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Tajikistan

The ancient city of Panjakent is just ruins now and most of it is underground, still to be excavated. But it would once have been quite grand.

Ancient Panjakent was founded here as early as the 5th century BC as part of the Sogdian civilisation. It was in the 5th century AD that it really began to flourish. There would have been temples, fortresses, and large mansions for the wealthiest residents. In 722 AD, though, the Arabs conquered Panjakent and that was the beginning of the end. By the end of the 8th century, it had been deserted.

Local market just before closing time

The stalls inside are arranged in concentric circles and the sun shines in from high windows. It creates a spectacular effect that makes me think of the old bazaars of the Silk Road days

It has been a hard days work.

Good looking local Tajikistan bread just baked hours before. The vendors with the piles of circular breads are doing well.

Panjakent market is bustling, even in the late afternoon, with floral-clad women with headscarves, shopping for the days foods and supplies as the enter through the ornate gate into the site.

Catching a few ZZZZ's at the end of the day

Leaving Penjikent and the drive across Tajikistan

One of the few highway bridges

The Silk Road was not an easy crossing from Samarkand to Penjikent. The mountains are steep and difficult today. I cannot imagine what it must have been thousands of years ago.

This was the neatest thing to see. Cooling the sodas and drinks naturally with water falling across the bottles along the highway.

Sour Cheese balls - Kashk is made from drained yogurt or drained sour milk by shaping it and letting it dry. It can be made in a variety of forms, like rolled into balls, sliced into strips, and formed into chunks.

Tasting a sample. The ancient form of kashk is a porridge of grains fermented with whey and dried in the sun. The long shelf-life and nutritional value of kashk made it a useful item for peasants during the winter months, as well as soldiers and travelers.

Modern kashk is usually a dish of dried buttermilk that can be crumbled and turned into a paste with water. This coarse powder can be used to thicken soups and stews and improve their flavor, or as an ingredient in various meat, rice or vegetable dishes. Drying allows a longer shelf life for the product.

Here I am with a owner and his son who are selling the varied products and cheese balls by the side of the road in their food shop. Yet another modern method, sour yogurt is blended until smooth, then boiled and strained. It is left to ferment in a warm oven for several days, then the moisture is strained and blended with salt to make the kashk.

Small communities along the Silk Road through mountainous areas.

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