Last year I trekked into the Moroccan Sahara desert on a very trusty camel named Aszu. In the evening, my guide, Jusef, a sixth grade educated Berber nomad, surprisingly fluent in six languages, fixed me a tantalizing chicken tangine. All that it lacked was a glass of wine, unfortunately verboten for Muslims just days before Ramadan. At night we slept under the incredible desert night skies. Never before had I seen so many stars, stretching from one horizon to the other – the stars so bright and numerous, it was difficult to make out the constellations. That was Morocco, a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, smells, and experiences. From Morocco I traveled on through much of Europe, Russia, Mongolia, China, and finally concluding my trip in Japan. This year's trip will take me to Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, Central Asia, India, Nepal, Southwest China, and Indochina. At times I hope to report back on my experiences and observations, perhaps posting a few pictures and videos that may be of interest. I've posted below a few pictures and videos from some past trips. For my blog on my travels through East Europe check out my blog at http://tallinntovarna.blogspot.com.

I’ve been asking myself lately, is there a theme to all this? Maybe not, but one thing I can say that piques my interest, is the dangerous nexus between religion and politics that engulfs the world today. In Morocco, where the King is both the head of Mosque and State, a Muslim, during Ramadan, can end up in jail for doing nothing more than drinking a glass of water under the scorching daytime heat – his crime, the thirsty Muslim broke the fast. Imams in Morocco claim that such an abhorrent act defies the teachings of God, infringes on the religious liberties of practicing Muslims, and is deserving of serious sanction. Of course, such a violation of an individual’s personal freedom could never happen in America. Or could it? As I write this, the U.S. Catholic Bishops are ferociously attacking President Obama’s Affordable Care Act for requiring institutions to provide birth control under their insurance policies. Like the Imams, the Bishops consider it not just an affront, but an existential threat, to their religious liberties. A poor woman, without the means to support a family, let alone a brutally raped woman, should not expect any sympathy from these Catholic institutions, as they, like their Muslim brothers, are scripturally bound to impose their beliefs on others. Does it matter that no one is telling Muslims that they cannot fast or Catholics that they cannot abstain from sex?

Now that I think of it, I’d like to dedicate this blog to Americans United, a terrific nonpartisan educational organization dedicated to preserving the principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure religious freedom. Before I move on though, I’d like to share with you this political satire piece I wrote a few months ago when Senator Rick Santorum had a chance of being the Republican nominee. It pretty much sums up my take on what a large segment of the American population would like to see should their wildest dreams come true. Finally, I begin this blog with three postings from last year’s trip just to give you an idea of who I am and what you may or may not come to expect as I embark on this year's trip. If you have something nice to say, I'd love to hear from you.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Simferopol, Ukraine


Hitchhiking in Ukraine works like this: those who hold their hands out, their palms down, want to pay for a ride, those who stick their thumbs out as we do in America want a free ride. A young man with his thumb out catches my eye. Okay, why not, what can I lose? I roll down the window. “Hello,” I say. “Do you speak English?” “Yes, a little,” the young man says excitedly. “I’m going to Simferopol,” I say. “Good, good, we go there too.” Then I notice the woman and the dog. “My wife and dog — is okay?” Oh my god, what am I getting myself into? “No problem. Kevin a good dog.” I hesitate, quickly trying to size them up. They look harmless enough. “I tell you about this country,” the young man says, smiling beseechingly through the window. I relent, “Okay, get in.” The young woman, the dog, and their two big bags go in the back seat. The young man jumps in the front seat.

My Hippy Friends
“Don’t speak very good English just what I learned in school. My wife doesn’t speak any English. Her name is Olga. I’m Demitri. This is our dog, Kevin — You know, like Kevin Costner, the movie star. We’re going to the Rainbow Gathering. It’s in western Ukraine this year. People from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and Moldova will be there. It’s about peace, love, and freedom. It started in the U.S. with the hippies. I guess we’re hippies. It’s an opportunity to meet others like us, be with nature, and learn new things. I want to learn pottery making and yoga. I will teach people how to play the drums and Olga teach them how to make jewelry. We come from a big smelly city in Russia. Since March, we live in Ukraine. It’s a better country than Russia. It’s freer here. It’s neither Russian nor European — something in between. Russia is a totalitarian state. Putin is a dictator. Most people in Russia don’t like him. He has lots of money to throw around and that’s how he wins elections. You know, the head of the Orthodox Church, the patriarch, he also very rich, very powerful — tells people what to do. It’s bad the way they treat homosexuals. I don’t like any of it. I’m an atheist and a naturalist and that’s why we want to live here in Ukraine. We love nature, peace, friendship, and adventure too. When we’re not doing something like this, I work as a tour guide for Russians visiting the Crimea. Olga and I don’t need much to live on.”
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1 comment:

  1. SteveJuly 28, 2012 at 6:41 PM

    David,
    In 73 Christine and I picked up a hitch hiker on our way to Kiev. A babushka carrying a very large stinking bag of fish. When she first got into the VW van she did not realize we were foreign. Thought she might jump out except we were already moving. 

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