In 1271 when Marco Polo left Venice at the start of his journey to the land of the Kublai Khan, there was another Marco that traveled with the expedition.
Ciao, mi chiamo Marco.*
*Hello, my name is Marco.
Welcome to ‘The Other Marco’ Blog. Posting #1
The story of the other Marco, written as a novel will be introduced to you through this blog before the book is published.
Having two characters called Marco in the story, I will, in this Blog call ‘The Other Marco’ by the acronym TOM. It simplifies what could become confusing. Marco therefore refers to the real Marco Polo, the well known 13th century adventurer and traveler, and TOM is ‘The Other Marco’, the fictional hero of this book who travels with the Polo expedition to Cathay as a camel porter.
Writing this book was the easy part, so I am told. Having to promote the book is considered to be much more difficult. Well I am not so sure about it being more difficult, but what I am finding is that it is just as enjoyable and informative as writing the story in the first place.
A wonderful bonus about dredging through reams of reference material to authenticate facts and give the story a ring of ‘truth’, is that it always begs more questions that need answers. Take for instance TOM’s experience of learning to ride a camel. Suddenly one is confronted by what a camel’s saddle looks like and how entirely different to a horse’s saddle it must be. Of course one could simply say that TOM hopped onto his camel and jolted off into the desert sunset, but that is not good enough. Not for me, that is. The question I asked was, what keeps a camel’s saddle balancing on its hump and what makes it comfortable enough to support the rider for days on end?
To answer this, and other questions like it, I will support the text with simple pen sketches.
Looking at a simple modern camel saddle, it is noticeable how the frame design is formed around the hump.
In the following sketch, it appears that frame B may be kinder across the camel’s back, but then again, frame A sits higher and will have less contact area to chafe the beast.
This basic frame is naturally made more comfortable for the camelman by covering it with carpets, bed rolls and sheep/goat skins.
I then came across a delightful photo of the most basic camel saddle imaginable, made up of sticks lashed together and looking like a bird’s crude nest. This is obviously what saddle frames looked like for thousands of years in the deserts. I simply had to illustrate its construction sequence with the following comic strip.
Looks interesting, best of luck with it, or, as the sailors say, break a leg
With your unknowing prompt, when you told me about you book, I recently went and watched the Marco Polo TV series on Netflix which I enjoyed, now I would like to get to know TOM.
All the best with the book.
Regards
Very interesting and informative ! Sounds like a really good read for young and old ! Good luck !
Can’t wait to read the book.
Awesome.. Bring it on! Looking forward to the next one already!
HALLO!
Endlich kommt die Sache ins rollen. Ich freue mich so sehr, das ich ‘Die Geschichte’ endlich mal
zu lesen bekomme.
Willi
Use Google translate.
Looking forward to bring a ‘Blog Ogler’.
Marvellous! The drawings of course and all the interesting bits in between. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Lekker oom Larry – ons wag al lank!!!
Sounds like my kind of story…
Please proceed!
Awesome blog.. Am most impressed. So informative as well.
Thanks ET,
Thanks for the computer artwork you have helped me with Et. Looks good eh?
Well, well, well.
I see the promised land in the distance.
Just a few more steps then.
Good on you.
I look forward to reading many more of your interesting, informed and illustrated blogs as you head to the printers and beyond!
Fabulozah Lawrence! Wishing you many adventures! 🙂
Looking forward to the adventure Lawrence.
Hello Noreen,
It is happening and it’s fun. Adventures without fun don’t exist!
Hi 2 C
Tom
Sounds fascinating! Would love to read it! Being a teacher, new stories are always an attraction!
Hello Sanet,
Long time no see, no speak, no hear, but no forget. Thanks for the contact. The Other Marco is a teacher’s dream book for children and young adults. Enjoy the blogs in the meantime.
TOM
Hi Elizabeth,
Don’t have to tell you to hop on board, you have been on the first camel out of Acre long ago. Lets carry on jolting along. Hi 2 D.
Hi Billy and Marilyn,
Not long to wait, the next blog will be out in less than a week!
Love and Hisses from Me and the Missus – and of course Tom.
Proud of you boet – let’s get those desert (or should that be DESSERT) sands blowing into our eyes and bring tears of joy. Well done. I can see the cat sailing along the Suez with the sand coming off the banks. Keep going! Theuns
Howdy Theuns,
Perhaps we should publish the book first and eat the dessert next!
Wow, Lawrence, your story is taking off and will soon be flying.
Wow, Lawrence, your story is taking off and will soon be soaring. Well Done.
Hi Margie, I suppose soaring and flying are a tad different. In one you flap [panic] and with soaring it is when you get used to this air-borne life and let the thermals do the work? I hope so!
Hello Charmaine, You might be new to this stuff, but you seem to have got your way around this Blog to have posted a comment. Thanks for that. I will have another one for you soon. Perhaps if you save the blog address in your ‘favourites’ you can check instantaneously if a new one is available. I will direct readers from Facebook as well.
Tom
This looks like being a winner; and mighty interesting to boot.
Hello Ivan, I’m very new at this blogging business and have somehow overlooked your comment. Sorry. Thanks for your kind words and enjoy the next postings. Can’t wait to get back to the bass-ic business as well. Regards Lawrence
Hi Lawrence….Just got onto it thru Google……Good Luck….Piet
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Howdy Piet,
Enjoy
Lawrence
Get good in your beautiful days love ❤️ what I was reading keep up the good news
Hi Ida, I am glad you have found my blog. If you read #1 through to #5, you will see that I am promoting a book that I have written. I have to build up followers [potential readers] before I can approach a publisher. Enjoy!!
TOM [The Other Marco]