Hi all, I posted just a handful of photos from our last days in Dubai... we haven't taken the cameras out in Mumbai yet, but hopefully will this weekend!

Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/serenden/

Hi all,

 

Well, here we are, our trip stops for awhile, in Mumbai.

 

First impressions -- lots and lots of people. Crumbling buildings, a film of dirt covering everything, including the keyboard I'm typing on, lots of pollution, and a little stinky.

 

Hello Bombay!

 

For me, I really enjoyed Dubai, and what else we saw of the UAE. The Muslim call to prayer eminated all around us 5 times a day and was incredibly beautiful and soulful. I can easily see the lure. Things were clean, people were kind, and modesty was the norm.

 

While sitting in our small hotel's lobby in Dubai, I had a great conversation with a woman performing the Hajj. This is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that every Muslim strives to complete at least once in their life. She was originally from Morocco, but was living with her Indian husband in Malawi. She wore the traditional bedouin black garment, covering all but her face, which was strikingly beautiful. A young mother of two, she was easy to talk with, and was excited to be on her first pilgrimage. We talked about shopping, travelling, and then religion, and it was an easy conversation. She was suprised and happy to hear that I'm quite familiar with Islam.

 

The Muslim world is vast and varied, and there is a lot for the West to learn. There must be no better way to do this than from Muslims themselves, and I hope I get more chances to have such enlightening conversations.

 

Anyway, back to Bombay. We slept all day today so haven't seen much. But we'll be here for awhile, so we're in no hurry.

 

Will keep you all posted!

Walking around Dubai, you see Arabs in traditional white robes and checkered head pieces, Africans in every color imaginable, Pakistanis in salwaar-kameez, Western tourists in neon shoes and backpacks... and that's just the beginning.

 

You also see wealth. Everywhere. Not among the 80% population that is expats, but among the Emiratis. Loads of it. They are greening the desert and building high-rise after high-rise. Ever wonder where that money in your gas tank is going? :))

 

We are staying at our hotel in Dubai till Wednesday night, hoping for visas by Thursday. Tomorrow we'll head to Sharjah for some museums and maybe the beach.

 

With love from Dubai.

 

 

We haven't gotten many pictures here, which is something we hoped to send home, of course. Pictures of people, of daily life, what it's really like here, compared to the bombs we see on tv.

But, the situation is such that neither of us have felt comfortable pulling out a camera.

And we are not tourists here. Afghanistan doesn't need tourists. It needs development, it needs work. Better to save the vacation time for after the work is done.

And what does tourism bring to a place, I wonder? Money, of course. Development, yes... but often in the form of large hotels where local people do not go. But of course it also brings roads, infrastructure. And it brings photographers.

I have witnessed here a form of picture-taking that made my stomach turn. I watched as two western women snapped their cameras at people they passed without a word - not a hello, not a "how are you", which every Afghan seems to enquire, just a click. This after hearing stories of hardships and distress, not to mention the environment all around them, which is full of the need for development and security.

What bothers me about this the most is the way it subjugates the photographed to the status of a creature in a zoo. The photographer acts as merely a tourist, enjoying the ride, while the photographed walks away to deal with the hardships of poverty and war. Is this the developed world's relationship with the developing?

And then here I come, wanting to "help". What does "help" mean? Sharing my skills? Promoting the need for others to "help"? I feel that it means empowering those less fortunate to take the first steps in their progress towards a better life. But there is a fine line between assistance and modern colonialism. For what does the developed world stand to gain from helping out those in need? Cheap labor? More natural resources? Or a sense of belonging in the human community?

Tourism is a form of relaxation and enjoyment, but to help others is a form of service. Photographs must serve a purpose towards that service, not for the photographed, but for those in need.

If we were here for longer, and I could talk with people here more about their needs, perhaps I could use their photographs to bring them further assistance... perhaps this can be a goal from now on.

A few more days left, then we're back to the desert of Dubai. I want to see more and more of the beautiful Afghan mountains surrounding us. It'll have to wait until the next visit.

From my point of view, I have been extremely limited in what I've been able to see and do... which has been basically not much at all. This because of the organization I'm working with. And I'm learning that this is not the kind of thing I fit into...

Yet, on the bright side, the Afghani people I have met have seemed to be nothing but kind and warm, and I have a very positive impression of the country's potential and its past. Also, there are many, many people here who are working for the good of their country. No matter what is seen on the news, the vast majority of the country is just like any other place - people are trying to work to make a living and support their families.

I wish we didn't have to leave. But I'm also ready for some fresh air and a long walk.

I'm more interested than ever in learning first-hand about Muslim society in all its cultural forms. I can get used to the head scarf in no time, if it means access to such rich history and engaging conversations. Why this is all so interesting, I'm not exactly sure, but I do know I feel more comfortable every day, and excited to meet more people.

In any event, we have made some good contacts here, and I think it will lead to many more adventures in the future.

"I need to use the toilet, is it possible?"

"Yes, I will ask"

....

"This way..."

I follow a small boy away from the riverside fish huts, behind a large open shelter of red carpets and cushions, and towards a wooden box on stilts.

H., our driver, follows behind. The boy points to the large box, and I smile.

"Tashakoor".

Off I go. Hey, I've been in some strange toilets before...

I open the creaky plywood door.

Behold, A human-sized box. A box of poop.

There is a hole in the middle of the floor, but the poop is a foot higher than the floor.

I step in. Miraculously, there is little smell.

I realize I've got an even bigger task... I've got to avoid stepping on the individual piles of poop which decorate the floor.

I managed.

Well, we've posted just a handful of photos from our trip to the
provinces of Kapisa and Parwan today. See them on our Flickr site
(sidebar of blog).

We want to let you know that we will try to get more photos, but have
so far found it to be a more difficult task than in other places.
First, my camera is much too expensive-looking to use in public, and
second, even with our small camera, we are uncomfortable with taking
photos of people who are in need of so much, just because we want
photos to take home.

Driving through a small town market today (unlike any 'market' we
have back home), we drove past a ... CAMEL! ... walking along the
street, decorated and carrying goods! Our first camel!

We also saw hanging meat, goats being herded, donkeys. Also, people
here are incredibly diverse-looking - every shade of eye color you
can imagine. And the dress is something of a treat to look at - large
blankets wrapped around old men with long white beards, big bushy
eyebrows and turbans around their heads...

Anyway, enjoy the few photos!