As a nice segue from my foray in Chinatown this past Sunday, I ought to mention the interesting exhibition "Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World" that can currently be seen at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC.
Through the power of interactivity it brings to life one of the greatest trading routes in human history. It features produce, products, cultures, and technologies from four representative cities: Xi'an, China's Tang Dynasty capital; Turfan, a oasis and trading outpost; Samarkand, home of wealthy traders who thrived on the caravan trade; and Baghdad, a cosmopolitan hub of trade and scholarship that became the intellectual center of the era.
I've never traveled to any of the Silk Route cities (yet), but it seems to me that this exhibition would be a good start.