The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.~Felix Mendelssohn
At the Counter, Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. Shot with a Fuji XT2.
Would you expect to find an authentic Persian Teahouse handcrafted by 40 Tajik master artisans in the Rocky Mountains?
Expect the unexpected. It’s one of the joys of traveling.
On our road trip to Boulder, Colorado, our cousins took us to the Dushanbe Teahouse, a startlingly beautiful gift from the town’s sister-city of Dushanbe in Tajikistan.
Created on site in Dushanbe, the teahouse was disassembled, crated up, and sent thousands of miles to Boulder as a symbol of friendship, global cooperation, and cultural sharing.
Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Ceiling Detail. Shot with a Fuji XT2.
Tajikistan, on the ancient Silk Road trails, is bordered by China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgystan, and Afghanistan and has cultural traditions and crafts that are centuries-old. The teahouse artisans used traditional Persian designs in their brightly-colored mosaic tiles, which repeat motifs from nature – stellar, solar, and floral. Now you can see why it was a logical choice for this week’s variations-on-a theme photo challenge.
The ceiling and columns are hand-carved and hand-painted, as well as the tables, stools, and exterior ceramic panels.
Window Detail, Dushanbe Teahouse. Shot with a Fuji XT2
The interior of the teahouse is built around a central pool and a statue by Ivan Milashevich, based on a 12-century poem, “The 7 Beauties.” In it, princesses from 7 different nations share a fable about important cultural values.
7 Beauties and Tiles. Shot with a Fuji XT2.
Close Up of the 7 Beauties
Close-up. 7 Beauties. Shot with a Fuji XT2.
Tajikistan was settled at the eastern periphery of the Persian Empire and has seen invasions by Alexander the Great, Mongols, Arabs, Turks, and Russians. Today, Tajikistan, with a population of 7 million, is struggling with the aftermath of civil war following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. And yet, these people share a message of peace and cooperation in ceramic tiles repeated on every table in the teahouse:
God’s light is the same in all the beings. It is present all the time everywhere.
Since all of us have the same life force/presence, we must all live in friendship and peace and resolve any differences through understanding and compromise.
Given the political climate today, I couldn’t agree more!
And now it’s your turn. What has surprised you in your travels? Food? Customs? Architecture?
Have an inspiring week, everyone!
Categories: Photography
P.A. Moed 
That is a surprising gift to Boulder. Excellent detail shots, Patti.
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Thanks so much, Jane! I appreciate your critique!
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Patti, what a lovely place to relax and enjoy life. Well done.
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Thanks so much! It was lovely, Sally. A great spot. I’d love to go back. Hope all’s well with you.
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A truly great gift – and important in these days to reflect upon. All those carvings and paintings, all the artists together working on this as a gift – to friends. Art and craft, works made by hand, are so much more worth than machine made things. Our greatest gift is our time and our skills.
Thank you for posting.
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So true, Ann-Christine. You say it beautifully. That is our greatest gift. Artists have a different vision of the world and must share it with others.
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Your photos are really great as always, and I am into fujifilm for my next camera. This week I will go to the nearest city with a professional camera business. I want a hands on to be sure. Exciting!
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I hope you enjoy the Fuji. Getting hands-on experience is wonderful. The camera has a great feel to it, but like everything, it has a learning curve. 🙂
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I hope for instant love.
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🙂
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Thanks for the ping, Chris!!
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Beautiful. I want to go and have tea. 🙂
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Hi, Marie. I’d love to go again. I love tea. I guess you do too!
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I like the pastries as much as the tea!
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Oh, me too!
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A surprising — and beautiful — find indeed! The tiles are a marvel. The teahouse is a lovely tribute to friendship and cooperation.
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Yes, Jackie. It was a great find…thanks to our cousins! I’d love to visit it again. The message is all the more powerful given the present strife. Hope all’s well with you! Any travels planned to fun places? Hope so!
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Simply fabulous! I’m not a tea lover but I’d be very happy just to sit and admire. 🙂 🙂
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So you’re a coffee drinker then? Are you sure you’re British???
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Well, only half of me. Dad was Polish 🙂 🙂
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Some amazing shots of an amazing place Patti – beautifully captured. BTW, how long have you had the X-T2? I’m loving mine which is still pretty new. What lenses do you use and how do you like them? Haven’t decided which way(s) to go
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Hi, Tina. I love my X-T2 and have had it now for about 9 months. I’m using the 15 to 55 mm and the 55 to 200 mm. They both have great clarity and the bokeh of the 200 is great. My next lens is a macro. Maybe the new 80mm?? Still deciding. What lenses do you have?
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Just the kit lens for now. Deciding on 55-200 vs 50-140 and also maybe the 16-55. Altho redundant it’s a much better lens. Sorry I cheated out on the kit lens 😫 but love the camera.
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People rave about the 16 to 55. I debated about getting it too and decided I’d rather save for the macro. So glad you’ve fallen in love with the Fuji. Me too!
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What a spectacular gift to receive for a city! I am continuously surprised and blessed by the kindness of strangers during my travels. It’s difficult to believe until one experiences it while on the road.
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Yes, absolutely, Bespoke! I love the chance meeting of strangers who are so open and giving. Absolutely true.
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The colors are great, I like the patterns and the Fuji XT2.
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Thanks, Maria! I am loving the Fuji. 🙂
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Great post, I love that tea house, it’s so beautiful!
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