This has nothing to do with Lace. Jeri did ask whether I wore any lace on my trip. The answer is yes, on my night-dress but since nobody saw it, it does not count! However, there are other textiles - embroidery, weaving, braids to mention only a few.
The tour was fraught with difficulties from the start. My son had first visited the remote Kalash valleys in the North west of Pakistan in 1999. He stayed only one night in the village, together with other tour companions on a jeep-trek of the Karakoram mountains. Being well trained, he managed to purchase for me a cowrie-shell decorated top head-dress (Kupas) and also the under beaded head-dress (Shu-shut) together with an embroidered dress, a woven sash, three bead bracelets and several strings of necklaces. At that time, photography of the women of the tribe was not allowed. So he said to the Chief's son (having paid the asking price in dollars without question) How will my mother know how the head-dress is worn, can I take a photo of the back view? So he was taken into the village to the Chief's house and allowed to photograph the Chief's wife and sister and the children, back and front views. Two years later in 2001, he returned to the valley, this time not as part of a tour group, but on his own in a Jeep with the Guide, a driver and a cook. This time he was welcomed and stayed longer in the village, taking many photographs, not only of the dance festival, but also the village people. He said he would bring his mother to visit them the following year. I thought this a wonderful idea. However, it was not to be, the Afghan war precluded all travel in that area, as it is so near to the Afghan border, and special permission is needed at any time from the Police station in Chittral. In 2002 we started to make plans for 2003, when my son intended to visit Afghanistan and I would join him in neighbouring Pakistan. Once again the threat of war intervened. Would Iraq be invaded, would the war prevent us from going? Never did anyone listen to and read the world news so avidly. part 2. What happened next. To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED]
