Happy Days in Herat

Afghan Musician
Originally uploaded by culturalvisions

Kabul in the 70s was known as the Paris of Central Asia according to the NYT. For me Herat was the Northampton of Central Asia- good tea stalls (chai khannas), good bakeries (not as good as Hungry Ghost) and absolutely great music coming from every chai khanna.

Afghanistan had it all if you were a fan of life as it was lived in "Old Testament" times. Come to think of it, Northampton of the 70s had a lot more "Old Testament" feel about it. Let me clarify that Herat of the 70s was as interesting as Northampton of today. Although Afghanistan had lower prices, better shopping, cheaper hotels and fewer flush toilets. Oh, right, the toilets. I guess I prefer Northampton.

Research Group Triangle

Jura's Place, Herat, originally uploaded by culturalvisions.

This was our hang-out in Herat in 1973. Jura had the best tea and the best music. We called ourselves Research Group Triangle and we sat in this small, smokey room for hours talking about our expedition overland. There were four of us. That's an appropriate configuration for a Group Triangle of the early 70s. We traveled for a year. Sometimes together, sometimes alone, and always connected --even pre-internet. I had 100 rolls of film and stingily took just a few photos in Afghanistan. This remains one of my favorites, but it is because of the memories rather than the quality of the picture.

Northern Afghanistan, December 1978

Northern Afghanistan
Originally uploaded by culturalvisions

"Money is for whomans, not for things." That's what the Chief of Afghan Police kept repeating as he interrogated us about not paying for our hotel room. Unfortunately, it was the bulk of his English literacy. We paid for the hotel a second time to avoid jail time.

Also, Vivian complained about my previous post so I pledge to avoid potty stories in the future. For instance, I'm not going to tell of the night the Afghan authorities locked all the internationals passing through their village in a single room for safe keeping. There were 6 or 8 of us who were told that we might be killed if we were mistaken for Russians by the locals.

Honeymoon in Afghanistan

afghantruckride
Originally uploaded by culturalvisions

That's right, Vivian and I spent a month of our year long honeymoon in 1978-1979 in Afghanistan. There are stories to tell of our adventure, but I'll start with pictures. This one is from a week long truck ride from Herat to Mazar-i-Sharif. That's a mostly roadless ride through desert and dust. We would stop every few hours to get out and pee. The Afghan women wouldn't leave the truck. Vivian would barge her way through and squat in the sand with the men. I pissed standing up. I attracted a crowd. They were very impressed with my fly-- very modern and very western. Then one day I pissed toward Mecca and everybody yelled at me.

This recollection was initiated by a NYTs article on Afghanistan's Golden Age.

Central Asia Lite

Photographed while driving through a waterfall on the way out of the Pamirs. This is the perfect analogy for how I see my most recent project.
I've got to get back to Central Asia. I feel like I missed so much that was right before my eyes. I don't think I've got enough visual evidence about what life in the Countries in Between is really like.

Here are a few pictures that I've been thinking about. I haven't printed anything yet.

Vivian in her suite. Namangan, Uzbekistan.

Young worker at the silk factory, Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan.

Tajikistan Landscape.

Interior Landscape, Khujand, Tajikistan

Butcher Shop, Khujand, Tajikistan

Hotel of suspect activities, Tajikistan

Conference Attendee, Kazan, Tartarstan, Russia

Khorog-- The capital of the Tajik Pamirs.

The Khorog Airport ticket office.
The next three pictures were made along a ridge parallel to the main road in Khorog.



This is the staircase in the Khorog State University where my wife, Vivian, was teaching.

Bags in the bazaar.

The entrance to the Khorog Hospital.

The Wall

I've been getting email from friends in Uzbekistan and I am reminded that most of them don't have access to The Coruscating Camera. Here's a picture from the Pamirs to view while I get something together for my Asia Central readers.