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| 1999 Road Journal |
| MAY
1999 FROM IRAN Photo Gallery of Iran I am now in Tehran after a fairly long trip through Kurdistan. The journey was fascinating and I took a balloon ride over Cappadocia, went to Nemruth Daghi, the mountain with monumental statues and continued to PKK infested Lake Van. The journey through Iran was a bit strenuous as the country is the same size as BC and the landscape you travel through is quite barren. Persepolis was wonderful, and so were Yazd with its Zoroastrian Towers of Silence. However the highlight of Iran is by far the marvelous city of Esfahan with its elaborate mosques, exquisite architecture and lovely teahouses under the bridges over the River. Tomorrow I am leaving Tehran to a small mountain village in Northern Iran and then continue to the Caspian Sea to observe the Caviar production, including a ride in sturgeon fishing boat - sound romantic, but promises to be smelly! I will probably be in Karachi or Islamabad by Thursday, I am still debating whether to go the land route via Baluchistan, or simply just fly - we'll see. Perhaps I just continue into China and return directly from Beijing, I don't know yet. So far this has been an extraordinary journey and the people in Iran are nothing but friendly and hospitable to a point of embarrassment. I feel very comfortable here, although Tehran feels totally like Santiago de Chile - similar kind of sprawl, pollution and architecture. |
JUNE
1999 FROM PAKISTAN This comes to you from Lahore in Pakistan. I left Iran with an Encounter Overland Truck, full of Commonwealth people. We crossed Baluchistan eating a lot of dust at a temperature of 44C. The experience has been great, since the group is super nice. Currently I am in Lahore on a side-trip to photograph the magnificent Moghul Architecture here. On Tuesday I am leaving to Peshawar and the Karakoram Highway also to the Chinese Border to take pictures of the mountains. I am having a very good time so far, and everything in Pakistan seems very quiet and peaceful. After a month in Iran, I have to say that the people there were extremely hospitable, helpful and safe. Iran was Ok but quite a bit boring due to the moronic mullahs and their narrow-minded views of the World. I met some incredibly nice people there and shall tell you about it upon my return to Vancouver. |
OCTOBER
1999 FROM INDIA, PAKISTAN & CHINA I’m writing you from Kashgar, China. I am back on the Silk Road, much sooner than I expected. After a lovely flight on Japan Airlines via Tokyo, I landed in Delhi and was met by the representative from the Indian Government Tourism Office. I spent the night in Delhi and flew to Leh (Ladakh) the next morning. It was wonderful to be up on the mountains again, running from Buddhist monastery to Buddhist Monastery. Upon my return to Leh that evening, I found out my flight back to Delhi has been oversold, so the hotel owner in Leh arranged for a Jeep with 2 Ladakhi drivers to take me to Kargil (about 10KM from the Line of Control and site of the recent clash with Pakistan) and onto Srinagar. The trip was amazing travelling along the Zanskar range at altitudes of 3,900 m until we reached Kargil. Since we had to be in Srinagar by next morning, we left at 2AM and entered Kashmir by about 9AM. The sunrise over the Himalayas was impressive. In Srinagar I got to stay in a houseboat that was over 100 years old and beautiful with sandalwood craved ceilings and antique furniture. The owner's family has been in tourism since 1896! I was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I did quite a bit of sightseeing around Srinagar and flew to Delhi the next day. From Delhi I flew to Lahore & Islamabad, stayed the night and was supposed to fly to Gilgit next morning. Well the plane took off, but turned around in mid-flight, as the weather wasn't good. This meant having to drive the Karakoram Highway all the way once again! Last time I did that it was in the height of Summer, but now it really turned out to be quite an adventure, as there was torrential rain along the way, and the road had been experiencing some washouts and rock slides. Needless to say we did not make it to Gilgit that night, but stayed for the night in Chilas. The next morning, the weather improved and we continued to Gilgit, where I ended in hospital, since I had sprained my left wrist a week earlier in Japan. The doctor was very nice and the X-rays did not reveal any further damage. It all cost me about 50 cents (Canadian). As we were leaving the hospital, we noticed that a polo match was beginning, so we went to the authentic polo match, with tribal musicians and all, I just hope the pictures are decent. After this we continued to the always-beautiful Hunza Valley, were I ran into friends I had made in June. The next day I joined a group of American tourists organized by Bestway