Those of us who were afraid of missing something left our hotel with Furkat at 5:15AM to watch the sunrise here in Khiva. About 350 people still live in the inner town called “Itchan Kala “. It is protected by 8-10 meter high walls that are 5-6 meters thick. The original walls date back to the 10th century; the present walls from the late 17th century. We walked through the town to reach the east gate and quietly awaited the sun to rise and provide us with some great photo opportunities. We were not disappointed!
Walking to the Ata Darwaza gate near our hotel.
The streets were empty.
Waiting for the sun!
The walls extend for 6250 meters around the inner city.
The moon and the city wall.
Here comes the sun!
5:46AM
5:47AM
5:50AM
5:51AM
Inside the city walls. This is a staircase to climb to the top of the wall. I did not.
Some people sleep with their door open with only a curtain to prevent entry. Must be pretty safe here.
The Islam Khodja Minaret, 50.5 meters high, was built in 1908-1910. It is next to the madrasah of the same name.. the decor supposedly represents the four seasons and the 12 months.
A lone morning dove enjoying the solitude before the crowds arrive again.
The gate leading us back to our hotel.
Our side was still is in the shade when we returned to the hotel for breakfast.
The main lobby of our hotel.
Some trivia for the day: Legend says that clay from this area was used by Muhammad in buildings in Medina. Another legend says that Shem, the son of Noah, built the sacred water channel of Khiva, known as the Xeyvak Canal.
It was then back to the hotel for a 6:30 breakfast, after which we headed out on our official tour of Itchan Kala, the old part of Khiva. The old town contains some 50 important monuments and 250 homes that date from the 18-19th centuries. The good news was that the predicted high temperature for the day was expected to be 82 degrees, a more normal temperature for this time of the year.
Thankfully the temperatures will be more normal today.
View of the city wall from our hotel front door. We are that close.
Typical homes in the old town.
The bath house (Bath of Anush Khan) built by his father, Abul Ghazi Khan in 1657.
A very unique door.
This is one of the nine courtyards of Toshhovli Palace, the Stone Palace, built for the Khan of Khiva in 1830-41. It has 250 rooms!
Ceiling in one of the rooms in the Stone Palace.
The king’s chamber.
Another decorated room in the palace. His four legitimate wives lived in this part of the palace with him.
Inside the Juma mosque originally built in the 10th century and rebuilt in 1788. There are 212 wooden pillars in the mosque.
One of the carved pillars in the Juma mosque.
Door to the Juma mosque.
Hard to be interested in these since it is 82 degrees today!
Ladies out shopping.
The Kaltaminor minaret(29 meters high) was supposed to be 110 meters high but the construction stopped in 1855 when the Khan died.
We finally see a real camel!
A main courtyard of the palace area.
The morning was full of surprises, starting with coming upon a trio of women who sang and played musical instruments, followed by a private show for our group by an family of high wire walkers.
The ladies trio we heard playing when we entered the Stone Palace.
Look closely and you can get a glimpse of her gold teeth.
Clicking her fingers to a musical beat. We could not replicate the sounds she made with her fingers.
The small statues that are popular as souviners.
These young girls wanted to practice their English with us.
The entertaining acrobatic family.
Impressive acrobatic wire walkers.
And it got riskier!
OMG!
Do not try this at home! The youngster (on top) cannot be much older than 7-8 years old.
Besides acrobatics they have musical talents.
It is very common to find small museums covering varying topics housed in the old madrasahs that have been repurposed. Today we toured one that focused on the history of money and another about the history of important people of Khiva.
An extensive display of the history of money in Uzbekistan.
Modern day paper money.
Diorama of how coinage was made.
This 9th century mathematician gave us the names for algorithm and algebra. This was one of many pictures and descriptions of famous people of Khiva in the museum of Khiva history.
Lunch was again at another elegant restaurant overlooking the city, followed by a visit to the shops of woodworking artists.
Ceiling in our dining room at the Ayvon Zarafshon restaurant where we had lunch.
Decor inside the restaurant.
Open air dining with views of the city beyond.
A sort of egg roll as an appetizer.
Mixed vegetable salad.
Beets are a popular salad ingredient.
All sorts of meat and vegetable filled dumplings to choose from. I was surprised that they resembled Asian dumplings.
We ended the formal touring in late afternoon after visiting a master woodworking shop (wood carving has always been a traditional specialty of Khiva) and a mausoleum with a plan to later meet for dinner at 6PM.
Entrance to wood workers enclave.
