The 5-stans of the Middle East

You betcha; one of our favorites on this trip.

Timurling is my middle name..

Timurling is an alternate spelling of Tamerlane?

Oh, yeah!

Timur

Is that "two-timur?" LOL

Okay, here goes. Our first stop, Alamaty, is the largest city of Kazakhsta with a population if 1,2 million. Almaty means "rich with apples" is now the likely home to the domesticated apple. The world's largest apple is also from this area.

Our hotel:

A view from the front of our hotel:

Zenkov Cathedral:

Large sculptures on our tour:

The Museum of Musical Instruments (closed for the day):

Lunch in a mongol tent at Almaty Gorge:

Ice rink at Almaty Gorge:

A city view from Panfilov Park:

Cable car down to street level:

High school students celebrating their last day of school with fellow Road Scholar travelers:

On our way to Kyrgyzstan, we pass through Chary Canyon, or "Valley of Castle" with a picnic lunch by the river.

Scenery on our way to Lake Issyk Kul:

Horse/livestock market:

Still cranking to start the truck:

NOTE: Much of the road between Almaty and Lake Issyk Kul were unpaved, and the coach ride reminded me of my trip to India.

Charyn Canyon:

Kyrgyzstan border:

We stopped our bus to meet with these children: Some in our group gave their Road Scholar caps to the children.

We had to stop often for livestock on the road:



Dinosaurs in the back garden of our hotel:

Some of the paths in the garden:

The pier on Lake Issyk Kul:

We spent only one night by the lake, and was on our way to Bishkek early the following morning.

Picture taken at Lake Issyk Kul:

Today, our coach day to Bishkek, was a bummer day for me; I came down with some strange 24-hour virus that sapped my energies, and appetite for food.

Buryan Tower; last tower remaining from the Silk Road:

House of Government in Bishkek:

Dinner restaurant:

American University of Central Asia:

Even Lenin is pointing towards the American University from one block away:

State Museum of Fine Arts:


Bishkek is the largest city and commerical city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek was a caravan rest stop of the Silk Road branch through the Tien Shan moutain range.

The tour in Central Asia begins to get really interesting from about this point in our tour, because we begin our journey in Uzbekistan where the history of the Silk Road really comes alive, and the fascinating architecture of the forts, palaces, mosques, madrassas, monuments, and private homes takes on a whole new art form for us westerners.

Unfortunately, we missed one whole day in Tashkent, because the airline cancelled our flight from Bishkek to Tashkent on Tuesday. Our Tour Director, Jama, did a yeoman's job in filling in all the sites promised on our itinerary, and even added a ride on the famous Tashkent subway system, some who claim resembles the one in Moscow.

I must go and select some photographs to post.

I would love to see this part of the world! Thanks for posting the pictures and the travelogue, CI!

Doh! I forgot to thank you for the awesome descriptions, Tak.
Great pictures too!

The US Air Base adjacent to the international airport near Bishkek:

Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater:


Amir Timur (Tamerlane) Monument:

Russian-type hotel:

Shahid Memorial Complex:

Children at play:

Don't remember the name of this madrassa:

An interesting walk through Old Town:

Another memorial with a long water fountain - at sunset:

Most in our group preferred to spend at least one more day in Tashkent.
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan, and had different names at various times in its history.

Fascinating! thanks for the travelogue, c.i. It's interesting to hear about things from a friend's perspective.

Central Asia carpet designs:






Road sign distance chart:

We had a rest stop (not toilet, but to stretch our lets) at this fish market:

Fish for sale:

Shifting the dirt around:

We had a stop to take pictures of this sign:

Silk Road path:

Roadside vendor (they also "live" here):

Sammarkand:

Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in the world, located at the apex of the Silk Road between China and Europe. Founded in 700BC, Samarkand was the capital under the Persian dynasty of Achemenid when Alexander the Great conquered it in 329BC. It was under the Turkish kingdom in the 6th century, but came under Arab control at the beginning of the 8th century. The first paper mill was founded in Samarkand when the secret of papermaking was obtained from two Chinese prisoners in 751, and spread from there to the Islamic world then to Europe. The mongols under Ghengis Khan sacked Samarkand, and took its treasures. A revolt against the mongol occured in 1365, and Tamerland made Samarkand the capital in 1370 which extended from India to Turkey.

From 1784, Samarkand was ruled by the emirs of Bukhara.

I'll post pictures of Samarkand tomorrow.

The history of this region of the world is not complete without mention of Tamer lane (1336 - 1405), because he was considered an intellectual without the ability to read or write, a military strategist, a politician, a lover of art, and a chess player who invented a more elaborate form of the game, now called “Tamerlane Chess.”

His name, Timur, is Turkic, which means “iron,” and in his lifetime conquered more than anyone else except Alexander the Great. His armies crossed from Delhi to Moscow, and Tien Shan Mountains to the Taurus Mountains of Anatolia.

Tamerlane claimed direct descent from Ghengis Khan, born at Kesh, about fifty miles south of Samarkand in 1336. After his conquests, he proclaimed Samarkand his capital.

His interest in trade was responsible for the reactivation of the Silk Road to make it the monopoly link between China and Europe.

Ming rulers sent emissaries to Samerkand to be recognized as new overlords, but were promptly imprisoned by Tamerlane. Tamerlane led an army to conquer China when he was close to 70 years old, but was too weak and had to be littered. His health suffered from the journey, and Tamerlane died in mid-February 1405.

In 1941, his body was exhumed and identified by his skeleton, a Mongoloid man of 5 feet 8 inches, and is now entombed in Samarkand.

Oh wow, I love that last shot!

Our five-star hotel in Samarkand without ac:

Statue of Tamerlane one block from our hotel:

Sorry, hit Submit before finishing this group of pictures.

Tamerlane's mausoleum:

Our group members in mausoleum: The black jade coffin is Tamerlane's.

Registan at dawn:

Registan Square was the center of Samarkand during centuries past; because a river ran through many ages ago. The first madrassa was built on the square in the early part of the 15th century. The ensamble now consists of three madrassas, Ulugbek Madrassa (15c), Sher-Dor Madrassa (17c), and Tilla-Kari Madrassa (gold covered - 17c)

Madrassa is the high educational institution where only boys were allowed to attend with the main topic was learning of the Koran. Ulugbek, Tamerlane's son, taught mathematics and astronomy until his death.

Samarkand experienced three large tragedies:
1, The city was fully destroyed by Alexander the Great in 329BC.
2. The second tragedy occured in the 8th century when Arabs brought Islam that still remains today.
3. The third tragedy occured in the 13th century when Chigiz han was gaining Central Asia, and the city was destroyed again.

Samarkand reached its highest level of development under Timur when he brought with him mathematicians, astronomers, architects, and musicians from his campaigns.