TRAVELING IN CENTRAL ASIA 2011
After more than two years of planning, I departed for Central Asia, "the Stans", on September 6, 2011. The trip took me to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan... four countries that comprise much of Central Asia and that had been part of the Soviet Union - independent since 1991. Our trip has been organized by Dostuck-Trekking, a travel company in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and is 26 days long starting on September 8, 2011 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The map on the left positions these countries west of China, north of Afghanistan and Pakistan, south of Russia and east of Turkey and the Caspian Sea.
WHY CENTRAL ASIA?
In some of my travels, I have followed the Silk Road - a series of overland trade routes between central China (Xian) and Europe that facilitated trade between Asia and Europe during the 7th c.-15th centuries. Silk from China made its way west; religion, especially early Christianity, Buddhism and Islam, was perhaps the most significant 'commodity' that traveled this route.
In 1985, on my first trip to China, I visited Xian the eastern-most point on the Silk Road and home to the famous Terra Cotta Warriors. In 2000, I returned to China and traveled from Langzhou to Kashgar following the Silk Road along the southern perimeter of the Taklamakan desert through China's Xinjiang Province. This trip's final stop was Urumqi, in NW China on the eastern side of the Tien Shan mountains. The following link briefly describes this trade route and the towns in China through which I traveled.
The Silk Road continues on the western side of the Tien Shan mountains which border Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan into Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The people in China's westernmost province have much in common with the people in 'the Stans'... language roots, ethnicity. Thus, this trip into Central Asia continues my traveling on the 'silk road' heading west.
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| Silk Road in China |
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| 'Silk Road' from Xian, China to Turkey |
The Mongols and eventually Genghis Khan conquered this entire area creating the Mongolian Empire in the 13th c, spanning China and Central Asia, west to Vienna. Although reputed to be cruel conquerors, the Mongols fostered trade and contacts among many cultures. In the 14th c. this scenario was repeated with Timur (Tamerlane) in the lead.
The demise of the Silk Road in the 16th c. owes much to the development of the 'silk route' by sea. It became easier and safer to transport goods by water rather than overland. Ships had become more reliable and the route passed new markets in Southern Asia. The overland problems of tribal politics between the different people along the route and the presence of middlemen all taking their cut on the goods, prompted this move. The sea route however suffered from the additional problems of bad weather and pirates.
The "Great Game" - in the 19th c. Britain and Russia desired to expand their influence and territory bringing renewed interest to the 'Silk Road'.
After the oppression of Tsarist Russia's class society, the Soviet Union's socialism and equanimity was a relief to most people. Under Lenin, education, health care, roads, bridges, jobs were brought to all the people, not just the wealthy. Girls had access to education for the first time. With the demise of the Soviet Union in summer 1991, the countries of Central Asia became independent with the goal of building democracies and capitalism, a system in which all could participate. While capitalism appears to be alive and well at the level of individual and small businesses, larger industry continues to be owned and operated by governments. There is some evidence of joint ventures in the tourist sector- hotels, e.g.
With large reserves of oil and natural gas, the 21st c. version of the Silk Road is emerging. Will this form the basis for opening borders? Will the internet, cell phones, tourism… help to ‘flatten the world’ of Central Asia?
"If we could somehow blow away the centuries-deep sand that today covers the ancient tracks of the Silk Road, we would see amazing things. We would see caravans of up to 6,000 camels moving slowly, day by day, across the vast distances separating China and Europe. Each kilometers-long caravan carries as much as a large merchant sailing ship of its time and along the routes, great cities of trade and learning flourish. Today, this ancient world is gone but its historical importance is increasingly recognized. And now, new international efforts are under way to protect the legacy of the Silk Road, from Turkmenistan to Kyrgyzstan."
Central Asia: Silk Road Revival Grows As More Sites Protected
By Richard Solash June 26, 2006, writing about UNESCO's efforts in Central Asia
RELIGION
During the 7th c. Buddhism was brought into China from India and flourished during the Tang dynasty in China (7th c - 10th c.)
The decline of Buddhism along the Silk Road was due to the collapse of the Tang Dynasty (10th c.) in the East and the invasion of Arabs in the West. The conversion to Islam started in the 8th century in Central Asia. Since Islam condemned iconography, most of the Buddhist statues and wall-paintings were damaged or destroyed. Buddhist temples and stupas were abandoned and buried beneath the sand. By the 15th century, the entire Central Asia basin had been converted to Islam.
The new way of life brought by the Muslims spread throughout the region. The native cultures were replaced in the ensuing centuries as Islam molded the people into a single, Islamic community. Under Islamic rule, Central Asia was an important center of culture and trade for centuries. The language of government, literature, and commerce, originally Persian became Arabic. In the eighth and the ninth centuries, Central Asia experienced a truly golden age. Bukhara became one of the leading centers of learning, culture, and art in the Muslim world, its magnificence rivaling contemporary cultural centers such as Baghdad, Cairo, and Cordoba. Some of the greatest historians, scientists, and geographers in the history of Islamic culture were natives of the region, and one of the copies of the Noble Koran is kept in Tashkent. The new Islamic spiritual and political situation in Central Asia determined a new technological and cultural progress. It marked the production of the Samarkand paper (since the 8th century under the Chinese influence the people of Samarkand learned to manufacture paper from the rags), which supplanted papyrus and parchment in the Islamic countries at the end of the 10th century. Furthermore scientists who were citizens of the Caliph brought fame to the area all over the world, generating respect across the world and many scientific achievements of the epoch made a great impact on the European science (it is enough to mention the astronomical tables of Samarkand astronomers from Ulughbek's observatory). During the comparatively peaceful era of Islamic rule, culture and the arts flourished in Central Asia. Jizya (a tax levied on non-muslims) was imposed upon all who refused to accept Islam and the Jewish historian Benjamin of Tudela noted during his travels in 1170 the existence of a Jewish community numbering 50,000 in nearby Samarkand.
A VERY ABRIDGED HISTORY OF CENTRAL ASIA
or
“FROM CONQUERORS TO COMMUNISM TO INDEPENDENCE”
2001 - US establishes military bases in southern Uzbekistan not far from Tajikistan and Manas Air Base just north of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The United States began leasing both Soviet-era bases during the run-up to the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. They are used primarily to station soldiers, refueling jets, and cargo planes. Each airfield houses roughly 1,000 U.S. troops and civilian contractors.
1991 – Independent countries reaching for democracy and individual rights. Before 1991, all borders among these ‘countries’ were open. Since 1991 and independence, all borders require visas and massive paperwork for all people. In Uzbekistan, there are even borders between provinces. Turkmenistan continues to be a tightly controlled society. Kyrgyzstan appears to be advancing toward a more democratic system with participation by the people.
1920 – 1991 The USSR brought a new political system to Central Asia – communism. After the oppressions of the Tsar, this system and the Soviets were initially applauded for bringing ‘equality’ to all peoples… everyone had food, clothing, a job, education, medical care. The infrastructure – roads, bridges – of the area was greatly improved. Most of these improvements are attributed to Lenin. However, this ‘equality ’was sustained through oppression, fear and propaganda. Stalin’s modus operandi sought the division of its people. An example is the split of Khorezm with Khiva in Uzbekistan and Konye Urgench in Turkmenistan resulting in a sizable Uzbek population within Turkmenistan. The Amu Darya River winds its way back and forth across these country’s borders. Just look at the borders between these countries and you see it was designed to cause conflict between the people of both sides.