Massive hand carved doors on display.
Examples of wood carving skills in the museum.
Inlaid carved stool.
The Pahlavon Mahmud mausoleum built in 1664 initially for Pahlavon Mahmud, a famous poet and revered patron of the city. Other khans were later buried here also.
Code of ethics for visitors.
The tomb of Pahlovian Mahmud, the patron of Khiva.
Beautiful interior of the mausoleum.
Another tomb of a khan in the mausoleum.
For those interested Furkat suggested that one can climb to the top of the largest minaret in the town. Only the energetic Suki took him up on the suggestion. Luckily she kindly shared some of the pictures she took on her climb so I can share them with you here.
The 51 meter high Khodla minaret that Suki climbed.
Suki, a pharmacy professor from New Orleans, sacrificed her body by walking to the top of the minaret to take photos which she kindly shared with us.
It is a narrow passageway.
The viewing windows at the top of the minaret.
These are photos taken by Suki from the top of the minaret
Before we left for dinner at a local restaurant we were entertained by yet another band and dancers at the hotel. Then it was off to what turned out to be a spectacular outdoor rooftop dinner overlooking the old town where the food and scenery was marvelous. Timing was such that we were there for sunset so today was really special in that we saw both sunrise and sunset in Khiva. Khiva is even more magical than Bukhara!
A family music, singing and dance group entertaining us before dinner.
Note the gold teeth.
Playing a flute.
Big brother and little brother showing some dance moves.
Cute statue of children in the main plaza
The rooftop restaurant, Terrassa II, where we are having dinner.
Views from the restaurant.
Family style salad
Enough shish kebab to feed a large family!
The city gleamed in the setting sun.
Sunset over the city walls.
The city turns magical at night.
It was quite a day in this ancient city that is over 2500 years old!
Ceiling in our dining room at the Ayvon Zarafshon restaurant where we had lunch.
Open air dining with views of the city beyond.
A sort of egg roll as an appetizer.
Beets are a popular salad ingredient.
Mixed vegetable salad.
All sorts of meat and vegetable filled dumplings to choose from. I was surprised that they resembled Asian dumplings.
Steps for the day: 9394
May 17, 2025: Early Morning in Bukhara Before Heading to Khiva.
I am loving this “old” place. I only wish it was cooler as I am not a fan of hot weather. However, I will not be deterred in exploring what this area has to offer. Luckily I remembered to bring my cooling neck scarf and it has helped keep me cool. Several of our travelers are early risers and go for a walk around 5:30AM and tell us it is amazing to see the cities at that time of the day. I decided to do that this morning here in Bukhara and by 6 AM I left the hotel to walk a bit through the old town. It was very pleasant experience and I am glad I did it. Here are some pictures I took on my short early morning walk.
No people, no cars at 5:57 AM
Alleyway to our hotel.
Yesterday there were many carpets on display.
Abdurakhmoni Alam madrasah, built in 1809.
A lone person on his way to work or simply a bike ride.
Nodir Devonbegi Khanaka was built in 1620 and served as a residence for Sufi Muslims.
Sunrise in Bukhara.
Ladies obviously on their way to work.
A sleepy cat with a scary looking face.
We were told these are mynah birds, common in this area.
Even the swans were not up and about yet.
Their version of Sancho Panza?
Out for a early morning stroll.
Nadir Devanbegi madrasah built in 1622-23.
Pictured are the mythical “ huma” bird, associated with good fortune, kingship and spiritual enlightenment.
We are leaving Bukhara this morning and headed to another ancient city- Khiva. It will be a long day of riding on the bus but with the brutal temperatures of the last two days it will be a welcome change of pace. Much of the trip will be traveling through the Kyzylkum (Red Sand) desert, the 15th largest desert in the world, which covers 115,000 square miles.
Bukhara to Khiva- through the “Red Desert”
Our delightful hostess in the breakfast room.
A fairly common scene. No helmets!
Always see lot of (mostly) women with these rudimentary brooms cleaning the streets.
Surprisingly I have not seen many of these “old” technology modes of transportation here.
Workers in the fields early in the day before the heat arrives.
The only camels I have seen so far!
You can shop even at a roadside bathroom stop.
Need an early morning “pick me up”? It was available at the rest stop.
These were on a snack shelf next to candy bars. I cannot imagine how they taste.
There were thousands of these grasshoppers walking on the road around us.
Would hate to have to buy new tires for this truck. There are 38!
The Kyzylkum or red sand desert through which we were traveling.
