Silk Road/Central Asia aka The Stans


Advertisement
Asia
September 29th 2017
Published: March 14th 2018
Edit Blog Post

Central Asia MapCentral Asia MapCentral Asia Map

Flew into Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; by car to Almaty, Kazakhstan; flew Tashkent, Uzbekistan; drove to Khujand, Tajikistan; drove back into Uzbekistan to Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva; drove to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. End of Cental Asia trip for all but 4 of us who then drove into Iran - more detailed map with that blog.
YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT, THEN GO BACK TO THE BLOG OR GO THROUGH THE PHOTOS (40 TOTAL - CLICK ON 'NEXT' OR 'PREVIOUS') IN THAT ENLARGED FORMAT. I PUT LOTS OF INFORMATION IN THE PHOTO CAPTIONS SO YOU CAN SKIP THE NARRATIVE, JUST LOOK AT THE ENLARGED PHOTOS AND CAPTIONS AND YOU'LL STILL GET MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU EVER WANTED. TO RETURN TO THE BLOG ENTRY, JUST CLICK YOUR BACK BUTTON OR ON THE NAME OF THE BLOG, BELOW THE NUMBERS ON THE LEFT.



As you have probably figured out, these travel blogs are a way for Bernard and me to keep track of our adventures. I can't tell you how many times we've referred back to one of our over 60 travel blogs looking for various details, maps, dates, etc. So . . . feel free to enjoy the photos and just skim or ignore the text.


Central Asia, aka The Silk Road aka The Stans September 29 - October 18, 2017



We’ve referred to this trip in all three of the above terms, but just one three-week trip. The nine-day add-on to Iran and then our three days
Bishkek, KyrgyzstanBishkek, KyrgyzstanBishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Osh Market. They had the most wonderful bread. If you can't read the Kyrgyzstan writing :), it is telling you the breads have different flavors, are sweet or savory
in Dubai will be covered separately.



Overview: We started in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, drove over the border to Almaty, Kazakhstan, flew to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, next by road to Khujand, Tajikistan, then drove back into Uzbekistan to Samarkand, Bukhara & Khiva; drove over the border to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (from their four of us left the Silk Road for an extension of our tour and drove into Iran - blog to come).





This trip was one Bernie had been thinking/dreaming/planning on for a very long time and brought me around to slowly, but I’m definitely happy he convinced me.



We did this trip with Road Scholar because of the language and logistical difficulties; we were super happy with the itinerary, accommodations, transportation and our guides, both our main guide, Jamma, who was with us the whole time, and our local guides. Road Scholar’s emphasis is on education - we were told at least a dozen times “this is NOT a shopping trip” and we appreciated that. Having said that, Jamma took several of our group on special shopping outings at their request.



There were eighteen of us from all
Kyrgyzstan Traditional Musician Kyrgyzstan Traditional Musician Kyrgyzstan Traditional Musician

We had dinner one night in a yurt and were entrained by traditional musicians playing all kinds of wonderful instruments
over the U.S. and we all got on well; five were doctors, go figure.



Weather. It was often cooler than most of us anticipated and many of our group hadn’t brought enough warm clothing; we had. You can tell from the photos and how many layers we are or or are not wearing to see that we had a mix of warm and cool weather.




Kyrgyzstan



Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous nation with soaring peaks and steep valleys, making it a perfect environment for semi-nomadic Kyrgyz herders who have bred horses, sheep and yaks here for many hundreds of years. Ancient remnants of the Silk Road are scattered throughout the country - its crumbling watchtowers and **caravanserais mark the path of the merchants who crossed the mountains between Kashgar, China and Bishkek on their long journey west.

**A caravanserai (/kærəˈvænsəˌraɪ/) was a roadside inn where travelers (caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering Asia, North Africa and Southeast Europe, especially along the Silk Road.

