Penjikent to he Seven Lakes Day 29 30th May
Off to the local bazaar this morning to buy provisions for lunch and to take with us to Afredan’s friend in the mountains. At the bazaar a lady asks Mel how old she is and when she tells regales all the people around her about how young Mel looked-no one could believe it! After asking my age (no comments about how young I looked) they then insisted I give her a kiss! Beat a hasty retreat and headed for the hills.
We head out through the dramatic Haftkul Valley to see Margozur Lakes (Green) also known as the seven beauties. The legend describing to the creation of the lakes is that a beautiful woman Minjgon was betrothed to an evil man who she didn’t want to marry. She challenged him to build her a gold castle which unfortunately for her he was able to do.Still unwilling to marry she threw herself off the roof of the castle and formed a lake. Her six sisters were so distressed they created the other six lakes through their tears.
The road leading to the lake was unmade and had been made worse by the trucks that lumbered up and down it to the Chinese owned gold mine.However we left that behind and came to the first lake named after the heroine in the legend,Minjgon. We visited six of the seven lakes as the road to the last one had been closed by an avalanche.
The lakes:
After having a short walk at lake number six we headed back to guest house in the village of Nofin (centre) next to the lake (number four)of the same name. We were served lunch on a covered platform in the garden lying around open Tajik carpets-very luxurious
We have enjoyed Tajikistan so much that we are contemplating coming back and staying up in this valley.
We head back and the weather changes and the rain starts pelting down. But it gives you another perspective on the lakes and it is quite dramatic as the thunder rolls around the mountains.
On the way back my travel buddy became quite a sensation.:-)