Furkat passing out some sweet halva snacks.
Our first rain. It was short!
After the short rain the desert did turn somewhat “red”.
There were no good restaurants on the road to Khiva so we had to eat our lunches at a rest stop.
Our prepackaged lunch box. Probably the worst lunch of the trip but there were no complaints given the quality of other meals we have had so far.
My impulse buy during a happy stop!
We arrived in Khiva around 3:30 PM and after checking into our hotel Furkat suggested that he lead us on a short tour of the walled city before dinner.
Walkways at our hotel which consisted of several different buildings.
They had a decent sized pool.
Hotel bar, but I doubt it was used.
Our hotel was across the road from the walled city of ancient Khiva.
The small structures on the city walls are actually graves of people who wanted to be buried near their city.
The ATA Darwaza gate, one of the four remaining gates to the city.
The walled city of old Khiva.
Wood carver at work.
Should I buy one? Not cold enough in Seattle.
A guy photo-op!
Alternative colors
Camel hair socks. Supposedly they are quite warm!
A madrasah and carpet store.
These “bearded” statues are popular here.
There were shops and booths everywhere.
Now that is a door!
Dinner was a buffet at the hotel and Furkat announced he would be leading a dawn tour of the city for those interested in going with him. I think everyone said they would be there.
Steps for the day: 14,057! Wow, that was a bit of a surprise to me.
It is expected to be even warmer today than yesterday so we got an early start to the day with plans to again rest during the mid-day and resuming touring late in the afternoon. At 8 AM it was already 85 degrees. Luckily there was no humidity.
Our first stop was about 4 km outside of Bukhara to visit the Emir’s summer home , the Sitorai Mohi Khosa Palace, also known as “Palace Like the Stars and the Moon”. It was built in the late 19th-early 20th century for the last Emir of Bukhara, Emir Sayyid Mir Muhammad Alim Khan who ruled from 1911-1920 until the Russians took over. In 1927 it was converted to a museum of decorative and applied arts.
Entrance to the 20th century summer palace of the last Emir of Bikhara.
The last Emir of Bukhara-Sayyid Mir Muhammad Alim Khan
The meeting courtyard.
Marble lions at entry to the palace.
One fine looking male looking for love! There were dozens of peacocks wandering around the palace grounds.
Even the rear view is attractive.
The closest I have gotten to a peacock. They sure are beautiful animals.
There is a zoo (or aviary). Today there were some peacocks in it.
Gardens within the palace grounds.
Trellises with grapes cover the walkways.
Clothing for sale in the complex.
The “ladies” building where they lived.
The swimming pool where the ladies swam.
The Emir’s “viewing” stand overlooking the pool where his harem frolicked!
Inside the palace are several restored rooms.
The main reception room of the palace.
One of the restored rooms.
Imported fireplaces from Europe are in many rooms.
A sun room in the palace.
Using natural products to make different colors.
Tapestry on display
Examples of elegant mother and daughter outfits.
Elaborate lady boots on display in one of the decorative arts museum in the complex.
What fashionable men wore.
My guess is these sashs are made of gold.
Local school children wanted to take a picture with us.
Temperature update: 91 degrees at 9:15 and 99 at 11:00AM!
Leaving there we next visited the Baha al-Din a mausoleum . He was a 14th century mystic who created and promoted the Sufi form of Islam.
A very old door handle.
The courtyard outside the Amir Muzaffarkhan Mosque.
Looking at the prayer rugs in the mosque.
Part of the Baha al-Din Naqshgband complex. This is outside the mosque.
The minaret next to the mosque.
Access to the minaret.
Women participating in a morning prayer service outside a mosque.
The imam and his assistants holding a morning prayer service.
The imam and his assistants arriving for the morning service.
Returning to the old town area of Bukhara we walked past the unique Chor Minor madrasah on our way to lunch in the central plaza of old town. It was built in 1807 and is unique in that it has four minarets. All that is left of the madrasah is the entry portal and the minarets.
The unique Chor Minor madrasah with its four minarets. It is rather striking.
Closeup of the minaret.
The only antique store we saw. We tried to bargain but the owner was unwilling so we all left without buying anything.
Russian uniforms and old medals for sale at this antique store.
The pool in the Lyabi Hauz plaza in old town.
A local lady who talked to us.
Another fine dining experience for lunch at a restaurant in the Lyabi Hauz plaza.
Elegant place setting.
Shish-kabob of chicken and beef.
This looked like something I would like!