People: Kyrgyzstan has several ethnic groups, the largest of
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan

At an archeological site. The locals loved to have their photos taken and preferred if you were in them too.
these is Kyrgyz, who make up almost 65%!o(MISSING)f the population. All of the countries we visited had been subject to Soviet rule and under that rule relocation programs affected the ethnic makeup of the country dramatically. The effects are still felt today. Russians make up a large minority of the population (12.5%!)(MISSING). Other groups include Uzbeks and Ukrainians. The vast majority of Kyrgyz are Muslim, while most of the Russians are Orthodox Christian.

History. Kyrgyzstan has a long and interesting history, which in many ways mirrors that of other Central Asian nations. Originally inhabited by a mix of nomadic people, Kyrgyzstan’s distant past is a parade of history’s greatest conquerors, all of whom claimed its territory at one time or another. Great warriors and rulers: the Sogdians, Turks, Seljuks, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane reigned, each rising, ruling and ultimately fading. Between about 100 BC and the early Middle Ages a branch of the northern Silk Road ran through what is now Kyrgyzstan leaving traces of the goods, traditions and religions of the merchants who traded along it.



After the time of Genghis Khan, the history of Kyrgyzstan becomes one of heavy domination, first by the
Kyrgyzstan, Ala Archa Nat'l ParkKyrgyzstan, Ala Archa Nat'l ParkKyrgyzstan, Ala Archa Nat'l Park

On the way to the national park
Russians and then the Soviets.



In 1991 Kyrgyzstan became an independent nation, but remains one of the poorest in Central Asia. It is considered a strategic location because of its proximity to Afghanistan and its location in energy-rich Central Asia. The country hosts air bases used by both Russia and the U.S.



Language. Both Kyrgyz and Russian have official status. Kyrgyz is a Turkic language closely related to most of the other languages of Central Asia. Since the 1940s Kyrgyz has been written using a slightly extended version of the Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia.



Food. Kyrgyz cuisine comes from a long history of subsistence nomadic lifestyle and is heavily focused on mutton and bread. Tea is the most popular beverage, either black or green. Yogurt-based beverages are a specialty, but we found them to be an ‘acquired taste.’

Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, Sept. 29 - Oct. 2




Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan. We flew in a couple of days early to deal with the jet lag - Bishkek is 13 hours ahead of Tucson. Our hotel was centrally located, so we explored the city on foot, managed to get
Kyrgyzstan Felt MakerKyrgyzstan Felt MakerKyrgyzstan Felt Maker

Kyrgyzstan still has a lot sheep farming and hence wool products, particularly their felt, are first-rate
meals (menus with pictures helped), napped and by the time the rest of our group arrived, we were energized and eager to get the show on the road. Several others arrived early too, but the ones who arrived the evening before or early the morning of departure were hurting for a few days. The group also had some ear infections and respiratory issues that I think were exacerbated by the jet lag.



The State Museum of Fine Arts was memorable for it Kyrgyz embroidery and unique felt art pieces.



The trip to Ala Archa National Park, centered on the steep forested gorge of the Ala Archa River and the mountains surrounding it was a wonderful outing. The park includes over 20 glaciers and 50 peaks that range from 12,000 to 15,000 feet (3,700 to 4,500 meters) in height. Soviet alpinists used to train at a camp here.



The highlight for us was running into a wedding party in the park. They insisted on taking photos with us, invited us to drink and dance - what a hoot.



Tokmak. From Bishkek we did another day trip to the International
Kazakh w/Lammergeier VultureKazakh w/Lammergeier VultureKazakh w/Lammergeier Vulture

This Lammergeier vulture was HUGE - they are specialist in that they eat bones. The handler fed this guy a large bone, which he swallowed whole
University of Central Asia and met with the director, some professors and students. As with most international universities, instruction is in English so the students were happy to guide us around.



We had lunch in Tokmak at the home of a local family who also ran a felt factory; making hats and blankets mostly. Before a lovely lunch they demonstrated felt making for us.