1917 Russian Revolution – end of Tsarist Russia
19th c. The Great Game … conflicts caused by expanding British and Russian empires. The Russian Empire encompassed most of Central Asia.
16th - 18th c. Various Khans and War Lords in power
14th c – 15th c. Timur (Tamerlane) conquers Central Asia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, eastern Turkey, northern India. Builds Mosques, Madrassas, Mausoleums and many monuments. Spurt of growth in scientific efforts, e.g. Ulugbek and astronomy.
13th c. Genghis Kahn – ravaged, plundered, conquered …
9th c. Islam spreads across Central Asia and remains the predominant religion today. Al Khorezmi (Algorismi), after whom 'algorithm' is named, created algebra.
7th c. Buddhism arrives in Central Asia. Buddhist pilgrim Xuan Zang travels to Kashgar, Issyk Kul, Bishkek/Chui Valley, Tashkent, and Samarkand in search of Buddhist texts
4th c. BC Alexander the Great
With each conquering of large territories and attendant oppression, trade relations were revived and ‘The Silk Road’ flourished.
ITINERARY Fall 2011
September 6-8 Travel NY/Istanbul/Almaty
September 8 Almaty, Kazakhstan
September 9-21 Kyrgyzstan
September 21-30 Uzbekistan
September 30-October 3 Turkmenistan
October 4 Travel Ashgabat/Istanbul/NY
A huge territory encompassing 2 time zones and covering 2.7 million sq km, Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country in the world, about the size of Western Europe, stretching from Russia in the north to China in the South and the Caspian Sea in the west. It is also potentially the richest of all the Central Asian countries with huge mineral and oil reserves and the least densely populated having an ethnically mixed population of 17 million people of Kazakhs, Russians, Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Tatars, Germans and others.
Kazakhstan borders Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. For many centuries, Kazakhstan's vast steppes were home only to nomadic people and they are still virtually empty. The Kazakh, distantly related to Genghis Khan's hordes, emerged as a nationality in the 15th century. By the 17th century the Russians had arrived and in 1848 all of Kazakhstan was under the Russian rule. Fort Clay Verny was established by Russians in 1854 and later become Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan until 1997 when the new capital of Astana was built. Most settlements are concentrated in the southeast and the east of the Republic. In 20th c., Kazakhstan became part of the Soviet Union gaining independence in 1991. South Kazakhstan is a focus of Central Asian history and there are many famous monuments in the region. It is a scenically alpine region where the snow-capped peaks, multicoloured lakes and pristine glaciers of the Tien Shan mountain kingdom give way to vast steppe and desert. This is the home of abundant wildlife including almost 200 species of mammals and 480 species of birds.
Thursday, September 8, 2011 ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN
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| Russian Orthodox Church |
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| Eating apple, all dressed up! |
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Museum of Musical Instruments
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| Mosque - largest in Almaty |
After 2 days and nights of planes, airports and many time zones, I arrived in Almaty, Kazakhstan at 5:00am this morning. (Kazakhstan is 10 hours ahead of NY, 12 hours ahead of CO.) After a few hours of sleep, we were off to tour the city... museums, mosques, and parks.
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| Wide boulevards... many 'blocky' buildings built by Russians |
Had an interesting discussion with our guide, Aim. She is 23 years old and thus has little memory of life before independence in 1991. However, her parents have experienced both political structures: communism and independence - a 'free' society. Her parents view is their is good and bad in each system of government. Under communism, everyone had a job and earned money, but there were few goods to buy; they had to cue to buy bread. Under independence, there are plenty of goods and freedom to choose what education and type of job you want, but not everyone has money to buy goods and unemployment has reached 8%.
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| Cable car to Shimbulak Ski Area |
We visited the Medeo Skating Rink area where the 2011 Asia Olympic Games skating events occurred. Elevation here is 6000'... almost 3500' above the city.To protect the rink from water resulting from melting snow in the mountains, a dam was built. There is no water behind the dam in the summer.... it all dries up.
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| Lunch in Yurt at Medeo Skating Park |
We had a great lunch in a yurt.. lots of veggies. Of course, the meat in the noodle dish was horse... didn't look like horse, but...
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| Panfilov, the hero, protecting the people |
Panfilov Park in Almaty is a quiet spot on the city that commemorates Russian war heroes. Panfilov is very fierce looking ... presumably demonstrating his power!
Hotel Kazzhol is quite modern, very clean and comfortable rooms and a great buffet breakfast!
Hotel Kazzhol is quite modern, very clean and comfortable rooms and a great buffet breakfast!
KYRGYZSTAN
Kyrgyzstan is one of the last few unpolluted grounds on our planet that along with beautiful alpine nature has preserved nomadic traditions, rich heritage and cultural continuity that dates back many thousand years.
It gained independence from the Soviet Union in August, 1991 as a sovereign democratic state and lies in a region that glitters with historic figures of Alexander the Great, Tamerlane, Mogul Bobur the Lion, Marco Polo, Omar Khayam. Situated in the North-East of Central Asia it has a total area of 198.5 thousand sq. km.(twice as big as Hungary or 3 times bigger then Sri-Lanka), supporting a population of 5 million. Kyrgyzstan borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan and China.
The largest part of Kyrgyzstan is occupied by Tien Shan and Pamir Alai mountains, the highest and some of the most beautiful mountain peaks in the world. The highest being Pobeda peak (“Victory”)-7439 m., Lenin peak 7134 m. and Khan-Tengri, (“Emperor of the skies”) 6995 m. part of Tien Shan and Pamir mountain ranges. This makes it a wonderful place to go trekking, hiking and climbing. We had 6 day hikes in Kyrgyzstan and can attest to the clear air and beauty of the environment!
Over 90% of Kyrgyzstan surface area is above 1500 m, of unspoiled nature and towering mountains, which give Kyrgyzstan more than 28000 rivulets, sparkling streams and lucid brooks. There are 1923 large and small lakes in the Republic but largest and best known is Issyk-Kul lake - second largest high alpine lake in the world.
Placed along the Great Silk Road on the historic crossroads of trade and cultural exchanges between China, Iran, India and the Arabian Sea, Kyrgyzstan has become home for more than 80 nationalities and ethnic communities. Kyrgyz, Russians, Ukranian, Uzbek, Germans, Tatars, Kazakh, Uigur and Tajik among others. As a multi-natinal state Kyrgyzstan has a rich variety of languages, literature, folklore, arts, crafts, customs and communities that lend colour and variety to Kyrgyz culture. The Kyrgyz Republic firmly upholds the equality of all communities; the official languages are Russian and Kyrgyz, yet Russian forms a common language of all groups.
In Kyrgyzstan there are 4000 species of high vegetation, 500 species of animals, 335 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles, 49 species of fish and 3 species of frogs which makes it a real paradise for biological tours.
