Central Asia

From China I went to three countries in central Asia, following in part the historic trail of the Silk Road: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. All three countries were part of the Soviet Union and got their independence when the Soviet Union disbanded. While Russian influence is still strong in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, which were populated by nomads, Uzbekistan stresses its ancient urban traditions, and Uzbeki is heard on the streets more than Russian.