July 24 Alexander the Great’s Fortress and a Desert Yurt Camp

7/24

We embarked for Nurota where we visited the remains of a military fortress of Alexander the Great and Holy Chashma (Spring) of Nurota. Also known as Naruta or Nur, as it was once called, Nurota was founded by Alexander the Great in 327 BCE. We visited the ruins of Alexander’s military fortress and the Chasma Spring, which today is a popular pilgrimage destination. It is believed to have been discovered by a local farmer who had a vision of Imam Ali, the fourth khalifa and the Prophet Muhammad’s son-in- law, striking a rock and causing water to flow. The waters of the spring are believed to have healing powers. 

The spring has fish that are not eaten because bad things have happened and they are believed to be poisonous. 

Nurota means created from light. A legend says that a spring was created from a meteor. 

 

There is a mosque at the foot of the fortress with a large dome and a mosque with many pillars to symbolize the number 40, which is important symbolically. The dome at the base of the fortress is for a saint of Nurota. 

This is not the highest point of the remaining fortress, which now is really just a hill. These stones are probably not part of it, even, but some has been excavated. I climbed with Erkin to the top and was rewarded with a fabulous view and cooler air and breeze than the area below, but the day was still scorching. 

We then ventured to the nearby Aidarkul Lake, and Melanie and I opted for a swim. This is a reservoir created in 1970, and the water was quite warm and pleasant to swim in. There was no way I was sitting in shade for an hour in 100 plus degree heat. 

Across the lake is Kazakhstan. 

We continued on for an overnight stay in a local yurt camp called Sputnik Navoi. Yes, it is named after the satellite. It was nice to shower off, and there were good facilities to do so. 

We enjoyed an authentic Uzbekistan dinner and an evening Kazakh singing show.  I was asked to dance by a driver for some other yurt campers and our own driver because I was participating in dancing by the fire. Vina and I really enjoyed the music and dancing and counted it as a highlight of the trip, despite the very hot day leading up to it. Some rode camels, but I have done that and elected not to in the extreme heat. 

The photo above is with the sunrise the next morning, as are the ones below. I saw an owl. The photo is grainy because I had to zoom in far with my phone.