Things I’ve Learned while on this Journey
- How little I really know about world history and cultures. How much I have to learn
- People have been killing each other just because they belong to different tribes, ethnic groups, and religions going back to the hunter-gatherers vs. the nomads. Sadly, this continues throughout the region with no end in sight
- Contrary to what seems to be in the news on a daily basis, not every Muslim is a terrorist.
- Americans are liked everywhere we went. (Probably because we buy things)
- Eating with chop sticks around a “Lazy Susan” is no easy task.
- The egomaniacal former president of Turkmenistan renamed the month of April after his mother.
- Plump, meaty chicken legs sold in the market are referred to as “Bush Legs”. This somehow relates to a trade agreement signed during the 1st president Bush administration.
- Never make eye contact with someone carrying an AK-47. And for G-d’s sake never, ever take a photo at any border crossing!
- The more you pack, the more you have to carry, and the more you pay for flights on smaller planes between countries.
- Apples originated in Almaty, Kazakhstan not with Johnny Appleseed
- One country’s Hero is another country’s Scourge of the Earth (Genghis Kahn vs. Tamerlane)
I love this Blog posting. I was there and you have it right on, and with just the right amount of humor. Keep it up. I will be back.
I certainly hope you’ll be back.