Samarkand

by Paul Bryers

Travelled on fast train from Bukhara to Samarkand.

Graduations ongoing……

We walked around Samarkand and then ate dinner in a terrace overlooking some of the sights.

Incredibly beautiful place.

Bukhara

by Paul Bryers

Old synagogue in Bukhara. Fiery leader. Only about 200 Jews left in Bukhara with most have diaspored to Israel, Europe and the US.

Visited fortress and palaces and very interesting Mosque and its Sufi Imam who told us about some differences between Sufi and other Muslims. Sufi are know for there intense silent chants which he demonstrated.

Khiva

By Paul Bryers

Ichan Kala, within Khiva, is an incredible old city which has been a World Heritage site since 1990.

Four gates allow entry to the ancient city.

Within are numerous madras’s (religious schools) and minaretes. Some are now purely historical sites while others are functional. They vary from plain clay bring to high styalized, colored ceramic brick.

One minaret’s sponsor died before it was complete. It was meant to be 200 ft high but after he died it remained unfinished at about 70 ft height. It would have been the highest minuret in the World.

As a consulation, Khiva has the highest minaret in Uzbekistan.

The locals were in force….friendly folk..

We investigated various Quran, Lovely Rugs, Wooden Doors with Pomegrte and Bowls.

There was some hat fashion nonesense within our wee group. The lambs wool hats were worn by all men as late as the 1960s. The lambs involved in donating their wool varied from fetal to old mutton.

Khiva

By Paul Bryers

Khiva is in an extraordinary location, both culturally and geographically, situated between two deserts with temperatures that can vary from cool to scorching.

The city walls rose up to greet us as we arrived. Camels and children lurked around.

Our accommodations were a converted madrasa – religious school – with its own minaret. The rooms were small and either limited amenities but a wonderful atmosphere.

Khiva is in Genie Country! – Alladin? Is that you over there?

We enjoyed rooftop dining and took in the spectacular views until the rain arrived, after which we took shelter and enjoyed Ukrainian vodka. It was a fantastic evening of refined drinking made possible by Craig, Sheryl, Marie, Aziz, Helen, and Jim.

Tashkent

By Paul Bryers

Toured around Tashkent for a couple of hours on our bus – far too hot outside (over 40 C).

Interestingng architecture – Soviet, Arabic, Western (Holiday Inn!).

Visited an in-city valley where Moscow’s KGB slaughtered around 7,000 Uzbeks/other peoples and interned other Uzbek dissidents for their intellect or unacceptable views.

After the fall of the USSR, the Uzbekistan government built the Remembrance memorial in said valley. No mention of course of the Uzbekistan governments hideous crimes committed against their own people in the times since independence.

Tashkent

By Paul Bryers

The extreme heat outside, with temperatures reaching over 105 degrees, made walking around the city impractical.

So, I had the opportunity to explore the Tashkent Metro, visiting various stations over the course of three hours. Mary, another guest, joined me.

The Soviet-constructed Metro and its stations, excluding the newest line, feature opulent designs, commemorating Soviet accomplishments, inc. in science and space exploration.

Additionally, Mary and I visited the Churzo Bazar, which boasted an impressive array of fruits, vegetables, meats, spices, breads, and teas. The smells were exceptional. We selected some delightful teas and savored bread and samosas.