan world the two words are oft sorely-misused.

They are also frequently (albeit unwittingly) wed… forming an unholy alliance, oft-accompanied by “alternative” “facts”, “personal” “truths” and other weasel-wordery.

read moreSignage & Signification (#5 in series: accidental sociology)
Comments closed

Signage & Signification (#4 in series: Calabrian “cosmic” + musical bonus)

Published November 3, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#4 in series: Calabrian “cosmic” + musical bonus)

 

 

Ganesha (aka Ganesh) is the elephant-headed Hindu deity.

Perhaps the best-loved of Hindu gods, Ganesha is the “remover of obstacles”, and is associated with good fortune, wisdom and prosperity.

Q: what on earth is he doing in a decidedly “touristic” street in a southern Italian seaport/resort city?

read moreSignage & Signification (#4 in series: Calabrian “cosmic” + musical bonus)
Comments closed

Signage & Signification (#3 in series: cheaper than rhino horn…)

Published November 2, 2025 by Pelidoug

Signage & Signification (#3 in series: cheaper than rhino horn…)

 

…and a much more “benign” purchase: at least people stupid enough to believe false claims about a Calabrian chilli are not funding organised crime, murders, and the extinction of endangered mammals!

Reggio is famous for its allegedly-aphrodisiac chillies and for its particularly delicious tomatoes.

The tomatoes are indeed notably sweet and flavourful.

read moreSignage & Signification (#3 in series: cheaper than rhino horn…)
Comments closed