I continue to be amazed at the location and quality of the restaurants where we have eaten. It is not what I would have expected in this part of the world.
After lunch we again retired to the coolness of our rooms. Furkat announced he would be leading whoever might be interested to visit the local studio of a puppet master and offer shopping opportunities at 4PM. Having seen puppet masters in other countries I again chose to stay in the comfort of my room until we all met for dinner at 6:30 PM.
More wooden doors. Yes, I have a thing for them!
Preparing “plov” for our dinner.
Another dinner in a private home.
Marinated pickles, nice green salad and somsas.
Plov, the national dish of Uzbekistan.those are quail eggs as decor.
We leave in the morning for another ancient town-Khiva.
Steps for the day: 6096. Not bad given the heat we had to endure.
May15, 2025: Exploring the Ancient City of Bukhara
It was going to be hot today (106 degrees) and Furkat suggested we start early, rest in the afternoon during the heat of the day, and resume sightseeing later in the day. No one objected.
Oh oh! It is going to be a bit of a scorcher today.
A simply amazing breakfast dining area.
Like eating in a private home.
Would you like an omelet for breakfast? Of course, I said.
Bukhara is the 7th largest city in Uzbekistan with a population of 280,000. The area was inhabited for over 5000 years. It was an important oasis on the Silk Road and it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has preserved its ancient architecture and design to a larger extent than other cities in Uzbekistan. After breakfast we were off to see these historical sites.
A bit risky. We saw many of these small scale scooters buzzing around.
Another one of many Ferris wheels we have seen so far.
The very simple mausoleum of Ismail Samani built in the 9-10th century. It was rediscovered, buried in the sand, in the 20th century.
Interesting in that they are not sure who really is buried here. They believe it is Ismail (907) and his grandson, Nasr II (943).
An ancient version of “lego” ?
This is Chasma Ayub Kadamdjay, considered to be a holy spot. It was visited by a Koranic prophet, Ayub (Job in biblical version) who struck the ground with his staff and water from a spring emerged. They think he is buried here. The oldest part of the complex dates from the 12th century.
Description of Sardobas.
What the water reservoirs looked like.
Free water still today. Furkat said we should not drink it.
Description of the bath houses, that still exist in their culture.
Where the bath houses were located. There are still some and Furkat suggested we might want to visit one while here.
The Bolo Haouz Mosque, built in 1712.
The wooden columns were replaced in 1912.
Watching a local artist creating brass artwork.
Shukhov Tower was originally a water tower but now is a tourist attraction with restaurants and a viewing platform.
Then we headed to the major attraction in this area – the Ark of Citadel. It is a massive fortress, initially built in the 5th century (maybe even earlier) and occupied by the rulers (emirs) for over 1,000 years. It now houses museums and a smaller mosque. After a quick tour of the major areas Furkat let us wander on our own through the complex absorbing all it had to offer.
The Ark of Citadel, a massive fortress that dates back to 500 AD.
At the entrance to the Ark was some jail cells where people who the Emir did not like were placed for visitors to see as they entered. Moral: do not irritate the Emir!
The Throne Hall.
The Throne Hall where the Emir met people.
Terry, one of our fellow travelers decide to see what it would feel like being the Emir.
Hand made rugs for sale.
Outside the rear of the Ark. it was destroyed and rebuilt many times over its history.
The Ark overlooks the old part of Bukhara.
Looking back at the walls of the fortress.
We then went to the nearby infamous Zindon prison that was built in the 18th century. There are many stories about this prison and its use. In 1838 two British soldiers came on a diplomatic mission, managed to anger the Emir, who then threw them into this prison and ultimately had them executed. Moral: Do not anger the Emir!
It was hot already and the Zindon prison was a bit away so Furkat hired these golf carts to take us there rather than having to walk. Thanks, Furkat.
The Zindon prison located near the Ark.
One of the cells in the prison, where lesser prisoners were held.
The “bug pit” where the worst criminals are held. The only entry/exit to this deep hole is a 6 meter rope! The British soldiers were held here before being executed.
Weapons used by guards on inmates of the prison.
Weapons used by guards at the prison.
The Kalyan minaret was built in 1127
The Kalyan mosque dates back to the 15-16th century.
The lectern where the imam gives his sermon.
If you did not wear long pants today and you want to visit a mosque you can borrow a ”skirt/shawl” that usually is located by the mosque entry.
The Mir-i-Arab Madrasah, built in 1535, is still used a a madrasah (school) today.
