Beyond Samarkand

In continuing my habit of not writing and just posting videos, I wanted to share some Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens was a big influence on my early life. His music seemed pervasive, and was often my music of choice when I was under 12. This particular song always seemed like useful advice to me, and I realized it at an early age. Not that I followed the advice. At least, not until now.

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people has not perished from this earth." The intro made me cry. I have really felt, for the last six years, that America was not the country I believed in, or even what I had been taught to believe it was supposed to be. Here's hoping for a new start.

Sharpe's Rifles. The iconic (can music be iconic?) theme song. Over the Hills and Far Away. I'm searching the net for a good version, and this is the best so far: If you've not seen it, you're in for a treat. It's a great series and worth seeing. If you've seen it before, odds may be strong that it's time to break it out and watch it again. With friends and family around is the best! Oh, and the best battle scene from the series. Some of the best dialogue - "What are you intentions, Sir Arthur?" "Why Hogan, I plan to give the French a damn good Thrashing." Much more quotables, of course "And in the center, Danny Hill will stand." "It's a good life, if you don't die." Oh, and "Okay boys, let's do some shootin'!".

The Wedding Party Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun Got the original picture sent to me. Looks like it should blow up nicely. Really happy with this shot. More so than many of the professional pictures.

I saw this first on a grainy download while living in Korea. It had been in the theatres there, but not much reason to see it with Korean subtitles. The visual imagery is, of course, stunning. Most people are wowed by the opening sequence with the dancer and the drum game (the dried bean thrown and drums and she has to follow). This a great scene, but the final duel as the blizzard comes in remains one of the best pieces of film I have seen. Very powerful. If you enjoyed "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" this is a much more interesting story, and much more powerful visually. Of course, what really makes this movie is the ending, and trying to figure out the wheels within wheels of what you just saw and who was exactly betraying whom (their wife, their government, themself) at what point, and if they ever knew exactly themselves.

The Wedding Party Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun Got in late last night, nearly 2 am local time. After far too long in too many planes. Three total before arriving in Jeddah and having to find a taxi to Taif. I stayed up late after getting in, the cats having to comment that I was back, and just to wound up to sleep. As it was, I got to bed around four or five am and slept until five pm. Much more sleep than I wanted, but I suppose I needed it. I have one more day to get back on schedule, or at least get used to Saudi, before going back to work. All in all, to sum things up simply, a good trip home!

There was a time, back in the early 80's that I thought that while disagreeing with the Republican party, I could respect them. Back before I really understood what Reagan was doing and such. And even if I didn't like the Iran-Contra business, and didn't vote for them, I could at least respect them. G arrison Keilor's latest , sums up the transformation that has happened that makes that not possible anymore: "The Republican Party used to specialize in gimlet-eyed, steel-rim, crepe-soled common sense and then it was taken over by crooked preachers who demand we trust them because they're packing a Bible and God sent them on a mission to enact lower taxes, less government. Except when things crash, and then government has to pick up the pieces."

Acidic Posing Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun I'm home getting things in order before I go. One more day and I'm on my way! To see Ash, visit Colorado and get married. I have the day off from work, they told us about this a couple weeks ago. Long after we had all bought tickets. If they had told us sooner, I could have taken another two days back home. Ah well, that's life here. As it is, I get two extra days off that I didn't expect. So, I'm grateful and will leave it at that. Last weekend I managed to break my home computer while dusting it out. Not really sure how or why, but it became a chance to put it in a new, much lighter, case and get an upgrade to the power supply. Bringing home, I had various problems, only too discover the problems resulted from the graphics card not being plugged in. A long story short, I ended up reverting back to Windows XP. I reskinned it, and that simple feature makes me like it as much as Vista. Go figure. So, today I...

