It is hard to even guess at what will stay with you after a long journey to an exotic place. It is hard to explain to people who ask you, "Why would you want to go there?"
Looking at the photos that I have chosen to include in this journal entry, one has to notice that America is missing something. We may have architecture that captures the spirit of newness and modern invention, but we do not have the opportunity here at home to internalize the history of Mankind through ancient masterpieces. We don't have the same grounding that an Asian, African or European enjoys. Travel can be a way to find one's roots.
I find my "ancestors" in the details carved on a bracket or etched on a wall. Just look at the ceremonial care taken to embellish a doorway or embroider a fabric. The need to make Art. The Human Touch. The Mother of Modern Invention. Whether it be Emperor or Pharaoh or Rajah or Shogun or King, one has to be thankful that they left something behind for the rest of us. They may not have been democratic in their use of power, but they gave testament to the intelligence and ingenuity of Man throughout time. India's national treasures are some of the most beautiful and spectacular we have ever seen. They reflect a civilization with the creativity and grandness of ancient Egypt or Japan or Renaissance Europe or any Chinese Dynasty. You just don't get the same feeling from a log cabin or a quilt. (and will pine and poplin stand the test of time?)
The ancient world still resounds in the human soul. Foreign travel is the authentic Antique Roadshow. It's the Time Machine Trip. It's the Big Wow that lasts forever. It is humbling. Makes you think about what future travelers will say about America in 3000 years when we rightfully take our place among the Old Sages. ( I hope everyone wants to go there.)
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