Near Tokmak we visited the Burana Tower, one of the only remaining watchtowers on the Silk Road. The tower is impressive and it is surrounded with ancient bal-bals, carved stone figures used as monuments - some of the only remaining bal-bals in the world.



After lunch and the tower we attended a demonstration of Kyrgyz horse games of which our favorite was the Ulak Tartysh, a sort of polo played with a headless goat carcass. Too much fun - they were amazing horseman.


Kazakhstan




Almost as large as all of Western Europe (five times the size of France), vast Kazakhstan encompasses soaring mountains, boundless steppe and the lowlands of the Caspian Sea coast as well as the Aral Sea. The arid steppe covers
Almaty, KazakhstanAlmaty, KazakhstanAlmaty, Kazakhstan

A modern, rich (oil and gas) city with lovely monuments, restaurants
fully one-third of the country and semi-nomadic herders make good use of them.



Kazakhstan is Central Asia’s most economically successful country, mainly because of its supplies of oil and gas. Almaty, the business capital, and Astana, the political capital, are flourishing modern cities. Since the 2011 retirement of the U.S. Space Shuttle, the Russian space launch facility in Baikonur has been the only location where space launches to the International Space State have taken place.





People: Ethnic Kazakhs are a slight majority of the population and Russians make up another 30%! (MISSING)



History. Kazakhstan’s history vis-a-vis the world's greatest conquerors and Russian and then Soviet occupation is very similar to that of Kyrgyzstan.



Language: The state language is Kazakh, a Turkic language closely related to other national languages of Central Asia, such a Kyrgyz, and like Kyrgyz, it uses a slightly extended version of the Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia. Russian is spoken throughout Kazakhstan and is the language of inter-ethnic communications.



Food: Our only experience was in Almaty, but it left an impression: yum!! Kazakhstan offers a wide array of grains, meat, fish
Kazakstan, Russian Orthodox Cathedral in AlmatyKazakstan, Russian Orthodox Cathedral in AlmatyKazakstan, Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Almaty

Zenkov Cathedral. Because of the past Russian influence, there were many beautiful Orthodox churches and cathedrals in all of Central Asia
(seafood in the west near the Caspian), produce and dairy. Mutton and horse meat are the favorites here. Plot (a kind of rice pilaf), savory or sweet, made (typically) from rice, raisins, dried apricots and prunes is a staple.

Kazakhstan, Almaty Oct. 3 & 4




Almaty



Bishkek is in the far north of Kyrgyzstan, so only 150 miles from Almaty, Kazakhstan. We got an early morning start for the drive from Kyrgyzstan into Kazakhstan. Almaty is a wealthy (oil money) modern city; the boutique hotel with a fabulous restaurant was probably the best of the trip.



After our visit to the State Central Museum - best feature the archeological treasure The Golden Man, which is a warrior’s armor made from 4,000 gold pieces - we drove to a city overlook. There was also a tramway that took visitors to the recreation area at the top. Unfortunately the one day of rain we had was in Almaty, so the view was one of fog and rain.



The rain had less of an impact on our visits to the Museum of Musical instruments, Zenkov Cathedral and stop at the Green Bazaar
Uzbekistan, Samarkand: Ragistan Ensemble @NightUzbekistan, Samarkand: Ragistan Ensemble @NightUzbekistan, Samarkand: Ragistan Ensemble @Night

An 'ensemble' is made up of the 'four Ms:' Mosque, Madrasa and Mausoleum
- displays of produce, nuts, dried fruit and spices that dazzled our eyes.



Kazakhstan is HUGE, but Almaty was our only stop there. From Almaty we flew to Uzbekistan.


Uzbekistan



Uzbekistan is at the heart of the Silk Road. The old towns of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand are incredible mazes of exotic architecture and gorgeous decorative art. All three of these cities are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.



Uzbekistan has the distinction of being one of the only two countries in the world that are ‘double-landlocked’ - not only is it isolated from the world’s oceans, but every country it borders is also landlocked.



