It started 5 years ago when my daughter and I spent 3 weeks in Turkey celebrating her graduation from college. Even then I was surprised at how many people didn't seem to understand a trip to Turkey: "why there?", "that's an interesting choice," "gosh, there are so many other places to go." When people learn I'm traveling to Central Asia, they often don't even say anything and just stare blankly as if perhaps they have misheard, waiting for me to clarify that I am going to Central Arkansas.
Turkey was amazing. Among the many, many things that intrigued and delighted me in Turkey, the textiles grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. I arrived with a certainty that I would purchase no carpets; I bought 5. I envisioned perhaps a few meters of ikat, a scarf or two. Many embroidered suzani items and prayer shawls later, I returned home with an obsessive fascination for these textiles (along with a whopping credit card bill.) What I had learned and would later understand in greater detail is that many of these textiles originate in Central Asia and that their presence in Turkey is modern day evidence of Silk Road trade.
The more I learned about Central Asian textiles, my desire to go there also grew. Perversely, the fact that it was so far off my list of desired destinations made it even more interesting. And now that I have read more about my destinations of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, "interesting" takes on new connotations:
Who can resist?
Turkey was amazing. Among the many, many things that intrigued and delighted me in Turkey, the textiles grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. I arrived with a certainty that I would purchase no carpets; I bought 5. I envisioned perhaps a few meters of ikat, a scarf or two. Many embroidered suzani items and prayer shawls later, I returned home with an obsessive fascination for these textiles (along with a whopping credit card bill.) What I had learned and would later understand in greater detail is that many of these textiles originate in Central Asia and that their presence in Turkey is modern day evidence of Silk Road trade.
The more I learned about Central Asian textiles, my desire to go there also grew. Perversely, the fact that it was so far off my list of desired destinations made it even more interesting. And now that I have read more about my destinations of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, "interesting" takes on new connotations:
- polo played with the carcass of a headless goat instead of a ball!
- feasting on the revered delicacy of fatty sheep tail!
- mountain rides in old soviet troop transporters!
Who can resist?
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