The 18 metre long sarcophagus of the mysteriously ceaselessly growing dead prophet in Samarkand is not the only one that claims to be the final resting place of Prophet Daniel, but it is arguably the most puzzling one. Where are the others? The most widely accepted one of these places is in Susa, Iran. […]
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Merzbacher Lake, Kyrgyzstan: a Lake that Empties Itself Every Year
Continuing our “Put your inner Chuck Norris to the test” series, today we present you with a lake whose outstanding beauty is only matched by its remoteness and offbeat behavior. This piece of geological wonder high up in the Tien Shan mountains completely empties and then refills itself at least once a year, but […]
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Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan: the Core of Central Asia
As you approach the destination of your Central Asia Rally on day 11, your path will take you past the very core of Central Asia – the Fergana Valley. We don’t just mean this in terms of geography: the valley, enclosed by the the Gissar-Alai range to the south and Tian Shan Mountains to […]
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Tomb of Rudaki, Father of Persian Poetry, Tajikistan
Hidden in the Fan mountains in the northwest of Tajikistan is the resting place Rudaki, the father of Persian poetry. Born around 860, he is one of the foremost historical figures of post-Soviet Tajikistan, strongly shaping the national identity as an icon of not just artistic achievement but also as a cultural touchstone for […]
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Dushanbe Flagpole, Tajikistan: a Symbol of a Fledgling Nation’s Lofty Ambitions
Central Asia. Cradle of high culture, higher mountains and, as of the early 2010s, of the world’s tallest dic flagpoles, the runner up of which, Dushanbe Flagpole, stands proud in Tajikistan’s capital, right in front of the Kohi Millat, a.k.a. the president’s exorbitant Palace of Nations complex in downtown Dushanbe. Photo by Chris Price […]
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“S” is for Suzani: the Splendid World of Uzbek Embroidery
And so, after silk printing and ikat, onto the third amazing member of the Uzbek textile tradition: the splendid world of Suzani, the ancient art of embroidery. Behold the world where magic is wrought with every stitch. Photo by Kellie CA What are suzanis and where do they come from? The word itself comes from […]
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The Central Asia Rally – Getting to the starting line
Because we want to focus more on travelling through Central Asia, we moved our starting point to Astrakhan in Russia. Back in the early days of the Central Asia Rally, we would kick off from Budapest, attempt to cross Ukraine with bad luck and would end up driving over to Georgia to cross the […]
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