I thought traveling through the Balkans would be a quiet way to end the trip. I wasn't even going to write a blog here (that's right, Joanne). Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am shocked and awed by how deeply the war has wounded this region. Being the powder keg that ignited WWI, Sarajevo is a microcosm that showcases the complexities in the Balkans. Over the centuries, people are forced to take on different religious, cultural, and political identities. Orthodox, Catholicism, and Islam are practiced on the same street. Austro-Hungarian, Turkish, and Communism (let's call it a type o [View Full Entry]

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Sitting at Imam Khomeini airport, the only thing I can think about is how the environment of the ancient Silk Road changed over the millennium. I have traveled from the beginning of the Road in China to its midway in Middle East, each border crossing requiring extensive visa application process, and each country requiring a local guide to translate lunch orders. It was not like this 2,000 years ago. Aside from the infamous conquerors, the road from Beijing to Venice was relative safe and well traveled. The connected countries traded goods, knowledge, religion, language, and culture. Today [View Full Entry]

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We drove over 440km from Shiraz to Esfahan, passing pastures and arid mountains resembling parts of Southern California. Although Iran has one of the highest accident rates in the world, it is well developed in certain aspects. When buses or trucks travel between major cities, they have to register with the police and get a GPS card, with which the speed can be tracked. At gas stations, refueling is done with smart cards, where each personal car is allowed three liters per day to curb over usage. Esfahan nesf-e jahan; Esfahan is half the world. The ancient proverb given by western [View Full Entry]

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"Iran? But it's dangerous there!" That was the common response I got when I told people that I will be visiting Iran, or land of Aryans. The truth cannot be any further from that statement. True, some people do support Ahmadenijad. True, by law women do have to cover their hair. Certain stereotypes about the government and religious rules are evident, but my encounters with Iranians and the ancient culture have to be some of the most eye opening, refreshing, and engaging. Yesterday, south eastern Iran saw another suicide bombing. Sunni extremists attacked a Revolutionary Guard facilit [View Full Entry]

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Boarder crossing was smooth. We walked across the no mans land, an abandoned cotton field from Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan. Even as an18yr old soldier with WWII issued AK47 stared at us full of curiosity, immigration and customs were relaxed. But I suspect without a tour group, getting visa would be difficult, especially given Turkmenistan governments extreme xenophobia. Momentarily after the crossing, we hopped onto a Boeing 717 to fly from the boarder city of Dashoguz to Turkmenbashy (eastern shore of the Caspian). The 1hr flight costs $27, alleviating much of my concern that it costs [View Full Entry]

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This entry is longer than usual, since we will be crossing the border into Tukmenistan tomorrow, where internet is not available, and supposedly hotel rooms for foreigners are wired. It is harvest season. Heading to Bukhara on bumpy roads (which used to be smooth highways back in Soviet times), women in traditional dresses work diligently in dark brown fields sprinkled with snow balls. Cotton is one of Uzbekistan's main exports and lifeline, along with gas and tourism. Even elementary school teachers moonlight as cotton pickers during harvest time. That is why our guide's kid has not be [View Full Entry]

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Uzbekistan has many firsts and largests. Muimubarack Madras in Tashkent has the first Qur'an, created by Calif Osman in 648 AD. Bibi Khanym mosque in Samarkand is the biggest mosque in the east, constructed by Timur in 1403. Uzbekistan has the most diverse rulers over the millennium, with Persians, Alexander the Great, Arabs (replaced Zoroastrianism), Genghis, Timur, Czars, and Soviets taking turns ruling the land. We've been in Tashkent and Samarkand so far. First thing that jumps out is the incredibly clean streets. There is no trash anywhere, even in dark corners of the old city (Me [View Full Entry]

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Tomorrow night I will be in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, starting the Central Asia and Iran segments of this trip. Haven't posted anything on the blog for a while, since I've been in Beijing taking care of visas and meeting people. That's going to change, if I can find steady internet access for the next three weeks. In China for six weeks, and this has been the most productive visit so far. Aside from absorbing the landscape, culture, and food, I caught up with family/friends, began learning about the business/social dynamics, and witnessed PRC's 60th birthday. Don't have any photos of Beij [View Full Entry]

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Kashgar, the city that used to be central Asia's nexus on the southern silk road, now borders Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. While Urumqi is the official provincial capital , Kashgar is the Uighur's unofficial capital in Xin Jiang. Kashgar's population is 94% Uighur, with the rest made up by Han (4%) and other ethnicity. Tajiks are Shi'ite, while Kyrgies and Uighurs are Sunni. The latter two have some inter-marriage, but overall it's a very separated community. Similar to Tibet, the entire region here is high altitude, averaging 3200m, with highest inhabited zone at 4200m. Our [View Full Entry]

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This is the first blog entry on the trip, and it's long over due. Have been in China for 2 weeks already, and spend the first week or so meeting friends in HK and Shanghai. The past three days were spent in Dun Huang, a major silk road city 2000+ years ago. Actually it was the border city that controlled the flow of goods and immigrants between China and Persia/Europe/India. Ideal beginning for my silk road trip. Amidst oceans of sand dunes and mountains of martian landscape, Dun Huang is an oasis filled with trees, grape vines, and cotton farms. The [View Full Entry]

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