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You are here: Home / Archives for culture

Photo: Meeting Ali Hippy

July 7, 2011 By Jillian

If you read any travel guide for Lamu, I’m sure they all tell you about Ali Hippy.  He’s a local man makes his living inviting tourists to his home for a traditional dinner and music.  He’s a good salesman and it was a nice experience visiting his thatched hut and meeting his family, mostly because of the atmosphere.

As you can see in the picture his family plays traditional swahili tunes on a variety of instruments.  Some tunes were better than others, but the best part of the whole show were the local children that seemed to pop in for a bedtime song.  Their little faces crowded our reed mats and they even sang a song for us.

We loved spending time on Lamu.  The traditional and genuine swahili hospitality was overwhelming and we felt completely at ease and welcome on the island.  It was a wonderful spot that has found balance between tourism and tradition.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

IF YOU GO: If you’re looking for a beach and a cultural experience, Lamu is a nice alternative to holidays in Mauritus or Zanzibar.  The island is still very traditional, so it certainly lacks the resorts and upscale nature of other beach destinations on the Indian Ocean.  Travelers should remember that the island is very sensitive to Western culture and should be respectful in both their dress and behavior more so than usual.  We had a wonderful cultural experience there, its a nice relaxed place to just hang out and soak it all in.

Filed Under: photos Tagged With: culture, lamu, meals, people, sharing

Photo Tuesday: World Cup 2010

November 9, 2010 By Jillian

World cup fever spread across Europe seemingly following us.  From the first games we saw in Germany, to the final match we saw from home, the excitment and energy of the World Cup was inescapable.  People cheered for their home team, their neighbor’s home team and the under dog.  In Brussels our friend’s neighbors were from Ghana and the night they were defeated the street went from noisy and boisterous to completely silent.  Here’s a little fan who played his vuvuzela loud and proud on the streets of Brussels.

Filed Under: photos Tagged With: belgium, brussels, culture, europe, futbol, germany, soccer, world cup

Foodie Friday: Plov in Khiva

October 1, 2010 By Jillian

We came in the back door to Uzbekistan and it wasn’t until Khiva that we made it onto the “tourist” track. Old and mysterious, Khiva was a lovely introduction to Uzbekistan’s silk road sites. Wandering out of the old city walls, we were greeted by children and families with a familiar “Saalam aleychum”. Wandering into a mosque, we removed our shoes before poking around. IMGP7237 Deep in the labyrinth of rooms, in an adjoining courtyard, three men stood around a wood fire stirring an enormous cauldron of rice. Chatting through charades and what little Russian we know, we watched them work and were soon invited to return an hour later for food.

When we returned we didn’t really know what to expect. The mosque area was busy with other men filling bowls and retiring to small rooms to eat and at first we didn’t know what to do. The chef charged us for climbing up their minaret, after inviting us to do so, and we were concerned as to what the price of lunch might be. Awkward as this situation can be, the men motioned to the sky indicating the meal, and the chance to provide for a few weary travelers, was a gift from above.

IMGP7256Sitting on cushions and carpets we ate off a low table that was covered in nuts, fruits and Plov. Plov can best be described like rice pilaf, that’s why the name is so similar, but with dried and fresh fruit slow cooked in. Simmered with aromatic oils and fruits, the dish was as delicious as it smelled. It’s often served with meat on top, but its easily adaptable for vegetarians. A big plate fed three of us and we spent a long time afterwards relaxing, digesting and nibbling on the fruit. Deep in the shade of the mosque the meal felt like a throwback to a thousand years ago. Our hosts were incredibly generous and we thanked them profusely for the experience and the food. They were delighted that we enjoyed the meal and after a few pictures we went on our way back to the old town. Like so many things, it was an experience hard to forget.

IF YOU GO: Khiva is the ‘third’ of Uzbekistan’s silk road cities and travelers sometimes give it a miss. Although it is the smallest in magnitude it has the most authentic feel as people still live and work inside the walls of the old city. Walking through the old city at night, with the minarets lit and the sky above a perfect ‘Milky Way’ dark, is probably the best way to enjoy the city. We stayed at the Otabek B&B but rumor has it Meros, for slightly more money, represents better value…both are within the old city’s walls. Souvenirs seemed cheaper in Khiva than in Bukhara as well. To get to Khiva (from either Buchara or Nukus) you will need to travel through Urgench, a $1 bus ride from Khiva.

Filed Under: Asia & Oceania, Food, Headline, Uzbekistan Tagged With: culture

Who are the Central Asian People?