Placed along the Great Silk Road on the historic crossroads of trade and cultural exchanges between China, Iran, India and the Arabian Sea, Kyrgyzstan has become home for more than 80 nationalities and ethnic communities. Kyrgyz, Russians, Ukranian, Uzbek, Germans, Tatars, Kazakh, Uigur and Tajik among others. As a multi-natinal state Kyrgyzstan has a rich variety of languages, literature, folklore, arts, crafts, customs and communities that lend colour and variety to Kyrgyz culture. The Kyrgyz Republic firmly upholds the equality of all communities; the official languages are Russian and Kyrgyz, yet Russian forms a common language of all groups.
In Kyrgyzstan there are 4000 species of high vegetation, 500 species of animals, 335 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles, 49 species of fish and 3 species of frogs which makes it a real paradise for biological tours.
Climate
The climate in Kyrgyzstan is continental with very cold winters and particularly hot summers. It is a mountainous region with all year round snows in the high lands. One can expect sub-zero temperatures while in the mountains at any time. Once you are out of the mountains the temperature becomes much warmer. The best times to visit are May to October.
Presidential Elections October 30, 2011; Atambaev declared winner November 19
Issues include how closely to be 'tied' to Russia and Putin's planned Euarsian Union. Does Kyrgyzstan even have a choice?
On November 19, 2011, Kyrgyzstan's former Prime Minister Almazbek Atambaev was officially declared winner in a crucial presidential election held two weeks ago. Running against 15 candidates, he won nearly 63 per cent of the votes, well above the 50-per cent needed to dispense with a runoff.
The climate in Kyrgyzstan is continental with very cold winters and particularly hot summers. It is a mountainous region with all year round snows in the high lands. One can expect sub-zero temperatures while in the mountains at any time. Once you are out of the mountains the temperature becomes much warmer. The best times to visit are May to October.
Presidential Elections October 30, 2011; Atambaev declared winner November 19
Issues include how closely to be 'tied' to Russia and Putin's planned Euarsian Union. Does Kyrgyzstan even have a choice?
On November 19, 2011, Kyrgyzstan's former Prime Minister Almazbek Atambaev was officially declared winner in a crucial presidential election held two weeks ago. Running against 15 candidates, he won nearly 63 per cent of the votes, well above the 50-per cent needed to dispense with a runoff.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2011 DRIVE ALMATY TO BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN; AFTER LUNCH CITY TOUR
Approximately a 4 hour drive from Almaty (capital of Kazakhstan until Astana built in 1997) to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Quite good roads, moderate traffic except at the border. Mostly in countryside which looks somewhat like south central Colorado... a wide valley between mountain ranges, sparsely inhabited. Weather is also similar to CO, dry/low humidity, warm days and cool nights... good Fall weather!
Border crossing was complicated by an error in the Kazakh Visa of one of our party; they did not want her to leave the country. Fortunately our guide, Alexandra was able to sort it out. Kyrgyzstan was happy to welcome us and we were on our way!
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| Girls in Almaty |
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| Ping Pong in Park |
After lunch in a lovely restaurant in Bishkek, we did the obligatory city tour-- museums, universities,... the University is separated by a park and long walkway "Youth Walk", lots of young people-- many greeted us! The Kyrgyz people are very good looking... some more Russian, some more Mongolian, slim and stylish.
Philharmonic Hall is in this complex also. We bought tickets for Saturday evening's performance of Rosa Amahova, the most popular singer who plays the Komuz, Kyrgyzstan's national instrument.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 HIKE ALA ARCHA GORGE
Beautiful mountains and valleys are within 45 minutes of the city of Bishkek.
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| Penstemon |
Today we hiked in Ala Archa Gorge... beautiful clear day, quite well maintained trail, fairly steep climb, great views. My knee did moderately well... obviously still healing!
Tonight we went to the Kyrgyz Philharmonic and experienced Rosa Amahova, her marvelous voice, her Komuz, and her ensemble of singers, dancers and string orchestra. Wish we could have understood what she was saying!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011 HIKE IN ALAMEDIN GORGE
What a glorious day! Blue skies, cool temperatures, although very warm in sun, and a cool breeze... perfect for a hike in the mountains!
My knee did better today than yesterday, perhaps because of less climbing. Of course, I attribute it to the healing process... The challenge of the day was crossing the raging Alamedin river on a wobbly, metal bridge! The highlight was simply the beauty of the mountains and the glaciers that remain in the high peaks. Most fun was the herd of sheep that wandered by.
We are at ~7000' elevation.
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| Hiking into gorge |
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| Crossing wobbly, metal bridge |
FOOD
I have been very pleased to find great food including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables! Lining the road, as we left the Alamedin Gorge to return to Bishkek, were boxes of fresh picked apples in front of many houses. We stopped and bought 2 kg for about $1.
Breakfast is our biggest meal of the day... eggs, fresh vegetables, all kinds of stuffed 'breads', great coffee. Today I took a hard boiled egg and a yoghurt which became dinner - along with half of yesterday's snickers bar.
Lunch today was billed as 'boxed lunch' since we were hiking. What a surprise to have a really good rice pilaf with beef and carrots topped with fresh tomatoes and cucumber...and a banana!
ASIA MOUNTAIN HOTEL, BISHKEK
A 10 minute drive from downtown Bishkek, the Asia Mountain Hotel is a very nice small hotel ... in suite bath rooms, TV, free wireless, very clean, nicely appointed. And, the beer was very cold when we returned from hiking!
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2011 TRANSFER TO LAKE ISSY-KUL, 2ND LARGEST ALPINE LAKE IN WORLD (Largest alpine lake in the world is? Lake Titicaca, Peru & Bolivia)
While the day was spent driving from Bishkek to the southern shore of Lake Issy Kul, we stopped at the remains of the ancient site of Balasagyn, now a museum, hiked in Fairy Tale Valley and on to Tamga for the night.
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| Burana Tower |
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| Sue with balbal/gravestone of Turkic warrior |
The city of Balasagyn, established in the 10th c. on the site of an older settlement, was a major city on the Silk Road. The Burana Tower is all that remains of Balasagyn and is believed to be the remains of a minaret of a mosque. Archaeologists have discovered artifacts from earlier civilizations on this site, including the remains of a statue of Buddha a lotus stone and remains of mausoleums. The site is now a museum and includes a collection of balbals, gravestones of nomadic Turkic warriors dating to the 6th c., and petroglyphs dating from the 2nd c. These balbals and petroglyphs were found throughout the Chui valley and placed here. (UNESCO)
Horse Games … a group of 6 men on horseback performed several games for us... like wrestling on horseback!
Lunch was prepared for us and served in a yurt on the museum grounds: salad, fresh plain yoghurt, fresh picked strawberries, noodles with meat dish.
We continued driving several hours to Issyk Kul lake… 2nd largest alpine lake in the world. Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia is #1. Issyk Kul, 180 km long and 70 km wide, is surrounded by ranges of the Tien Shan mountains. To the west and over the mountains via Torugart Pass is Kashgar, China. On the south shore of the lake is Fairy Tale Valley, reminiscent of Utah’s rock formations and Cappadocia, Turkey. |
| Fairy Tale Valley, Issy Kul, Kyrgyzstan |
Dinner and overnight at the Tamga Guest House, a simple and clean place. A vegetable soup for dinner was very good.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 HIKING IN JETI OGUZ GORGE
Maybe I should just post all of my photos today, but none really show the beauty of this gorge and the hike to the waterfall!
