Margilan Day Trip: Silk, Worms, and Dresses

Khushnud and I were chatting at the pottery wheel, as always.  For two people from different cultures, different generations, different religions, and opposite sexes, we found no shortage of things to talk about. At first, all we shared was a common language, Russian, and a love of pottery. Within a […]

The Student Becomes the Teacher

But by the third day, I had settled into the rhythm of life in the studio. We ate breakfast of bread, cheese, and tea and then Khushnud and I spent the morning at the pottery wheels, throwing new pieces, decorating, and trimming whatever had dried enough to handle. Before long, it […]

Detained at the Uzbek-Kyrgyz Border

While Julia was busy taking pottery classes, I got my ass in trouble. Funny story. When we arrived in Rishton, it was already dark outside, and we barely saw the surroundings.  But as we settled for the night at the pottery studio, I looked at Google Maps on my phone […]

Pottery for Pets

I woke up the next morning with my heart fluttering. It was the first day of my pottery retreat. I threw on older clothes I didn’t mind getting dirty with clay and hurried outside. I hadn’t really seen the courtyard the night before. We arrived after dark, when little was […]

First Lesson. Rishton.

It was late evening, and we had just arrived at the pottery studio of one of the most famous ceramic artists in Uzbekistan. We were exhausted and sweaty and weren’t sure if our long day of travel was over or if we would now need to look for alternative accommodation. […]

Cool Cats of Türkiye

By Julia / November 14, 2024

It is time to acknowledge that a great injustice has been done in this blog.  While the name of the blog is “Two Cats Backpack” referring to the never-ending struggle between staying home and spending time with our two cats or packing the backpack and heading out to explore the […]

Raiding and Pillaging through Norway

By Julia / November 7, 2024

I am looking at the fjord There is salmon in the sea My baby says she’s bored She is not in love with me Before visiting Norway, we watched Conan O’Brien’s new travel show, Conan Must Go, where Conan travels the world to meet his fans.  In the first episode […]

Poutine Must Go!

By Victor / October 31, 2024

After living and working in Wisconsin for over a decade, it’s tough for me to say what I am about to say.  Here we go… Canada has the best cheese curds.  Yes, I said it.  Please don’t cancel me, Wisconsinites! One of the categories on this blog is devoted to […]

The Very Berry Norway

By Julia / October 24, 2024

As we traveled through the countryside, we were constantly distracted by the gorgeous views of mountains, herds of peacefully grazing animals, and fields of vibrantly blooming… potatoes. “Look! Potatoes!  That’s all potatoes!” Victor would exclaim, pointing out of the car window, “So many potatoes…”  I nodded along as he kept […]

Taxco: The Silver Capital of the World

By Victor / October 18, 2024

It’s Thursday evening, and I’m in a conference room of a Chicago office building, waiting patiently for opposing counsel to finish the deposition that’s gone on for too long. And then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, it is Friday morning, and Julia and I are sitting […]

It Takes a Norwegian Village

By Julia / October 10, 2024

It was late evening by the time we arrived at our Airbnb in a tiny hamlet by Galdhøpiggen, the tallest mountain in Norway.  We were tired from the long day and were relieved to finally reach the isolated farm that we would call our home for the next few days. […]

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