Silk Road:Tajikistan Photo

Photographer’s Note

Silk Road travel:
From Dushanbe we went in a western direction to the second important pass on our way to the Pamir: Saghirdasht (formerly called Kaburabot pass; 3255 m). The military road built in the thirties has not seen much repair ever since. Recently, a new branch of the Silk road opened from Dushanbe to Kashgar (China), bringing some traffic (mainly new cars imported from China). The local vehicles are generally of Russian manufacture, sturdy but ages old (here a VAZ truck made in Togliatti).
The picture is taken not far from the Obikhingou river near the village of Childara. You can llok it up on Google earth with "Map: view"

Vaarna, ahmet54, Buin has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Vaarna (303) 2007-10-19 5:59

Hi Dietrich,
this picture remines me of old Soviet-time movies like "Kavkazskaja pljennica" from Gaiday. I have a feeling nothing has been changed for ordinary people in the last 20 yaers - the same bad roads, the same VAZ, the same friendly common people and childern.

I like the way you composed the car.
I think I should study your trip because i want to travel in that direction next time.

Regards
ilze

Buin (37412) 2007-10-22 0:24

Hallo Dieter!
Dieser LKW hat aber einige Jahre auf dem Buckel ... und diese Ladung! Der würde hier sofort aus dem Verkehr gezogen. Schön sind die Fahrräder hier als Kontrapunkt. Die Menschen sehen irgendwie zufrieden aus und der "Außen"-Fahrer blickt sogar stolz in die Kamera. Interessant ist übrigens die rote Gesteinsfarbe, die die Szenerie noch interessanter macht.
Einen schönen Sonntag aus Westfalen - hier regnet's!
Frank