Kazakhstan: from ghost ships to rockets - 29 June 2012 – miles 8,250

Asia » Kazakhstan » Southern Kazakhstan » Shymkent
June 29th 2012

Published: December 10th 2012

When you look at the map it feels like we're just riding straight through Kazakhstan to get to Uzbekistan – almost like we wouldn't be going there if we didn't have to. But that's so not true – there are some really exciting places to see, well they're exciting to me! There's a brief stop to register our visas in Aktobe, a big city with a modern, clean, European feel t... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 40, Displayed: 21

important instructions on refueling your horse & cart or Ferrari

ever wondered what to do with all those old tyres?

Baikanour Cosmodrome

the launch pad for Yurio Gagarin the 1st man in space and now the launch pad for missions to the International Space Station

Baikanour Town

still a closed town, one of the few left in the ex-Soviet Union

music in the desert-Korkyt Ata Monument

in honour of a medieval kobyz musician. When the wind blows i.e. most of the time, it makes an eerie sound like a kobyz

Korkyt Ata Monument

its like they have transported a Gaudi Compostition into the middle of the desert

tombs in the middle of nowhere

where are the villages they belong to?

remains of an ancinet tomb

somewhat larger than today's tombs

heading cross country to find a campsite

settling down for another vodka in the golden evening glow

its not just green or yellow grassland

there's lots of colourful flowers round too

and lots of bees to play on them

the intricately tiled back of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum, Turkestan

and the naked front

built by Timur to honour a great holy man, work stopped when TImur died

dazzling patterns

all places next to each other - the more patterns in one spot the better

the ruins of Sauran

just visible on the horizon -an old Silk Road town and the best preserved fortress in Kazakhstan

a new road going down

arriving at Shymkent where there's lots of traffic and wacky statues

including this tulip fountain, tulips originated in Kazahkst

and finally ....just for Nigel

11th December 2012

The Travel Camel
Shane Dallas

Great blog!
Only just discovered your blogs last night. You provide a tremendous insight of your adventures into places not often travelled. It would be wonderful to travel the world by motorcycle, but since I do not have a motorcycle licence, I will have to live vicariously through your blogs. Look forward to reading more of your blogs.

13th December 2012

Carol
non-member comment

Man's influence!
Its rather shocking to see how man changes the world in such a dramatic fashion. Otherwise great fun, carry on blogging. - I'm still reading and looking forward to the next! Carol

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Kazakhstan: from ghost ships to rockets - 29 June 2012 – miles 8,250

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