September 30, 2010 By Jillian

As the center of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan has a long history of diversity. Not surprising given that traders mingled here for hundreds of years bringing goods from Southeast Asia, China, the Persian Empire, Europe and the Middle East through the region. With their goods of course came people, wives, children, servants and slaves. Then there were the conquerors who ravaged the land looking to cash in on the wealth and—before getting too far into the region’s history—you have probably the most unique melting pot of races, ethnicities and cultures in the ancient world. Uzbekistan was probably the world’s first global society.

IMGP7522Some of that diversity remains today. Populations of Koreans, Chinese, Russians, Persians, Turks, Nomads, Christians, Muslims and Jews live together and although the trading has moved away from silks and spices, the society functions much in the same way. A relatively sizable Jewish population still exists in Bukhara, although more and more move to Israel every year. Sephardic, the population maintains its religious piety, synagogues and community centers still exist. Tashkent even has a few Korean barbecue restaurants and a sizable Western expat population. Mixing the pot a little more, Tashkent’s lingua franca is Russian while in Western Uzbekistan the people mostly speak Karakalpak, a Turkic language.

IMGP7545A look at the people tells the land’s history. The Uzbek people are a complete racial mix, and its unlikely that you can pick out a predominate feature. Their features are mixed: a handful of faces topped with blond hair, seem to shout “Alexander the Great was here,” while most others, with straight black hair and distinctly Asian features are definitely relatives of the nomadic peoples that populated this area. Some look like they belong in India or Pakistan while others just defy profiling. Traditional clothing ranges from highly patterned Asian silks to sparkling velours and square hats that remind us of Turkey and other Islamic states.

Their way of life may be different than our own, but their faces tell the history of the world.

Filed Under: Asia & Oceania, Headline, Uzbekistan Tagged With: culture, people, race

Istanbul, Constantinople?

August 9, 2010 By Jillian

Istanbul, Constantinople, Istanbul, Constantinople.

Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents. Seriously, you take the ferry from Europe to Asia in less than 20 minutes. Naturally it was the best place to start our final continent, Asia. Our plan is to travel generally east along the old silk road to China.IMGP5531

Besides being the crossroads of the world, the Ottoman’s ruled quite an empire from here, and it’s no wonder that at times we feel like we’re at the center of the world. Huge container ships run in and out of the cargo ports while cruise ships drop hundreds of passengers off for day trips in Istanbul. It’s a flurry of activity here, but also surprising orderly and quiet. Lost in the Grand Bazaar, well not lost but 1000 souvenir and carpet shops pretty much look the same, we ducked into a small alley. Seconds later we were transported to a tiny courtyard, silent except for the clicking and clacking of backgammon pieces. A table of older men looked up at me, smiled and went back to sipping their tea and playing their game. I melted back into the bazaar appreciating the seemingly intimate moment I had just had with Istanbul.
IMGP6038
Istanbul it seems, is like that. Standing on the street trying to buy a ‘simit’, a bagel like bread covered with toasted sesame seeds, I was having difficulty understanding the vendor. Stepping right in, a man assisted us with the purchase and began to chit chat. Less than two minutes later we were invited into his carpet shop for tea. Expecting a hard sale inside, I was surprised to find myself sitting on a cushioned bench sipping black Turkish tea without the salesman in sight. Instead the owner, himself enjoying a tea began to discuss philosophy with us, the meaning of life and so on. Two hours later we walked out of the shop. That’s just the way things are.

Turkey is a secular Muslim country. Sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it. Although being secular and Muslim at the same time can be a bit of a political challenge, Istanbul at least seems to be a city that walks the entire spectrum. In front of me in the ice cream line is a woman completely covered head to toe including a modesty veil on her face with a designer handbag slung over one shoulder. Only a small slit over her eyes belies the fact that there is a person inside all that fabric. Purchasing a cone is a woman in a tight, colorful outfit her hair covered in a designer silk scarf

IMGP5537

and sunglasses. Behind me is a Turkish woman in a rather revealing tank top, mini-skirt and high heels. Like I said, it spans the entire spectrum. This is a dynamic, welcoming city where everyone on either end of the spectrum and everywhere in between can feel welcome and comfortable.

Walking into a bar the other night we heard the evening call to prayer across the city. The mosques are not synchronized so at times it’s a cacophony of melodious Arabic. Never in any Muslim country to date have I been so aware of the irony of my surroundings and situation (alcohol is forbidden in Islam). Not to sound cliché, but it’s a juxtaposition between continents and worlds here.

Filed Under: Europe, Headline, History & Culture, Middle East, Turkey Tagged With: culture, politics, religion

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