The Sweet Pea Chronicles

The other week, I took some pictures of Camille playing with a tennis ball.  Given Kris is quite a tennis player, it’s a wonderful sight to see her having fun with the balls [a racquet would make me scared, and likely to put on a helmet to protect my head].

As always, Camille was full of many expressions - it’s amazing how early she’s learned to be expressive with her face. Perhaps, as usual, I went overboard on the photos … with so many good ones it’s too hard to choose.

I’ve been scanning the photos of my Pakistan trips when I’ve had a chance … and given there are well over 1,000 photos - it has taken a while. Thankfully, I’m on the last big stack of photos before getting the multi-shot panoramas and framed photos … and then I’m done.

Then it’s onto labeling, organization, and recording photo/roll info in the .exif data for each shot. I’ve been happy to see that all of this information can be attached electronically to the file - allowing sorting/location information to be included and used for sorting and organization. It’s a big step from trying to put all that in the filename.

These two pictures are from Gojal, a valley near the border with China in far northern Pakistan. We went for a hike to the ruins of a fort on a high overlook over the Hunza River [used during days when this area raided Silk Road Caravans just over the northern passes].

The other is a photo of the terminal moraine and part of the Passu Glacier and Passu [the mountain itself]. At 65 km, Passu glacier ranks as the 5th longest in the world [doesn't look like much from this view] … and was a marvelous place to overlook during a hike.

If you watch the news much, you’ve probably heard recently about the ceasefire between government and Taliban fighters in the Swat Valley of Pakistan.

I’m not too excited to hear about it, except for the fact that civilians are no longer in the crossfire. Given the history of such ceasefires … it is unlikely to last - and the imposition of Sharia Law [and likely closing of girls schools] signals the lack of governmental control. To my cynical eye, it would appear al-Queda has also heard about how beautiful and lush Swat is … and have decided it’s a lot nicer place to live than in caves along the Afghani border, which it is in nearly every way.

The spread of militancy is sad to see, as it never seems to leave an area untouched. As I read the stories - I think of the people who welcomed me into their homes, shared tea or a meal or a bed to sleep, always a warm smile and incredible hospitality.

Busride in Mountains, view looking southwest towards Mingalaur

In 1995, I spent a number of days in Swat - including a night out in a mountain village, well beyond power or hotels. Swat was well known as a lovely place to vacation [the Switzerland of Pakistan, with a ski hill during winter] - and it’s reputation was accurate. Lush and green, with ranges of hills rising up to snow-capped peaks, plenty of history, and an incredible hospitality.

Of my trip in 1995, Swat remains my fondest memory. The last few years have had significant fighting between Taliban and government forces in Swat - with many families leaving the valley and important tribal elders and government officials killed. It’s sad to realize that while many people are the same, circumstances have made Swat a no-go area for Westerners and things have changed there.

Busride in mountains, looking northwest, towards Malam Jabba

The photos here are from the ride up to Kass Valley, a small valley up in the hills. Given the weather was fine, I rode on top of the bus as young men will often do in Pakistan. It was stable, a bit windy … but the views were incredible.

I’m getting near the end of scanning all my photos from my Pakistan trips … and this Swat news has my planning to get some posted moving along. Hopefully soon I’ll be putting them up, though whether here or Flickr or a photo blog is uncertain now.

Today, for the second day running, I’ve seen a Bald Eagle flying out over the Pheasant Branch … soaring directly above the deck at one point [and not really that high up, initially]

Yesterday, per Murphy’s Law, my camera battery died after only a few pictures [and before it flew about 50' directly overhead]. Oh well, today I got some good photos - this is the nicest.

Today, Richard Holbrooke visits Pakistan as start of his tenure as special envoy to the Pakistan-Afghanistan region.

[Hilltop Fort Ruins, Udegram, Swat Valley]

He’s got a lot of work ahead of him. I’ll be eager to see what kind of progress he can make, and wish him the best of luck. I’m thrilled to have serious attention being paid to this region, as relations have deteriorated greatly in the last years … along with conditions on the ground.

[From top of bus, Kass Valley, Swat]

These pictures are all from Swat Valley, which was a lush, hospitable, and famous tourist destination in Pakistan - until a few years ago when militancy and Taliban-ization of the area started to occur. Girls schools are threatened and destroyed, many forced to relocate outside the valley for the safety or education of their children.

[Children around Mingora, Swat]

Despite a few years of attempts by the military to take control [half-hearted it seems] … there’s still a nightly Taliban curfew, evening broadcasts naming names and making threats by the local militants, and serious violence and assassination. It’s an absolute tragedy, more so as time passes and the area’s tolerant and diverse history become that - history. It breaks my heart to hear it continue, as I wonder if the Swat I knew will ever be the same.

[Mingora, Swat]

I’m happy to see a serious diplomat finally on the ground, ready to help stabilize the region so its people can avoid militancy and the radicalization of it’s culture.