One of the fun parts of the wedding planning is what music to have. The convocation, the processional the recessional and first dance. My fiance suggested this as the first dance and it is the hands down winner. No waltzing! Barso Re from the Bollywood film "Guru":

The other artist who's music is influential on my mental map of the world is Sinead O'Connor. I've never seen her live, and likely never will, though I'm hoping with living in Europe if I keep my ear to the ground I can catch her on a local show in Dublin. One can hope. Her final album has some really powerful music. The best by far, for me, was this - Hold Back the Night:

The music "fasting" lasted four days - four days of no music but what I heard incidentally during the day. Which amounted to going to and from work and a very bad case of Steely Dan. My more day to day music, indeed my "wake up" music is Peter Gabriel. He would have been my first choice for music that has had the most impact, but because I listen to him so often some of that impact is dulled. His stuff is a background level stuff. Here's the finale from his Secret World Tour back in the 90's. As a single musical event, that concert probably was the most powerfully present music I have ever witnessed. The song is, of course, "In Your Eyes", THE love song for the 80's scene.

I've been "fasting" on music as well, or off music. That's got me thinking of what music has most effected my life. What music has the most impact on my psyche. After some thought, the most influential music for me is Meat Loaf, something that's been a background thread for almost my entire life. His albums coming out around times that my own life was in some kind of turmoil, and if not providing direction, providing outlet for the emotions I was feeling. Here's a cut from his last album: Lyrics

Ramadan Ride Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun I got out for a morning ride yesterday, all the more surprising as I didn't get to bed until about three am. Since it's Ramadan, I'm not able to have my usual scrambled eggs & hash browns (doused in green Tobasco sauce). It was nice to get out. I took turns and roads I hadn't taken before, heading first south toward Shafa, then ending up completely turned around and getting back on the highway near Hada. I had to pass through a police check point, the one there in Hada is inclined to stop me. The reason? I'm on a motorcycle and they don't know what to think of that. This time I followed close behind a water truck. The truck blocked their view since they weren't actually manning the checkpoint properly - it's Ramadan and no one does their job properly in acknowledgment of fasting. I was through the check point and I heard them honk their horn to get my attention, but as they were behind me and...

Until the end of Ramadan. Today has been a long day of fasting as I actually woke up at a decent hour. Well, as long as a work day at any rate, but no afternoon nap. Forty minutes to go and I can eat. Whoo! I went and reread one the entries in my old blog, before it was ever a blog. I reviewed my arrival in Bishkek. Sitting on the plane listening to the woman who'd been kicked out of Kazakhstan for being a missionary. Odd how the world turns. My opinion now versus then is pretty much the same - they had it coming. On the up side, I think she and her husband knew that as well. They seemed reasonably prepared to be kicked out and made a new plan that involved going to another Central Asian country for whatever unmemorable work her husband did while they lived life as "Believers". Any wonder we have the problems we do? Anyway, wasn't my intention to write about the annoyance of fundoos, whether they be Christian, Muslim or Hindu. I'm just trying exercise my fingers a...

more animals

more animals

And they're off! Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun Finally, racing camels! We got out there on a Monday afternoon and were able to take some really great shots. As well as just enjoy the festive atmosphere. Lots of Saudis and Sudanese men there, almost no women, well none except for the carload invited by Al Jauhara. After the race, there was an award ceremony. Amusingly, the people receiving awards were all Saudis in their white thobes. Not one of the jockeys was given an award!

Lunch Time Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun I went out with a friend looking for camel races the other day. Didn't find the races, but found lots of camels. This old fellow was enjoying his lunch. More pictures, including racing camels (but not camels racing) on my Flickr page.

Time was I'd read an article like this and it would be an interesting and sad example of life under the Bush administration. For me, that time is past. It's disturbing to think that odds are strong that if I'm not already on the watchlist, I will be after I'm married. Given the likely markers to be on this list, we are sure to be flagged. More disturbing, even writing this blog entry makes it more likely we'll end up on the list. The reality of the police state doesn't come home until you find you are the one being targeted. How many and for long will this need to go on before Americans remember what it means to be American? Or will what it mean simply cease to be? Think carefully before you vote this time around.

