This is the second post of Uzbekistan but technically speaking, we have not been to Uzbekistan, yet…
STOP PRESS:
There is another “Stan” inside Uzbekistan. It is called “Karakalpakstan”. Karakalpakstan is today an autonomous province of Uzbekistan. It spans the northwestern portion of Uzbekistan. Its capital is Nukus. Karakalpakstan has an area of 166,590 km2 (68% the size of UK) and has a population of about 2 million people. It is not recognised by the UN as it is part of Uzbekistan. From about 500BC to 500AD, the region of what is now Karakalpakstan was a thriving agricultural area supported by extensive irrigation. It was strategically important territory and fiercely contested, as is seen by the more than 50 Khorezm fortresses which were constructed here. The Karakalpak people, who used to be nomadic herders and fishers, were first recorded by foreigners in the 16th century. Karakalpakstan was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1873. Under Soviet rule, it was an autonomous area within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic before becoming part of Uzbekistan in 1936 as the Karakalpak ASSR. When the USSR collapsed in 1991, Karakalpakstan had no choice but to remain part of independent Uzbekistan because the Aral Sea had disappeared and it could not fund its own independence from the agriculture that once thrived from the Aral Sea in its territory.
So, you see, my first night in Moynaq and 3 nights in Khiva are all in Karakalpakstan. Today we leave Karakalpakstan as we drive to Bukhara which is in mainstream Uzbekistan.
Our near-new, private, air-conditioned Chevrolet Cobalt LTZ sedan turned up exactly on-time at 9am on Thu 15MAY. I had organised a solo drive from Khiva to Bukhara via 3 ancient fortresses for myself, William and Resenty at only $30USD each !!! Hotel to Hotel in air-con comfort instead of enduring 40C on the truck for 9hrs. Others did the same. A total of 11 out of 23 passengers organised solo travel to beat the heat. In our case we would see something worthwhile along the way. We all had to sign a waiver since we were off the truck whilst it was enroute itself (moving). My first official truck jump, albeit for just 24hrs for now... I planned to extend this jump from Bukhara to Samarkand later today at the Bukhara Hotel. The journey to the first fortress took 2.5hrs across completely flat agricultural land skirting around 100m elevation. The three fortresses we visited were part of an ancient area known as Khorezm.
Kizil Kala was built between 50-350AD but was abandoned and then rebuilt 1150-1250AD by Ancient Khorezm to defend against the Mongol invasions.
Toprak Kala, only 10min drive from Kizil Kala, was built between 1st & 4thCenturies AD as a Royal Sanctuary from invaders then abandoned in the 4th Century AD.
After Toprak Kala, we stopped at the shores of Lake Akchakol ( at around 1130am where there was a Yurt Camp selling local meals and ice-cream made from local milk. The Yurts are evidence of the Mongol presence and explains the main look of the Uzbek people due to intermarriage from the early first centuries AD.
Only 30min away is Ayak Kala, which is in fact, 3 fortresses clustered together making this the grandest of the three fortresses that we visited. The first cluster was built during the 300BC. The final cluster was built 7-8th Century BC to defend against nomadic invaders. It is from the top of Ayak Kala that you realise how large and harsh the surrounding Kyzylkum Desert can be.
The Kyzylkum Desert is divided among Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and mostly Uzbekistan and covering 298,000 km2 (or 1.2 times the size of the UK) It covers an incredible 80% of Uzbekistan and is mostly around 200m in elevation. We experienced 45C here and the record is 52C.
From Ayak Kala, it took 5hrs to get to Bukhara. A very flat drive across the Kyzylkum Desert alongside the border with Turkmenistan and at one stage only 3km away across a river. We made several pee and drink stops at gas stations along the way. The road was a great dual carriage highway but dead straight and dead boring !!! Our first stop on arrival into Bukhara city was a large supermarket with everything except wine !!! Our hotel was only 2km away and we pulled in at 630pm. We gave Azamat a healthy tip and proceeded to find food. Slim pickings tonight so I settled for a club sandwich at a hefty $2.50AUD. Head on pillow after a great day of desert driving ready for tomorrows run…
To summarise our Khiva to Bukhara via 3 Fortresses – Solo Drive today:
Trip Duration = 10 hours
Sightseeing Time = 3 hours
Drive Time = 7 hours
It was already 28C when I set out on my run at 730am. Should have gone earlier but wanted to sleep in. Completed run in good time but it was hard. Very hazy and dusty out there. My solo-walk of Bukhara attractions kicked off close to 10am. Bukhara is different from Khiva. No mud bricks. No walled city. Just grand madrasas (a college for Islamic instruction – like a seminary), Mosques, hammams (bath houses) and individual covered caravanserais (Silk Road Inns & Bazaars) spread across a 5km diameter circle with a huge fortress in the middle, so lots of walking. The only downside is that all this walking was in 43C heat and wore me down to my bones !!!
Bukhara (Pop 294,536, Elev 225m) is the seventh-largest city in Uzbekistan by population, and founded in the 6th Century BC but first mentioned in writing in 500AD. People have inhabited the region around Bukhara for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long served as a centre of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. Bukhara has about 140 architectural monuments. UNESCO has listed the historic centre of Bukhara. Along with Samarkand, Bukhara was the epicentre of the Persian culture in medieval Asia. Bukhara hosted many empires, namely Samanids, Karakhanids, Khwarazmids, and Timurids. Even Genghis Khan besieged Bukhara for 15 days in 1220.
I visited the following attractions: Nadir Devon Begi Madrasah, Lyabi Hauz Pool & Fountain (Central Square), Khanqah of Nodir Devonbegi, Sarrafon Hammam, Carpet Museum, Ruiny Ban (Gate), Mirzo Ulugbek Tamakifurush Caravansaray (Silk Road Inn & Bazaar), Toki Telpakfurushon, Abdulazizkhan Madrasah, Mirzo Ulugbek Madrasa, Toki Zargaron, Mirarab Madrasa, Kalon Minaret Tower (Highlight & Symbol of City), Kalyan Mosque (Biggest Complex), Shahriston Archaeological Site, Shukhov Water Tower (360deg view of city), Citadel Ark (Huge Fortress), Boloi Harvz Mosque. The day ended with the two most popular Uzbek dishes: SHURPA (watery soup of lamb, potato and carrot) and PALOV (a rice pilaf with lamb and tomato). Also popular in the streets is SAMSA (baked pastries with meat or pumpkin), which is the Uzbek equivalent of the Greek Tiropita or Turkish Burek After dinner I enjoyed a musical festival in the town centre before settling down to a celebratory wine to cool me down after the extreme heat of today.
The next day (Sat 17MAY) was a rest day featuring shopping for supplies, blogging, planning, research and checking in on the Wedding of Nikoletta and Alexander at my home Parish of St George in Rose Bay Sydney followed by a grand reception at the Museum of Art in Circular Quay Sydney Harbour. Nikoletta is the eldest daughter of my cousin George Diamond in Canberra and it was a joy to speak to the newlyweds, Marina (Nikoletta’s younger sister), Angela Diamond, George Diamond, their parents and of course my brother Nick, his wife Patsie and my best friend Nick (Bundy) Drinias. We face-called on WHATSAPP and it was like I was there for a brief moment. I even sipped some bubbly to celebrate this wedding after the call. Long and happy may they live !!!
I have no idea how I got through so many structures in this 43C heat – I must have drunk 3L of water along the way. You get to enjoy the sites of Bukhara in the comfort of your own cool home !!!
END OF POST
No comments:
Post a Comment