Uzbekistan is roughly the size of California and is mainly desert, with grassland in the east and some new wetlands within the boundaries of the Aral Sea. There is a significant range in elevations: the lowest point is 40 feet (12 meters) below sea level and the highest peak is approx. 13,000 feet (4,000 meters). The wide and fertile Fergana Valley in the east is surrounded by the sharply mountainous terrain of Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan range and Tajikistan’s Pamir Alay range.



People.
Uzbekistan, Bernard & Kathy in SamarkandUzbekistan, Bernard & Kathy in SamarkandUzbekistan, Bernard & Kathy in Samarkand

Behind us is Timor the Lame's (aka Timorlane's) tomb
Uzbekistan has always encompassed many ethnic groups. The country escaped the massive resettlement by Russians and later by the Soviets that affected other Central Asia nations, particularly Kazakhstan. Today the vast majority are ethnically Uzbek making up 80%!o(MISSING)f the population. Russians make up the next largest percentage, but fall far behind at only 5.5%! (MISSING)Other Central Asian ethnic groups, such a Tajiks, are represented in Samarkand in particular. The vast majority of Uzbeks are Sunni Muslim and the remaining 12%!o(MISSING)r so are Orthodox Christians and other denominations.



Outside the city of Tashkent Uzbek society is typically traditional with young people marrying in their late teens and early twenties. The rural home is centered around the dusterhon (tablecloth) which is often spread on the floor or on a low table and hospitality is prized. Councils of elders wield local political power.



Most Uzbek people are proud of the beautiful Islamic architecture that international travelers come to see and we saw many brightly-dressed Uzbek tourists at historic sites.



History. The early history of Uzbekistan is similar to that of other Central Asian nations: ruled first in small groups and tribes, then
Uzbekistan, Samarkand Fashion ShowUzbekistan, Samarkand Fashion ShowUzbekistan, Samarkand Fashion Show

This was such a good time - lovely clothes (made at the boutique) and the show was wonderful; the guys even enjoyed it
in proto-nations, and eventually by the great conquerors of the past. The native people of Uzbekistan have been sedentary (not nomadic) since the 16th century, far longer than the native people of any of Uzbekistan’s neighbors. It is for this reason that agriculture, trade and religion in urban areas seem better established.



Parts of Uzbekistan first came under Persian rule, which was eventually displaced by Alexander the Great. After the death of Alexander and the general splintering of his empire, Central Asia gained huge importance as a trading ground on the Silk Road. Connecting the east and west, Uzbekistan enjoyed stability and security becoming a prosperous clearinghouse for not only merchants’ good, but ideas and religious thoughts as well. It was by way of Uzbekistan that Islam entered China.



Trade, diversity, the flowering of ideas and general openness did not last, however, and the region eventually fell to Muslim invaders and then to the great Mongol Horde under Genghis Khan. After a century of Mongol peace, the stability was shattered by Tamerlane who proclaimed himself the only king on earth.



It wasn’t until the beginning of the 'Great Game,' the intrigue
Uzbek LadiesUzbek LadiesUzbek Ladies

The very friendly ladies of Uzbekistan loved to pose with us; enjoyed seeing their photos on our cameras. Notice that they are not smiling; many of them have gold teeth, but seldom show them in a photo.
for control of Central Asia waged by Britain and Russia, that Central Asian countries began to be assimilated into the Russian Empire.



Under Soviet rule there was arguably stability, but notable problems of Soviet domination included the attempted supression of Islam, political purges and the havoc wreaked by a planned economy based solely on cotton production.



Language. Uzbek is a Turkic language related to other national languages of Central Asia. Russian is still used as the language on inter-ethnic communication; most Uzbeks speak Russian in addition to their native language.



