Turkistan

29 may 2012

Turkistan was a very important trading post on the silk routes and still has a very bustling market selling clothes, food, building materials......

Kazakhstan's most famous architectural monument is in this town and is beautiful particularly in the early morning light, despite the scaffolding! It is the mausoleum of the first great Turkic Muslim holy man, Kozha Akhmed Yasaui and was built by Timur in the late 14th century.

At the hotel I met a couple who had come overland from Turkey. Again, I was able to get up to date information about border crossings and routes which will be useful when moving Westwards.