Uzbekistan - situated in the heart of Central Asia - is a land that has been conquered and reconquered again and again. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane (Timur) are among its most notable warrior/rulers. There have been others. Countless others.
Once we landed in country's shiny, modern capital - Tashkent -and traded in our dollars for a suitcase full of soms, we were ready to tackle Uzbekistan's Silk Road. First stop, Samarkand - conquerer/hero Tamerlane's home base. Although the Registan and Shah-I Zinda are its star attractions, the city's sprawling central market is a close second.
From Samarkand we detoured into the Nurata mountains for a one-night homestay, then spent another night nestled down in a yurt camp near Lake Aydarkul before we final settled in for a few nights in Bukhara. At Bukhara's heart is one of the Silk Road's fabled ancient walled cities. Mosques, mausoleums and minarets dominate the skyline. Fabled rugs, clothing and weavings fill its shops.
From Bukhara we traveled further north to Khiva - a walled city that has been turned into a living museum. Our days were spent exploring the crumbling desert forts in the Karakalpakstan region (spreading out from Khiva's northeast) and venturing further northwest to the remote city of Nukus and the Igor Savitsky Museum. During the Khiva's moonlit nights, we wandered its ancient streets or took in outdoor screenings of classis Uzbek flims.
When we returned to Tashkent and prepared to leave, we realized that we came to Uzbekistan for its legendary Silk Road cities but we what we will remember most is the warmth and hospitality its people. |
October 2013Showing 1-40 of 1353241 visitsAlbum by David KohlPhotos by David Kohl & Ross Rosenberg |
