Shymkent, Turkestan, and a Glimpse of Green

(Welcome to the south. Apparently they are one-humpers in Kazakhstan when it comes to their camels.)

When we awoke on the train to Shymkent, the view out the window seemed to be of an entirely different country. Fertile green fields, blooming trees, and the mountains in the distance served as a reminder that the icy slush of central steppe was a world away. Clearly, South Kazakhstan Oblast was a far cry from the snowy, blustery weather we had encountered in Zhezkazgan only a day before.

(A view once shared by a bloodthirsty Genghis Khan. If Otrar was ever impressive-looking, Genghis certainly did a number on that.)

After spending two days relaxing and catching up with volunteers from all over the country, many of us journeyed to Turkestan, a small city located a few hours northwest of Shymkent. Our first stop was ruins of the ancient city of Otrar. Otrar emerged as a trading hub about 1000 years ago, but was decimated by Genghis Khan in 1219 and in the fashion of the Mongol invasion, the population was killed or enslaved. It nonetheless was rebuilt some years later and re-emerged as commercial center and continued its association with violent Central Asian leaders when Tamerlane died of a cold on a visit in 1405. Eventually, the city died out as the Silk Road lost importance and the irrigation system broke down. Today, all that remains is a low-rising dusty hill that has been partially excavated in a UNESCO project.

(The mausoleum of Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi in Turkestan)

After wandering through the grounds of Otrar, we once again boarded the bus and headed to the city of Turkestan. The ride through this section of the country was just as flat as anywhere else, but this region seemed to be slightly arable, unlike the arid central steppe. Turkestan was a sleepy town outside of the bustle around its main attraction, the mausoleum of Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi. Yasavi was an important figure in the spread of Sufism in Central Asia and one of the earliest known poets in a Turkic dialect in the 12 century. His mausoleum was built by Tamerlane at the end of the 14th century.

(Attractive architecture in Kazakhstan? Who knew?)

Turkestan is really the only place in Kazakhstan with much religious history. In fact, the nomadism of the steppe combined with the regions proclivity for earthquakes has left little visible history at all. I was glad to see the city while I had the chance. The Turkestan trip, however, was merely a prelude for Nauryz festivities in Shymkent.