International Photos

Third (out of five) "Stan" country over three week tour of Central Asia

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Tajikistan 2018

Ismoili Somoni Monument

Numerous locals around this monument and others with nice DSLR cameras ready to take your picture and sell you prints, printed from.... I have no idea.

Streets of Dushanbe

Rudaki Park, Dushanbe

National Library of Tajikistan

Rudaki Park, Dushanbe

Presidential building

So at this place, like most places on this trip, we were a total spectacle while going about our business. This little boy starts inching closer and closer to Greg, clearly wanting to interact. Greg notices and leans down and, in a friendly voice says "Hi". The kid grimaces and turns around and scurries off looking a little pissed. Hasan told us that in Tajik "Hi" roughly translates to "Bye", so I guess that seemed like a dickish introduction to the kid. We tried to stick with "Hello" going forward.

Tajikistan flag is an upside-down Iranian flag with different elements inside white band

Rudaki Park, Dushanbe

Reclining Buddha in National Museum, Dushanbe. Despite this thing being a couple of tons of sold rock, it's on the second floor of this creaky building

Anatomically correct Zoroastrian king, originally with elaborate clothing and accessories.

This is a bronze tiger, clearly created by someone who has never seen a tiger but had one described to them.

Hissar fortress, largely destroyed by Soviets during Bolshevik revolution and currently being rebuilt

The shops in Hissar Fortress are made to match up quite nicely

View from wall of Hissar Fortress

Greg blending in

Kokhi Navruz wedding party

Main ballroom in Kokhi Navruz

One of several meeting rooms in Kokhi Navruz

Massive room with largest dome in Central Asia

The angriest description of beautiful cedar and fine craftsmanship you will ever witness

Mirrored meeting room

Botanical Gardens, Dushanbe

Wedding party in Botanical Gardens, Dushanbe, complete with multiple drones buzzing around.

Rooster's crest flower

Beautiful scenery and amazingly long mountain tunnels. Had to take a Zofran for four hours of this though.

Sheep stampede along the way

These sheep don't belong to the herders. If any of the sheep die, they have to bring the head to the owner, lest they're accused of stealing one. Can't imagine having to keep track of all of these roaming around.