Tours. They are a truly fun bunch of really nice people, and we clicked very well. On Friday we went over the Khunjerab Pass (4,730m) the highest in the area, if not the world. The experience was magnificent and photographically arresting, although some people got green due the altitude. I am happy to say, I didn't feel the altitude at all, was just too excited with the magnificent scenery. We arrived in China later that afternoon without incident. Today we have just arrived in Kashgar, only to find out that the border to Kyrgyzstan is closed. So on Monday we will fly to Urumqi, and on Tuesday to Bishkek, as this is the only alternative. Only time will tell. Once again I am enjoying being on the road, it can be trying at times, however the rewards are very great, and I hope to be able to show you my slides of this year's adventures upon my return to Vancouver. |
OCTOBER
1999 FROM UZBEKISTAN & PAKISTAN Finally I made it out of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and landed after a nine hour (coup-related) delay in Karachi. Things here are perfectly normal, and except for the flight delay, my plans continue as per original schedule, I'll be arriving in Delhi on Sunday evening on Malaysia Airlines from Karachi. Some impressions of Central Asia - If you want to see how the Soviet Union used to be, Uzbekistan id the place to go, they have kept the system intact, you must surrender your passport every night at the hotel, customs and immigration policies are stringent, and tourism has most decidedly a bureaucratic flavor, straight out of the Intourist textbook. On one hand the greatest failing in the country is the lack of training of front line personnel, and the Gestapo might as well have trained the hotel clerks. As always the common people were lovely in the country. Of the old khanates little is left, except, perhaps the city of Khiva, which remains as it might have been in the middle ages, with its madrassas, mosques and people living in adobe houses. Bukhara has also made great strides in restoring the past, and has a distinctly Islamic character. It will take time until the Uzbek people re-generate their culture and traditions, but it seems to me that there is a definite will to go in that direction. Yesterday, as my flight to Pakistan was delayed, I had the most wonderful time killing time with my Russian driver, Marat and my translator, Mahmood, a young Uzbek as we walked through the streets of Tashkent. We had good conversations and their kindness, will hardly be forgotten. The tour organized by Bestway was very good, considering the circumstances of the countries we traveled to and I managed to get about 42 rolls of film in Uzbekistan. Pakistan, as usual is marvelous, it seems to me that I have fallen in love with this country, the people, poor as they are, always smile at me and we communicate through laughter and silly gestures. I just hope that the change in government will be for the best and improve their lot in life. This afternoon I spend photographing people at a beach near Karachi, it was marvelous. Tomorrow I am flying to Moenjodaro, a World Heritage Site and on Sunday I shall proceed to Thatta, another one, before departing to Delhi. |
NOVEMBER
1999 FROM INDIA So here I meet up with my friend and assistant Charles. Although I had been here before, the contrasts are still shocking. We have been travelling from island of luxury to island of luxury through a sea of fetid smells, environmental pollution and stinking poverty. For example a couple days ago Charles and I were at the market in Jodhpur, where amongst the filth, we were so touched by the plight of the usual assortment of professional beggars and lepers who accosted us in their despair; of course we told them to get lost. Only 15 minutes later we checked in the Maharaja's Palace, which now is partly a hotel, and because these people had screwed up earlier, they put us up in the Maharani's own suite. (The Maharani is the Maharaja's wife). So there we got a bedroom for Charles, a bedroom for me, a sitting room, a dining room, two gigantic bathrooms, and how could we forget, a dressing room with gold painted furniture in the worst Rococo style. The carpet was something out of Las Vegas of the 1960s - perfect to clash with the rest of the hideous décor. Then butler promptly brought us sweets and refreshments. Charles finally has gotten used to the smaller details of travelling through the Third World. People open doors for you, carry your luggage, clean your ears, push chairs in as you settle for dinner, call you Sir, click their heels and bow and kowtow at every possible occasion. Varanasi,
a place I found so magical ten years ago, has been turned into
a veritable hell for lack of more offensive words. There is
nothing holy about this city anymore; Coca-Cola and Pepsi advertisements
are prominently displayed along the banks of the sacred Ganges.
