Tajikistan

Most of Tajikistan's population belongs to the Persian-speaking Tajik ethnic group, who share language, culture and history with Afghanistan and Iran. Once part of the Samanid Empire, Tajikistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union in the 20th century, known as the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR). Mountains cover more than 90% of the republic. After independence, Tajikistan suffered from a devastating civil war which lasted from 1992 to 1997. Since the end of the war, newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country's economy to grow. Trade in commodities such as cotton, aluminium and uranium has contributed greatly to this steady improvement.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An awesome card with the map and flag of Tajikistan :)

Thank you very much Parvina!

Sent: 21 January 2014,   Received: 10 March 2014   Travelled: 48 days

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Char Minor
Bukhara is a city-museum, with about 140 monuments of architecture. The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long been a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. The historic center of Bukhara, which contains numerous mosques and madrassas, has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Persian-speaking Tajiks constitute the largest element of the city's population. The city has long had a mixed population including Jews and other ethnic minorities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhara

Wow I really wish to visit Uzbekistan and see the amazing historic cities!

Thank you Jahongir for this amazing postcard from Bukhara!

Sent: 24 January 2014,   Received: 20 February 2014,   Travelled: 27 days

Yay! Kyrgyzstan

Petroglyphs of Saimalu-Tash Plateau

Not easy to reach and requiring a special journey,hidden at over 3000 meters in the Ferghana range near the Kurgat Pass is the remote, small plateau of Saimaly-Tash. The name means "Patterned Stone" and refers to the fact that here is a gallery of thousands of stone paintings - petroglyphs which are lettered around the landscape. Some of the drawings date from about 2000BC. It is thought that they represent votive offerings brought by locals from the valleys to be nearer the heavens. There are images of animals, carts, agricultural activities such as ploughing, traditional ritual dances, all without any background. The number of solar images suggest that sun-worship was the common religion in the region.

Read more here: http://www.kyrgyzstantravel.info/culture/petroglyphs.htm 

My very first card from Kyrgyzstan, thank you very much Alidzhon!

Sent: 14 October 2013,   Received: 8 November 2013,   Travelled: 25 days

Mongolia

The area of what is now Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic empires, including the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Rouran, the Goturks, and others. In 1206, Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire, and his grandson Kublai Khan conquered China to establish the Yuan Dynasty. After the collapse of the Yuan, the Mongols retreated to Mongolia and resumed their earlier pattern of factional conflict and occasional raids on the Chinese borderlands.

Thank you so much Nathan for this amazing card from Mongolia! 

Sent: 2 April 2013

Kazakh New Year

Kazakhs celebrating Nauryz-Zoroastrian New Year on March 22

Thank you Oxana for another amazing card!

Sent: 27 April 2013

Besnatyr mausoleum

Besnatyr mausoleum, Kyzylarai, Central Kazakhstan



Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country by land area and the ninth largest country in the world; its territory of 2,727,300 square kilometres is largest than Western Europe. It has borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea. The terrain of Kazakstan includes flatlands, steppe, taiga, rock canyons, hills,deltas, snow-capped mountains and deserts.

 Thank you very much Oxana for my first card from Kazakhstan!

Sent: 8 March 2013,   Received: 24 April 2013,   Travelled: 47 days

Mongolian Horse

 Traditional ger home

 

Thanks Nathan for this cute horsey and matching stamp :D

  

Sent: March 2013,    Received: 9 April 2013