Bukhara was one of the places I was most interested in seeing during my Central Asia trip. The historic center is packed with mosques, madrasas, markets, monuments, and narrow streets that make you want to wander around with a camera all day. I arrived by sleeper train from Samarkand (departing at 3 p.m. with a…
Kolsai Lake and the Road to the Yurt Camp I started early and went to the first pickup location at the Holiday Inn Express in Almaty because I wanted to get a window seat. Glad I did. I managed a ton of really bad photographs (and a few decent ones) from inside a moving bus….
Seven Lakes of Tajikistan I hate group tours. Like, really hate them. But after several days of cities and monuments, I was starting to feel a little citied out. I needed some nature. So I signed up for a group tour to see the Seven Lakes of Tajikistan the day before. The group met early…
What happens when you combine watercolor, wax, and Japanese rice paper? You get watercolor batik—a wonderfully unpredictable painting technique that produces rich layers of color, incredible textures, and effects that are nearly impossible to achieve with traditional watercolor methods. Join me, Ryan Fox, AWS, NWS, TWSA, for a special 60-minute watercolor batik demonstration during Watercolor…
Kazakhstan is huge. Seriously huge. It’s the ninth-largest country in the world, and I managed to explore just a small corner of it. My travels took me through southern Kazakhstan, beginning in Almaty, a surprisingly European-feeling city with leafy streets, lively neighborhoods, and spectacular mountains rising in the background. From there, I ventured into the…
Tajikistan was a complete surprise. And I barely scratched the surface. With roughly 90% of the country covered by mountains, Tajikistan is a destination that seems made for adventure. Even its capital, Dushanbe, caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting the broad, tree-lined boulevards, impressive buildings, and elaborate nighttime lighting that makes much of the…
Day 1 – Crossing Into Tajikistan I woke up early and took a Yandex taxi to the Tajikistan border. The coffee shop that was supposedly open 24/7 was, of course, not open. At the border I hired a car to Dushanbe for about $50—more than I wanted to pay—and spent the rainy drive with a…
Frequently Asked Questions About Day Trips from Bishkek Is Konorchek Canyon worth visiting? Absolutely. Konorchek Canyon was my favorite natural attraction during my visit to Kyrgyzstan. The reddish-orange rock formations, narrow passages, and elevated viewpoints were fantastic for photography. Some sections require scrambling over rocks, so it’s not suitable for everyone. Can you visit Burana…
This watercolor painting of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, the distinctive white-and-red church in the center of Guatapé, Colombia, began as a demonstration during my recent Watercolor Outside the Box workshop in Washington, North Carolina. Watercolor Outside the Box focuses on techniques that move beyond traditional transparent watercolor painting. We experiment with painting on YUPO synthetic…
Turner Natural Rose Madder Watercolor Review: Beautiful but Fugitive Purchase this paint ONLINE Turner Natural Rose Madder is a genuine single-pigment NR9 watercolor made from Natural Madder Lake. It is a beautifully transparent, low-staining red that lifts easily and, in my tests, produces some absolutely wonderful blossoms. But there is an important catch. Genuine Rose…
