WHAT: Interdisciplinary Presentation of the Culture and History of Central Asia
WHERE: The Smithsonian, S. Dillon Ripley Center
1100 Jefferson Dr SW
WHEN: Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
NEW YORK - Sept. 2, 2015 - PRLog -- There are few places left to explore for the traveler who longs to discover the truly exotic. China has gone global and India is a tourist paradise. The nations of Central Asia, long closed to the west behind the Iron Curtain have recently opened their arms to the world, offering the treasures of fabulous landscapes and thousands of years of history, tradition, and culture.
Zulya Rajabova is an expert in travel to this region. Having grown up in Uzbekistan, she was an in-demand tour guide there prior to settling in the USA, where she has founded and is president of Silk Road Treasure Tours. On Tuesday, October 20th, she will unlock those treasures for us and present an immersive journey into the culture and history of Central Asia. Guests will be greeted at the door in a show of typical Uzbek hospitality. A gallery’s worth of photographs, textiles, embroideries, jewelry and other handicrafts will surround the audience. There will be a performance by the Laurel Gray Dance Company, specialists in Central Asian dance, and a demonstration of the serving of tea. Light traditional foods will follow the presentation.
Ms. Zulya Rajabova will be sharing not only her knowledge but also her boundless enthusiasm and pride for her heritage. We will learn of the sweeping history of her homeland as a centre of trade, travel, and learning along the Silk Road, how gorgeous mosques, mausoleums and madressahs bear witness to the wealth and might of the ruling dynasties which rose from this mercantile hub. She will also lead us to a pristine wilderness; to sapphire lakes and glowing sunsets against the Tian-Shen Mountains where we can envision the conquering hordes of Chinggis Khan’s cavalry surging through the vast stretches of steppe and taiga. Ms. Rajabova will take us into the homes and daily lives of the people of Central Asia, and into craftsmen’s studios see them create wondrous works of folk art using centuries old skills. We will be entertained and enlightened, and come to know more about this heart of the medieval world, the centre of the great Silk Road routes. Weaving fact with folklore, Zulya's presentations are as intricate and rich as a fabled Turkmen carpet, connecting the ancient world to the present for her audience.
Ms. Rajabova has earned her place as a pioneer in travel to Central Asia. She speaks five languages fluently and has been helping clients discover the true soul of Central Asia with her transformational tours for over 20 years. She has worked with heads of state, first ladies, celebrities, academics, and travel industry professionals from all over the world. Conde-Nast has twice named her as Top Travel Specialist for Central Asia.
Ms. Rajabova’s love for her work started when she was still a child playing on the ancient streets near her ancestral adobe home just outside Bukhara. She would often be stopped by tourists wanting to take her picture. She recalls, “It was here, at the age of 4 or 5, that I learned my very first English words! Since then I have had a passion to share my country’s beauty with others.”
Join Zulya on October 20th to unlock the treasures of Central Asia.
Silk Road Treasure Tours specializes in custom private and group tours to Central Asia “Stan” countries and the most fascinating destinations of the Silk Road that have inspired imaginations for centuries, including: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Silk Road Treasure Tours’ founder, Zulya Rajabova, is a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for Central Asia and a Wendy Perrin “Wow” list Trusted Travel Expert.
For more information about Ms. Rajabova and Silk Road Treasure Tours, visit:
www.silkroadtreasuretours.com
For more information about the Smithsonian presentation, visit:
http://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/reserve.aspx?ID=232393&utm_source=RAad&utm_content=FEauto&utm_campaign=featevent
Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)
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