Archives
Morning in Khujand was mostly spent at the Panchshanbe Bazaar, said to be the largest bazaar in Central Asia. And it was grand. Then we drove off to Isfara. Our last meal with Beck and Amok. Who had come to feel like lifetime companions and our caretakers in a new land. And then we were in Kyrgyzstan on the way to Osh. The next part of the story has… Read More
The drive from Lake Iskanderkul to Khujand took up a good part of the day but like all of our time in Tajikistan it was low-key, filled with engaging conversation, and worthy scenery. Every travel experience is partly about that place at that moment in time and partly about our physical and mental health while there. But there are also the serendipitous moments/insights that appeal to all of our senses and to… Read More
Who knew that my (almost certainly) last-ever job offer would be in Tajikistan. No wonder I am so enamored of the place. I understand that Ruth and Nancy are out there saving the world for democracy…still, at our ages, job offers aren’t plentiful. Since this was the most exciting event (for me) of the entire trip, please allow me to elaborate. We reached Lake Iskanderkul in the early evening, settled into our… Read More
If I go on and on about Tajikistan for a few posts please understand…it was a nearly perfect few days in a place unlike any other I’ve been in…also it was the few days before we all came down with the nasty, nastier and nastiest bug that colored our experience dull gray for awhile. So here’s the second of four Tajik posts; this one primarily a photo album. After a good night’s… Read More
Lace says we shouldn’t make comparisons between countries/places—as in better or worse. I believe it’s okay to have favorites however (unless it’s children, grandchildren or the family dogs). Tajikistan is my favorite country for this 2019 trip and will remain among my favorites of all-the-countries-in-the-world. Tajikistan is basically a whole lot of mountain ranges squished into a small country with a modest strip of the Fergana Valley (the breadbasket and ethnic trouble… Read More
How is it I almost forgot to post a photo album from Samarkand, that most exotic of Silk Road cities? It says something to me about where my head has been this entire year…it is hard to pay attention to the world when one is creating a new identity for oneself. I’ve been trying to describe what’s happening to me but lack the verbal skills—perhaps it’s the crossing of a Rubicon that… Read More
MADE IT! Lazarus-like, I’m back from the world of couch-whimpering, Mhz streaming, ice-cream eating and eight-sleeps for every 24 hours. I’ve been quite ill for awhile…more importantly however I. Have. Traveled. Long. Silk. Road. Miles. No competition for Marco Polo I’m afraid, nevertheless insightful, challenging, fun and funny. You know the first part of the story. The early September California wedding, then Scott, Lace and me off to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a train… Read More
Day Before Yesterday. Or thereabouts. In Almaty. A nice day has been had by all. Lace and Scott did some exploring in a Lacily-organized fashion and I did some wandering in my usual semi-lost fashion. The weather is early-fall wonderful, it’s a laid-back feeling city, and I find most things Russian interesting (in spite of the buddyhood of Donnie and Vladie) so it was a relaxing few hours. When I return I… Read More
9-26 (By the way…Now, an even later ‘now,’ we are all healthy happy and in Istanbul where I’m trying to take a nap and we just had a tremor…only good for a small room shaking. I’m starting the catch up blogging plan NOW… 9-23 KAZAKHSTAN: An earlier Now. However…Now is now…but here are some early morning musings from yesterday. It might be about 5am Tuesday morning the 24th. Surprisingly hard to keep… Read More
Before and after Tamerlane’s Terror. Coming to you today from lovely downtown Osh, Kyrgyzstan. And it may well be lovely. I however have been enjoying it from my guesthouse sick bed. You are familiar with Delhi Belly and Montezuma’s Revenge…well, I (and now Scott and Teresa) appear to have the Central Asian version…trying to name it…how about Tamerlane’s Terror? So far Teresa and Scott seem to have the lighter version of Tamerlane’s… Read More