There are so many. Right now I am reliving our most fascinating alumni UBC trip through Iran three years ago, where I met in Tehran one of Iran’s foremost sculptors Parviz Tanavoli in his studio.
Parviz Tanavoli
Paula Swart (left), Parviz Tanavoli (right), Parviz's daughter (middle)
An actor performing a popular episode in Ferdowsi’s Epic of the Kings (Shah-nama)
near the 4000 year old cypress of Abarkuh in Yazd Province, Iran
Later that year during the Uzbekistan trip visiting the tomb of 14th century ruler Timur in Samarkand, our group happened to meet British actress and travel show host Joanna Lumley. She was with her crew filming a segment for the Silk Road Adventure series and members of our group make a brief cameo appearance.
Joanna Lumley and crew
Uzbek couple visiting the historic Silk Road city Khiva
Here are some more...
In November 2019, during a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, I met Kim Phuc aka “the girl in the picture”. We had a chance to visit the Cao Dai church in the Mekong delta where she had sheltered before being terribly injured by napalm. During our visit to Angkor Wat I photographed her posing as an apsara dancer.
Here is a picture I took in 2019 in Hanoi in front of the Maison Centrale, the French colonial prison, of a former prisoner and his grandson
While exploring the town of Phonsavan, Laos, this photo was taken before heading to the Plain of Jars.
To view all tours led by Paula Swart, click here.
