TOO HOT TO HANDLE- Aralsk and Turkistan, Kazakhstan

.....more Kazakhstan, Mangistau region, here.....

The Kazakh are, and have always been, nomadic horse-based people since they were the first to domesticate horses in around 3500 BC. The word Kazakh means adventurer, or free rider, and they dominated the steppes (arid grasslands) of Kazakhstan for hundreds of years. They divided themselves into “hordes” in the 15^th century, which represented different areas, and to this day this remains an important part of their heritage. The hordes were the last great nomadic empire. In the 1700s, one of the hordes needed Russian protection, and this began the decline into Tsarist rule and the mass immigration of Russian settlers up until the 19^th century. The Kazakhs were influenced by the Russians, and to this day have the closest relationship with Russian of all the Central Asian countries. It was the Bolsheviks that changed Kazakhstan the most, after the Russian Revolution. Communism was a disaster to the nomads, as part of the agenda was to turn them into settled farmers. The strong and proud nomads refused and killed all their herds rather then submit. This led to huge famines, helped along by Stalin who valued the nomad's land. To complete the horror, Stalin ordered tens of thousands of deaths of anyone he thought had thoughts of independence and likely to make trouble, in what was know as “The Purges”.

Before the Soviets, Kazakhs assigned themselves according to their clan mostly, but when the borders were drawn up in 1924, their new nation was invented and they were given a new identity. There were positives sides to the occupation such as the growth of industry, woman's rights, education, health care and infrastructure (“What have the Romans ever done for us?”). In 1991 Kazakhstan became independent following the collapse of the USSR, along with the other Central Asian countries.

Amongst the ruins in Turkistan, Kazakhstan

Where we are in the region

Out route through Kazakhstan- the yellow dotty line

These Kazakh blog posts are really living up to our blog name!! 

The train we took from Aktau to Aralsk was our first proper long distance Kazakh train (we were trying to block out all memories of the common train from Beyneu to Aktau!!) It was an old banger, all right, but somehow had an interesting and shoddy character, and we liked it. As the train began in Aktau, we were able to board early and make up our beds before the journey- that was after the pre-requisite photo session with some families in the carriage. We then watched with horror as the carriage filled up almost entirely with families with kids/babies, but actually, once we were up on our little bunks, we were quite separate and undisturbed from what was happening down in the carriage. As before, we had access to the only tiny window, and during the heat of the day had the hot and dry desert wind blowing in our faces, which was slightly better than no breeze at all.

Sneaky pic from the top bunk, train Aktau to Aralsk

Restaurant car, train Aktau to Aralsk

Fellow passengers, train Aktau to Aralsk

Catching up on study, train Aktau to Aralsk

The train stations we saw in Kazakhstan were all quite rough and tatty compared to the spic and span, well run versions we had experienced in Uzbekistan, and the Kazakhs were much more relaxed about security, with no showing of passports or metal detectors at entrances.

The scenery on the train trip was almost entirely flat steppe (arid grassland), apart from a small section with sand dunes, and we finally saw our first two humped camel!

*Note about camels: We've been confused about which camel is which, so here is an informative website that clearly explains the differences. Basically, there are two varieties- Dromedary (one hump) and Bactrian (two humps), with a few different cross breeds (mostly what we saw). We were disappointed not to see more Bactrian- apparently they are only really in Tajikistan.

Different camel breeds

Ship of the desert, train Aktau to Aralsk

Train Aktau to Aralsk

At 27 hours, it may well have been our longest train trip out of Oz. Kazakhstan is an absolutely huge country (ninth largest in the world- Australia is sixth), and although we love train travel, we needed to break the journey.

Arriving in Aralsk at one am, we quickly found a close by hotel, which wasn't perfect, but for US$7 each, with WIFI and a hot shower and literally out in the middle of the desert, we couldn't complain. We were surprised to meet a few overland groups in the town, and they were surprised to see us come from the train!

The Aral Sea was at one time the fourth largest lake in the world. Now it is greatly decreased, a victim of Soviet insistence that cotton should be grown extensively in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and irrigated using the mismanaged water from the Aral Sea. The coast line from the once port town of Aralsk receded to 100 kms from the town during the 1940s to the 1960s. A dam was built in 2005 to try to regain water in the northern part (Kazakhstan), but the southern part in Uzbekistan was considered a lost cause. The water is now about 20 kms from Aralsk, some villages are within walking distance, and fish numbers and species are once again on the rise. So, although production is tiny compared with what is was (as is evident from the enormous trawler hulks in the defunct harbour), there is some hope. We heard there was a second dam being built, but we weren't able to ask at the local NGO, as they were closed when we were there. The positive work was not really apparent in Aralsk itself- a hot, dusty, and desolate place, with the empty harbour stretching as far as the eye could see.

