Samangan

This was a full on day that started with an long and dusty drive to the medieval caravan town of Aybak Samangan. It was a great opportunity to pass by local villages and seeing homes made from mud, side of the road vendors and villages working the fields or tending to their goat and sheep herds, many times blocking the road. Our goal was Samangan's ancient Buddhist Temple complex and the Takht-e-Rustam Stone Stupa. Something I have rarely even considered was the life in Afghanistan before the Taliban, let alone ancient times. The ancient silk road not only brought spices and silks, but also new influences including religion. Buddhism was a major player in this region for centuries until what was called the 15th century cultural revolution, which began in of all places Herat, the historical melting pot of religious change in Afghanistan. War, revolution and political strife is not a modern phenomenon in Afghanistan. It is rooted in thousands of years of history and conquest that include Alexander the Great in 330 BC, the Silk road by the second century and Genghis Khan in 1219-1221.

At the end of the market in front a Buddhist Alter.

There was a bit of a side trip along the way which was a nice surprise. It was a 250 year old palace/fort for a wealth tribe of the time. I do not remember the name but the place was impressive to say the least. The walls still stood strong and tall but the building was falling into disrepair as you would expect. It was easy to imagine the majesty of it all during its heyday. There was a reception that looked as familiar as any hotel today, the gardens were massive and the huge pool/pond that sat out front had seen better days. If you wanted cholera then drink up that shiny green liquid baby.

In front of the fort with our driver, Rashed

The Market Tunnel

With my guide, Alim

I did not know what to expect when we arrived at the Buddhist complex and Takht-e-Rustam stone stupa. I have not read anything about the places we are visiting along the way. I have an urge to keep the experience pure and not have it marred by internet commentary. Plus Alim our guide is knowledgeable and very excited to share that knowledge with us. First things first, it was time to climb. Both places were build high on a hill, which is a very common thing here in a land of hills and mountains. The Buddhist temple was then carved into the mountain and the complexity was fascinating. There was a long tunnel that was a market where the shop/stall vendors could sell to people inside and outside of the market tunnel. There were many alters and worship sites, plus storage areas and a few homes for the local caretakers. Many of the inhabitants were villagers and farmers from the surrounding countryside. There was another tour that showed up from Lupine Travel. They had a van of 6 woman on a woman's only tour and they were in the same hotel as us. When we met up with them it was like we had known them for years. Lupine Travel has some very interesting tours to think about. Just a bit of random options along the way to put into my travel toolbox.

The view from the Stupa and Buddhist Temple

A local along the road

There was a bit of anticipation on the drive back to Mazar as today we were going to visit the famous Blue Mosque and then attempt to walk the markets in Mazar. If there is anything I have learned with my short time here is that markets are everywhere and they are all madness. There is no politeness here, it is push to be first, interrupt to get served, bumping, shoving, honking of horns, screaming, and tourists wandering through it all wide eyes, until they catch the tell tale Taliban members standing guard and keeping everything in order

The Mausoleum of Imam Ali or Blue Mosque dates by to th 1170. In the 13th Century Genghis Khan came through the destroyed everything and massacred the population, as he did.

The first structure of the site dates back to the Seljuk era. It was built by Sultan Ahmad Sanjar in the 11th century. In the 13th century, the Mongols under Genghis Khan invaded Balkh, where they massacred the Balkhi population and destroyed their places of worship. The mosque built by Sanjar was destroyed by the Mongols in the year 1220. -- Wiki

It does not seem real even when you are there

Photos with locals

Blue Mosque Tile Work

The place was outstanding and we were welcomed with open arms. Many of the worshippers came up to talk to us but nobody asked about or mentioned religion. It was all very friendly and inviting. We were picture taking fools. It was calm and very peaceful and oddly enough quiet, considering it was surrounded on three sides by the Markets of Mayhem.

All told, it was an excellent day of visiting ancient sites dating back to before the ancient silk road. It was also a reminder the Genghis Khan was a real badass and conquered these territories by sheer will plus the religious history is much more complex than the modern Taliban radicalism. I learned a bit later about how thousand of Jews left Europe in 1945 after the war and settled in Herat, but within 40-50 years there was a forced exodus by the rising radicalization of Islam, but more on that later.

A busy roundabout

Market Madness Traffic

A local street vendor

Just a reminder that this is Afghanistan. Along they way there were numerous checkpoints by either Taliban, the Army, the ANP (Afghan National Police) or local police, and each were heavily armed.  Also, we needed to register and be checked into each place we visited, even the abandoned fort had a guard house and a very bored looking old man minding the place. The checkpoints were painless but it was just keep quiet and hand over the passport, take of your sunglasses and roll down the windows of the car. Usually it was quick and painless and we were given a smile and at times a handshake. Others we were told to get out of the car and stand to have our photos taken with the passport. There were no searches or anything intrusive, it is just a backwards society build on fear and intimidation with a modern history of invasion, war, revolution and religious extremism. 

...but what an incredible history.