Food. Uzbekistan is well known among Central Asian nations for its wide selection of specialized national dishes. The markets are piled with fresh and dried fruit, and nuts abound as well. Rice and mutton form the backbone of Uzbek cuisine in the forms of plov and shashlik. Grain is extremely important and great pride is instilled in the non or lepyoshka, the Uzbek variety of round flatbread. Bread is not only to be enjoyed, it is revered. Uzbek bread is always torn, not cut, should not be placed upside down nor thrown away.



The most popular drink is
Tajikistan MarketTajikistan MarketTajikistan Market

We had only one day and one night in Tajikistan, but managed to see many sites. In the market they sell cheese balls - salty cheese balls. No our favorite but all the ladies wanted us to try theirs.
Uzbek green tea; they have a wide range of yogurt-based beverages, but you can find soft drinks as well.

Uzbekistan, Tashkent Oct. 5 & 6




Tashkent. Although it doesn’t look it, Tashkent is one of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan. Rock paintings show that humans have been in the area since perhaps 2000 BC. In the 2nd Century BC the town was a major caravan crossroads - taken by Arabs in 751 and then by Genghis Khan in the 13th Century. Tamerlane took over in the 14th century and the Shaibanid Khans in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Russian Empire arrived in 1865 and Uzbekistan was not an autonomous country again until 1991.



Tashkent lost much of its architectural history in a huge earthquake in 1966. Much was rebuilt and today the city is a jumble of wide, tree-line boulevards, oversized 20th century Soviet buildings and reconstructed traces of the old city with mud-walled houses, narrow winding lanes, mosques and madrasas.


Tajikistan



We drove 120 miles from Tashkent to Khujand; took about five hours and that included the border crossing. Unfortunately we had only one day and one night inTajikistan.
Tajikistan LadiesTajikistan LadiesTajikistan Ladies

These vendors in the market were having a fun time feeding us cheese balls - they laughed a lot. Everyone said the people of Tajikistan were the happiest and friendliest - certainly appeared to be



At the heart of the Silk Road, Tajikistan is woven into the fabric of Central Asia and colored with the influences of Persia, the Islamic world and Russia. From the Zoroastrian ruins of Penjikent and the markets of Dushanbe to the rarified air of the High Pamirs, second in height only to the Himalayas, this is a country of steep-edged valleys, glacier-fed rivers, spectacular mountain passes, high pastures and little villages where international travelers are rarely seen yet warmly welcomed.



The poorest country in Central Asia and one of the poorest in the world, Tajikistan relies mainly on agriculture and local trade for its economic survival. Tajikistan does have thousands of glaciers that could be tapped for hydropower, but that prospect has created tensions with Uzbekistan over water rights.



People. The people of Tajikistan are descended from the Eastern Persians who long ago inhabited the area to the east and southeast of the Caspian Sea. The majority of Tajik people are Sunni Muslim. In the mountains most of the people are Ismaili Muslim, followers of Aga Khan, who are considered less conservative than Sunnis. The Pamiris speak a variety of different but
Uzbekistan, Bukhara Puppet ShopUzbekistan, Bukhara Puppet ShopUzbekistan, Bukhara Puppet Shop

Notice how these puppets resemble Bernie and fellow traveler, Richard - the store owner set up the photo-op
related languages and have historically been a reluctant part of Tajikistan.



History. The area of Tajikistan has been continuously inhabited since approx. 4,000 BC. For most of its history Tajikistan was ruled by the Persian Empire or by Turkic rulers. Arabs brought Islam to the area in the 7th Century. Mongols took control during their conquest of Central Asia in the 13th century.



In the 19th century Tajikistan was under the control of Czarist Russia and after the 1917 revolution, Tajikistan became, like the rest of Central Asia, an arbitrarily delineated Soviet country. For a period of time it was an autonomous part of Uzbekistan before becoming an ‘independent’ Soviet State in 1924.



When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Tajikistan declared its independence and immediately fell into a persistent and violent civil war which lasted until 1997. Most of the ethnic Russians fled the country. Emomali Rahmon took control in 1992 and continues to hold executive office today. Despite claims of ethnic cleansing and unfair elections and corruption, Tajikistan is one of the few Central Asian nations that allows opposition political parties in its parliament.