We visited the local small bazaar where again we had some free time before breaking for a late lunch in yet another lovely setting. We had a local architect as a guest speaker who is heavily involved with the restoration effects in keeping the Bukhara old town as it was in ancient times.
Stopping at a local spice market.
1 gram Iranian saffron $11.50 .
One or two still operating hammams in the area. These date back 400-600 years.
The marble slab where I later learned is where you lie while getting a massage!
Having a great lunch in an air conditioned room in a lovely restaurant.
Our lunch speaker is a local architect who is deeply involved in the restoration of old Bukhara.
Our speaker showing us old photos of the old town area.
Walking back after lunch. Note how we all are trying to walk in the shade!
By 2PM it was pretty hot so we elected to rest during the afternoon. Those who wanted to could go out with Furkat around 4 PM for more sightseeing, otherwise we were told we would gather for dinner at 6:30PM. Being of sound mind I chose to NOT join the 4PM group but enjoyed the peace, solitude and air conditioning of my hotel room until meeting the group for dinner. By the way this was the afternoon where those people who wanted to try the “hammam” bath experience could do so. I had fully considered it until I read that it entailed-sitting in a hot sauna for 15-30 minutes, laying on a marble slab where your masseuse worked you over (including standing on your back). This led me to decide to wait until I could get a “regular” massage at one of the hotels later in the trip. With age comes wisdom!
Dinner was a bit of a treat as we ate in a local restaurant where there was a music and dance performance while we dined. The only negative was that it was outdoors and it was still fairly warm. Otherwise it was a fun evening as we got to hear authentic local music and watch dancers.
Local cuisine for dinner.
A local group who played traditional music for us.
Dancer in native dress performing native dances.
Same lady, different costume.
A second lady joined for some joint dances.
Several costume changes during the performance.
And a violin player played some songs for us.
Steps for the day: 7,398….Not bad given how hot it was!
May 14, 2025: Going to the Ancient City of Bukhara.
We are moving on later this morning but not before visiting Registan Square during the daylight and a local bazaar. “Registan” means “place of sand” and this square is the most recognizable landmark in Samarkand. It consist of three former emblematic madrasahs (Islamic school) with a large empty space in the middle (from whence came the name). Originally it was a public square and marketplace. The three major structures are: Ulugbek, Tillya-Kari and Sher-Dor (L to R as you view them). They date back to the 15-17th centuries and have been restored. They are no longer schools; they are often small museums or schools for artists. By the way, the spelling I have found for these various buildings seems to vary, depending on the citation given. I believe it is a reflection of the differences in the languages. I really do not know what is the correct spelling.
A cemetery near the Registan Square.
Even though there are no photos or inscriptions on the tombs (per Islamic custom) some are ornate.
Flower gardens near the square.
The layout of Registan Square.
The square in the quiet of early morning.Ulugbek madrasah on the left, Tillya Kari in the middle and Sher Dor on the right.
The Ulugbek madrasah built in 1417-1420. Has been restored.
Tillya Kari madrasah built in 1636-1660. Also restored. It is now used as a mosque.
Sher Dor madrasah, built in 1619-1636. Also restored.
My guess is these are Instagram people taking photos before the crowds arrive.
Note the intricate ceramic designs.
“Artsy” shot with sun behind.
Each building seems unique in its facade’s design.
Entrance to the Tillya Kari which is now a mosque.
Inside the Tillya Kari mosque.
It is pretty elaborate.
Real gold decor.
Having a bit of fun as Maddie took a picture of the dome with us photobombing.
What these buildings looked like (20th century) before their restoration to what we see today.
In the buildings in what used to be rooms for students there were shops that housed artists, small museums and vendors selling things.
Chess seems to be popular as I saw many shops selling unique chess pieces.
One of the former rooms held a music store where this musician makes and sells instruments. He played the different ones for us.
He plays several different types of instruments.
Furkat explains how the ceramic tiles are made-by hand!
The master tile guy.
I did not bother asking how much as I was sure it would be expensive!
From there we went to see the Bibi-Khanym mosque, built (1399-1405) by Timur to be the largest in the Islamic world and dedicated to the memory of his favorite wife.
A model of the area where the Bibi-Khanym mosque is.
Entry to the courtyard where the Bibi-Khanym mosque is located.
Look at the size of those doors!
The Bibi-Khanym mosque itself.
Another entry to the mosque.
The dome of the Bibi-Khanym mosque.
The inside of the Bibi-Khanym mosque.
The unrestored mosque nearby.
An artist hand painting tiles.
