The Beautiful & Mysterious Lake Issyk Kul.

Issyk Kul  (Photo from Goista.com)

When I first got the detailed itinerary for this tour, the words *Issyk Kul* caught my eye.  I read on...."Issyk Kul, the second largest mountain lake in the world...."  That sentence most certainly caught my attention!  Of course, curious me, I had to find out more about Issyk Kul and that started with looking at images of the lake. The lake is ringed by the Tian Shan mountains which I hope that when we are there, will still be snow capped.  It would be so beautiful.  In the warmer months, Issyk Kul is popular retreat, appreciated for its warm, sandy beaches, thermal mineral springs and spas, alpine meadows, and parks.  Looking at one image after another, my initial reaction was just how nice and relaxing it will be to spend a day and a night on the shores of this lovely lake.

Cities in the Oasis. Ancient Merv.

Painting of the 2th-century mausoleum оf Sultan Sanjar, located in Merv.

Ancient Merv is one of the most complex and well preserved urban centers along the Silk Route.  The cities that emerged at Merv date back to the 6th century BC and a number of monuments are still standing today.

Tamerlane & Samarkand.

The Registan.   (Photo by Stomac)

If you had asked me a year ago to name places in Central Asia, I would have come up with a handful of names ...at best. The first place that would have come to my mind would have been Samarkand.  I think that without a shadow of a doubt, it is the place that many people would associate with Uzbekistan.  They might not know what the capital of Uzbekistan is but they will know Samarkand. After all, it is where the country's most famous heritage landmark, the Registan, is located.

Packing List. Central Asia.

Lucky I just have to pack things and not people as well!  (Photo from gapyear.com)

We've got just a few more weeks to go before we leave on our trip so now's the time to start thinking about packing.  Pat recently showed me her master packing list, developed over decades of travel, and it's remarkably very similar to mine...down to the items for doing laundry!  I take that as another sign that she is the perfect person to partner with me on this trip.