Out Riding Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun A photo taken by a friend a couple days after I returned to Saudi. I really like this shot. I'm really happy with this as a portrait.

Visiting the Eiffel Tower Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun One of the better shots from my last trip to Europe. I had the new camera, but wasn't as comfortable with it as I was with the Samsung. It's a great camera, but I need to relearn how to shoot. I'm too used to the LCD instead of a viewfinder!

When I came into to work the other day, there was a bat perched on the ceiling in the hall outside the teachers office. There wasn't much we could do, and since he seemed content and wasn't bothering anyone we left him alone. One of the teachers, a good natured fellow who's worked in Bangladesh and other places explained he hates bats. Odd thing to hate, I thought, but then we all have things we don't like. For me, it's driving on Saudi roads. Though he hated that too, so that may actually be pretty common. We had a pretty big triumph at work last week. Our first lab is complete for the hardware side. Myself and another teacher ran the network cables under the floor. The teacher helping, who knew less about such things than I, was very upbeat and encouraging. He was an invaluable help in getting it done. The teacher himself is a really great asset to our program. Long term, if the company were to groom him correctly, he could just what's needed to keep things wo...

Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun With the new camera I decided it was time to do some more firelight shots. Most of them didn't come out or I just didn't care for. I don't know enough about f-stop, and exposures to get the shots I wanted. Ironically, I had a higher proportion of shots I liked when I did this previously with just the Samsung NV10. On the other hand, this shot came out very nicely. The only downside being the fire had died down such that you can't see the bike in this picture without looking for it. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the shot. A new favorite self-portrait!

On the Road Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun Late morning leaving Taif. Picked up Nazgul after finally getting her jiffy stand repaired. The final bill was less than expected, in part because I was lucky enough to find the spring after it got sheared off. The heat was brutal across the big empty, but I was able to stop for a few shots that I'd really been wanting to take. After getting to Taif I took a nap then went out to the stables. Everyone was there, and I was finally able to let a colleague ride the bike, and take a friend and her kids for short rides around the club grounds. All in all, a great day, and one only possible in Saudi Arabia.

To Market, To Market! Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun I did mention there was a camel in the back of a pickup truck. Here's the proof. A handy way to move a camel anywhere - a Honda pickup!

Waiting for a Ride? Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun Just after buying the jacket we got to the main square in Maastricht. The building looked like an old style city hall. There was no market setup that day. We were able to snap this pic before going on to see more of the Maastricht sights.

Maastricht Cathedral - Posing Originally uploaded by Kevin.Haroun Well, pretty much pissed. Annoyed. Agitated. Snicked off. What else? My Yahoo account was still vulnerable to the hacker that got into it before. The cretin sent various e-mails to Ash to harass her and I, and then logged in to my Flickr account and deleted all my pictures. Sadly, some of them were only on Flickr due to a failed hard disk some years ago. On the up side, I get to make a new Yahoo identity and start uploading pictures again. I don't need to take a new picture for years!

Jacaranda Petals and White Picket Fence Originally uploaded by kevin.haroun My neighbors house is quiet lovely. It has a white picket fence and a jacaranda tree that just finished blooming. It's always interesting to me the ways people make the compound in to home. My own yard has banana trees and corn growing in it. Maybe not "home" to me, but my gardener is happy with it. Not sure if the idea of xeriscaping will ever catch on here. A pity. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the falling petals.

Nazgul Makes Some Friends Originally uploaded by mercutio2k I had a big surprise today when I went out for my regular Friday morning ride - a pack of Harleys stopped at the gas station. I spotted a white Road King, and turned to see who it might be. Then I saw the eight other bikes. Riding over, I found a couple of long time Jeddah riders and a few newcomers all out for a morning ride. Up from Jeddah going all the way to Shafa. I joined in the ride, assuming position fourth in line. Not really sure why, but once I took it I stayed with it for the day. It was my first experience formation riding. I had to learn hand singles and such as we went along. Our first stop was a coffee shop that was either on the outskirts of Hada or Taif, I'm not sure which at that point. I ordered first and was served last as a result. That's what I get for ordering "froofy" - an iced cappuccino. I sucked it down and got back on the road. We had police escort through town, which made lif...