Hand embroidered hats. Not sure if they are for men or women.
Then we stopped at the local Slab bazaar for some free time to shop before we had lunch and then began our almost 5 hour drive to Bukhara.
Another toasty day in store!
Entry to the Slab bazaar.
It was more modern than I expected. Not as big as the one we saw earlier.
Something unique for spice collectors.
That is mounds of raw honey behind other sweets.
Pepsi is the big dog in Central Asia. Saw very little of Coca Cola.
Mid day traffic even here. Some things are the same everywhere!
Not a big distance but the roads limit speed.
Not much to see as we go to Bukhara.
Road side “restaurant” where they use these wood fired, concrete vessels to make somas.
Getting hotter as we head toward Bukhara. We cringed at the prediction for the next few days!
It was 5PM before we arrived in Bukhara. Although Bukhara is one of the oldest cities here the buildings were modern in this part of town.
I was impressed with how many multi lane roadways there are.
We had to walk down an alley to get to our small hotel, the Alexia. We were a bit concerned about what it would be like.
But were we impressed once we got inside. The 17 room hotel was previously a private home of a rich person that had been converted to this great little hotel.
My room was huge!
Large bathroom with rain shower, tube and big sink area. Bathrobe and slippers included!
Our Italian restaurant. We were excited to get something different. Note the posh decor and seating again.
Pizza as an appetizer.
Disappointment at the Bolognese main.
We will be exploring this area for the next several days but the high temperatures are a bit of a concern. By the way they are expected to be 20 degrees over the average for this time of the year. Another effect of global warming? We have talked about starting earlier in the day to avoid the heat and resting in the afternoon. That sounded good to all of us.
Steps for the day: 8,947…That is more like it!
May 13, 2025: Road Trip to Shakhrisabz, the Birthplace of Timur
The town of Shakhrisabz is only about 80 km from Samarkand, but to get there you must travel over a 1,650 meter (5,413 feet) mountain pass on the road that prohibits buses. So the MIR tour company rented us three new black mini vans for the day. We looked like important politicians as we traveled; all we were missing was a police escort!
Because the road restricts the use of buses we used three of these mini vans for transportation today.
Elevation of Samarkand.
You see these “mini” vans everywhere.
Watermelons are in season!
They sometimes overload their vehicles.
On the way over the pass.
A rest stop and market near the top of the pass.
Why people stop here- photo op!
Elevation near the pass.
A friendly local.
The local market loaded with dried fruits, nuts and dozens of cheeses.
These cheeses are of different types. One of our group tried one and said it was not good!
Mixtures of herbs to create a popular tea blend.
They asked for a picture of us. The Asian lady was part of our group.
View from the pass summit.
Bit of trivia: Many (most?) women we see have one or more gold teeth. We were told this was a sign of wealth and an investment. Google seems to confirm that!
Shakhrisabz was originally called “Kesh” and it is the birthplace of Timur. It is over 2,700 years old! Timur wanted it to be his capital and built the Al-Sarah Palace (the White Palace) starting in 1380 until 1404, right before he died. Supposedly 50,000 slaves were used to build this enormous structure.
This was the entrance portal. It was originally 70 meters tall with an arch that spanned 22 meters. The present towers are only 38 meters tall. It must have been quite a sight.
Gold and blue ceramic tiles were used extensively.
It got a bit “toasty” while we were here!
We wandered around the complex to see the other buildings of the Dorut Tilavat complex, before having a late lunch at a local restaurant. By 2:30PM we headed back to Samarkand over the same mountain pass. Back in Samarkand we made a short stop at the 2nd largest Russian Orthodox church in the country.
Dorus Siyodat Mausoleum, built in 1380 and where Timur’s son, Jehangir , is buried. Timur was supposed to be buried there but never was.
There are always vendors in the area of the attractions, plying their wares.
These colorful bags are sold everywhere.
Gumbazi Sayyidon mausoleum and the Blue Dome Mosque.
Inside the Gumbazi Sayidon Mausoleum. Built by Ulugbek in 1437, and thought to be for his family. However, they really do not know who is buried there!
Another view of the inside.
Inside the burial chamber of Shamsiddin Kulol, the teacher of Timur.
Fresh dried raisins.
An onion, spinach, potato pancake.
The meat was tender and the potatoes were marvelous!
The Church of St. Alexius Metropolitan of Moscow, built in 1911.
The inside of the church was modest.
