Bozzhira Canyon, Ustyurt National Reserve, Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 🇰🇿 🇰🇿

Bus in Shymkent

Shymkent, Kazakhstan

Bukhara, a city-museum (2018)

Samarkand

Uzbekistan, Samarkand, late President Islam Karimov Mausoleum

Necropolis Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Registan, Samarkand

The Interior Of Mausoleum Shodimulk Oko in Necropolis Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Wooden door at Gūr-i Amīr (Guri Amir) complex

Wooden door at Gūr-i Amīr (Guri Amir) complex, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Gūr-i Amīr

The Gūr-i Amīr or Guri Amir (Uzbek: Amir Temur maqbarasi, Go'ri Amir, Persian: گورِ امیر‎), is a mausoleum of the Asian conqueror Timur (also known as Tamerlane) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It occupies an important place in the history of Persian-Mongolian Architecture as the precursor and model for later great Mughal architecture tombs, including Gardens of Babur in Kabul, Humayun's Tomb in Delhi and the Taj Mahal in Agra, built by Timur's Persianised descendants, the ruling Mughal dynasty of North India. It has been heavily restored.

Karaotkel bridge in Astana Kazakhstan

Karaotkel bridge in Astana Kazakhstan

Oliy Majlis / Supreme Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

 

Oliy Majlis / Supreme Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.The Supreme Assembly (Uzbek: Oliy Majlis, Cyrillic Олий Мажлис) is the parliament of Uzbekistan. It succeeded the Supreme Soviet in 1995, and was unicameral until a reform implemented in January 2005 created a second chamber.

Eagle hunters at Jeti Oguz

 Picturesque Jeti-Oguz gorge is located 28 kilometers to the south-west of the town of Karakol. Here, the local eagle hunters demonstrate their eagles. Falconry is a long tradition, which goes from father to son.

Christianity in Kyrgyzstan

Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the largest Christian denomination in mostly muslim-oriented Kyrgyzstan with between 700,000 to 1.1 million followers which are made up of ethnic Russians

Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Central Asia (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan)

The interior of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Bishkek

Keeping the faith

 

Animal Bazaar in Karakol / Скотный рынок города Каракол

Κυριακή πρωί στο Καρακόλ, μέσα στο καλοκαιρινό λιοπύρι και όλοι οι δρόμοι οδηγούν στο Παζάρι των Ζώων.... Κτηνοτρόφοι από την ευρύτερη περιοχή καταφτάνουν μαζικά με καθε μεταφορικό μέσο για τη μεγάλη καθιερωμένη Κυριακάτικη ζωοπανήγυρη.... Μπόχα και δυσωδία παντού.. Άνθρωποι και ζώα, κάτω από τον αδυσώπητο ήλιο. Ηλιοκαμμένα πρόσωπα, ντόπιοι βοσκοί με τα κωνικά λευκά παραδοσιακά καπέλα τους, τα καλπάκ, χρήματα στα χέρια, φωνές και αντεγκλήσεις, ατελείωτα ανατολίτικα παζάρια μέχρι τελικής πτώσης για το τίμημα της κάθε αγοραπωλησίας, πρόβατα σημαδεμένα με κόκκινο σπρέυ υπομένουν καρτερικά τη μοίρα τους, έτοιμα για  την επικείμενη σφαγή, υποψήφιοι αγοράστες και πωλητές, ζώα φορτωμένα σε καρότσες φορτηγών, σε πορτ παγκάζ ΙΧ οχημάτων, άλογα σελωμένα και μή, γελάδια και αιγοπρόβατα να οχλαγωγούν ασταμάτητα, κι ένα πολύβουο σμαρί ανθρώπων και ζώων επάνω σε ένα χώμα νοτισμένο από απίστευτα στρώματα κοπριάς και λοιπων περιττωμάτων... 

Σκέφτομαι τις αντιδράσεις κάθε δυτικής φιλοζωικής οργάνωσης στο θέαμα που ξεπροβάλει μπροστά μου και κουνάω με θλίψη το κεφάλι μου...Άλλος κόσμος.. εδώ είναι Ασία.... βαθιά Ασία....εδώ ξεχνάς όλα όσα έχεις μάθει τόσες δεκαετίες στη Δύση...Σιωπάς και παρακολουθείς βουβός το αιώνιο αλισφερίσι, προσπαθώντας να καταλάβεις όλα όσα δεν μπορούν να χωρέσουν μονομιάς στο "δυτικό" μυαλό σου ....

Karakol cattle market, the  largest one in Issyk-Kul oblast,  runs every Sunday morning.
In 1869, with Przhevalsk (now Karakol) as base, it first opened as"Small Bazaar". 

The first cattle market was located on the territory of the current clothing Bazaar "Ak-Tilek", but due to its large growth, it moved to another place. People and animals are brought to the market from all parts of the Issyk-Kul oblast. It is open from early morning until lunchtime and only on Sundays.

These days people come mostly not for meat, but to trade/buy horses and cattle. They often send them  to Kazakhstan or even to Russia.

Better to come at dawn, as the early Bazaar ends by the 11:00 in the morning.

The market is a huge accumulation of horses, sheep and cattle, which are put up for sale in three separate venues. Farmers come from all areas, to buy or sell their livestock, to communicate and bargain, sometimes crossing the whole country.
No matter If you're interested in purchasing cattle or not, the fair will give you a lot of new impressions. It’s the place where you will get the most complete picture of the culture and lifestyle of the local people. Here you will see the real rural life of the Kyrgyz people without embellishment..
The Bazaar is surprisingly festive,even though one may witness some aggressive ways in treating the animals. It is an interesting place for tourists, where you can take a picture and watch how quickly the day breaks and a new one starts. Besides, who knows, you may decide to purchase a lamb for Shish kebab of your company on the banks of the lake or in the picturesque Canyon. Just in case, you better take a local guide that can help you !!!! 

Those who have already been to the Sunday market in Kashgar, across the border in Xinjiang, may find the animal market of Karakola bit disappointing; however, it is here, and nowhere else in the Kyrgyz Republic you can observe this traditional form of trade in such a relaxed atmosphere.