Tag Archives: Central Asia

Books & Blogging Update

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I’ve just learned that Google gets unhappy if you duplicate material on different web sites.This complicates my blogging life because it prevents my plans to cross-post material between my four blogs. I’ve been told it is best to summarize and then link back to the primary post. Sigh. I get there eventually.

So, here’s what you’ve missed:

A recommendation on a new and fascinating blog about Afghanistan.

Observations on the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.

Reading Response to Tariq Ali’s Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree.

I’ll be back soon with a general update.

Some Photos From 1995 Trip to Uzbekistan

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These images are scans of old slides taken during a 6 week trip to
Uzbekistan in 1995. I have stacks more sitting with all my other old slides
waiting to be cleaned, sorted and scanned. Maybe I’ll finally get to that
project this winter?

The image of the two older fellows was taken in the market in Osh, Kyrgystan
on a day trip from Andijan in the Fergana Valley. That market was one of
the two places on this planet where I most felt like I’d stepped back in
time. Even there, if I looked up to the surrounding hills I could see
Soviet style apartment blocks.

My other time warp experience was in Fez’s traditional Market the following
year. I’ll post some of those shots eventually too.

Bukhara_door_panelBukhara_house_museumBukhara_madrassaDancing_girls_rehearsalLads_at_entrance_to_buhkara_foSoviet_still_lifeTwo_men_in_osh_marketZoroastrian_temple_near_bukhar

Why the Golden Road?

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Bukhara

So to start:

Why is this blog called “Lausanne’s Golden Road”? Well, partly because “The
Golden Road” at Posterous was taken – by someone who has since not done
anything with his blog other than take the name.

Why would I want “The Golden Road”?

Because it conjures three important threads in my psyche.

You may recognize the famous lines from the poem by James Flecker
(1884-1915)

We travel not for trafficking alone:
By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned:
For lust of knowing what should not be known
We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

(My brother uses this as his email tag line – he and I have traveled
different paths and yet they intersect in interesting ways!)

Those of you who have known me long know of my fascination with Central Asia
and my very bad travel bug. So the blog title references both the urge to
travel and the particular draw towards the Silk Road. That’s two.

The third? “Golden” – what more glorious color is there?

Travel
Central Asia
Color

The Golden Road

Let’s go!