Language. The
Uzbekistan.  Bread Stamps & GorgesUzbekistan.  Bread Stamps & GorgesUzbekistan. Bread Stamps & Gorges

The middle of a round bread loaf is stamped with wonderful designs prior to baking. The middle then doesn't rise as much as the outer edges
official language is Tajiki, a language with strong ties to Persian as spoken in Iran and Afghanistan and borrowing from the Turkic family of languages that form the basis of many other Central Asian languages. Before the 20th century Tajiki used a form of the Arabic script and has in the past 100 years used a variation of both Roman and Cyrillic alphabets. Russian is still the language of much business and government work.



Food. There is a heavy similarity to the foods in Uzbekistan, but several national specialties are standouts, including qurutab, a dish of pieces of bread with sour yoghurt, oil, tomatoes and onions, or the Pamiri speciality of shichoy, literally milky tea with butter, sugar or salt.

Tajikistan, Khujand, Oct. 7




Our only stop in Tajikisand, Khujand, is situated at the entrance to the Fergana Valley on the Syr Darya River and is the second largest city in Tajikistan. Its origins have been attributed to both Alexander the Great (in 329 BC) and Cyrus the Great of Persia (several centuries earlier). A religious center and a Silk Road hub, Khujand is home to several medieval monuments.


Uzbekistan, again.



It
Uzbekistan. 5th Century City Walls of KhivaUzbekistan. 5th Century City Walls of KhivaUzbekistan. 5th Century City Walls of Khiva

The 'bumps' you see in front are graves, put there by the town's inhabitants because Muslims (the attackers) theoretically won't walk/attack over graves
was a long day driving from Khujand to Samarkand in Uzbekisan, approx. 200 miles and took nine hours, which included the border crossing.

Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Oct. 8 & 9




Samarkand, a Silk Road crossroads, is perhaps the best known of the Silk Road towns, a fabled oasis on the fringes of the Kyzyl Kum Desert that has been settled since the 6th century BC.



Samarkand has been visited through time by many of the world’s conquerors: Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. Alexander said of Samarkand, “Everything I have heard about the beauty of the city is indeed true, except that it is much more beautiful than I imagined.” Tamerlane made it his capital city and gathered the finest architects, builders and artisans of the time to enhance its beauty.

Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Oct. 10 - 12




Bukhara. The history of Bukhara stretches back millennia. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long been a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. During the golden age of the Samanids, Bukhara became a major intellectual center of the Islamic world, second only to Baghdad. The historic center of Bukhara, which contains numerous mosques
Turkmenistan MosqueTurkmenistan MosqueTurkmenistan Mosque

One of many amazingly beautiful mosques in the capital city of Ashgabat
and madrasas, has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.



Bukhara has been one of the main centers of world civilization from its early days in the 6th century BC. From the 6th century CE (AD), Turkic speakers gradually moved in. Its architecture and archaeological sites form one of the pillars of Central Asian history and art. The region of Bukhara was a part of the Persian Empire for a long time. The origin of many of its current inhabitants goes back to the period of Aryan immigration into the region.

Uzbekistan, Khiva, Oct 13 & 14




Khiva. The drive between Bukhara and Khiva was 350 miles and took all day; had a picnic lunch on the way.



Khiva is one of the best-preserved cities along the ancient Silk Road. Legend says that the oasis of Khiva was founded at the place where Shem, son of Noah, discovered water in the desert and that the city got its name from Shem’s joyful shout, “Hey va!” at the discovery. Today the living city is part museum town and part re-creation of life hundreds of years ago. Archaeologists have found traces of
Ashgabat @NightAshgabat @NightAshgabat @Night

Apartment buildings - yes, even they were lighted at night
human habitation dating from the 5th century BC. It was for hundreds of years a stop on the Silk Road and a fortress town, but it was not until the 16th century that Khiva became the capital of the Khorezm Khanate, which ruled the surrounding area for over 300 years and was a well-known slave-trading center.


