Amazing 3-storey mosaic wall of an old cement factory in the outskirts of Dushanbe (click for detail)
The last few weeks have been tremendously fruitful, thanks be to God. Truly, its lovely colored balloons, bins by bins of delightful treasures to be opened.
looking down the apartment stairs
26 - 27 June: It all started end June, when I was supposed to fly for Spore from Sydney - and Qantas engineers went on strike, leaving my flight canceled, forcing me to be "free" for a lovely 16 hours. Amazing. I went home, showered, rested, sat on the grass, talked to God, listened to music, finished a book, prayed.
Manuel Sarango, Equadorian musician extrodinaire
27 - 28 June: Then the 2-day stopover in Singapore was grace-filled. Kudos to Sam-the-Great who waited for me at my place while I landed, patiently followed me around town on some errand running, meeting friends at a song-showcase, hung around for supper, bumped into the Z3 kids, stayed overnight with me. Breakfast with bro Patrick was a powerful Kairos event, empowered and commissioned. Followed swiftly with lunch with the family, amazing food and fellowship, not to mention the accidental appearance of Lamster. Then back home for a short rest, off to Saturday Night Celebration, and a prompt journey to Changi - a quiet send-off by Werns and a simple chat. No fireworks. But that was good.
Lute at LAMM
29 June - 6 July: Acoustics Conference in Paris - the Joint meeting of the American, European and French Acoustic Societies. The largest gathering of acousticians ever - 4000 papers in 25 parallel sessions. Met all the greatest brains in my field. Delivered two presentations, both of which went exellently well, thank you Jesus. One talk was featured on the ASA world-wide press room, as well as winning me the first prize for Best Student Paper! Again, thank you Jesus. What can I say? I'm deeply humbled. More than that - I got to make friends with other researchers, and who knows what it might lead to?
Another highlight in Paris was the company of HQ&QY, who bunked over with me the first half of the week. What delight to have friends to share your moments of joy, relief and celebration. Trotting around town, amazing companionship, amazing food. Makes for a lethal combination. =) Thank you dear friends.
Evening along la Seine
Playing the tourist, Arch de Triomphe
Lou, Lou, skip to the Louvre?
Pointy Ointy
Mini me?
Amazing array of berries
7 - 18 July: Whirlwind detour through Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Lugging one's conference paraphenalia to central asia isn't fun - thanks Jo for storing it for me in Almaty.
Scythian warrior - Independence Monument, Almaty, KZ
Eternal flame, WW2 Memorial, Panfilov Park, KZ
WW2 Memorial, Panfilov Park, KZ
Zhenkov Cathedral - largest wooden structure in the world! Look Ma, no nails!
Kazakh boy on the Dombra, Jibek Jolu, KZ
Getting crash course on the Khobyz, KZ
Travelled with Benny - met him on landing in Almaty and we bussed down to Bishkek. Proud to be Malaysian - I can walk into Kyrgyzstan anytime without a visa. Met Nazgul and Gulzag (amazing folk). We played at the American University of Central Asia (Auca), reporters from 4 newspapers. Benny also featured at a TV channel, and later for cultural TV. Several church meetings later, a Kalpak, and a last-minute ticket to Dushanbe, we said bye to our very capable hosts. A toast of Kymiss to them!
Flag flying atop the Parliament House of Kyrgyzstan
Benny interviews at the American University (AUCA), Bishkek
Journo going ga-ga over the passport (bundle in her hand)
Benny and highly capable Nazgul
Dinner@Jalal-Abad, traditional Kyrgyz chaikhana
Benny interviews with Channel 5, Kyrgyzstan
TV studio guy hard at work, 9:39am
Benny whips out his passport
Main square - statue of Freedom, Bishkek
Changing of the guard
Benny interviews with Nataliya from Culture TV
Roving interview in the park
Given Kalpaks to wear; honor for the bards
After one of our performances
Kywt Kyrgyz Kydz
Kyrgyz nativity set! Spot em camels!
View from our window
Main street, 6am. Distant Alatau Ranges
Boarding the Antonov An-24 to Dushanbe
Tajikistan was a breath of very HOT fresh air. Tree-lined boulevards, 40++degree weather, big smiles, amazing hosts Matt and Jenn. Its an amazing small world we live in, for Jenn turns out to be my dad's former student. Who would have guessed? We played for Neighbours, Master Musicians, Students, M workers. Brilliant, lovely baby Aidan. Who can forget the Osh?
Roof of the world: Pamirs
View of Toktogul Reservoir
Northern Shore, contrasting w dusty desert
Mighty Syr-Darya surges towards Ferghana Valley
What's a Tajik summer without grapes? [fruitless]
Benny and I play at a dinner
Dinner guests, yummy Osh has just served!
Baby Aidan wearing my Kalpak! absolutely fetching
UN and NGO personnel; Cafe has free wi-fi!
Baby Aidan plays w Benny
Another concert, friday evening
Tajik women on bus (shot from waist)
Mr Greens Seller, at the Dushanbe Bazaar
Mrs Greens Seller, yet another greens seller!
The local spice man
Naan seller loafing?
Latest hair curlers? (clue above)
Feeling nutty?
Lemony melons? Melony lemons? (aloud quickly now)
Eggstonishing eggciting eggcellent eggsellers!
Baby Aidan accosted by stranger in park! *HELP!*
Summer wild-flowers, Park Aini, TJ
Perickly thistles
Anti-gravity mountain goats, Vodohranilishe
Close-up: the original stick-it pads
More summer wildflowers, Vodanasos area
Waterworks on the edge (literally) of the city,
Yakovlev Yak-40, back to Almaty on Tajik Air
Back to Kazakstan to rendezvous with Jo. Helped with the English Camp - facilitated, translated, befriended, performed. Big House, Birik, Delina, Gordon, Susannah and Grace, Miriam, Mithrigul, Gulzel, Aigul and Zhanat and baby Abylai. So many changes in 8 years.
English Camp! (welldone, JO!)
Jo giving campers instructions
Leaders: G-zel, Jo, Susanna, M-gul, Gordon, Delina, Grace
A tired Jo catches 40 winks during a break =)
Random game of golf, surreal. Thanks, Gordon!
Jo giving the farewell speech
One last group shot of campers
Precious friends: Aygul & Zhanat, w baby Abylai
The land is thirsty.
Will you send your rain?
The parched earth drinks
Heavy clouds of grace,
Pellets of salvation.
Heaven rips, gives drink to a thirsty place.
19 July: Crazy 23-hr day fossicking through Dubai in 50 degree heat, ambling in the noon-day sun. I had to be mad, looking for a music shop in the mess and jumble of roads and buildings. Dusty. Immense buildings, little soul. Strange ambitions of man, folly of follies. But I found my music shop!
Dusty Dubai, dusty skyscrapers... why bother with glass?!
Massive skyscraper, pretty patterns
One shot before ducking indoors from the heat
Pollution - spot em Dubai skyscrapers! (its there!)
Massive scale model of downtown Dubai
Quiet fountain, Bur-Juman
Massive glass roof, Bur-Juman Center *hypnotic*
More glass roofs, wooden slats, lovely play of light
So there it is. Now for rest, friends and family. One worship gig, one seminar at NUS, an interview and back to Sydney in the thick of semester. Much too fruitful, much too much grace. New friends, new horizons, new perspectives. Thank you Lord, I await the next bundle of bins, of colorful balloons to astonish and blow my mind away. =)
Surprise shot of jershillabeletheanna and papa
Desert Songs, Oud
Desert Songs: Joel, Paul, Andrew, Werns and I
Worship in story and song
