Mountain roads can be dangerous.

Nurek reservoir south of Dushanbe - beautiful!

The water level is lower than usual - global warming?

Nurek reservoir south of Dushanbe.

The weather was hot and dry so the atmosphere's a little bit hazy.

Tajik "beach houses" along the Vakhsh River south of Dushanbe.

My lunch table and waitress

Cooking rice the traditional way in Tajikistan. Saxaul wood is used to give it flavor.

This is at a restaurant in Norak south of Dushanbe.

Cooking "plov" (rice pilaf) the national dish of Tajikistan (omg soooo good)