But the day was not through as we visited a business where we saw how they make “silk” paper from the bark of the mulberry trees that grow here. It should be noted that at 6PM it was still 90 degrees.
Preparing the bark from a mulberry tree.
Making a slurry of the bark.
Forming the paper from a slurry of the pulp.
You need to smooth it out with a smooth object like a shell.
And the end product is “silk” paper, which is not accurate, but understandable.
A wall display of ceramic dishes on a building in the complex.
And because of our late lunch our dinner, again at a private home, was going to be later than normal, followed by a visit to Registan Square to see the light show that we missed last night.
Our hostess/cook. Greeting us when we arrived at her home.
The table was set.
Our hungry group.
A local wine. It was not memorable.
The evening 20 minute light show at Registan Square.
It was spectacular!
This composite was put together by Suki, a fellow traveler.
Steps for the day: 15,506!! I will sleep well tonight.
May 12, 2025: Exploring Samarkand in Southern Uzbekistan.
We are headed to the southeastern part of Uzbekistan to Samarkand, a city known for its mosques and mausoleums. It was also an important part of the Silk Road which linked China with the Mediterranean. We are taking an express train (2.5 hours) rather than driving the estimated 5 hours by car. Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia and has a current population of about 551,700. It is the third largest city in Uzbekistan. The city was conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BC (when it was known as Maranda). It was later ruled by Iranian and Turkic rulers, only to later be conquered by Genghis Khan in 1220. It is noted as being a center for Islamic culture and for the presence of Timur and the Timurid Empire of the 14th century. More about Timur later.
The Hyatt had quite an extensive breakfast buffet- the best so far!
Part of the gardens next to the hotel.
The train station in Tashkent where we caught the 8AM train.
Rather than driving 5+ hours to Samarkand we were taking a 2+ hour train.
A fairly modern Spanish built train.
A very old stone bridge we saw from the train.
Once in Samarkand we immediately drove to the first of several madrasas (madrasah), mosques and mausoleums we will be visiting today. They are starting to “run together”. By the way I forgot to mention we do not need a local guide here in Uzbekistan as Furkat is our official local guide because he lives near here.
Samarkand has a big traffic problem. This is a roundabout that I am sure was not designed for this many car lanes.
We are pretty familiar with Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Marco Polo. On this trip we were introduced to another famous emperor in this region, Timur. Who is Timur (also known as Tamerlane)? Amir Timur (1336-1405) was a famous warrior from this area. He was also known as Timur the Lame because of an injury that left him partially paralyzed. He was a furious warrior and never lost any of his 58 war campaigns. His empire ran from the Volga River in the west to India in the southwest. Central Asia was the heart of the empire. Samarkand was his capital. Under his rule Samarkand became the center of culture and science in Central Asia.
Our first stop in Samarkand was at the mausoleum (Gur-Emir which means the grave of the ruler, i.e. Timur) that contained the graves of Timur, his sons and grandsons. It was built in 1404! A unique aspect of the mausoleum is that Timur’s grave is placed (at his request) next to the largest gravestone, that of his spiritual teacher, Mir Said Baraka. The other interesting feature is that while all the gravestones are marble, Timur’s gravestone is made of a solid piece of jade! Needless to say the mausoleum is quite magnificent.
The mausoleum of Gur-Emir, better known as Timur.
The minaret.
The interior courtyard to mausoleum. Note how the flower beds are covered to protect them.
Amazing ceramics work on the entrance
Inside the mausoleum where family members were buried..
View of the dome of the mausoleum.
Gold foil was used on the walls.
Another carved door.
The empire of Timur. He never lost any of his 58 military campaigns.
Locals trying to sell us camel wool shawls.
A group picture with some local women.
From there we went to see the observatory complex built by his grandson Ulugbek (Mohammad ibn Shahrukh ibn Timur Mirza Ulugh Beg Guragan) who was born in 1394. As a teenager he became interested in science and when he was 15 he was named emperor. He was more interested in science and math than politics and conquest. He created many madrasahs (Islamic schools) to encourage schooling. He was considered an extraordinary scientist and compared to Euclid and Ptolemy. He was such a great scientist that he was able to determine the length of a year to within one minute of the modern accepted value! Because of his lack of interest in politics ultimately a conspiracy arose and he was murdered in 1449 and his observatory (built in the 1420s) was destroyed. It has since been rebuilt.
Statue of the famous scientist, Ulugbek.
The Ulugbek museum.
Part of the display inside of the Ulugbek museum.
The sextant in the 15th century (rebuilt) observatory.
