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Photo Samples, The Pamirs
Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Kashgar (Xinjiang, Cina)
Without any doubt, the Pamir
Regin is my favourite part of Central Asia, in particular the fantastic
Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO) of Tajikistan. 200 years ago, it was
completely separated from the rest of the world for geographical reasons; in
Soviet days for political reasons, and now it's just out of bounds for
anyone. No expensive minerals, no cold-war strategic value and no historical
monuments, so the floods of mass tourists who have started to invade
Uzbekistan tend to stay clear of this part of the world. Very fortunate for
us who just love to mingle with frienly locals, and, with the possibl
exception of Afghanistan and Iran, these are the friendliest people I have
ever met - anywhere on the planet!
As any other photo on my site, all photos are, of course
© Claus
Qvist Jessen, and don't even think about using them without asking my permission. |
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Venerable Kyrgyz elders from Karakol, eastern Kyrgyzstan, both wearing their traditional
hat, the "Ak Kalpak". Anywhere else, such a thing would be used as tea
warmer!
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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How many sheep can you hide in an old Lada? Karakol Sunday Market,
eastern Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| "So,
what's up, Doc?" Karakol Sunday Market, eastern Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Kyrgyz eagle hunter showing his pride, a nine-year-old female eagle,
dressed to kill; eastern Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Portrait of a killer, the uppermost link of the food chain: The Kyrgyzs
eagle looking for food.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Got it! The rabbit has been caught and killed, and to prevent other
predators from getting to the prey, the eagle covers it with its wings;
eastern Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Michael
Schumacher go home! Happy youngster on the race; Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Although
lots of statues have been torn down, it's still not uncommon to see a
Lenin or two. This one is from Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Traditional carpets; Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The
inside of a yurt, the traditional nomads hut, at the banks of the pretty
Song Kul in central Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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A true Central Asian speciality are the home-made salads, available at
any well-stocked market. Here from Osh,
the second city of Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Tajik man cutting the vegetables; Osh
Bazar, Kyrgyzstan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Mama and Tajik gentleman;
local bazar, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Water
melons and shopping chaos; local
bazar, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Chinese hospitality! In the beginning of the Pamir Highway, the Chinese
border is frequently less than 20 yards away from the road;
Gorno Badakhshan Autonomos Oblast (GBAO)), Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Northern part of the Pamir Highway, just afew kilometres south of the
Kyrgyz border; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO), far eastern Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The amazing Lake Karakul, first stop south of the Kyrgyz border; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The small town of Karakul, named after the Lake and rather
Tibetan-looking with the un-burnt mud bricks and the flat roofs - a sure
sign that it's not raining around here; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO), Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local women from Karakul Town; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO), Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Playful
kids from Karakul; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Apart
from the mysterious front wheel, this mountain bike looks almost normal,
however, 4,100 metres above sea level, you take what you can get. Gorno Badakhshan
(GBAO),
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Somewhere north of Murgab; eastern Gorno Badakhshan
(GBAO),
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Late
afternoon look on Murgab, the "capital" of the eastern Gorno Badakhshan
(GBAO),
Tajikistan. With 6,000 inhabitants, it's not exactly a big city but
still the local metropolis and the place to arrange further transport.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The
dining room of a traditional Gorno Badakhshani
house; Murgab, (GBAO),
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Traditional housing in eastern Gorno Badakhshan is raw mud-bricks, a proof that
it just doesn' rain much here. This house is in Rang-Kul Village, NE of
Murgab. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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A tame three-month baby of a Marco Polo sheep. When grown up, the horns
of the males may reach 2 meters in length - if they were straightened
out! Unfortunately, Marco Polo meat is very tasteful.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The impressive scull of the full-grown male Marco Polo sheep. Reportedly, there are
still quite a few left in the Pamirs. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Gorno Badakhshan still has a certain amount of nomads, most of whom live
in traditional yurts - sometimes very beautifully made.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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south, the comparatively fertile Wakhan Valley is shared in between
Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Tajik to the left (north) and Afghan to the right (south).
Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO), south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Filling the stove in a local village house in the upper Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Ancient fort, perched high upon a small hill; Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Donkey walk; Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Elderly Tajik gentleman. The embroideries of the hat are distinctly
Wakhan, rather than "normal Tajik". Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Ploughing the land; Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Sorting the grains from the straws; lower Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Elderly
lady sorting out the grains and local worker during the harvest season;
Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Very
local gas station;
Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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small street of the Tajik village of Ishkashim, very close to the Afghan
border; Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Scene
from the
weekly Saturday market, held on an
island in the river in between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The most colourful experience
anywhere in Central Asia. Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen. |
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A proud Afghan merchant selling home-made basketsware at the Ishkashim Saturday market;
Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen. |
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Proud Afghan merchants from the Ishkashim Saturday market;
Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen. |
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Local medicine man;
Ishkashim Market, Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen. |
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| Tjik
women at the
Ishkashim market. While the rare Afghan
woman is usually dressed in complete burqa, the Tajiks are much more
liberal and none are covered up. Wakhan Valley; Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen. |
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Afghan hat merchants selling these wonderful Osama Bin Laden type woolen
hats during the Ishkashim Saturday market. I even found one dedicated to
Ahmed Massoud, leader of the Northern Alliance until his murder at
September 9th 2001 - 2 days before 9-11. Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO),
south-eastern
Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen. |
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Nomads camp, Fanskij Gori (Fan Mountains); Western Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Elderly rider from the Fanskij Gori (Fan Mountains) in Western Tajikistan,
one of the best places in the region to go trekking.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Nomad girl, Fanskij Gori (Fan Mountains); Western Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Tea vendor
and tea brewer
from a small village in the Fan Mountains; Western Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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At 2000, the currency
of Tajikistan was Tajik Roubles, however, you didn't get much for one of
them. This seemingly rich
man has just sold a cow for about 100 USD - and got himself two kilos of notes!
Since then, the Somani currency has been introduced at a much better
rate. Fan Mountains; Western Tajikistan.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The greatest show on Earth, the Kashgar Sunday market (Xinjiang, China)
attracts more than 100,000 locals each week. Most are Uygurs, such as
these gentlemen, and the whole region belongs more to Central Asia than
to China.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Chess is
a favourite pasttime for the Uygurs in Kashgar, and during the Sunday
market, it's not hard to get
a qualified opponent. These three players had a hard time trying to beat
the tourist (me!), however, in vain. They lost, but not without a hard
fight.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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