Turkmenistan



In Khiva we were only a short distance from the border with Turkmenistan and so after a morning exploring Khiva on our own and lunch in Khiva, we drove the short distance to the border crossing, which was time consuming.



The time-consuming part was so the Turkmenistan authorities could check all medications being brought into the country - every single pill, ointment, lozenger, you get the idea. We had to identify every object in our first-aide kits.



The size of California, Turkmenistan consists almost entirely of desert. Its low-lying central and western interior is primarily the Kara Kum (Black Sands) Desert with sweeping dunes and cracked-clay surfaces. Less than 5%!o(MISSING)f land in Turkmenistan is arable; much of that was used for cotton during the Soviet era. Turkmenistan is home to vast fossil fuel
Turkmenistan.  Ashgabat the Marble CityTurkmenistan.  Ashgabat the Marble CityTurkmenistan. Ashgabat the Marble City

Their 'ruler for life' instructed all buildings to be built with white marble. All of these and thousands of other marble buildings, monuments, shrines and mosques have been built since 1997.
resources and is the world's 5th largest producer of natural gas.



Tashauz. We had dinner in this little border town and then headed to the airport for our flight to Turkmenistan’s capital of Ashkhabad.



People. The earliest people in what is now Turkmenistan were nomads, related to the nomadic horse and cattle breeders of other Cental Asia nations. They are renowned for their horse breeding and their consummate horsemanship. Ethnically the population of Turkmenistan is overwhelmingly Turkmen. Roughly 3/4 of Turkmenistan's 4 1/2 million people are ethnic Turkmen. Next is Uzbek, but at a scant 9%! (MISSING)Russians, Kazaks and others make up the remainder.



History: In the 4th century BC the Turkmen were conquered by Alexander the Great. Then they were conquered by the Persians under Cyrus the Great and approx. 100 years later by the Arabs. Though these dynasties were not long-lived, Islam left a long-lasting impression on Turkmenistan.



Genghis Khan conquered all of central Asia between the 10th and 13th centuries AD and the Mongols did not loose power here until the 15th century..



Towards the end of the 1800s Turkmen raids and
Turkmenistan.  Ashgabat @NightTurkmenistan.  Ashgabat @NightTurkmenistan. Ashgabat @Night

From an overlook we had great views of how lite-up the city is
kidnappings began to harass the Russian Empire, which was increasingly a force in Central Asia. The Russians took Turkmenistan by force and made it part of the Russian Empire’s Central Asian holdings. After the Bolshevik Revolution the Turkmen were unable to resist Soviet domination and eventually became a full-fledged Soviet Socialist Republic and remained so until 1991 when they declared independence from a crumbling Soviet Union and became a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States.



Language. The majority of Turkmen speak the official Turkmen language, which is a Turkic language closely related to modern Turkish and Azerbaijani. Russian is also an extremely important language spoken by a large portion of the populace as either a first or second language



Food. Turkmen food is similar in many cases to those throughout Central Asia, including shashlyk, the Central Asian name of shish kabob, flat bread, dried meats and sausages, fermented mare’s or camel’s milk. Sweet or savory plov is a staple rice dish that is considered a ‘comfort’ food. As in other parts of Central Asia, Russian cuisine has had a heavy influence in the form of such standbys as borsch, stroganoff and the ubiquitous
Turkmenistan.  Ashgabat @NightTurkmenistan.  Ashgabat @NightTurkmenistan. Ashgabat @Night

We took a night tour and at this monument at a city overlook we found yet another wedding party. Looks like a mob wedding doesn't it?
vodka. Tea is the most popular non-alcoholic beverage.