Religious fanaticism along with more air pollution, traffic
congestion, dirt and squalor than ever have turned this into
a place which makes Dante's Inferno look like a rather The Taj Mahal is as beautiful as ever, although Agra is also suffering from the XX Century's plagues of overpopulation and ambient pollution. The magic of India can still be found at the temples of Khajuraho with their magnificent and intricate sculptures, at the incredibly beautiful Amber Palace near Jaipur and at the historical Jaisalmer Fort (tourism lingo, but true). India is a mixed bag for me - on one hand there are some magnificent things to be seen - on the other we have to deal with so much BS that many times I question the validity of our efforts to properly (Without garbage in the picture) photograph these places. More often than not previous arrangements and commitments by our hosts are not fulfilled, or are executed in such poor manner that the little hair I have not torn from my head has turned white. The old Soviet Union appears to be Paradise on Earth by comparison. I admit to screaming on occasion with a very strong German accent to get things done, but sometimes I just cannot help myself. However in the end things get done! So far we have taken well over 8,000 slides and Charles and I are actually having a blast, India notwithstanding. |
NOVEMBER
1999 FROM SRI LANKA Sri
Lanka is a photographer's dream. Sri Lanka is simply put - marvelous. First of all everything works here in an efficient and most friendly fashion. Coming from the land of the grumpy and incompetent bureaucrats, this is culture shock in reverse. The
island, aside from its natural and cultural beauty is very
clean, a shock to those coming from the subcontinent. Children
say hello and don't demand chocolates, money or other gratifications
on the spot. The souvenir vendors completely understand the
meaning of the word no as well. Hotels here take about 1 minute
to check you in, at the same time as you receive your welcome
drink. It seems to me that the Singhalese really want tourism,
Charles
and I have been enjoying the many aspects this beautiful island
has to offer: We have been to 5 World Heritage Sites with
splendid Buddhist architecture, - note very well preserved,
and no garbage on the sites; then we went to the Highlands
to photograph the tea plantations which reminded us of the
British presence here in terms of the architecture and flower
gardens. Today we are heading to the beach and tomorrow back
to Colombo for The infrastructure here is quite good, and as a matter of fact we haven't noticed a thing about the conflict in the Northern part of the island, aside from a few police check posts we have felt totally safe throughout, although we have seen a few items on the news - everything seems to be consigned to the Northern tip around Jaffna. The island is however full of French, German and English tourists, a good sign for the local industry, as most hotels are quite full. Talk about hotels here Charles and I have been subject to a tremendous show of hospitality: Everywhere we arrive we greeted by the GM, get the best room of the property, for example in Nuwara Eliya we stayed at the Grand Hotel - once again we got the Presidential Suite, also two bathrooms, 2 bedrooms, living room, dining room, pantry and how could I forget - dressing room - this hotel however was beautifully decorated with understated elegance, it used to be the British Governor's bungalow in the last century and has slowly been converted into a deluxe hotel. Needless to say that the dinner we had at the hotel's supper club was superb. The landscapes are magnificent, this island reminds me of a mix of Bali and the big Island of Hawaii with a touch of Buddhist culture. The only regret I have about this place is that our stay here was too short, as we are continuing with the India shoot on Friday. I will write once again from India, as the saga continues. |
NOV
1999 FROM INDIA & JAPAN After Sri Lanka, Charles and I returned to India, this time to explore the South and the West Coast in a whirlwind tour. Kerala was quite surprising, very clean, truly friendly and without beggars and pesky vendors - throughout. The state of Kerala enjoys a literacy rate of close to 100% and also the position of women is also much better than in the rest of the country. We had good discussions with some people in the Jewish quarter of Cochin. Also when I went to photograph fishermen at work in Trivandrum and Natikka Beach all I got was friendly greetings and hellos - and none of the children begged for pens, chocolates, coins or money. We also had a lovely time at an Ayurvedic beach resort, which was beautifully situated on a stretch of coast with endless beaches and no modern constructions- Natikka Beach. This is a sort of health spa, where you get massages with herbal oils and other herbal treatments for weeks at a time. The setting was splendid - 12 cottages surround a lagoon about 50 m from the beach, everything is constructed using local materials, in order not to disrupt the local surroundings. Service was excellent. This was tourism, as it ought to be. The Trident hotel in Cochin also was marvelous, with good food and excellent service. Once again, the South of India is so different from the North, that you wonder if you are in the same country. After our 4-day visit to Kerala went to Ajanta & Ellora, the magnificent caves filled with paintings and sculptures dating back to the Buddhist era. Both sites were absolutely superb in terms of the finesse of the work, the setting and the maintenance of the sites. After this major highlight, we flew to Goa for an afternoon of package beach and Portuguese colonial churches. In many ways Goa reminded me of Brazil and Mexico - the finely carved altarpieces in the churches do incorporate Indian elements - just like the churches in Latin America and the Philippines incorporate local elements. After leaving Goa we went back to Rajastan to Pushkar, to attend the Pushkar Mela - an annual camel fair attended by about 200,000 people from all over the region who come on a pilgrimage and of course to trade camels, possibly get a wife and various other festivities and dealings. The bazaar was as colorful as anything I have seen, with brightly clad men and women donning their Sunday best. Also it now is the wedding season in India so everywhere we ran into processions, bands and dancers on the street - celebrating in ecstasy. That day alone I took close to 800 pictures, let’s hope they turn out. Well India has left me with a number of very conflicting and different impressions. One thing which is consistent about India is that it is very inconsistent - you never know what to expect next, thus you are constantly on the edge and do not get peace of mind. Surprises are constant. They vary from excellent & sublime to terrible and or plain idiotic. Many times I wondered if my interlocutor were devoid of any logic and common sense (mostly government officious officials and waiters) - as experienced once again yesterday in Delhi... Some of the sights are so incredible and beautiful and I thought that all the hassles are definitely worth it - places like Kashmir, Kerala, Ajanta & Ellora and Rajastan. Other things have gone completely to pot like the Red Fort in Delhi (covered in garbage) the horrible cities like Agra and Varanasi where you don't need to tell people to go to hell (because they are already there!) All in all it has been a great trip with many highlights - Ladakh & Kashmir, the bazaar in Kashgar, the crossing of the Khunjerab Pass, Khiva in Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka. Well I hope most of the pictures turn out, for I have taken about 12,750 slides this time. |
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