Khiva sign showing the silk road
the 'fools' of Buchara, they escaped death by tricking the rulers
and lived to plan another day
The terrain when we first arrived was more desert – although red this time. The Kyzylkum Dessert which was still very hot!! Our mexican air con on the calypso means hot air only with hair in face and sunburn shoulder hanging out window. Near the entrance into Uzbekistan we had to cross over the Amu Darya River which they have just built a bridge over. Up till now the traffic had to go north thru Kazakhstan or south thru Turkmenistan just to cross the river. But you cannot take any pictures of the bridge and the army is stationed on both sides to protect it. Haven’t a clue what they think will happen to it but…..
not much food for the livestock here, note the yurt family home
wall muriel of the countryside
train crossing signs
We spent the first couple of places seeing more crumblies ( ancient temples ). This country definitely has more tourism and advertises itself as the beginning of the real silk road. The vendors tell you their price in US$ or euros, at a slightly exaggerated rate ie. 21 postcards for $10 or a wooden bookend made from one piece of wood for $65 – 150. Now the cym (Uzbekistan currency) only had 1,000 or 500 cym notes plus a few smaller ones. When we went out for supper ‘Russell’s wallet had to be full of their currency as it costs at least 40,000 cyms for a good meal. Therefore my cargo pocket in my shorts held the extra money just in case we found something we had to have or buy an extra beer or wine for the room. In fact they have money exchangers on most street corners or you would have to push a wheelbarrow full of money to buy anything. Plus they round up or down to the nearest 100’s so if you were to lose out they give you a candy. That way everyone is happy.
beautiful temples, many restored ( note the sculpting on the roof)
Didn’t see any camels in the wild anymore and once there was irrigation the terrain changed drastically. More green and lush and also more tolerable heat wise.
transporting bread to the market from the shop (2000+ loaves)
When we were in Bukhara they had a spring water hole that has run water since ancient times but they had a few restaurants located around the water.
Mulberry tree planted in 1400's around the water hole
In the evening when it cooled down what a great place for a laid back supper of kebobs, salad, chips and wine of course. After the crumblies places of Khiva, Ashgabat and Bukhara we visited Tashkent the capital (read very Western city). Here we actually went to an Aqua Park and acted like kids playing in the wave pool and running up the water slides. With all the hot weather it was so nice just to play in the cooling water. All the streams run brown to black in colour and are full of garbage and used water bottles.
tombs placed around the mosques if you die in the city
tall wheeled carts to cross streams along the silk road
the oldest mosque in Khiva, note how you hold up the roof, each pillar is carved
and had to be carried for hundreds of kilometers on the carts
Here I also came out of retirement as one of travelers became very sick and we had to go to the doctor’s office. We were asked if we wanted a GP or a specialist. I said definitely a specialist – which we were in to see within 5 minutes. They did blood work and an ultra sound immediately plus I had gone to the chemist ( pharmacy ) for drugs – the lab tech gave the shot of narcotic and we were back home within 2 hours. We revisited the specialist the next morning and then we were off with me giving the next “IM’s”” for the next couple of days. With coming out of 4 years retirement he didn’t even jump off the bed!!!! The ultrasound only cost 20,000 cyms +/- $10 US the whole bill was for $70 including Dr., drugs, lab etc. Try and do that at home. The truck mate is doing great and can keep travelling which was the main thing.
silk ready to be made into everything and anything
kids with a block of ice making snow cones on the streets
Salemtsiz be from Kazakhstan
We only travelled through here for 3 days. It’s a bit more mountainous here – plus it’s the 9th largest country in the world. We saw Bactrian camels here –( two hump camels) on the side of the road. We travelled through quite quickly and for a country that is supposed to be quite wealthy their roads are shite!! The reason we drove through is that the mountain pass thru Kyrgyzstan is closed to tourist because of inter tribe fighting. Our truck had quite the check to even get into this country ie x-ray, visual walk through – but no wine taken this time. Laugh!! And of course the never ending paper work as we sat in 40C heat with no shade. Jim the driver is getting quite clever at accidently parking calypso, our truck, so that we take up two lanes and we get processed quicker. But at the same crossing cargo trucks had been waiting up to 3 days to cross – so we are very lucky because they still don’t know if we are a truck or a bus!!!
very elaborate entrances to the mosques
Why? Do all the big cities have locals sitting on the sidewalks with a bathroom scale for people to weigh themselves?? One way to earn some money and nobody has a scale ??
Traffic lights go green – straight to red and then orange to green
Or they flash green twice then change to red and when you see a green walk sign it really doesn’t mean you get to walk be prepared to run!!! And dodge the cars aimed right at you like flying missiles.
thousands of cyms just to buy a drink
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