The Silk Road!

 Having seen a lot of blue and turquoise the prior day in Khiva we felt in need of a paler palette! So off we went to the Kyzlkum Desert to see century old fortresses of Ayaz Kala in the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

It was a 2 hour drive from Khiva but definitely worth it! I think the gate below shows us entering the Republic.......not too clear from the guide! It also could be saying entry to 50 Fortresses!

We first stopped at Topraq Kala, a ruined 2000 year old fortress.....

...all the while looking over the well traveled valley used by the silk road traders! The original internet!

Then on to Ayaz Kala.... we were to climb to the top fortress!

We had a long trek across sand before having to climb......not as easy as it looks!

The fortress below us looked more intact! It was younger! But where we were was where Russian archaeologists supposedly found gold statues, now at the Hermitage in St Petersburg!

Amazing ruins from the 4th to 1st century BC! Totally hidden and covered by sand until the late 1930s.

Below is the original gate entry.... which would have been a much easier entry for us but the road to it was totally covered by sand and we were not in a 4X4!

We could also have had a ride on a Bactrian camel or stayed in a Yurt at the site.......

But we settled instead for a late lunch in a lakeside yurt!