Leader of the Pack? Originally uploaded by mercutio2k I was prompted by a conversation at work to start really hunting for Oldies to add to my music collection. I knew there were a bunch I liked, I just couldn't think what they were. I should note, for me "Oldies" refers to hits from the 50's and 60's. Things like Jay and the Americans "Come a Little Bit Closer" and the Supremes (five back to back number ones and kept pace with the Beetles for several years, both in popularity and finances) and Franki Valli, I mean, he sang some good stuff. I think. Didn't he? Well, I hunted down a few things. "Blue Moon" was already in my music collection, had to do some looking to find the proper title to "Rhythm of the Rain". You know that, "Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain, tellin' me just what a fool I've been..." That one. A few things I know I found the "wrong" versions of, or different versions. The ...

Dom of Maastricht, a museum inside Originally uploaded by Ashley_2k8 I haven't talked about why I went to Europe. But, since I put a hint on facebook, I thought I'd say something here. I went to Europe to meet a girl. Her's name is Ash and what can I tell you, she's the most wonderful girl in the world. This picture links to her photostream on Flickr, so if you're curious you can learn more about her from there. For now, that's all I'm sharing with you. What to say other than it was a good trip to Europe and we plan to meet again this summer?

The moon is just a gentle sliver that I can see over the tips of the trees at sunset. There is a gentle breeze and on it I hear the call to prayer from the compound just across the wall - the Saudi side of the compound. As I get closer to the house I pick up an escort of felines, one, then two as Shisha comes to greet me, giving up her hiding spot in the corn to surprise me. In all, I can't help but think it is a good day. Work was the usual business, though I did actually get in a the classroom. I wasn't scheduled for regular class times this term, as it is the frontline teachers are not even doing ten hours a week. Still, the admin who does the scheduling was perhaps over enthusiastic to think that our project would actually be full tilt. I've been here a year, I've yet to see anything go full tilt except uncoordinated scheduling and other academic disasters. The only thing that gives us grace is doing it the way they tell us to, then not only do we have an out, but n...

I realized today I am in the final, terminal, stages of internet addiction. I willing visited a "lolcat" site. Worse, I went through several pages, laughing at such things as " I can haz cheezburger? " Lolcat sites are the conflux of a variety of the dark aspect of the web - cute pictures, typos, and obscure in jokes. Witness: This may seem a harmless, even humorous joke. But a giggle here will only draw you into more. You will browse a few more until you find something like this: What could be more humorous? But from here, you quickly begin to descend to the dark side. You may find a sudden urge to send an e-mail to a friend with a link to the picture. Don't do it! You may think you are safe if you laugh at one like this: After all, it's a lizard, not a cat. Sadly, it is an in joke. And that leads to more perilous lolcats yet. Behold! If you understood this joke, you do not have to have laughed at it, if you understood it, you are likely in the terminal sta...

Riding Day One Originally uploaded by mercutio2k A friend just sent me this picture, from my first day of horseback riding. The Sudanese man who had been leading my horse around generously stepped out so I could give the illusion I knew what I was doing. The lessons have been fun. I've advanced to the point where the Captain wants me to wear a helmet, the first few times he ignored I didn't have one. I suppose if I fell from horses as docile as those were, I got what I deserved. It's been a few weeks now of once or twice a week. Another friend observed to me, "The world looks different from horseback." It certainly does. Between motorcycles and horses, my free time here has become very nice.