Even the drive (along the Silk Road!) was interesting. In contrast to the stylish, contemporary look of the people in the capital city, Bishkek, people in the country are more traditional... how they live, how they dress.
Even the drive (along the Silk Road!) was interesting. In contrast to the stylish, contemporary look of the people in the capital city, Bishkek, people in the country are more traditional... how they live, how they dress.
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| Road side Kyrgyz village; Russian car; Kyrgyz locals |
Our group is standing in front of a rock formation called the seven oxen.
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| Alexandra picks pyrocanthus berries |
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| Travel companions |
Did you know that the orange berries on the Pyrocanthus bush are full of vitamins? Alexandra plucked berries out of car window for us...
Our hike was up into a water fall in the Jeti Oguz Gorge... about 3 hrs round trip. View were spectacular and photos do not do it justice, but...
Sanjar, 14 year old boy, joined us on his horse. He and I had a very limited conversation exchanging names and lots of smiles. He offered me a ride on his horse, Al Karerra.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 KARAKOL-ALTUN ARASHAN-KARAKOL
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| Special Truck - retired Russian military |
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| The 'Road' ... walking - relief from bouncing! |
After a hearty breakfast, we left the Amir Hotel in a ‘special truck’ for a ‘sightseeing’ drive to Altyn Arashan – a spa and hiking venue. OK! ‘Special truck’ is a retired Russian military vehicle than can navigate any road conditions. ‘Road’ - that is quite an expanded use of the word. We spent 1.5 hours to cover 12 miles or average 8 mph. The road was a combination of boulders, ruts, roots, switchbacks… and fortunately this special truck negotiated it all as we drove up through the gorge bucking and weaving the entire way!
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| Arashan Gorge |
Today’s hike was up into the gorge to a glacier-fed lake. Unfortunately, my knee did not permit me to go very far, but 3 of the group made it to the top, so I will share their photos with you. (When I get them!)
I returned to the ‘spa’ and relaxed… sat for a while in hot pool, read…
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 KARAKOL – SEMENOVSKOE GORGE – MERIDIAN
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| Russian Orthodox Church |
An early start to visit a Russian Orthodox Church –beautiful wood structure– a Mosque in the style of a Chinese pagoda and the Prezhevalsky museum.
Then a drive to Semenovskoe Gorge for hiking. About one hour into hike, it started to rain so down we came.
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| Setting out for Semenovskoe Gorge ... |
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| Sunset over Lake Issyk Kul @ Meridian |
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011 Meridian – Cholpon-Ata (petroglyphs from 7th c. BC)
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| Russian/Kyrgyz family having lunch at Hawaii Restaurant. |
Cholpon Ata… open air museum with petroglyphs looks like field of boulders.These petroglyphs have mostly been dated to the period 700BC to 300BC, and depict animals with which the denizens of the region would have been familiar, such as ibex, wolves, goats and horses. |
| Large carvings of Ibex form this petroglyph |
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 FLY BISHKEK TO OSH; VISIT UZGEN
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| LENIN |
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KURMANJAN, Queen of Osh,
remembering 200th anniversary
of her birth1n 1811
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Osh, an ancient town on the Silk Road, celebrated its 3,000 year anniversary a few years ago. The architecture of the town is completely different from that of Bishkek, as there are far fewer Soviet buildings, and most houses are small handmade affairs, mainly in the Uzbek style with wooden ornamentation. The only element which the town has in common with Bishkek are the tree-lined boulevards and parks…built during Soviet times. Both cities have statues of Lenin, who in the early stage of the Soviet Union brought substantial medical and education facilities to Kyrgyzstan as well as basic infrastructure - roads, bridges, water. He remains a 'hero' to these people.
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| Kyrgyz and Uzbek Mothers crying over 2010 conflict |
Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, and is reputedly 3,000 years old. Archaeologists have found artifacts dating back to the fifth century B.C. There are several legends about the origin of the city - including claims to having been founded by Solomon or Alexander the Great.Its position at a crossroads along the ancient trading routes that became known as the Great Silk Road almost guaranteed that it would become a major settlement. In the period between the 10th and the 12th centuries it was the third largest city in the Ferghana Valley, and in 1762 it joined the Khanate of Kokand and became one of the six trading centers of the Khanate. Assimilated into Tsarist Russia in the 19th century, the city expanded onto the left bank of the river and European style houses started to appear.
The mountain ranges that crisscross the country effectively divide the North from the South; many say that the Kyrgyz in the South are quite different from those in the North - more independent and proud than those of the 'Russified Northerners'. Our brief interaction with people from Bishkek in the North and Osh in the South agrees with this perspective. This greatly 'colors' their perspective on the pros and cons of independence from the Soviet Union.
There are really only two North-South routes - the main Bishkek-Osh road, and the Bishkek-Torugart road. This proximity of the city to the Uzbek border and the large number of ethnic Uzbeks in the local population means that often this area is more attuned to its neighbor than to Kyrgyzstan itself. The differences between the two nationalities came to a head in 1990, when riots in a village not far from the city left over 300 dead, many more injured, and caused considerable damage to property.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2011 MUSEUM, SULEMAIN (SOLOMON) MOUNTAIN, UZGEN, OSH BAZAAR
The Ak-Buura River runs through the city from North to South, and to the west is Sulaiman Too ("Solomon's mountain"), which dominates the city. Some Muslims consider it sacred and make a pilgrimage to the site where Muhammad is supposed to have once prayed. For some reason (in profile some people think it resembles a pregnant woman) it is also revered by many women who have been unable to bear children.
At the top of a short 20 minute climb is a flagpole, and a mosque built in 1497 by the 14 year old Bobur, who had been King of the Ferghana Valley; he later went on to become the founder of the Mogul dynasty in India; the mosque was destroyed and rebuilt twice, and is another center for pilgrimage. There is also a small archaeological-cultural museum here, with many ancient artifacts discovered in the city environs.
An historical-ethnographic museum called the Great Silk Road Museum, on Kurmanjan Datka, has well crafted exhibitions which focus on South Kyrgyzstan and cover the Silk Road days; Kyrgyz immigration from southern Siberia; the Kokand Khanate; Russian annexation in 1865 and the Bolshevik takeover from 1917. One interesting exhibit is a map dating from 1953 which shows the different Kyrgyz tribes and clans.
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| Holds dishes in Yurt |
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| Great Granddaughter of Kurmanjan has museum in a 3 story yurt |
In the city is a statue of Kurmanjan Dakta ("Queen of the South") who opposed Russian expansion in the region and is featured on the 50 Som note. Her Great Granddaughter has developed a museum in a three story yurt to display life in when Kurmanjan was Queen of Osh 1862 - 1907.
Osh is especially famous for its bazaar, which is about 2,000 years old and has existed at the same location on the banks of the Syr Darya river since its creation. There you can find practically anything, from the vegetables, fruits and nuts the Ferghana valley is so famous for, to meat, clothes, household goods, souvenirs and so on. Just wander around and see what you find!
