Couldn"t sleep easy. Bad dreams hard matress and no aircon, its 24degrees at 4am.
Toll road.
The mountains are rich in minerals that the Chinese are interested in.
Then snow but gradually it is diminishing and the rivers are dry.
Where someone went over.
A market in Penjikent where we went to the museum.
This is tiny.
Makers mark from 6th C.
Then saw these Soviet era wall paintings.
On this building.
I met two young women in their 30s who told me that the country is now a modern democratic republic they are free to wear what they like and choose their husbands and wives. So in Khujjand few headscarves and all sorts of clothes.
Staying in this opulent hotel.
On we went through the southern mountains and over the pass which peaks ar around 2500meters.
Very windy and not pkeasant to be on thd outside with the precipitous drop.
This part of the country is ravaged by soil erosion and quite poor, nearly all manual agriculture. When there is any water orchards flourish as well as potatoes.
Field of poppies.
Mosques are small and praying is done at home, the impression is that radicalism is thus kept at bay. Cars were stopped at the border being searched for weapons.
On the other hand if you want to keep young voters happy give them some freedom.
About potatoes, they are not eaten on Thursday and Sunday when thd traditional dish is plod. A bit of lamb on rice.