Sunday, September 6
We cross the border today, and the process goes quite smoothly. We walk past the border checkpoints, and a van is waiting for us on the other side. An hour later, we arrive in Khujand. The local guide takes us to a bazaar and an uninteresting new mosque. On our own, we visite the partially restored fortress dating back to the time of Alexander the Great and take the cable car across the river.
Preparations for Independence Day on September 9 were underway, and major roads are closed off. Like the other drivers, ours tries to find an alternative route—in short, it’s chaos. After more than an hour, we reach the highway and can finally pick up some speed. In the afternoon, we arrive at Iskander Lake. The view of the blue-green lake and the rugged mountains is magnificent. Brilliant. We continue a bit further into the mountains and arrive at our homestay in Saratoq, followed by a pleasant walk through the village and a beautiful hike through the beautiful landscape to the waterfalls.
On Tuesday, we drive south through the mountains. There are several tunnels, and one 6-kilometer-long tunnel is particularly harrowing—it’s not called the “Tunnel of Death” for nothing. It is thick with exhaust fumes, and visibility is virtually nil; it is dark and hazy. The headlights of oncoming vehicles loom out of the gloom at the very last moment. We make it through, and just as we exit the tunnel, we are treated to a magnificent view. We slowly descend into the valley, passing through more beautiful landscapes until we arrive in Dushanbe. It is striking just how many electric cars are on the road here. We continue on to the Hisor Fortress, where we visit both the madrasa and the fort. It’s quite a climb to the top, but the view makes it well worth the effort. Back at the bottom, we are asked to pose for a photo with a local woman and her entourage—a fun little moment. Some other young people stop for a quick chat before we have to get back on the bus.
September 9th is Independence Day. The celebrations are already on TV during breakfast. I head into the city with Darran to see what festivities we can catch. On the way, we run into revelers who are already heading home. On our route, at the entrance to Rudaki Park stands the monument to Ismail Somoni, backed by a large arch. We walk past the fountains toward the State Emblem. Just behind it lies a viewpoint, where we take photos with the flag and a sign marking the republic’s 35th anniversary. We continue through the park, past the Rudaki Monument and along the main road in the city center. Cars are speeding past here—likely including the president’s motorcade, given the heavy police and security presence in the area. We reach Independence Square and are allowed to enter. The Istiklol Monument is massive, yet quite impressive.
The next day, we visit the National Museum of Antiquities, which houses a large statue of a reclining Buddha. Kozi Navruz, a large modern building, turns out to be lavishly decorated; the tour takes us through enormous halls featuring wood carvings, inlaid stonework, and chandeliers. Apparently, this little palace was privately funded, though it is also used to host important delegations. Well…