The main sight of the town is Suleiman Mountain, the mountain or throne of Solomon. There are several legends told around town, which are best listened to when walking up the narrow path. On the way, you pass the Historical Museum, which was built in Soviet times (and looks it), where you may learn of the region's religious practices before the arrival of Islam, and also about its wildlife and traditional dress.
Descending and turning to the left, you come to a mosque from the 16th century, the mosque of Rabat Abdullah Khan, which is one of the main mosques, and sees about 1,000 regular visitors.
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| Detail brick work Uzgen Minaret |
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| Uzgen Minaret |
UZGEN
Mausoleum and Minaret remain on this 11th c. - 12th c. site. Bride and Groom visited on their wedding day; had their photo taken with us! An hour from Osh in a rural area.
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| Door to Mausoleum |
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| Mausoleum of Father and Two Sons |
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| Posing with Bride and Groom! |
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 OSH TO KOJO-KELEN VILLAGE, SABYR'S GUEST HOUSE, HIKING INTO GORGE
After a 3 1/2 hour drive from Osh, we arrived at the beautiful valley and village of Kojo-Kelen. Known in Kyrgyzstan for trekking, it is little know as a tourist destination... in fact, it is not mentioned in the latest Lonely Planet on Central Asia. How fortunate we are that our travel company, Dostuck-Trekking, has given us two days and one night here!
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| Sabyr's Guest House - simple, clean , friendly, great food |
We stayed at Sabyr's Guest House... simple, clean and great food. We all 'lived' in one room where we ate meals. After dinner (plov/pilaf with lamb, tomato salad, fresh baked bread, tea, watermelon) room was converted for sleeping.... comforters as 'mattresses' and as covers. Quite cozy!
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| Hike start -- pass homes, below rock mass, up into gorge |
Our afternoon hike was into a beautiful gorge to a waterfall... trail continuously climbed with ups and downs until the last push to the waterfall. We did get some rain on the way down which made trail muddy and slippery but, no mishaps.
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Dinner - Plov with Lamb, tomato salad,
tea, watermelon
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| Cozy sleeping! |
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 MORNING HIKE IN KOJO-KELEN, LUNCH AT SABYR'S, RETURN TO OSH
After a hearty breakfast, we set off in van to drive up to Jailoo, summer pasture for livestock. However, driving up the running, rocky river was too much for the van so Plan B was implemented - hike. It was our pleasure to spend the next 3 hours hiking into another beautiful gorge.
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| Kojo Kellen hiking |
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| Lunch, soup and dumplings |
After a wonderful lunch of soup and dumplings (stuffed with potatoes, onions and cabbage) and watermelon, we packed up the car and returned to Osh. I must admit it is nice to return to 'en suite' bathrooms and to wash our dirty clothes. Dinner tonight was yoghurt, nuts and beer... we were sufficiently full from the last days meals that we are unable to eat the beautiful apples we bought (2 for $.30)... freshly picked, too!
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| Yesterday's rain brought snow to the high mountains |
PEOPLE OF KYRGYZSTAN
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| Elaine gave boys stickers |
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| Seller in Bazaar |
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| Boys visiting monument |
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| 10th grade girls on lunch break |
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| Men in Bazaar |
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| Every Kyrgyz boy (person) has a horse |
UZBEKISTAN
Located at the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan was a key link on the Great Silk Road connecting China with Western Europe. The legendary cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva were powerful states, important trade centers where architecture, arts and agriculture were highly developed. This oriental country associating with names of such a great scientists, philosophers, potentates, writers like Ibn-Sina (Aviccena), Buruni, Alisher Navoi, Ulugbek (Timur’s grandson and famous astronomer) Bobur the Lion, Tamerlane (Timur the Great).
Uzbekistan's golden age was under Timur in the 14th c. Ruling an empire stretching from Turkey to China, he made Samarkand his capital and left a breathtaking architectural legacy including mosques, madrassas and the majestic Registan Square. Today, the capital is Tashkent. According to Uzbek history, Timur revived the Silk Road, establishing trade and cultural relations across his territory. He built irrigation systems and education-science centers (madrassas).
Supporting a population of 29 million people (2011), Uzbekistan borders Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Main religion is Islam; official language is Uzbek yet Russian forms a common language of all groups. Uzbekistan is a country with well-developed industry, producing airplanes, cars, buses, textile and cotton machines, refrigerators, oil and natural gas refineries and unfortunately the resulting air pollution.
Government Under the 1992 constitution, the supreme legislative body is the 250-seat Oly Majlis. Executive power rests with the elected president. The day-to-day running of the country is carried out by the Cabinet of Ministers. Karimov has been President since 1991; he had been leader of the Communist Party prior to independence. According to press reports, he rules with tight controls. The operative word regarding individual freedoms in Uzbekistan is 'changing'. We were surprised to learn that GM is building cars in Uzbekistan.
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| GM has factory in Uzbekistan building Chevrolet |
Climate
The climate in Uzbekistan is continental like all over the Central Asia, with cold winters (-2-3 C) and very hot summers (up to +49 C). The best times to visit are April, May and early June and again September and October. The hottest days are between about 15th July to 20th August and during this time temperatures can reach 38 degrees centigrade, but the evenings cool down considerably.
State flag (Adopted on 18th of November, 1991) 1. The blue color of the flag symbolizes blue, peaceful sky and water as the main life source. Generally blue color means kindness, chastity, honesty, glory and faithfulness.
State flag (Adopted on 18th of November, 1991) 1. The blue color of the flag symbolizes blue, peaceful sky and water as the main life source. Generally blue color means kindness, chastity, honesty, glory and faithfulness.
2. The white color of the flag is the traditional symbol of peace. It is the harmony with daylight and heavenly bodies. This color symbolizes purity of high morals and deeds.3. Green is a color of Islam and the revival of nature, also symbolizes youth and hope.4. 2 red lines on the flag symbolize life.5. Half-moon is one of the symbols of Islam and also associates with historical traditions of Uzbekistan.6. There are 12 stars on the state flag, symbolizing 12 Uzbekistan regions.
National emblem (Adopted on 2nd July, 1992)
Expresses the sun rising over the flourishing valley surrounded by wreath of wheatears on the right and twigs of cotton plants with opened cotton balls on the left. There is an eight-pointed star above all, which symbolizes the consolidation and unity of Uzbekistan. The Half Moon and a star situated inside are Islam's sacred symbols. The legendary "Humo bird" (which means Bird of happiness) with extended wings in the center of the emblem is the symbol of national rebirth.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 Kyrgyz/Uzbek Border Crossing, Margilan Silk Factory
Departing Kyrgyzstan and entering Uzbekistan took almost all morning… about 1/2 hour to leave Kyrgyzstan and more than 2 hours for 6 of us to enter Uzbekistan! Our passports were checked at least 4 times, each requiring a manual entry. Admittedly, this ‘thoroughness’ was handled in quite a good humored way by all officials. No photos here; I want to make it safely across the border!
We were met by our Uzbekistan Guide, Gulya – wow! what a high energy woman speaking excellent English. Gulya had been guide to Hilary Clinton’s when she was First Lady and to Madeline Albrignt, when Secretary of State.
