Playing Marco Polo ...
The plain is called Pamier, and you ride across in twelve days together, finding nothing but a desert without habitations or any green thing, so that travellers are obliged to cary with them whatever they have need of, The region is so lofty and cold that you can not even see any birds flying. And i must notice that because of this great cold, fire does not burn so bright, nor give out so much heat as usual.
Marco Polo, Description of the World
B E A U T I F U L L E X H I L A R A T I N G J A W D R O P P I N G
An amazing ride from Dushanbe to Khorog. The best ever, for as far as i can remember. Hey, i have used that one before ? But that was already five days ago. I wonder what the Pamirs will bring.
Two riverbeds, five bottles of vodka [three tajikistan, one dushanbe and one i do not remember ;-) ], one waterfall to be used as a natural car-wash, twelve 'danger-mines'-signs, one hour of sleep for the car-driver and three for me, one star-rific night sky, crossing of many streams and recent mudslides, 550km and some 24 hours takes you from Dushanbe all the way to Khorog. I was not able to take the plane due to the weather. I do not think i regret it ...
Below i added some pictures: you will have to do with 2D. I had the full 3D, with smells, sounds and bumps ;-) The road leads along the Pyanj-river, which also functions as the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Tajikistan is a main country for Afghanistan to put its drugs on the Silk Road.
It's dushanbe in Dushanbe. Dushanbe meaning monday, after the martketday it was famous for when it was still a small town. Already went to the airport to see if i can get a flight to Khorog tomorrow, but i have to get back there tomorrow morning. Only selling tickets the same day as the flight leaves. See if i am lucky, since today there is no flight, cloudy weather. I'll check the weather forecast and see if i also need to check for a mini-bus to Khorog. Why fly to Khorog ? It is supposedly the only flight soviet pilots used to get danger money, since they will fly close to the mountains. Must be fun !
I intended to go see the National Museam of Antiqitues today, but since it is monday the museums are all closed 
. So today just write my second batch of postcards and just 
.
Went to see a 16th century fortress in Hissar, some 30km from Dushanbe, but ended up watching young people get married there. There used to be an eternal flame next to the entry gate and the couples come in the busloads. It must be 'happy hour', since i saw some six or seven couples arrive in a car and with their own 'band'.
Oh yeah, there also was a fortress. Used to be a stronghold from the basmachi, destroyed by the Red Army. Now only a reconstructed entry gate remains. Next to two medressas, one being transformed in a museum.
Ivar
