Khiva Uzbekistan 乌别克斯坦希瓦 5/2018 (6)

12-14/5/2018, I shared a taxi with a young Spanish doctor, each of us paying USD 20, to drive to Khiva, which was 400 kilometers away and would take about seven hours. The car often drove into the oncoming lane to dodge the potholes. The taxi driver told us the potholes were a gift from the corrupt politicians. I actually think the potholes were fun, but corruption is not funny.

12-14/5/2018 跟一个西班牙医生小伙搭档包辆的士到乌兹别克斯坦的另一名胜城市希瓦(Khiva)。各付二十美元，跑四百多公里，全程七小时，不错。多段路面目全非，百孔千疮，司机为了避开窟窿经常驶到逆向车道。他说都怪政府没钱和贪污； 贪污的逍遥法外，逆向行驶该情有可原吧。

Daylight was long this time of the year, stretching from 6 a.m. to after 8 p.m. It was already 4 p.m. when I arrived. I was rubbing my hands and raring to go; no time to waste and not a moment to lose.

Khiva, like Bukhara, is an unmitigated ancient town on the Silk Road. It appears an entire town has continued untouched to this day, with no attempt to add to or subtract from any of it through the ages. It has withstood whatever was thrown and blown at it. The brown earthy color of the townscape reflects the same earth it was taken from and stands on. This is as original, as down-to-earth as it gets. Brighter colors are used sparingly, only on minarets, domes, and monumental entrance gates, to enhance and accentuate. Minarets, mosques, city walls, madrasa, and other Islamic buildings stand tall and hold their heads high; they are granted sanctuary under the blue sky, come what may. I just wanted to ride around the town on a camel, don my robe, put on my turban, let the desert wind whip up a sandstorm; I was so caught up in this journey on the Silk Road.

这季节昼长夜短，太阳六点已升起，八点才刚下山，做梦时间短了，光观时间长了。虽然长途跋涉了七小时，到希瓦时已经下午四点，没罢休，快马加鞭老区内先睹为快。

跟布哈拉一样风貌，不愧是古丝绸之路重镇，几千年伦海桑田，好像丝毫无损，原封不动。老围城内挤满千百年岁月的回教堂，塔尖，经学院，伊斯兰风格建筑；面容虽留着岁月痕迹，但老而祢坚。黄土色调使这古城似从这黄土拔地而起，彩纹塔尖高入云霄极其神幻；这些建筑虽饱受世代炎阳风沙肆虐，还充满生气，蓝天下熠熠生辉。我不知不觉回到古丝绸之路的梦境 – 我忠实伙伴，背已驼，还背着两大包袱水和我，蹒跚的越沙海，冲风尘，避歹徒，把我载回人间亲情， 回到所依。

I was roaming lackadaisically around these old charms, soaking up the ambiance and the atmosphere. Today was Sunday and children and young people thronged into this old city streets, licking ice cream cones, snacking, selfie-ing, enjoying a restful day in this ancestral land. I heard music in the air; a roadside vendor turned on his CD, passersby spontaneously moved with it, with no inhibition. It was as though, all of a sudden, they were talking to each other in a body language all at once so descriptive, graceful, and joyful. Whoever came and walked past would stop by, then joined in, be led, and swirled in the music. It was just so natural, so happy.

今天是星期天，空气洋溢喜乐，孩童青年舔着冰淇淋，群拍自拍，细嚼小吃，规规矩矩的享受休闲的一天。闲逛着时空中传来欢快音乐，本来缓步漫步的，走进音乐后，无论男女老幼，都情不自禁，如被音乐催迷，即兴起舞；没保留，没矜持，身体语言和笑容将快乐流露无遗。几个老太太也禁不住姗姗起舞；女孩们，无视旁人围观，被音旋带动，卷入舞池。我蠢蠢欲动想跳进去，还是算了吧， 怕小姑娘们被吓得鸡飞狗跳。一个歌舞的天地，一个充满历史意义的地方，一个祥和环境，这不是一个虚构的完美世界。

I stayed at a small hotel near the old city wall. It was all bright and cheery during the day, but at night, it was dark and dead, hauntingly silent. No cafes and no household lights, no homeless dogs, no free-range chicken, no live bodies; not a breeze. I walked back to the hotel alone after dinner; the streets were eerily quiet, my hair standing on end, my whole body infested with goosebumps. It was like walking through a graveyard. This was, after all, a place of mausoleums, where the dead still lie above ground and could conveniently climb out of bed like you and me. I have not been in a place of the living so devoid of life. I have seen it all, but I have yet to see an apparition. It may be an honor to meet one of their Greats, but it was really not a good time to test my manliness.

我住在老城墙边小酒店，白天到处生机勃勃，夜幕下垂后，死气沉沉，没丝毫动静 – 没人家灯火，没行人，没鸡狗，连昆虫也早睡，都打烊了。不到十二点，我老区中心晚餐后独自步行回酒店，夜深人静，不寒而栗， 毛发皆竖。人间这么沉静很吓人，不会是故意制造气氛吧？这千年古镇，摆着那么多陵墓，死人都还躺在地上，跟我们晚上躺在床上一样，冤魂孤魂晚上睡不着，下床找人聊天的，有这可能吗？千年来历经风云，会不会阴魂不散？我如幸会古人伟人，活见鬼我想也值得，但碰到时最好有同伴。可能是我多年干的好事，现在心亏了。

I was stuck in medieval times, on the Silk Road, not ready to find my way home.

我滞留中世纪， 在丝绸路上迷路，还没打算问路回家。