An hour drive to Margilan in the beautiful Fergana Valley brought us to our hotel; Club 777… built in 2002 as a private, joint venture of Uzbek business people, lovely, comfortable, clean, beautiful garden and pool – what a pleasant surprise. The drive from the border was on well paved roads, wide boulevards, passing several GM Chevrolet dealers and, in general, looking prosperous. Grape vines in fields and near individual homes.
After a lunch of delicious melon, peaches, grapes, we visited a silk factory, one of two in the country. My shopping begins.
I bought a jacket and scarf that will form the base of my outfit for Susie and Rick Grossman’s 50th wedding anniversary party!
Dinner in restaurant… shish kebabs – lamb + chicken, tomato salad, French fries and red wine – all for $8!
Thursday, September 22, 2011 Rishtan (pottery center), Kokand, drive to Tashkent
One of the three major pottery centers in Uzbekistan is in Rishtan. We visited this workshop, received an explanation of the process and shopped. Since the glaze contains 5% lead, this pottery should not be used for hot food. However, it is very beautiful!
In Kokand, ancient city in the Fergana Valley, we visited the Khudoyar-khan palace, now a museum. The paintings (see top of column on left) and tile work, while new, are reproduced to their original colors and shapes. Columns are made from elm trees .. many carved. This wok is performed by very skilled craftsmen.
Young man is cutting halvah... really good and, oddly, not too sweet!
The Uzbek people are incredibly friendly and love to have their pictures taken with us. Here I am with a brother and sister. As you can see, they are very good looking people. Most young men are very tall.
Driving to Tashkent, we drove across the steppes and crossed a mountain pass. At top of pass, two young girls rested, played with stones and talked on their cell phones.
We passed many cotton fields, with workers picking cotton. These workers are students who are ‘required’ to spend one–two months picking cotton – their responsibility to the state. This work ensures them a place in school. Other students are sweeping walks in various monuments, weeding the grass.
While many changes are underway in Uzbekistan that give freedom to individuals, many customs from Soviet times remain. Among the major freedoms are private ownership of businesses and homes.
Hotel Raddus JSS appeared to be from Soviet times, but, in fact, was built in 2005 by a private joint venture. While the exterior of the building looks substantial, the interior furnishings were fairly poor. Putting my towel on the towel rack resulted in the rack collapsing into its piece parts!
Dinner was great – at the Turkish restaurant, Dervish. Lamb with pomegranate sauce was a treat… and the beer as very good.
Friday, September 23, 2011 Tashkent Sightseeing – Barak-Khan Madrassa, Museum of Applied Art, Bazaar, Independence Square- five hour Drive to Samarkand
The Barak-Khan Madrassa is a large complex which includes many schools and was built in the 1st c. In the religious library, the Koran of Osman, written on deer ski in the 7th c. This Koran is housed in a large, air controlled display case provided by UNESCO.
The Museum of Applied Art was a treat.
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| Almost looks Navajo! |
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| Ikat Fabrics silk, cotton and silk |
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| Silk Rug -- love to have this at home |
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| Office of President |
Independence Square in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, is home to the office of the President, a WW II Memorial and a monument commemorating independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
 WW II Memorial | ||
Tashkent Bazaar … cleanest bazaar we have seen anywhere! Fruits – fresh and dried, vegetables, honey, jewelry… and brooms. Elaine has been collecting brooms from all around the world… now she has one from Uzbekistan! We bought dried apricots, cracked walnuts, pears and a potato ‘pastry’ for lunch.
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Saturday, September 24, 2011 SAMARKAND (Ulugbek's Observatory)
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| Registan at night |
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| Ulugbek's Madrassa @ Registan |
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| Interior Tillya-Kori Mosque @ Registan |
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| Uzbek Women @ Registan |
Constructed in the 15thc - 17thc, the REGISTAN was the commercial center of Samarkand. The square is bordered on three sides by huge madrassas covered in majolica, blue/green mosaics, and paintings. The madrassa on the west side was built by Ulugbek, famous astronomer and Timur’s grandson. The building included lecture halls, dormitory for 100 students and a mosque. Ulugbek taught mathematics, theology, astronomy and philosophy here. Of special interest was our visit to Ulugbek's Observatory. Buzz Aldrin, first man on the moon in 1969, landed in crater named for Akhmad Fargoniy, Uzbek astronomer and paid homage to Ulugbek.
 Minor planets named for Uzbekistan |
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| Buzz Aldrin, First Man on the Moon, photo in museum at Ulugbek's Observatory |
Sunday, September 25, 2011 Drive Samarkand to Bukhara (~ 5 hours); stop Shakhrisabv
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| Women dance in local restaurant! |
We continue our drive across Uzbekistan today heading for Bukhara with a stop in Shakhrisabv to see Timur’s palace and many magnificent monuments. Since it is Sunday, many brides and grooms were paying homage to Timur by visiting these monuments with their families and wedding parties – very festive.
Uzbekistan has much industry. Not only does it produce lots of cotton, there is natural gas and oil.
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| Village along the way |
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| Used car sales |
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| Circumcised boys 5 - 7 years old |
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| Girls at Timur's monument |
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| Natural Gas Plant |
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| Housing near natural gas plant |
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| Oil Refinery |
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| Timur's Family Mausoleum |
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| Door to Mausoleum |
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| Traveling along the steppes |
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| Throngs worship Timur, including wedding parties |
Monday,
September 26, 2011 BUKHARA
Breakfast at Hotel Fatima was abundant and excellent! Bread, sweet rolls, cake, cottage cheese, yoghurt, stewed plums, fresh fruit, fried egg, sausage, coffee and tea, fresh butter… It is good that we are only eating two meals per day – breakfast and dinner.
Our touring today was on foot starting at the 9th – 10th c. all brick mausoleum of Samoniy, a Persian. Job’s Well dates to the 12th c. – undoubtedly has nothing to do with biblical Job who lived in the 4th c. and never visited Uzbekistan!
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| Brickwork detail |
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| Kalon Complex, Bukhara |
The Bolo Khaus built in the 18th c, with 20 wood pillars made from elm trees, is an active mosque today.
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| Interior, Bolo Khaus |
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| Bolo Khaus, active mosque |
The Ark, a 6th c.–7th c. fortress, housing a ‘Friday’ mosque built in the 18th c., a greeting house and coronation hall was home to the Emirs of Bukhara for a milennium, is now a multitude of shops and a history museum.
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| Exterior, 7th c. Fortress, 20th c. Emir's Palace |
Walking on the ‘Silk Road’, we visited the Kalon, a large complex of buildings which include an active Mosque, a Madrassa which teaches religion at the college level, and the Minaret of Bukhara.
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| Would have liked to buy this silk rug! |
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 BUKHARA
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| Elaine and Uzbek woman her size! |
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| Entrance to Sufi Center |
Sufi Religious Center… built in 11th c. in honor of Bakhoudin Nakshband, philosopher who preached on how to live. Sufism refers to Muslim mysticism and mystics.
Summer Palace of the last Emir of Bukhara built by Russians in ‘European’ style early in 20th c….’stuff’ from all over world.
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| Emir of Bukhara |
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| Paintings, Reception Hall |
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| Venetian glass mirror |
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| Faience Bowl |
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| Palace of Emir of Bukhara |
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 Drive Bukhara to Khiva
Completing our drive across Uzbekistan, we spent 8 hours traversing the Kyzylkum desert... dirt, sand, road and bridges under construction.