Streets of Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Aralsk train station toilets

As we had to wait an extra day for our next train (the trains in Kazakhstan became booked up very quickly, and we were lucky to get seats at all), we killed some time looking at the “attractions” of Aralsk. Of the two museums, only one was open during our three days there, and even though there were few English signs, we got the gist of most of it. We were really interested in the current state of the sea, but most of what we found out was from the internet. We wandered down to the defunct harbour, and found some local lads paddling naked in some tiny pools of water amidst the rubbish and waste. The old factories and cranes lining what was the shoreline decades ago were a sobering scene.

The old harbour, Aralsk, Kazakhstan

The bazaar was the heart of Aralsk, full of dusty vehicles, people moving about and scraggy little parks and squares with statues of unknown heroes. The smell of grilling shashlik was in the air, and we enjoyed wandering around the many small stalls and shops, especially liking the lower prices for produce than we had been paying in Mangistau.

Old mural in the train station showing Aralsk in it's heyday, supplying fish to Russia

Shop in bazaar, Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Old Russian van being used as an ambulance, Aralsk, Kazakhstan

We came across some of the town drunks- there was the guy spread eagled unconscious every day outside the supermarket; the totally wasted man unable to walk being practically carried away by a rail guard on the train platform; and the disarming woman who appeared out of the bushes covered in leaves near the closed museum who tried to follow us. Then there was the happy old drunk who sat next to Rich on the train platform as we were leaving, and chuckled away and told stories for more than an hour, even though it was clear we absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Actually, it was a common theme in Aralsk, that the friendly locals would approach us (not usually drunk!) and start chattering away in Russian, assuming we could understand. We just smiled and repeated our few measly words (we didn't speak Russian, we spoke English only, we were from Australia and were here on holiday, and we liked their town), and they seemed happy!

We were lucky at most places we stayed in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, that they were very accommodating with our late train departures, and all let us stay on in the room past check out time.
Our next night train from Aralsk to Turkistan had a very different feeling to the other trips. It was arriving from Russia, absolutely packed (mostly with very different looking Russian people), pretty crappy and cramped, but very fast. As soon as we boarded, the train took off again, and once we had turfed off the guys lying on our beds, and gotten the bunks made up with the pretty flowery sheets (!!), we basically just slept until arriving in Turkistan the next morning. It was a nice feeling to take it for granted our belongings were relativity safe on the trains in Central Asia. With our bags tucked away high up above us, and room to keep our small bags with us on the bunks, we never felt nervous about theft. Of course, there are bad people everywhere, and it may sound naïve to say it, but it's really hard to imagine people here stealing! Certainly none of this sleeping with one eye open with everything chained together, as we do in India!

South Kazakhstan is the most Kazakh part of Kazakhstan, and we felt a distinct change arriving in Turkistan from the desert areas we had come from. It was so nice so see green and gardens again! We felt we had finally left the desert behind, although the dirt and dust that covered our bodies and bags from the last month and a half would take a while to wash off!

Turkistan used to be the name for Central Asia as a whole, but now is limited to one town. It is where the great Sufi teacher and holy man Kozha Akmed Yasaui lived most of his life and was buried. In the 1300s, the powerful leader Timur took over the place and decided to build a far grander mausoleum than was already there. Having had read that Turkistan was the second most important pilgrimage place for Sufis in Kazakhstan, we were looking forward to reliving some of our experiences in Beket-Ata, and learning more about the mysterious strain of Islam. The LP really talks up Turkistan, but as we had already seen the best Silk Road Timur architecture (in Uzbekistan), and also the fact that there were no pilgrims around for the three days we visited, we were left very disappointed. The complex was small, with just one big building (the mausoleum), and various smaller, lesser tombs, which were plain and not particularly interesting, or closed. Perhaps if we had come here first we would have been more impressed. 

 Kozha Akmed Yasaui's mausoleum entrance, Turkistan, Kazakhstan

 Kozha Akmed Yasaui's mausoleum, Turkistan, Kazakhstan

Poser, tiles, Turkistan, Kazakhstan

Anyway, it was still an appealing little town, with a cracking market- apparently well known in Kazakhstan for being particularly cheap and diverse. We certainly appreciated the prices, as well as the ice cream stalls every few metres! The mix of buses, shared taxis, exchange booths, food wafting and sellers calling out gave a bustling and lively feel to the place. The population was ethnically mixed and dress standards varied greatly from modest dresses that covered everything to short shorts and singlets. Scarves and caps were still very much evident. We were happy to see plenty of friendly faces.

Scary head, Turkistan bazaar

Man fixing shoes old style, Turkistan bazaar

Buying bread, Turkistan bazaar

Happy boy! Turkistan bazaar

Couldn't resist this photo, bazaar, Turkistan

Local newspapers on bazaar, Turkistan

So many melons everywhere, Turkistan, Kazakhstan

We also had the experience of staying in the town's number one nightspot, as our hotel doubled as a restaurant and disco every night. Although we enjoyed the spectacle of people dancing and having a great time, we were glad we had a quiet room on the opposite side of the hotel!

The heat had returned, and we found it was really wearing us down after so long, and on the spot we decided to change our plans and leave Kazakhstan a week early, and escape to the mountainous country of Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately, we had left it too late to book a train, so for the first time on this trip we had to make other arrangements. The first step was a extremely comfortable large minibus to take us to Shymkent. Twenty minutes into the trip, we broke down, and Rich and I feared the worst (that's what travel in India does to you!). The locals on the bus were calm and accepting, even in the heat, as though it happens all the time. Forty minutes later a replacement arrived and we were on our way again. The Kazakh pop was a great accompaniment to the views of the fields mostly growing melons, and also small herds of camel, cattle and sheep, and the odd cowboy on a horse to round them up.

Once we arrived a Shymkent, we waited several hours and then boarded an overnight big bus to Bishkek, which reminded us why we always prefer to take the train! It was quite painful to begin with, as the bus was an old banger with no AC, and not much leg room, but was made worse by our very uncharacteristically annoying neighbours in the seats in front. The kid was an obnoxious brat with no discipline from his mother who preferred to stick her earphones in and play with her phone. After the kid spat his chewing gum in Rich's lap, and tried to hit him on the head with his toy car, Rich firstly appealed to the mother to control him, and then when that didn't work, whacked him hard on the hand. That did!! Immigration took place in a blur in the middle of the night, and we arrived more than half asleep in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at four am.

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A last note about costs in Kazakhstan:

Costs are about half what they were last year in Kazakhstan, due to a devaluation in their currency, the tenge. For us, this made a huge difference in our budget, and instead of being one of the most expensive countries to travel in Central Asia, as it was in the past, it was only a little more than Uzbekistan........and much of that was because we were in remote areas. Here is a break down of costs in Kazakhstan for those who would like more details:

(US$1= 325 tenge/AUS$1= 261 tenge)

Accommodation

Beyneu Hotel, Beyneu 6,000 tenge/AU$22

Aktau Hostel, Aktau 4,000 tenge/AUS$14

Hotel Altair, Aralsk 6,000 tenge/AUS$22

Hotel Edem, Turkistan 7,000 tenge/AUS$26 including buffet breaky

Accommodation was surprisingly cheap in Kazakhstan, and, because of the out of the way places we visited, varying in quality. Mostly it was great value for money, comfortable, and with our own bathrooms and a hot water shower.

Our spacious "suite" in Aktau, Kazakhstan

Crazy wallpaper, hotel room, Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Transport (per person)

Urgench to Beyneu train platzkart 108,000 som 19 hours

Beyneu to Aktau train common 1,100 tenge 9 hours

Mangyshlak train station to Aktau bus 80 tenge 30 mins

Aktau city buses between 50-80 tenge single trip

Aktau hostel to city taxi 300-400 tenge 20 mins

Hostel Aktau to Akshukar/Koshkar Ata taxi 400 tenge 20 mins

Akshukar/Koshkar Ata to hostel bus 90 tenge 20 mins

Hostel Aktau- Beket Ata group minibus 5,000 tenge each

Mangyshlak to Aralsk train platzkart  3,313 tenge 27 hours

Aralsk to Turkistan train platzkart  8495 tenge 11 hours

Hostel Aktau to Mangyshlak train station, taxi 1000 tenge 30 mins

Turkestan station to town marshrutka 20 mins 50 tenge

Turkestan to Shymkent big minibus 800 tenge 1 hour 40 mins (+ 40 mins breakdown)

Shymkent to Bishkek big bus 2500 tenge 8.5 hours

Obviously, we travelled by train most of the time in Kazakhstan. They weren't up to the standard of the Uzbek trains, but still quite comfortable, apart from the extreme heat. They were always clean and tidy (apart from at the end of a long journey), and we were given clean sheets with which to make out beds. Mostly there was no restaurant car, and we took our own food. One end of the carriage would always have a giant samovar, so we were able to make hot drinks. The best thing was the ridiculously cheap prices for long journeys across the huge country.

Kazakh train toilet (at the beginning of the journey!)

Every train has a toilet at one end and a samovar for hot water at the other 

Great storage system on Kazakh trains

Nice and clean and tidy at the start of the journey, Kazakh train

Food

5 litre water 250-300 tenge

1 litre water 130 tenge
1.5 litre frozen water 140 tenge
Big ice tea 220-300 tenge
Big pomegranate juice 410 tenge
Coffee three-in-one 20 packet 700 tenge

Bread 50-100 tenge

Smetana 310 tenge

Big chunk cheese with walnuts 360 tenge

Jar jam 460 tenge

Large bag biscuits 270 tenge

Big bag pistachios 550 tenge

Whippy ice cream 80 tenge

Meal for two at cheap restaurant or fast food 1000- 3200 tenge

Samsa 75-80 tenge

Nectarines 600 tenge per kilo

Apricots 600- 800 tenge per kilo

Massive bunch spring onion 150 tenge

Apples two for 100-240 tenge

Plums 300-350 tenge per kilo

Potatoes 50 tenge per kilo
Tomatoes/capsicum/cucumber 70-170 tenge per kilo

Sadly, the food selection and quality was very similar to Uzbekistan. We avoided eating out due to the unappetising oily and fatty dishes and almost entirely self catered, which we loved. Breads, cheeses and fresh produce were absolutely delicious, and very affordable, even in the remoter areas.

The offending laghman (doesn't look too bad in the photo!)

Typically meaty menu, Kazakhstan

More greasy plov- they eat it in Kazakhstan too

Shashlik flavoured chips! Kazakhstan

Although we found the areas of Kazakhstan we visited to be somewhat challenging and a little bit frustrated, we were aware that we had really only touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of traveling in the huge country. We would love to return again and visit the far east and the more Russian north. But for now, the mountains and cool weather of Kyrgyzstan called us..........................

.....next up, A New Start, A New Stan- Kyrgyzstan.......

DESERT NECROPOLISES AND CAVE MOSQUES - Mangistau, Kazakhstan

......our time in Khiva, Uzbekistan.....

As our taxi left Khiva to take us to the train station, Uzbek pop played on the radio, crops were neat along side the road and the smell of dill was in the air (always seems to smell of dill or basil in Uzbekistan!). The station at Urgench was a huge and spotlessly clean affair, strict on security, well organized and sign posted in English. This was the same as all the stations we had seen in Uzbekistan.

After the first suffocating long distance train journey of this trip, we leant our lesson and booked two upper bunks in platzcart on this train to Kazakhstan. This way we were in charge of the only window that opened, and therefore the air flow. This turned out to be a clever move, as the afternoon was scorchingly hot, and we lay with our heads practically out the small window with our eyeballs being seared by the hot, dry wind. We were fascinated by the sellers who boarded at various stations out in the middle of desert, mostly selling copious amounts of both watermelons (which were stored in literally every available space onboard) and large dried, smoked fish. The scenery was miles of empty desert peppered with green oasis villages growing crops and a surprising number of lakes. Our fellow passengers were lovely, although the blond, Slavic-looking woman was a bit odd, clutching her Bible the entire journey, and being treated like royalty by the staff (including being brought tea and food). Mostly the train was similar to the other long distance train we had taken from Samarkhand to Urgench, although this one came complete with two three hour stops at both the Uzbek and Kazakh border posts. The immigration for the Kazakh side is in Beyneu, miles from the actual border, due to the huge empty expanse of desert.

Kazakhstan!!

Central Asia region

The yellow dotty line is our route through Kazakhstan

Sal's view of fish seller from top bunk, train to Beyneu

We were finally allowed off the stifling carriage and gasped at the early morning fresh air in Beyneu. We were very happy to feel there had been a cool change in the weather, clouds covered the sky and it was spitting rain.

Sal was ready to go with “Do you speak English?” in Russian, as well as the other phrases needed to get a room in Beyneu, but we were taken aback when the young guy on reception at our chosen hotel replied back “Are you trying to speak to me in Kazakh?” in English !! Must need some work on the old Russian pronunciation!!

Most people we had met with some experience of Beyneu had said it was a Godforsaken place with no redeeming features, but we were hoping we would see a glimpse of something others had missed. That didn't happen. It was a depressing, scruffy, empty place with rude, unfriendly people and nothing going for it. Some of the housing was downright weird in construction, and so decrepit there were great holes in the roofs of the buildings. No idea what they do in winter. The small market wasn't too bad, but we were shocked at the high prices of basic food items after coming from Uzbekistan. The best feature of the town was the aforementioned smart and eager guy on reception at the hotel we stayed at.....And one women who was friendly to us in the line for the kassa (train ticket office), although it turned out she wasn't from Beyneu. The worst feature was the revolting laghman (noodle soups) we forced down at the local cafe. We didn't know what was worse- the gluggy, oil filled bowls, or the sour face and miserable attitude of the woman working there. Being pushed and shoved around in the line for train tickets whilst impatient locals nastily argued with each other wasn't a highlight either. Overall, you could say Beyneu was not one of our favourite places and a return visit is unlikely.

Resident camel roaming the streets, Beyneu, Kazakhstan

Our street and hotel, Beyneu, Kazakhstan

Not quite the same thing, Beyneu, Kazakhstan

We noticed a slight change in the appearance of people, especially with dress. Ladies generally wore more long, flowery, peasant-type dresses, often with golden dangly earings, while men favoured white felt hats shaped like baseball caps.

Anyway, after two nights we escaped to Aktau- on our first “common” train of the trip.....although we didn't realize that when we bought the ticket. You'd think the US$3 price for a nine hour journey would have been a clue! We bought a normal ticket with a seat number at the kassa, turned up with said ticket, waited for the hoards of people to board the train (thinking “What's the hurry- everyone has a seat!”), only to realize upon boarding, that no one had a seat allocated and it was a free for all. Of course, being the last passengers on, we had to perch on the end of a bench already taken by a family. None of that Uzbek chivalry here! Unfortunately, it was a nine hour overnight train, and when everyone else lay down to sleep, we sat there tired, grumpy and especially hot, as the none of the windows opened. It was quite a lovely sight out the window, as the full moon rose with camels wandering, and at one point when Sal asked Rich what he was thinking he said, “I was wondering what would happen if a meteorite crashed into the moon and pushed it closer to Earth”!!!!! What a dag!! He was lucky enough to get a bed in the guard's cabin after a short time, whilst Sal continued to enjoy the cacophony of smells (mostly fermented cheese balls and smelly feet) and the orchestra of super loud snoring, as well as an old ladie's head on her lap for most of the night- two hours before our destination some passengers got off and she could finally lay down.

Beyneu station, Kazakhstan

The horrid common train from Beyneu to Aktau, Kazakhstan

You could say Sal was in a bit of a mood upon arriving, and the fact that the train station for Aktau is some way from the city, and the taxi mafia were making fun of us and trying to charge ridiculous prices did not help. Rich suggested getting on a public bus, which we did, which miraculously took us close to our destination, which was in a newly constructed, dusty suburb on the outskirts of Aktau. Lastly we were picked up and taken to our hostel by a helpful local in his fancy car, who was worried about us standing by the road looking lost! Wish that happened more often!

Located on the Caspian Sea in the Mangistau region in far western Kazakhstan, Aktau, is a strange place. The wealth that suddenly arose, first from uranium mining, and then from the vast amounts of oil and gas around the area is obvious, with massive, well maintained streets, shiny malls and big houses and apartment blocks all standing in the desert dust. It is part of the big, bright economy of Kazakhstan, which has one third of the world's oil reserves. Down town was a bit more daggy and lifeless, with no lively markets, or sights, apart from the sea itself. We were relieved to find the local residents more welcoming than the Beyneu lot, although that wouldn't really be difficult.
The current (and only) Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has been the driving force behind Kazakhstan's economic growth, encouraging Western companies to invest heavily in the countries mining sector. He's also been accused of rigging elections and eliminating opponents, but, hey, what's new in politics?

Not so fancy apartments, downtown Aktau, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

We set aside a day for visiting the best beach areas in Aktau, and came away quite disappointed to say the least! Of course, we weren't expected Thai-style beaches, but the horrible polluted sands, views of oil rigs, and mostly the toxic smell in the air were a real turn off. Local families carried on, though, enjoying themselves sitting on the beach, making sandcastles, having picnics and swimming in the oily water, apparently oblivious to the sickening smell and outlook. God know what the many fisherman were hauling up! We walked for some time along the coast hoping to find a more pleasant area, but it seemed there wasn't one.

Happy locals having fun (!), Caspian Sea beach, Aktau

Nice to see locals enjoying themselves, Caspian Sea beach, Aktau

Definitely wouldn't be eating those fish caught in the highly polluted Caspian Sea, Aktau

The coast near Aktau town

Friends having a day at the beach, Caspian Sea beach, Aktau

Locals enjoying a water outlet, Caspian Sea beach, Aktau

It's a shame we can't convey the awful smell, Caspian Sea beach, Aktau

We quickly discovered the bus system in Aktau was very limited- there was only really one regular reliable bus that went through town, and close to our hostel. There is a lot of wealth in the city, and many flash cars- perhaps this is the reason? We did our best to move around the city cheaply, and sometimes took taxis as an alternative.

One of the easier to visit attractions was Koshkar Ata necropolis, just outside the village of Akshukur. After waiting for a bus for half an hour with no luck, we copied the locals, waved down a “taxi” (a guy in a car going in the same direction as us), and paid him less than a dollar to drop us at the entrance.

We weren't expecting so vast an area of graves- the initial impression was that of a beautiful city full of castles. The graves stretched as far as the eye could see, and were a mixture of very old, very new, and in between. It was quite a fascinating place. As well as the beauty of the shapes and designs of the various styles of tombs, the cultural references were very telling. Many mausoleums had pictures or carvings of yurts, horses, saddles and traditional tools, that reminded one of the Kazakh heritage. The new part with it's towering Taj Mahal-like mausoleums had pictures of oil executives and oil wells- a big clue to where all that money is coming from. Other interesting features were the walls every grave had around it, and the small stone boxes with the lids sitting separately. Apparently Kazakhstan, and particularity Mangistau region, is covered in these amazing necropolis, in varying sizes, dating back to when the nomads would bury their dead in sacred spots.

Some of the many beautiful tombs at Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Looked like castles in the distance, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

A rare flower in a dry climate, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Many of these lovely little boxes and lids on graves, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

One of the ancient stones, looking out at the more recent, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Most graves had Muslim symbols on them, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Strolling around Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Graves complete with little walls, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Some graves were in a bad state, and a bit creepy, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Liked this Moscow style tomb, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Another little box- what do they mean? Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Interesting tomb, complete with oil executive!, Koshkar-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

We began to miss the wonderful markets of Uzbekistan, but instead found some well stocked supermarkets near our hostel, and made the most of the different produce. Luckily the Kazakh bread was delicious, and we continued our bread, salad and cheese diet, with a few added extras from time to time, such as walnut cheese, pomegranate juice, lovely local raspberry jam and smetana (the last two on fresh bread was like a cream tea!). Kazakhstan is the home to the apple, but until we reached the south, we didn't have a nice one. Prices were high for almost all food items, presumably due to the remote location of the city.

Beket-Ata, the most holy place for the Sufi Kazakhs was our main destination in Kazakhstan. We had heard about the place years ago, and the exotic nature of such a pilgrimage appealed to us greatly. How to go about it was another matter.

The receptionists at our great hostel in Aktau were unbelievably patient and helpful with all our questions. They genuinely wanted to help us, and if they didn't know the answer to something, they would look it up, or call someone. Nothing was too much trouble. Unfortunately, the day we tried to plan our trip to Beket-Ata was the day the non-English speaking woman was working, but we got there in the end, mainly due to her perseverance.

So, having arranged our transport, but having no idea whatsoever what else would be happening for the day, we were picked up by the minibus early in the morning, and joined by about ten other passengers- men, women and children, for the trip out to the desert.

Beket Ata was, and still is, the most important Sufi holy man in Kazakhstan. Apparently, he had a way of spreading his message to the common people that made him very popular. He lived much of his life and died at the underground cave mosque complex he built out in the western deserts of Mangistau, Kazakhstan.

Almost all Kazakhtanis who are Muslim are of the Sufi faith, and it's in the south of Kazakhstan where it's at it's strongest. Sufism was an idea that started from people wanting their faith to be more simplified, and the personal focus seemed to sit well with Kazakh nomads. There are many branches, and it's quite a mysterious and mystical side of Islam we knew little about.

The trip started out quietly, with many people sleeping for the first part of the journey through the outskirts of Aktau, and into oil and gas producing country, filled with pipes, machinery, towers and nodding donkeys. The roads were very clean with not a piece of rubbish to be seen. There were many police around, however, and the ubiquitous camels.

We all woke up for the first stop at a small Sufi shrine to find the oil and gas fields gone, and in their place a grand sweeping view of the craggy desert mountains and the long road ahead stretching out as far as the eye could see. Our fellow passengers became more animated and friendly here, and their few bits of English, and our very few bits of Russian were bandied around.

The road to Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

The next stop was Shopan-Ata, an important Sufi pilgrimage point where an important teacher from the 10th century was buried. Upon arrival, Sal followed the ladies to the “bathrooms”, where we she was shown how to cleanse for the mosque. This included going to the toilet, washing her face three times, water over the head, a bit swallowed and washing her feet and arms three times. It was all slightly awkward with no doors on the toilets, and nowhere to sit whilst washing, but we got the job done and met back with Rich who had done similar (“First time I've had to have a dump and wash my arse to get into a shrine!”). We then all walked around a circuit, past a small necropolis to a hill where a man said a prayer while women tied scarves to a large bent branch, and we then walked around a pile of rocks three times. Next was a small cave where women and men sat in separate rooms for a short prayer, all the ladies were given a scarf, and outside “washed” our faces over the flames of a sacred fire. After the serious stuff, Rich and I were ushered into a room filled with long tables absolutely heaving with food- bread, sweets, tea, biscuits, cheese and other goodies, for lunch and a break.

Cleansing over the flames, Shopan-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Tying scarves to a branch, Shopan-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Some kind of Sufi holyman (?) who said the prayers, Shopan-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Outside the cave mosque, Shopan-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Holy man attending to the scarves, Shopan-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Necropolis, Shopan-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Table full of goodies, Shopan-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Back in the bus and about seven hours after leaving Aktau, we finally reached our destination of Beket-Ata. The trip actually went very fast, as we were both so enjoying the stunning vast desert scenery. We were driving high up on a ridge on a dusty, gravel road, and the massive valleys and steep cliffs in chalky whites and browns below created an otherworldly feel. Hilariously, on arrival we were told that we would all be staying at the site until two am (it was two pm when that news came)! Although we were not expecting that, we were very pleased to hear it, as it meant we could absorb ourselves in the place and take our time looking around.

Scenery on the drive to Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

The cleansing procedure was repeated here on arrival, then we all walked down the steep steps into the valley to visit the cave mosque, in the side of a mountain. People were extremely friendly here and many wanted to stop and chat with us, so we were happy to move slowly. Sometimes it became awkward, with people wanting us to join them, when we were already walking with another group, so we tried to swap around a bit. Pilgrims had come from literally all over Kazakhstan, and we were surprised to find many well educated people here. It was great for us, as we were for once able to ask many questions about what was going on, as well as them being able to translate questions from people with no English (“Why do you wear winter boots when the weather is hot?”). People were very curious and perplexed about what we were doing there, where we had heard about it, and how we'd gotten ourselves to the site. But always welcoming and kind. Photos were not allowed around the complex, but not being exactly sure of the rules, we managed to get a couple of sneaky pics in, and then left the cameras in their bags most of the rest of the time out of respect.

Only groups of twelve were allowed into the cave mosque at one time, and as there were hundreds of pilgrims there, it was a long wait. Some of the old women were getting a bit grumpy waiting in the heat, and we were happy to let people go ahead of us- after all we had twelve hours to kill!! Sitting outside the small entrance doorway, we loved the view of the huge desert plain and small area with huge stone boulders, as well as the constant chatter of our new friends. We were extremely lucky with the weather, with the cool-ish change still hanging around and plenty of clouds to keep us from over heating. Eventually we made it into the mosque, and firstly sat for a blessing in the small and basic main cave, then toured the other rooms with various shrines and another branch with scarves tied to it. Again we were shown the way by the pilgrims, circling everything three times, then backing out of the doorway left leg first. We didn't understand the details of much of what was going on, but the spiritual feeling was overwhelming. Many of the rituals seemed blurred by the influences of Islam, Sufism and particularly shamanism. The bits of material under special rocks and tied to sacred trees, the climbing under and circling holy rocks, the “washing” of the face in flames, and the woman at Shopan-Ata who sat and rubbed herself on a giant phallic shaped stone were fascinating procedures for us to watch. Most people seemed to be there to ask for something specific, such as health or financial problems or starting a new business venture.

The walk back up the many steps was tiring, but again we stopped often and talked and felt revived. It was the first time on this trip we felt such a connection with people. Obviously it helped that many could speak English, but there really was an uplifting and positive vibe to the place.

One of the excellent English speakers we chatted with, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

We loved the colours in the desert, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Small cairn in foreground, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Beautiful desert scenery, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Looking back up to the top, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Slowly slowly, so many steps, so much sun, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

View walking down to the cave mosque, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

The cave underground cave mosque, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Next on the agenda was our interesting dinner arrangements. Woman and men were separated, and the ladies sat in groups of about six, on the floor with the “table” set with a cloth and some towels. The young women served the men first, then we were given a lecture about women's morals- such as the wearing of trousers and the correct coloured scarf, serving the men and helping out with the cleaning up. The engineer that had taken me under her wing sighed, and subtly rolled her eyes! Then a huge pot of the national dish of Kazakhstan, beshbarmak, was served at each table. It's mutton or horse meat boiled for a long time, and is apparently usually served with noodles, but they made it with rice here as it's easier to feed the masses. Looking into the bowl, I breathed a sigh of relief that it didn't look too revolting. The oldest lady of our group cut up the chunk of meat on top of the rice, and I was given the huge greasy bone to chew around as special guest, along with a small bowl of oily broth as an accompaniment. I managed everything alright, and hoped I hadn't made any faux pas! (Meanwhile, Rich had done well in the men's room to avoid receiving the hoof that was in their beshbarmak!) My new friend was very informative and helped me with some questions I had about procedure. There was a very complex system of rules with ages, married status, and who serves who. At one point the youngest woman in our group had to change her head scarf to white in order to serve the men, as it showed she was married. I had no idea that different coloured scarves had different meanings, but luckily green (which I was wearing) wasn't associated with anything in particular.

After everyone had finished eating and the dishes had been collected and cleaned (those young women were certainly kept busy!), we adjourned to the main sitting room to take tea and sweets with everyone together again. We learnt that all the food here, and at Shopan-Ata, was donated by the pilgrims, and the people cooking were all volunteers. Our group of engineers friends left to drive back to Aktau, after many photos and insisting we take their Kazakh Muslim caps and the woman's white scarf (now I could be labelled as a married woman!). They offered us a lift, but we preferred to stay and watch the sun set over the desert, after which the wind got up and the weather actually turned freezing. We returned to the complex for a snooze- the eating rooms had been transformed into separate sleeping areas, with dozens of mattresses and pillows for the pilgrims. After another lecture by the moralizing woman, I squeezed in next to a grandmotherly type who had fiercely and literally taken me under her wing, and slept for a few hours feeling like a sardine, Rich in the next room with the men.

Sal and the engineer and newly gifted scarf, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Rich with his new little mate, Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Some members of a friendly family we met at Beket-Ata, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

Somehow at two am, we all managed to be on the minibus and on our sleepy way back home to Aktau. It was our best day in Kazakhstan.

Mangistau was a challenge for us. This was the time we were very envious of all those travelers on their motorbikes and cars! There area is littered with ancient necropolis', underground Sufi mosques and astounding rock formations in the desert, but is also massive, there is very little public transport, and little information. There were many other sites around the region that we would have liked to have visited, but finding about anything was extremely difficult, and the tour agencies that knew how to get to these places and could provide the vehicles charged hundreds of dollars a day for the privilege. It was frustrating, as we knew that petrol was cheap (50 cents per litre), but there was literally no other way to go. So, we decided to be happy with what we done, and set off for our next destination, Aralsk.

Rich mentally preparing himself for the next train journey, Mangyshlak train station, Mangistau, Kazakhstan

A full list of costs for accommodation, food and transport will be on the next Kazakh blog post.........coming soon!

....more Kazakhstan, Aralsk and Turkistan here......