Letters from Central Asia

Nathan's been in Kazakhstan for a week now (two more to go!) and I thought I'd snip a bit of what he's writing me about:

Well I am beat. I ust got off a 24 hour bus from Shymkent and am now in a town called Karaganda, to rest. Tomorrow I take another 9 hour bus to Pavlodar, where hopefully I can get some work done. Turkistan was interesting. The masoleum was beautiful. It was built by Tamerlane in the 15th century to honor a religious leader who established a Sufi order in the region. The town itself is pretty small and made up primarily of houses. The old city that was around the masoleum a few hundred years ago was allowed to fall apart -- hence the area directly around the masoleum is barren (except for a few camels grazing), and the current town does not begin until the border of the old town. Therefore the masoleum is surrounded by a few kilometers of dirt and grass. The masoleum itself is giant and topped by three mushroom shaped dome-towers. Tamerlane died before it was finished therefore the front entrace-way has a funny shape, as if the masoleum comes to an abrupt halt. This is a pilgramige site for the regions Turkic muslims - therefore there was much praying inside the masoleum, especially near the actual tomb. It was interesting to watch the Kazakhs worship, especially the women. Many of whom were walking around the building touching the sides and praying as they walked. Unfortuantely, the interior is not as spectacular as the outside, with little in terms of aesthetics (just white walls). I guess art demands money, of which the Kazakhs have little. Directly surrounding the masoleum, were a few smaller masoleums, a bathhouse, as well as the chamber where early residents of the town studied and prayed. Also flanking the main entrance was a giant rose garden, which heightened the religious atmosphere of the site.

So that's my report of Turkistan - other than the masoleum, there was nothing else to do in the small city. So I just got some dinner, wandered around the local bazaar, came back to the masoleum at dusk and wathced from a park bench as the sun set on and the evening lights were turned on to illuminate it during the night. As I sat on the bench, one of those begging ladies (you know the one's that hang out at Russian churches) came up to me to get some money. I waved her off, but she decided to sit down next to me and chat. While we talked, she would stop people to ask for money for bread and milk. I asked her if the state gives her a pension. She said she gets 10,000 Tenge a month (which is about $60), and her family is already dead or moved away. She said that after rent and gas, she has no more left for food, therefore she has to beg. As she was refused money time and time again, she would make wisecracks about the people who wouldn't give her anything: ("look at that fat guy get into his expensive car, and he can't sprare 10 Tenge!"). Eventually a lady came by and gave her 3 loaves of bread, and I chipped in some so she could buy some milk. She was pretty happy. She added an interesting perspective to the life of a begging woman in the former Soviet Union (of which I have probably seen hundreds).

Anyway, after that I went back to my hotel and went to bed; got up the next morning and caught a bus to Shymkent, and quickly after arriving, found a bus to Karaganda (which is in north Kazakhstan). I have been on buses for almost 30 hours of the last 48. You can imagine how sore my knees are! Alright, when I get to Pavlodar tomorrow, I will probably be able to write again.