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| Tie up your camel while you work |
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| Views along road in desert |
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| Bridge between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan - blocked at both ends |
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| Road is dirt in many places... |
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| But, will be finished in 2014! |
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| Bridge over Oxus River - not complete |
The long drive gave us an opportunity to discuss many subjects with our guide.
SALINITY … a serious problem in western Uzbekistan (and Turkmenistan) including Bukhara and Khiva is the high degree of salt in the water. The salt makes the water not potable and water used in agriculture goes through a ‘collection’ process which removes some of the salt from the water before it is used for irrigation. Salinity has been a reality here for centuries. The problem was exacerbated during Soviet times (1920 – 1991) by the expansion of the cotton industry in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan which resulted in the near extinction of the Aral Sea. Many monuments we visited are coated in salt which is in the water table seeping into the bricks and tiles.
SOVIET TIMES (1920 – 1991) Our guide (now mid-forties) described her experience growing up in a village near Bukhara during ‘Soviet times‘. The family had basic food (flour, macaroni, bread), health care, education for all children, clothes – same for everyone … all provided by the state. This was the first political system in Central Asia that permitted girls to be educated. No one went hungry and everyone had a job, however menial and determined by the state. However, any form of individuality was not allowed. She was taught that ‘America was a terrible country… How lucky she was to live in the Soviet Union…’ Tom Bissell, in his book “Chasing the Sea” tells similar stories as told to him by many in Uzbekistan. Following WW II when US and Russia were allies, there was a ‘Cold War’ between the US and Russia.
INDEPENDENCE 1991 ... Since independence in 1991, there are many changes. The people are encouraged to be entrepreneurs, all wear colorful clothes; in the cities, young men and women are very stylish in their dress. In the rural areas, dress is much more traditional. Most children study English in school. Everyone has a cell phone, few students are studying ‘abroad’, some in Europe and the U.S., and they are very open and friendly.
Thursday, September 29, 2011 KHIVA, Uzbekistan
Khiva and its province Khorezm have been home to people since Neolithic times… location, location, location or water and sun… this location has been occupied for millennia.
Khiva is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 18th c., as many as 30,000 people lived within the walls of the old city; in 2011, ~3000 people live within the walls and it functions primarily as a museum.
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| Entry into fortress |
This ‘fortress’ contains mosques, madrassas, shops and an Hotel and gives one an idea of life many centuries ago. At the entry to the fortress is a statue of Al Khorezmi or Agorizmi who created the concept of an algorithm and algebra.
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| Al Khorezmi or Algorismi, creater of algebra |
Khorezm in the 10th–14th c. had its capital in Konye-Urgench, in present day Turkmenistan. This division of Khiva and Konye-Urgench gives the idea of how meaningless the borders are… politicians (Khans, Emirs, Presidents, Tsars…) create borders to suit their purposes. Current country borders in Central Asia were drawn during Soviet times. Stalin and Lenin purposely created borders to separate members of the same tribe ensuring ongoing conflict.
TURKMENISTAN
The fourth and final “Stan” in our tour of Central Asia is Turkmenistan. Achieving independence from the USSR in October 1991, the first President was Saparmurat Niyazov, who had been Head of the Communist Party in Turkmenistan since 1985. Niyazov created a personality cult requiring that all call him Turkmenbashi”leader of the Turkmen”. He built many statues and monuments to himself! Among his creations is the ‘White City” of Ashgabat – all buildings built of white marble. Turkmenbashi died of a heart attack in 2007. The current President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, was ‘elected’ with 90% of the popular vote and continues the tight security and media control of his predecessor. In addition, his photograph is everywhere. Turkmenistan has little/no internet and many sites are blocked. By the way, the Turkmen like long names!
Turkmenistan has declared itself to be a neutral state in the world military scene. Although Turkmenistan borders Iran and Afghanistan, it has kept radical Islam out of the country. We were told that it is likely that our hotel rooms were bugged.
Our guide, Maksat, and driver Almurad were excellent. This is good, since tourists are not allowed to travel independently without a guide! In the smaller villages, however, we were free to walk around without supervision.
Although independent from the Soviet Union for 20 years, Turkmenistan’s political structure remains tightly controlled from the top.
In late September, the temperatures climb to more than 100 degrees F. in midday and few people are outside in Ashgabat. In this capital city, everything is air conditioned and spotlessly clean. The only people we saw outside during the day were women cleaning streets and monuments and police guarding everything. In the villages there is much more activity day and night. There is little/no humidity so the temperatures moderate considerably when the sun goes down.
90% of the country is occupied by the Karakum Desert. The devastation of the Aral Sea has, over time, caused the desert to increase. The Kopet Dag mountains form a natural border with Iran.
Sufficiently rich in oil and natural gas, residents of Turkmenistan get their fuel free! Actually, each driver receives a coupon for 1000 liters of fuel every 6 months. When the coupon runs out, they pay approximately $1 for 4 liters of fuel.
Friday, September 30, 2011 Transfer to TURKMENISTAN; Sightseeing in Konye Urgench; fly to Ashgabat
Crossing borders in Central Asia is a process! We departed hotel in Khiva at 800am and arrived at Uzbekistan border before 900am when they opened for business. We waited. Once open, it took less than an hour for 6 of us to go through the leaving process. Fortunately our Uzbek Guide helped us. Completing paperwork, we ensured that everything matched the paperwork we did when we entered UZ; of course reduced by the money we had spent. Passing through a total of 4 Passport check points, we took a minivan ($1 each) across a ¼ mile of ‘no man’s land’ to the Turkmenistan border. Fortunately, our Turkmen Guide, Maksat, greeted us and led the 2 hour process of entering Turkmenistan! Overall, it took about 3 hours to cross from Uzbekistan into Turkmenistan. No photos permitted…
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| Mausoleum dome - original painting and tiles |
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| Mausoleum exterior- original tiles |
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| 12th c. Mausoleum - not restored |
Lunch in Dashoguz (border city) was followed by a 1½ hour drive to Konye Urgench, an Islamic religious site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. It is believed that a city was on this site as early as 6th c. BC because of water available from the Amu Darya River. Konye Urgench was on a Silk Road route that ran around the top of the Caspian Sea.
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| Sultan Tekesh's Mausoleum - under restoration |
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| Brick work details of minaret |
Having been destroyed by Genghis Kahn in the 13th c., the city was rebuilt only to be destroyed again by Timur in the 14th c. In the 15th c. and 16th c., the city was revived. However, following an earthquake in 1646, the Amu Darya changed course and the site of Konye Urgench was no longer of interest. I tell the story Konye Urgench as it represents so much of Central Asia’s history.
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| Walking under prayer sticks |
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| Nisa |
NISA – UNESCO World Heritage Site… was capital of the ancient Parhtian empire in 3rd c. BC. Reconstruction is in process with team of Turkmen and Italian archaeologists.
After returning to Dashoguz (1½ hour drive) and having dinner, we headed for the airport and a 10:50pm flight to Ashgabat… the only flight of the day. We arrived at the Grand Turkmen Hotel at 12:30am… a really nice way to end a long day.