Motorcycle and Mosque Originally uploaded by mercutio2k Friday morning was good. Slept late, read a book, then went for a ride. I skipped going to Hada to watch the baboons and went straight to Shafa instead, well, not straight. I took a side road that cuts through a small town and then a national park. The town was interesting because it has a couple of older, ruined buildings in it. Wandering through the first was interesting. A series of one story buildings. A sheep skull and a pool ball were among the interesting finds. I pocketed the pool ball, and took pictures of the skull. The second building was two story and on hard rock. Clearly it had been a fort in times past. Now it's a broken down ruin. The was a dead dog in front of the doorway, maybe two days past. Maybe more. I didn't get too close, but worked around the outside for a few shots. Fewer good shots to take there, either because I was tired of shooting or I couldn't get to places for a good angle. A...

Captain of Stables Originally uploaded by mercutio2k I made it to the stables again this past weekend. I was to meet Al Jauhara and family and take a riding lesson. While I waited, the Captain of the stables and the stable owner's son were putting some very handsome horses through their paces. Riding at a gallop, jumping barriers and just doing laps around the arena. I put the time to use photographing the horses and just watching, trying to get a sense for posture and foot position. After a time Naif, the owner's son, came over and introduced himself. We talked in general about life in Taif. He had recently moved to Taif after finishing university in Riyadh. Taif is dull to him, and if I was in my early twenties it would be boring to me as well, I suppose. But, there are horses. After a short time talking he invited me to get dressed and get on a horse. Before heading to Germany I had bought jodhpurs, chaps and shoes. I put these on with a long sleeve shirt, it may l...

Imperial Cathedral Originally uploaded by mercutio2k Inside the Imperial Cathedral in Aachen. Despite being just off the main square, and there being other people around doing tours and such, this place still has a powerful pull. The extent of the restoration work gives a good idea of what this place must have felt like to the medieval people first going in to it. The feeling of imminence and transportation, with the entire modern city just a few steps away, was powerful. I've not been in many cathedrals, and it was very nice to be in one so well maintained.

Imperial Cathedral Originally uploaded by mercutio2k I didn't take a lot of great photos in Germany. Too distracted by the fun of good company and just seeing the place. Two years of high school German, a year and a half in college, and finally a use for all that German. Of course, I spoke English everywhere I went. I was able to follow the explanation given by a lady in a shop when a credit card wouldn't work. That was kind of nice. Also, going in shops and having people assume I could speak German was a new experience. The last few years most people assume (correctly) I can't speak their language and so try English on me. I found Germany lovely. Aachen is in the west, and has been alternately French, German and Dutch in the past. The town has a lovely relaxed feeling which, after Saudi, was a complete God-send.

Cafe de Bulldog Originally uploaded by mercutio2k Last week was my first trip to Western Europe. Yes, I've been to Prague and you can argue if it's the "Gateway to the East" or the "Last Part of the West". Certainly at its height it was Europe, but with the time under Communism it will be a few years before it is a "center" again. But, where was I? Oh, I was in Germany, with a quick bus trip over to Maastricht in Holland one day. There, in the main square walking along, I saw a sign for a cafe. The cute bulldog graphic and green framed window caught my eye. Then, looking closer, I saw the Harley sign. Looks like Harley lovers are everywhere. I didn't think to ask where the nearest Harley shop was. Ah well. Next time.

Resting Place Originally uploaded by mercutio2k After weeks of waiting, I finally had the bike back. The day I picked it up, was day two of a sandstorm sweeping the western Kingdom. My original plan had been to get the bike and head back to Taif. The weather kept me in Jeddah another night. I ended up going out with a friend from the Government Relations Office. A young man who likes to be helpful, and is anxious to share his thoughts about Islam. It also gives him a chance to practice his English. It was a nice evening, but long. I met another American who had been in Saudi for years and the director of one of the Dawa centers. The conversation was interesting, but one that I have to be somewhat guarded in as my interpretation of Islam is much more liberal than the usual here. Anyway, this photo has received more views and more "Favorites" on Flickr than I would have expected. I like the the shot, but not that much. It's interesting to learn what people like in...

