Found the Kazakh Death StarInside the Astana Expo 2017Immersed in virtual realityView over AstanaKhan Shatyr Shopping MallAstana – city of the futureBaiterek Tower embodying a mythical tree of life and a magic bird of happinessThis is where the Kazakh president livesFish Bridge commemorating Astana’s 20th anniversary as the capital of Kazakhstan Palace of Peace and ReconciliationHazrat Sultan MosqueCentral Concert Hall AstanaOur lovely host in AralskOn the streets of AralskCamel roaming on the dried-up Aral seabed We are not so different you and IThis used to be the Aralsk harbourCold noseThe red ribbon attached to the camel is a lucky charmGiving our mate some petsWhere once was a lakeGeothermal activity around AralA dead fish from AralClassic Russian UAZ Just waiting for the busTea timeIt was so coldThe is road completely iced up – Sam fell over four timesAkespe auyly – the village had to move recently because sand dunes were slowly covering their housesMeeting an Aral fishermanAspiring fishersTwo shacks in nowhere KazakhstanThere once was a carYour normal Kazakh backyardSkeleton of a yurtHot spring north of the Aral Aral is being fed by two rivers, Syr Darya and Amu Darya, which have been dammed-upA serious Russian truckFisherman dreamsOnce the fourth largest, Aral has shrunk to a tenth of its sizeConsequences of industrialisationLeftovers of a fishing boatEvidence that there used be a lake hereThe Aral Sea started to shrink in the ’60The remaining boats are being cut up for scrap metalIt is, without doubt, one of the most devastating environmental disasters on the planetMy mighty shapka and IA change of scenery in the Kazakh steppeTraditional Kazakh gravesClassic roadside viewWe fell in love with these furry boysFluff competitionSam considering to join the herdCamel herdingOur amazing driver SerikWaiting for the night trainLunch at the Tashkent bazaarShashlik for everyone!Chorsu Bazaar in TashkentLady selling traditional Uzbek foodSwipe left, swipe rightChorsu Bazaar butchersMates from the Chorsu butcheryTashkent street artistAmir Timur Square in TashkentAmir Timur Museum in TashkentSoviet sniper lensMasha, owner of a Tashkent hostelMorning cuddles with MashaMinor on the looseBarak-khan Madrasha in TashkentCourtyard of the Barak-khan Madrasha in TashkentBukhara bakeryMiri-Arab Madrasah in BukharaArchitectural mastership in Bukhara Chasing the traces of the ancient Silk Road in Bukhara Bukhara butcherOn the streets of Bukhara Chor Minor in Bukhara Open sesameMost madrese are no longer used as Islamic schools but market places and museums Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah guarded by two phoenix birdsUzbek family on holidayMighty Samarkand Cobbler at an Uzbek bazaarTrotters for lunchFish vendor on Uzbek bazaarGolden smileSome very happy ladies made delicious lunch for usMighty Amir Temur Sherdor Madrasa is part of the Registan complex in Samarkand Amir Temur mausoleum from the outside Tillya-Kori Madrasah of the Registon complex in SamarkandCourtyard of madreseUzbekistan selfieSherdor Madrasa in SamarkandUzbek teenagers Bibi-Khanym MausoleumMosaic Courtyard of a madrese (Islamic school)The most beautiful dome in UzbekistanThis mosque is simply too big to fit in one photoInside Registan madreseRegistan courtyard in Samarkand Amir Temur mausoleum Inside the mausoleum of Amir Temur Bibi-Khanym courtyardAncient Kyrgyz tomb stonesBurana Tower in Kyrgyzstan Hedwig enjoying the view from Burana Tower Tower used to be a minaret Kyrgyzstan is a land of nomadsWhat a mighty moustache Stunning Issyk-Kul Region of KyrgyzstanLocal girl from Bokonbayevo, south of Issyk-Kul lakeSome yurts in the backyard of our guesthouse Heading out into the mountains with eagle hunter Nursultan, his younger brother Arsen and eagle lady SuluukeSukuul is six years old and has been trained since she hetchedEagles live up to 40 years – master and bird bond for lifeIt takes four years to train an eagleMost Kyrgyz mountains measure around 4000-5000 metres. The highest peak, though, is over 7000 metres high. Needless to say, we’re in awe.Sam and his new stubborn friendExtremely worried about this big beakEagles don’t kill unless they are told to by their masterCausally hanging out with a five-kilo birdThere are about 50 eagle hunters living in Bokonbayevo where Nursultan and Suluuke are fromArsen is 14 and will soon get his own eagle Eagles even hunt wolvesFairy Tale Canyon with Lake Issyk Kul in the backFairy Tale or Skazka Canyon around Lake Issyk KulNursultan’s falconMeeting a falconKarakol animal market Kyrgyz cowboy Boris the bullPoor sheep just want a relaxed morning Sheep cuddles Tamer of the bullsStubborn as a goatEarly mornings don’t bother this gentleman For some reason people in central Asia chuck their eggs in bags
