After our epic border crossing day yesterday, it was nice to start seeing some of this country.

Khujand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, dating back about 2,500 years. It is situated on both sides of the Syr Darya River at the mouth of the Fergana Valley. The population of the city is about 150,000 and is the capital of the northernmost province of Tajikistan, now called Sughd. Being home to famous scientists, writers, and musicians, Khujand preserves the status of the scientific and cultural center in Tajikistan. The city has a theater, a regional history museum, and an archaeological museum as well as the Khujand State University, with an enrollment exceeding 10,000 students from all over the country.

Historical Museum, located in a citadel. It has a wide range of artifacts related to the history of the Sughd region of Tajikistan. Built within the reconstructed southeastern bastion of the city wall, this museum houses a fascinating set of modern marble mosaics depicting the life of Alexander the Great - the war scenes with their multiple horses are particularly finely crafted. The great warrior's funeral procession shows his hand dangling empty as he had reputedly requested, showing he had conquered half the world but went to his grave with nothing. With its basement dioramas of prehistoric life, this is Khojand's best museum.

Sheikh Muslihiddin Mausoleum- It is a large religious complex named after the city's famous 12th-century poet and ruler, Muslihiddin Khujandi. He was revered as a holy man capable of performing miracles. When he died, he was buried in a suburb of the city. In later years, his followers moved his ashes to Khujand and built a mausoleum over his tomb. In addition to the mausoleum, the complex currently contains a cathedral mosque and a 19th-century minaret that is over 20m tall. The mausoleum structure is quite remarkable; it is a domed skylight on two stories with a cross-shaped commemoration hall and a dome-shaped burial vault. There is a wooden headstone in the middle decorated with an elaborate array of ornaments and gems.

While looking at the mausoleum and mosque there was a flurry of activity and the next thing we know we are meeting the Mayor of Khujand. With his entourage in tow (including security guards and a pack of journalists), he stopped to chat. With the assistance of Dee to interpret he told us he was delighted to welcome us to his city. Dee tells us that we probably made the TV news that night. In fact, I think Dee was pretty chuffed by the whole episode as well !!!

Panjshanbe Bazaar is the largest bazaar in Tajikistan. The covered market is one of the most colorful sights of Khujand. Its name sounds similar to the name of the capital city - Dushanbe for a reason. Both names mean days of the week: Dushanbe - Monday, Panjshanbe - Thursday. They used to have trade on Mondays in Dushanbe, and on Thursdays in Khujand. The bazaar consists of the main pavilion and many stalls, tents, and shops. It is always noisy there since not only residents of the city but also neighboring villagers flock there for shopping. We stopped to buy some cherries from a delightful lady who insisted we say hello to her husband on the phone!

All too soon we were heading out of Khujand and our next stop was the ancient city of Istaravshan. Lying on the main road connecting Khujand with Dushanbe (the two largest cities in Tajikistan), Istaravshan stands proud as one of the oldest settlements in the whole country, dating back to around 500 BC. Istaravshan has its fair share of interesting historical monuments and ancient remains, with many dubbing it a "museum city".

Mug Teppe Fort is an ancient fort that was once home to the local aristocracy who controlled the city. It is an archaeological site of the 12th - 4th centuries BC. The ancient citadel has disappeared. A city gate with a piece of defensive wall was rebuilt on the south side of the hill, the appearance of which does not necessarily match the original brickwork. There is a statue of a man leading the camels on the Silk Road to the right of the entrance door. On the wall to the left of this door are reliefs of the war between the Achaemenid and Macedonian armies in 329 BC. There are more interesting reliefs from the Persian period on the walls near the main gate. These include the winged sphinx, an important symbol of the Achaemenid Empire, and the image of Cyrus the Great and the she-wolf feeding Romulus and Remus. Present-day Istravshan is a town of folk craftsmen.

After leaving Istarafshan it was time to set off for Dushanbe via the Varzob Gorge and the Istiklol Tunnel. Nothing could prepare us for the hair-raising drive with sheer drops and barely a barrier in sight. I cannot show you just how steep the area is but they have multiple avalanches each year.

The Varzob Gorge area is beautiful with views of the nearby Gissar Mountain Range. Although the Valley is not famous for its architectural heritage, it opens up a breathtaking view of nature.

The Istiklol Tunnel is a 5,040 m long tunnel located 80 km northwest of Dushanbe. The tunnel was opened in 2006 despite being only partially finished and it quickly gained the reputation as being one of the world's most dangerous tunnels. It has been called the "Tunnel of Death".

After a harrowing five hours, we finally reached Dushanbe. A quick hotel check-in and then it was off to dinner at Toku Restaurant. Beautiful setting, food was good and then we were "serenaded" by a guitarist. I think my face says everything (see photos)!!!