Tash Rabat, Kyrgyzstan: June 1, 2015

We traveled from Naryn to Tash Rabat. Tash Rabat is about 100km/60 miles from the  border Kyrgyzstan shares with China and geographically, it is located in the south-central area of Kyrgyzstan. Tash Rabat is either a 15th-century caravanserai or a 10th-century Nestorian or Buddhist monastery. Or, maybe it was both. Either way, it is a well preserved stone structure located at an elevation of 3,200m/10,500 feet surrounded by tall mountains.

The inter-mountain valley is used by shepherds for grazing yaks, cattle, and horses.

We had lunch in the former railroad carriage that is used as a kitchen by a family that has a yak herd and yurt camp. It was snowing as we arrived.

Nurgul said she lives in this valley all year. During the school year, she sends her four children to the village to live with her mother. She said that in the winter it is usually too cold to get much snow. The temperature in winter is as low as -40. When we arrived, Nurgul was out with a wheelbarrow gathering fuel for the stove in the railroad carriage. They use the most renewable fuel of all--dried manure pies.