I met Dave Kaelin and had a good discussion about ten years ago in Atlanta while attending an SEC basketball tournament. Dave and I like to be among Kentucky basketball's most faithful fans. We must have talked close to an hourvery early one morning. He is a good listener and observer and I try hard to be the same way. Our mutual friend, WildcatRick, tells me Dave has begun compiling a book, and he should have many. Dave is a historian who has worked and traveled, mainly in the Middle East. He has a wildness which, although he is deeply opinionated in my estimation, keeps himself open-minded to this world's happenings. He also appears fearless to the extent that any man can be today. Here is an adventure he sought out and reported in his http://www.silkroadsandsiamesesmiles.com/ blog May 13, 2010:
Afghanistan, Ghorid, herat, islam, Khoda Hafiz, khorasan, Masjid Jami, Moghul, Timorid
Masjid Jami
In Afghanistan, Central Asia, Travel, islam on May 13, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Sometime during my tour in Afghanistan, I got outside the wire. I tend to do this from time to time. Get out and wander around with a friend or two.
This particular time, I was doing some business with the ANP Province Headquarters. While there, I crept out with a few guys and one ANP Colonel and strolled over to the Masjid Jami in Herat. COL Khoda Dad spoke with the head Mullah there and asked him to give me a tour of the Mosque. After intros were made, I was escorted about and taken to almost every part of the Mosque. One of the more interesting parts of the tour were when they showed me the room where all of the repairs are made for tiles and such. They do all repairs by hand. Exactly the same process as hundreds of years ago when the Mosque was first created. They even hand paint the ceramics onto the tiles.
I took these pictures as I walked around in awe of the agelessness of the place.
I’m very lucky to have been able to have had this and other experiences in Afghanistan. I’d venture to say that not everyone has such incredible and unique adventures over there.
Khoda Hafiz!
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