[Leica] OT- A fascinating video

[scheng at aotera.org (Spencer Cheng)]

Western media provides a very narrow perspective of a place like  
Pakistan. The cities are very different than the countryside.

I went to Pakistan about 10 years ago with a British cycling group to  
ride the Karakoram Highway - one of the great cycling route in the  
world, incredibly harsh and beautiful. This was just after the atom  
bomb testing so Pakistan was not America's favourite country. Our  
group consisted of mostly Brits, 2 Canadians and one American woman.

She was quite worried about possible anti-American feelings and tried  
to minimize her citizenship as much as possible. A few days into the  
ride, she had to get on public bus along with about 10 others due to a  
car accdient. She ended in the back of the bus amongst a bunch of  
Pakistani men (it was very crowded otherwise she would have been  
seated in the front). When they found out she is an American, they  
started telling her about how they wanted their nation to be strong  
just like the USA and how they like Americans and that is why they  
want Pakistan to have the A-bomb. She was very pleased to learn that  
there is a difference between how American foreign policy is viewed  
and how individuals like her are treated.

To bring this back on topic for the LUG, here are some photos taken  
with a M4P on K64 from that trip. The scanning needed to be redone and  
the pages are incomplete but you will get the idea.

<http://www.aotera.org/Cycling_the_Karakoram_Highway.html>

My favourite photo from that trip is this one. I saw this little girl  
when I stopped in the shade of a tree on a long and very hot climb.  
She came over to look at this ferengi (but not too close!)

<http://www.aotera.org/The_Lower_KKH.html#3>

To me this picture speaks of the very nature of the cultural struggle  
that is happening today and will continue for at least another  
generation. The picture also speaks of the abject poverty that plagues  
this part of the world.

Regards,
Spencer