Geopolitical Journey, Part I: The Traveler

My friend and fishing buddy George Friedman travels as much as I do. Yet even when we visit the same place, it's like we're in two different countries. I see a river and think about fishing. George sees a river and explains a geographical reality that's shaped that nation's history. I read the menu at a gourmet restaurant and draw conclusions about my appetite; George observes what kind of shoes the children wear and draws conclusions about the country's future. No joke.

George has developed a way to wield a geopolitical eye in worldly travels - and learn from it. He's currently traveling through key, but less-mentioned, countries of Eastern Europe, on a quest to understand how they see the Russian resurgence and what that means for America's options. He's using his travels to write a series for STRATFOR, a global intelligence company he founded. I've included the first piece of the series below.

This is not your regular travel log. It'll teach you how to travel differently, if you're interested. And it explores these countries in a way you won't see in any newspaper or even history book. I recommend << signing up for STRATFOR's free reports here >> so that you can follow the rest of the series.