Duckling Photographer Originally uploaded by mercutio2k I don't get a chance for many insanely cute photographs, but this picture of a friends daughter qualifies. We'd spent the early afternoon trying to catch the last sunlight for photos around Taif. Having met Mrs. Al Jauhara and her family has been a real God send. The compound in Taif has been very isolated. Now I have people to visit who know the area and are eager to share knowledge about their hometown. Also, having a friend who knows people and knows how to get things done is nice. Most import, is meeting someone who's active and engaged in life. Helping me to remember to be active and engaged in mine. On that thought, I bought new shoes, breeches and chaps for riding. I was introduced to the owner of the local stables, through Mrs. Al Jauhara, and will start taking riding lessons in the next couple of weeks. Work is busy next week and after that I'm going on holiday for a week. But, by mid-March I hop...

Had nice comments the past few days on Flickr photos, both from long time friends that I have known and from people I only know through Flickr. But, one of the nice surprises is when people you don't know at all find your photos interesting. In this case a woman named Heather commented on photos of Taif that she liked. Turns out she's an Irish woman who has been living in Taif for eighteen years! Not only did I get nice feedback, I got details that I'd been curious about. Translations, proper names for buildings and what was the purpose of another one. Great stuff. I have to say Flickr has been one of the best things about "the Web 2.0" for me.

Battlestar Galactica, in it's finale for Season 3, use the old Dylan song "All Along the Watchtower" to good effect. The song had never resonated with me, but this time it did. I set out, looking to find the "best" version of the song. A search on Amazon turned up some 200 commercially available covers. Other searches I did put it at close to 600. Everyone loves to cover this song. I sampled Hendrix, Neil Young, and other versions, including one with a Latin sound to it. After much listening, I've decided this version is actually the one I like best. There is just the slightest hint of an Arabesque to this version, and it makes all the difference for me. Ignore the video, enjoy the music:

I glimpsed this photo on Google. Somewhere it pinged a strange thought in the back of my mind. I'm not sure why. Hilary's expression. Obama's monk like contemplative pose. But, here's what it made me think of: Bill as Kirk, Obama as Spock and Hilary as Bones. "You green blooded, inhuman...." I mean, is that not what's she really trying to say? Okay, maybe not, but it made me laugh.

I've been sick and miserable all weekend. Something in my throat. Has me drinking honey with tea. I've consumed maybe half a jar in the past thirty hours. The honey works, I feel a lot better after I get it in me. It's the waking up in the morning that's hell. The guys that went to Jeddah for the weekend came back. One brought a battery for my motorcycle. Yaaaay! Now if I can just get the old battery out. Can't figure out where the final securing point is. Hopefully tomorrow in better light I can get it out. I really hope this gets the bike running again. The mail had hard copies of the books for my class. I hate reading stuff online, so it's nice to have those in hand. Also two books on Islam and "Battlestar Galactica: Razor" which I'd forgotten I'd ordered. A new movie to watch. Whoo! I rewatched "Ghostrider" and "the Matrix" last night. "Ghostrider" is so bad it makes a great background movie for doing something...

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. Also, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side. Aristotle Really needs no commentary. I love the ancients.

I came home from work to day to find one of the stray kittens my co-worker feeds had been run over. It's mother was still close by, as if wondering what could be done. The image, and the death itself, seemed to trigger a lot of grief and I found myself sobbing. I went and gathered him up in the shrouds used for making umra, the only thing I had in my house that seemed appropriate, though I imagine any local would consider it sacrilegious, when a man dies he is shrouded in the same thing. I find it strange, or interesting, or something that I would cry so over an animal that wasn't even a pet. I know I didn't cry when my grandfather died, and I can't recall if I cried over my grandmother. Felt grief, yes, let go any bouts of tears? I really can't recall. Some form of Stoicism saying I shouldn't cry over people, or something. All of which led me to dig up a quote from the Iliad I've always found very moving: "It is entirely seemly for a young man killed ...

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. - the Dalai Lama There's a lot to be said for self-delusionment when it comes to matters of the heart. - Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider Came across these two while browsing Flickr. Unrelated, but liked them both.