I had to post this…. As a huge Anthony Bourdain fan I really enjoyed his show on Uzbekistan. I had no idea that I was about to be treated to some of the most hilarious TV I had seen in years. Enjoy the video and trust me when it get to the 3 minute 40 second mark you’ll be in hysterics….!!!

Here’s one to visit!

Tomb Konya Ugench Turkmenistan

By air several European Airlines now fly into the Kazakhstan’s major airport at Astana  – KLM, BA, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines. There are also several local airlines that operate in and around Central Asia.

By land there a multiple options to getting into Kazakhstan – buses and trains are available from China, Russia, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan. From Azerbaijan there are ferries that leave every 7 to 10 days.

Getting around Kazakhstan:

Once in Kazakhstan, there is a good network of domestic flights linking cities all over Kazakhstan and the fares are reasonable. The main airline is Air Astana a Western-style, Kazakh-British joint venture.

There are a few train lines between Kazakhstan cities such as Semey–Ust-Kamenogorsk, Aqtöbe–Uralsk and Aqtöbe–Kostana that pass through Russian territory and you may be asked for a Russian transit visa on these legs. Ask beforehand about the latest situation.

Buses and minibuses are available across the country and like trains offer an excellent opportunity to meet people and get a feel for the country’s terrain and vast size.

Built in the 1930′s, the subway in Moscow is one of the most beautiful.

Mystery surrounds the Kingdom of Bhutan, it borders China and Tibet to the North, Burma to the East and India and Nepal to the West and is secluded high in the Himalayas. Bhutan was once one of the most isolated places on earth.

It is said that in the 8th Century, Guru Rinpoche (Second Buddha) made his legendary trip from the East of Bhutan to the West of Bhutan on a flying tigress to stop the evil spirits who were hindering Buddhism. After defeating the evil spirits, he blessed them as guardians and thus introducing Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan.  Today Taktshang or “Tigers Nest” in the Paro Valley remains one of the most sacred places in Bhutan.

Records indicate that people have inhabited Bhutan for almost 1400 years. The indigenous population is the Drukpa with 3 ethnic groups the Sharchoops, the Ngalops and the Lhotsampas (of Nepalese origin).

The Scharchops can be traced to the tribes of Northern Burma and Northeast India, the Ngalops migrated from Tibet and the Lhosampas migrated from the southern plains in search of land.

Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism. Religion plays a large role in ethnic and culture development of Bhutan and its people.

While Bhutan boast several modern cities, the majority of its population still live in small rural villages. Within these small villages, families still farm their own crops and raise their own cattle.

Bhutanese food is rich in meat, poultry, dairy, grain and vegetables. Emadatse (chili pepper and cheese stew) is the national dish. Bhutanese love their the spices and add it to poultry, beef, pork and yak. They love there chilies so much that you’ll see them drying on roof tops.

I love market photos – they really highligh the colors of the local food and personalities of the vendors…

When in Tajikistan, you’ll find a variety of both meat and vegetarian dishes all with a clear Iranian influence. In Summer all dishes are accompanied by delicious fruits and vegetables.

A typical Tajikistan mean is a four course feast. It typically starts with an appetizer, which is a sweet dish like Halwa. The main course of meat and soup follow. The Plov is a tasty dish of rice with shredded meat garnished with local herbs. As well as Iranian influences, many other Central Asian countries feature in Tajikistan food. Shashlyk is an amazing grilled mutton dish cooked using traditional methods and almost always served with Lipioshka, an unleavened bread that you can always find later at a roadside food vendor.

Tajikistan food also features a wide variety of street food – quickly prepared to satisfy the taste buds of all visitors to the country. If noodles and mutton hit the spot then you’ll not be disappointed. Manty, Samsa, Chiburekki, Laghman and Pirmeni are other popular Tajikistan dishes.

During the summer fruits play a major role in Tajikistan food –  apricots, plums, persimmons and figs, along with juicy pomegranates are some of the most popular fruits of Tajikistan.

The most common drink among the people of Tajikistan is Tea although many restaurants also serve wine, beer and vodka.