In ancient times there was an important crossing on the Amu Darya river. Some link the name of the city to Greek thermos “hot”, tracing its name back to Alexander the Great. During the war in Afghanistan (1979–89) over 100,000 Soviet troops were based in Termez. The airbase is currently the main support base for German and Dutch forces operating with the ISAF in Afghanistan. I was going to cross over into Afghanistan on the bridge

and visit Mazar Sharrif about 60 miles away (where one of my hero “war Lords Live = Mr. Abdul Dotsum lives) but my VISA into Uzbekistan was a problem.  I had three VISA’s into Uzbekistan and two of them were canceled and the entry stamp was on the canceled VISA.  So I thought it better not go go over.  So I vivsited a very old Alexander Nevskiy Orthodox Church and prayed

And visited some old Islamic Centers:  Al Khakim Termeziy Complex 

Also visited some Buddhist ruins in a very restricted area in which a donation opened the door – get my drift .  The Full clad Military dude at first would not let us in but eventually did .  I cold not take photos of the Afghanistan border but here they are – the Military dude was on me quick! The Buddhist is very old with Stupas and so on

The Stupa above is called the Zurmala Tower and the complex is called the Kara Tepe Fayz Tepe Buddhist Temple and monastery.

Photos of the border below (not allowed)

 

 

 

KHANABAD AIR BASE, Uzbekistan — Just finding the way to the main entrance of this military installation in desolate southwest Uzbekistan is no easy task. Many locals don’t know where it is. I thought I found it and got to go inside but it was another restricted site I got into with a donation.
Police checkpoints are common at city limits and along the roads that snake through the cotton fields and desert hills of the countryside. Military bases are strictly off-limits to journalists without permission from authorities in the capital, Tashkent — permission that was denied despite repeated requests.