Hoover Dam, Ted Turner, and Happy July 5th

(Fresh kebab)

(Norak dam and reservoir, Kudrat and Alisher)

Hi folks,

Hope everyone had a star-spangled 4th. I kicked off the weekend on Friday with an excursion to yet another stream-side picnic. Our group spent the day under shade trees beside a raging stream the color of mint green Crest toothpaste. It was a pretty subdued day but our friend Khurshed manned the fire and the gigantic pot and created a dish called "kebab." Pictures to follow. Note how kebab is not kebab. It's made in the large "kozon" pot. First you boil the beef then you add cabbage, onions and potatoes, cumin, carraway and tumeric. Then simmer for a long time. It was pretty good, but salty.

On July 4th I did my favorite thing: anything for which the American equivalent would be impossible. Here's what I mean:

The childhood friend of a dear friend of mine at Berkeley is the head of Tajik television (hence the Ted Turner reference), named Kudrat. Mostly out of obligation to his childhood friend, he feels compelled to show me a good time here in Dushanbe. We've already been out to dinner and he suggested we visit Norak, the gigantic hydroelectic station, dam, and chain of lakes that's about an hour south east of Dushanbe. Norak was (obviously) built by the Soviets, used to be home to a bunch of Russian engineers, and is "Tajikistan's most strategic object", according to Kudrat, because it provides literally all of the energy to Dushanbe.

See if you can count the ironies in the following situation (and yes, Charles hanging out with Tajik Ted Turner is one of them). We drove to the base of the dam and found a guard station with three guys having tea. Kudrat and the hired muscle, Alisher, sauntered over slowly to ease things over. I didn't see any money exchange hands, but I wasn't exactly staring because I was supposed to be the dumb American. But five minutes later they were opening the gates, and in we drove. After sending a flock of goats scurrying we drove up and up into the hills next to the dam and into a large tunnel. Emerging on the other side we were on top of the dam with the station to our right and an immense deep turquoise (the color of Tahoe?) lake on the left. I asked Kudrat what he had said to the guards to ease the way. He said that he considered himself part of the government and it was his duty to show an American guest the government's primary sites. Baking in the heat I snapped a few pictures and then noticed that there was a large group of cars and boats at one side of the lake. Apparently lots of others had found it wasn't too difficult to enter "Tajikistan's most strategic object." Driving back down we passed several more cars of the local elite taking advantage of a clear lake and secluded beach. And within easy view of the gate we stopped our car again and started pouring water on the engine. After twenty minutes we were off again, stopping briefly at a rest area for fried local fish (hydroelectrically equipped?), before heading back to Dushanbe. Nothing better than a day with a local host whose sense of obligation outweighs any sense of levity. Ah the fun.

On the 5th we were all invited to the US Embassy's July 4th party (no fireworks - mixed messages). The Embassy is a hideous fortress on the outside of town. It looks like a factory, but with a huge, green lawn, because Americans need their grass. Based on a comparative security check, I would say that the embassy is the country's most strategicv object, because there were metal detectors and we had to check our phones and cameras at the door.

Inside was an intereting mix of marines, old fat bald American dudes, missionary families, language students, and local NGO employees of various nationalities. the beer was cold, the TV was huge, and the Serena vs. Venus match was appropriately dull. Later on though, I saw a harrowing Guitar Hero battle betwee a marine and an old fat bald American dude. Compelling.

We med up again with the Brits from Iskander Kul (small town, eh?) and played soccer with some of the lucky Tajik invitees. Then off to the dinner stand for really bad hot dogs and hamburgers. How bad?

Most people I know got sick from the "American food" at the American embassy's July 5th party. Is there no safe haven?

I get this funny feeling that such culinary unpleasantries would not happen at, say, the Vienna embassy.

Coming soon... an update on Mochon, host cat and hunter extraorinaire.