Ring Shopping in Damascus (Photo by EOD)
The Silk Road in Syria is alive and well. Whenever I am in Damascus (not to mention Istanbul, Cairo or Beirut), I always find jewelery from Central Asia–especially from Afghanistan–when shopping in the souqs. I think I’ve bought more Central Asian jewelery (my only guilty pleasure) in the Middle East than when I was in Afghanistan–but that’s probably because I was busy taking photographs there, while traveling on the road. I probably gravitate towards these oversized rings because of my love of all things absurd–and I enjoy seeing the reactions of surprise at their unexpected size when I dare to wear them to events in New York…
Happiness is in providing comfort
to those who need it,
not in owning gems to decorate your hands.
Those who cherish virtue don’t buy joy
with other people’s sorrow.
— Saadi