Ashgabat Turkmenistan, Oct 15 - 18




Ashkhabad. An amazing modern city, Ashkhabad is known for the many elaborate marble monument constructed by former President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov, aka Turkmenbashi, which means ‘Leader of All Turkmen.’ The tradition has continued and in 2013 Ashkhabad was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the most white marble buildings in the world.





DON'T FORGET TO LOOK AT THE PHOTOS BELOW (VERY BOTTOM, BELOW THE AD, OUR PROFILE, THE BLOG OPTIONS, NORTH AMERICA, TRVELBLOG AWARDS, TOP PHOTOS - YES, RIDICULOUS!!) AND GO TO THE OTHER PAGES - 40 TOTAL - (CLICK ON 'NEXT' AT BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE).


Additional photos below
Photos: 40, Displayed: 39


Advertisement

Turkmenistan.  Ashgabat @NightTurkmenistan.  Ashgabat @Night
Turkmenistan. Ashgabat @Night

This was just an ordinary store by day, but many stores, business and buildings of all kinds were lite-up every night.
Turkmenistan.  Ashgabat MonumentTurkmenistan.  Ashgabat Monument
Turkmenistan. Ashgabat Monument

There were so many big, beautiful monuments in Ashgabat, many in the middle of round-abouts
Turkmenistan.  Akhal-Tekke HorsesTurkmenistan.  Akhal-Tekke Horses
Turkmenistan. Akhal-Tekke Horses

Trainer with famous Akhal-Tekke horses. We visited a horse farm where they showed us these beautiful, delicate (used for dressage competition mostly) horses and gave us a demonstration.
Uzbekistan, Bukhara Hat Vendor Uzbekistan, Bukhara Hat Vendor
Uzbekistan, Bukhara Hat Vendor

The men almost always wear a hat and always into a mosque. They do like their colors, which is a treat for our eyes.
Uzbeckistan.  KhivaUzbeckistan.  Khiva
Uzbeckistan. Khiva

Ancient covered bazaar inside the town
Uzbekistan. Khiva GateUzbekistan. Khiva Gate
Uzbekistan. Khiva Gate

One of the gates into the 5th Century fortress town of Khiva
Kyrgyzstan, Ala Archa WeddingKyrgyzstan, Ala Archa Wedding
Kyrgyzstan, Ala Archa Wedding

Kathy with the wedding couple and Ardell, fellow traveling companion @the national park that is popular as a wedding venue
Kyrgyzstan Osh MarketKyrgyzstan Osh Market
Kyrgyzstan Osh Market

So many wonderful spices, fruits and nuts - beautiful to look at and delicious to snack on.
Kyrgyzstan, Burhana TowerKyrgyzstan, Burhana Tower
Kyrgyzstan, Burhana Tower

One of the only standing Silk Road watch towers
Kyrgyzstan Bal-balKyrgyzstan Bal-bal
Kyrgyzstan Bal-bal

An ancient burial stone near Burana Tower, a Silk Road Watchtower
Kyrgyzstan HorsemenKyrgyzstan Horsemen
Kyrgyzstan Horsemen

After the games the horsemen came to interact with us - glad we had an interpreter!!
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan HotelBishkek, Kyrgyzstan Hotel
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Hotel

Found this gas mask in our hotel closet - gave us a real feeling of safety against, what, a Russian gas attack?
Kyrgyzstan YurtKyrgyzstan Yurt
Kyrgyzstan Yurt

All the nomadic Central Asian countries used some form of a yurt. This one is made of felt.
Kazakstan Kazakstan
Kazakstan

Entering Kazakstan - monument is in the form of a yurt
Kazakstan.  Along the RoadKazakstan.  Along the Road
Kazakstan. Along the Road

As we drove from Kyrgyzstan into Kazakstan this was the typical scenery
Tajikistan VendorTajikistan Vendor
Tajikistan Vendor

Many of the older women had gold teeth - think you can see hers


Tot: 0.131s; Tpl: 0.021s; cc: 8; qc: 23; dbt: 0.0254s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb