Darkness and light

Inside the ruins, the light falling in creates effects.

Playing in the ruin

Some small boys were playing in the ruins and we clambered around too, despite the partly fragile structures underfoot.

Kyrk kyz ruins

Inside, the ruins were a fascinating labyrint of nooks and passages.

40 wives

Outside Termez is a ruined castle where the 40 wives of a local notable are reputed to have been shut in and resisting their husband's killer, a thousand years ago.

I never promised you a rose garden

Beyond Amu-Darya - Afghanistan!

The other bank of the Amu-Darya river is in Afghanistan.

Late July reading links

Many diverse topics as usual, but there is a theme weaving through my choices for you this week.

On Turkey's political turbulence - here Aftonbladet on the EU process. Gulf News reprints Christian Science Monitor on the ongoing multi-dimensioned political crisis.

BBC also highlights the issue of sexual harassment in Egypt.

The latest MERIP publication on Lebanon "post-Doha".

BBC has photos of a bombing of a pilgrimage in Iraq. Nuri Kino writes for Aftonbladet on forgotten Iraqi refugees.

Gulf News tells of higher prices and later marriages in the UAE.

A Lebanese university is about to be the first Arab education institution to open in the UAE, writes Gulf News.

Arab insight writes on blogging here in the Gulf.

The Economist had a special theme on the war against terrorism - 7 years on.

Newsweek interviews the Israeli UN ambassador on Iran.

Gary Sick writes for Abu Dhabi National on the US and Iran - "Breaking the ice"?

BBC reports from Yerevan on Iran and Armenia.

An article from earlier this year, where Harvard Law Centre explores the Iranian cyber-space.

Patrick Seale writes for Gulf News on Barack Obama and Afghanistan.

ICG published a report on the Taliban and winning propaganda victories.

Human Rights Watch's representative is banned from Uzbekistan.

Before the Olympics, Svenska dagbladet travels to Kashgar and explores the life of Chinese Turkish Muslims, the Uighur of Xinjiang.

Svenska Dagbladet on the Swedish Foreign service...

Rickard Schwartz in Svenska Dagbladet on the power base of arrested bosnian-Serb leader Karadzic. An opinion column on the related topic of Mladic also from the same paper.

BBC writes on a new film, on Christians and Muslims in Egypt, starring Adel Imam and Omar Sharif.

Another film, this time Iranian, on Sadat is featured by BBC - Swedish Arab World writed Magdi Abdel-Hadi is behind it.

BBC publishes a video clip on cave oil paintings in Afghan Bamiyan.

Border-zone?

Coming out of the shrine, Amu-Darya and the border met us just metres away.

Al-Hakim at-Termezi

Right on the Amu-Darya lies one of the many Sufi shrines, this one the grave of a learned man from Termez in the 9th century. Believers gather by the hundreds for lunch one day a week, but when we visited the serenity of the near-dusk dominated the site.

Kara-tepe

In an area too close to the border for easy access, is another Buddhist site, Kara-tepe, a cave monastery. Some sort of excavations may be ongoing, judging from the set-up of a roof, and sometimes agencies can get permits for tourists to visit.

Fayoz-tepe

Closer to Termez, Central Asia's Buddhist legacy becomes more visible. This is a protection over a 3rd century stupa, Fayoz-tepe.

In the distance, the Afghan border can be seen.

Tracing my steps - Uzbekistan II

Harsh landscapes

Amazing views passed by us on the way south...

South to Termez

On our way to Termez on the Afghan border, we passed through very varying landscapes, but common between them was the harshness and the colours.