Blogs we like

Penjikent: Nematov Niyozul’s homestay, Rudaki 22/16, niyozkul@mail.ru. it’s behind some small restaurants in the western edge of towns. nice quite place full of tourists. Nematov speaks good English and knows he’s way around the maps of the Fan’s. 10$ per person (private rooms in different sizes). lunch/dinner 5$, breakfast 4$. no reason to eat there, the restaurant across from the post office, under a sign about international friendship, is much cheaper (just go along the main street).

Dushanbe: Adventurers Inn: Pulod Tolis 5/11. it’s behind the Vadanosos Bazar, very hard to find without asking locals. a small writing on a concrete wall tells you you’ve arrived. it was full when we got there and they wanted 12$ per person to sleep in our own tent. yeah, right.

Acted homestay, Mirzo Tursunzoda 178. a nice homestay in a street that looks as if the civil war never ended. they’re renovating brutaly. 15$ per person per night, shower and toilet (western) shared with the family. small accessible kitchen. snall value, but cheaper than other options. hot water.

Hotel Vakhsh, Rudaki 24, has doubled it’s prices since the LP was published, charging 120Sumoni for a double room.

The Synagogue: the new Synagogue in Dushanbe is less than a year old. the Rav, Mikhael is a very nice man who wants to host Jewish travelers who come through Dushanbe. he speaks Russian and Tajik, and very little Hebrew. come-by in normal hours, as they are noy young people. he asked for this publication. Finding the Synagogue is tricky, as most people don’t know it. turn off Rudaki St. at Loik Sherali, and turn left at the second option (about 50 Meters after the Supermarket) stick to this street untill you see a second large electricity box (big grey boxes with skulls and bones signs on them), turn left (just after the second electricity box) and the Synagogue is the big new-looking gate to your left. there are now Jewish marks, yet. knock a couple of times. the old address is Ozodi Zanon 78a, it just now changed to Fazlidin Shakhobov 78a. try both with the locals.

Khorog: Pamir Lodge: 3$ per night for sleeping on the balcony. double rooms are available. the batroom is very basic and dirty, shower is from a bucket. meals are 3-5$. finding: go along Gagarina Street (South bank of the river) untill you reach the Afghan embassy, turn right (up) a dirt road and than left a longsome fields, small houses and a construction site. keep going till you get to a soccer field, it’s the house just befor it.

Murgab: Hotel Maria: Ayni street 33. he asks for 30 Somoni, will agree for 25. includes three meals and great hospitality. hot shower is 5 Somoni and from a bucket but very recommended. bathroom is a basic squat. very hospitable people, hold some books for exchange. very recommended. look forthe white gate with the blue writing in Russian. or ask around.