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| Poster in Dashoguz Airport - Turkmenistan is the center of the world! |
Saturday, October 1, 2011 ASHGABAT, Capital of Turkmenistan
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| Sue and Elaine Independence Square, Ashgabat |
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| Ashgabat, Capital of Turkmenistan - its all white marble! |
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| Columns of white marble apartment houses |
Would you believe a city where all the buildings are made of white marble?
The first President has left his imprint through many projects including declaring the rebuilding of Ashgabat, the capital city, with all buildings required to be built of white marble and be ‘very clean and safe’. Today, rebuilding continues and the government buildings, hotels, residences are all large structures built of white marble. Even in outlying villages, white marble is the material used for new Government buildings!
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| Largest Mosque in Turkmenistan |
Among the monuments we visited is Central Asia’s largest Mosque which can accommodate 20,000 people and a 400 car underground parking garage. Turkmenbashi (first President of independent Turkmenistan) built the Mosque as a memorial to the 160,000 people who died in the 1948 earthquake.
Sunday October 2 and Monday, October 3, 2011 Drive from Ashgabat to Mary and the ancient city of Merv, World Heritage site and return
Breaking up our all day, 350km drive to Mary, we made several stops:
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| ANAU |
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| Boys visiting ANAU |
ANAU- ancient city with mosque with unusual animal motif in tiles. Boys asked to have their photo taken.
ABIVERD, 1st c. BC, on Silk Road between Iran and Turkmenistan, was abandoned in 19th c. when the Bolsheviks forced the citizens to leave their city and move to a ‘collective’.
Villages beyond Ashgabat not white marble. Road in quite poor condition making it difficult to read, so we dozed and watched the scenery… small villages, steppes and desert-like conditions, very dry.
NADIR SHAH Fortress -- built in the 18th c. north of the Kopet Dag mountains which now form a natural border between Turkmenistan and Iran.
Reaching Mary, we observed new Government buildings in white marble! On October 22, 2011 the President is visiting Merv, so roads are being repaired, buildings being cleaned … preparations have been going on for months!
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| Women visiting Mosque in Merv |
MERV… consisted of five cities initially inhabited 4000 years ago. Merv is believed to be the world's most populous city in the 12th century.
The 6th c. AD fortress with corrugated walls is unique. Believe me, we have seen the remains of many fortresses, this is unique!
Sultan Sanjar's Mausoleum in Merv with and without tree to hide stairs
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| Boys in Mary market |
To provide access to the upper loft of the restored Sultan Sanjar’s mausoleum, a metal staircase encased in a metal frame was built on the exterior of this otherwise brick structure. Since the staircase is quite ugly, a tree was planted about 50’ in front of the monument positioned so that one can take a photo without seeing the stairs!
Completing our tour of Merv, we drove back to Ashgabat for a quick sleep and preparation to return home.
One mistake we made in planning this itinerary was to drive both ways between Ashgabat and Mary/Merv when airfare is $17/person. Although the road is rough, it is important to drive one way to gain some understanding how most of the people live. And, if we had not driven, we would not have seen this hat display on side of road prepared by an enterprising sheep herder!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 Travel Ashgabat/Istanbul 5 hours – Istanbul/New York 10 hours + airport wait/layover time = 19 hours in transit!
With all on-time flights and a brief layover in Istanbul airport, we returned to New York. Turkish Airlines did a great job, especially the food – amazingly good. Of course, it may have tasted so good in comparison to the ‘fair’ food we had during most of the last month!
REFLECTIONS
As we ponder this most interesting journey, we realize all the misconceptions we had about this corner of the world. While many villages appear to be quite poor, the cities appear to be thriving. The sophisticated and educated societies of past generations is becoming apparent. With the exception of Turkmenistan, the internet is readily available and young people in their 20’s are growing up with little/no experience of ‘Soviet times’ and with eyes and ears to the wider world.
Our history lessons had taught us all the horrors of communism and the Soviet Union without the knowledge of any upside to this political system. It did level the playing field bringing education, health care and jobs to all. On the down side, the state-focused society destroyed individual creativity and desires to achieve. In many ways, mediocrity was the result. Attempts to stray from the system resulted in severe, often very severe, punishments. Perhaps it is the men who managed the system that created the abuses? Again the conflict of theory vs. implementation!
Central Asia’s history is a series of conquests with attendant destruction and oppression followed by periods of growth and prosperity followed by destruction and oppression … Perhaps, their new status as independent countries playing on the world stage with massive natural resources foretells a bright future.
In Central Asia, UNESCO has named many World Heritage Sites. According to UNESCO, "For the ex-Soviet republics, this whole question of their cultural identity and their cultural heritage is a really important one. In many ways, they were cut off from their past in Soviet times."
"The Central Asian ex-Soviet republics remained completely isolated and cut off for more than a hundred years, and now that they're opening up again, they're as interested to see people coming from America and from Japan and from Australia as the people in those countries are to go and actually visit them," he adds. "So there's an economic potential there, but there's also a real potential for genuine human understanding and interchange."
The people, young and old, we came into contact with either as guides, walking on the street, in shops, mosques,... were very friendly everywhere. "Hi" "Hello" "Hello, How are you?" "Where from?" were common greetings, especially from children who are now learning English in school. Frequently, we noticed someone surreptitiously taking our photo with their cell phone! How great - since we were doing the same thing! Frequently when we asked if we could take their picture, they asked if they could have a picture with us.
Overall, we are very pleased with our itinerary and all the research and planning that Elaine and I did with help from Dostuck-Trekking in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Our planning spanned more than two years including postponing the trip when the Kyrgyz government was overthrown in Spring 2010. Traveling in Fall 2011 coincides with each country's preparations to celebrate 20 years of independence.
Our trip might aptly be named “Six Ms”
Mosques,
Mausoleums,
Minarets,
Museums,
Markets and
Mountains...
the history and culture of Central Asia is told in the many monuments from ancient times to the current day. To round out our experience, we are very thankful for the wonderful hiking in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
REFERENCES
Country overviews: www.fantasticasia.com
Silk Road and Marco Polo
“The Silk Roads, A Planning Guide” Paul Wilson
CA Timeline 2000BC - 1995
History of Jews in Central Asia
Mongol Empire
Central Asia in General, Uzbekistan specifically
“Chasing the Sea: Lost among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia”, Tom Bissell
In October, 2011, new galleries of Islamic Art opened in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. First link has photos of exhibits. Second link is article from NY Times, October 21, 2011.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/arts/artsspecial/islamic-treasures-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art.html?_r=1&ref=metropolitanmuseumofart
Traveling the Silk Road... in 2012 Diana Preston traveled 4500 miles from Ashgabad, Turkmenistan to Xian, China. Following link to article published in July 2012.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/9415478/Central-Asia-on-the-Silk-Road.html
Traveling the Silk Road... in 2012 Diana Preston traveled 4500 miles from Ashgabad, Turkmenistan to Xian, China. Following link to article published in July 2012.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/9415478/Central-Asia-on-the-Silk-Road.html
Whaouh ! Big changes in Almaty since I was there about 8 years ago. Would love to be with you in this particulat trip. It is part of one of my dreams; especially Ouzbekistan. Will enjoy while reading your blog. Love from Nicole
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