Entrance to the below ground observatory structure
If you want to learn more.
It was then time for lunch where we had another famous Uzbek dish, shish kebab.
Statue of Timur.
Luncheon restaurant.
Beers are so big (mug) that we shared one. They poured the mug into the two glasses. Cost<$4.
Chicken soup as good as grandma used to make!
Shish kebab, a favorite Uzbek dish.
More touring in the afternoon. We went a short distance to the site of the ancient city of Afraisiab that dated back to the 5-3rd BCE. . In 1965 while building a road they discovered a building with frescoes, some of which they managed to preserve. The Afraisiab museum was created in 1970 to house these paintings along with some 22,000 artifacts found in the area, documenting the 2500 year history of Samarkand. We only spent a short amount of time in the museum as there was more to see before we rested!
Frescoes dating from the 7th and 8th century.
Last stop of the day was at the Shakhi Zinda necropolis where there are many individual mausoleums. There are over 20 mausoleums dating from the 11-19th century located here. One legend states that one even contains a cousin of the prophet Mohammad. Most date to the 13-14th century. We were given free time to wander through the complex and take all the pictures we wanted! Behind these mausoleums is a hill that is filled with thousands of burial stones of more common people.
The story of Shakira Zinda necropolis that dates back to the 11th century.
Steps leading up to the many mausoleums in the complex.
There is literally a street with mausoleums lining both sides.
Very elaborate designs with ceramic tiles are on the front of the buildings.
An example of one of the mausoleums. The bodies are actually buried below the ground as per their custom.
The interior of one of the mausoleums.
Furkat explaining a bit about the ceramic tile design.
Each mausoleum has a unique design on the entrance.
This door dates back to 1404. There is a plaque that states: “The doors to paradise are open to the faithful”
This is the mausoleum of Qutham ibn Abbas, the first cousin of the prophet Mohammad. He died in 677 here.
By 4:30 we were walking down a small street to get to our hotel as the bus could not negotiate the narrow street. Hmmmm… turns out we were headed to the Kosh Haviuz Boutique Hotel in the old town portion of Samarkand and it turned out to be simply a delight! It was small with 32 rooms facing a lovely interior courtyard with a rooftop hot tub and bar.
The non-descript entrance to our hotel.
The rooms open to a central courtyard. This was probably the home of a rich merchant before it was made into a boutique hotel.
My bed. I swear it was bigger than a king size!
The ceiling in my room.
The rooftop bar in the hotel.
View from the hotel roof deck.
The great staff in the rooftop bar.
The evening dinner was also a delight as we walked those same narrow streets, finally arriving at a small restaurant that had a rooftop eating area, overlooking buildings in the old part of town. It was real treat!
Near the resturant is Registan Square which has a nightly light show but we were too late to see it. We will be going tomorrow night.
These are the three main structures in Registan Square- (L to R) Ulugh Beg Madrasah (1417–1420), the Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636), and the Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1646–1660)
Apparently having seen all the major attractions in this part of Tajikistan we are heading back to Uzbekistan this morning.
Elevation of Khujand, Tajikistan.
A surprise at breakfast- shakshuka and a very tasty porridge.
A noteworthy saying hanging on the breakfast room wall.
Our journey today to Tashkent which includes a border crossing back into Uzbekistan.
An early morning showing the nearby mountain range behind the rebuilt Timur fortress.
A big plaza dedicated to Ismail Solomi, a famous Tajikistan hero.
Statue of Ismail Somoni, the famed ruler of the the Samanids empire that dated back to the 9-10th century. His statue replaced one of Lenin after Tajikistan declared independence.
A surprisingly large indoor swimming pool facility in the city.
I was surprised to see what appeared to be modern homes in a subdivision outside the city.
Landscape once we left Khujand.
The border crossing was quick-about 45 minutes but we had to handle our luggage this time, as there were no porters at this border crossing. It was not an inconvenience.
Once we were in Uzbekistan we encountered several miles of power poles that had storks nesting on them. We were traveling too fast for me to get a good picture, but there were dozens of these nests along the road.
By late morning we were already in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, a much more modern city. And it is large, with a population in excess of 3 million people. A bit of trivia: “Tash” means stone and “Kent” means camp so Tashkent is known as the “City of Stones”. It was first settled between 5 and 3 BCE. It had the dubious honor of being destroyed by Genghis Khan in 1219. Because of its importance on the Silk Road it was rebuilt and prospered. The Russians ruled this area from 1865 until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.
A very large shopping mall. We must be in a big city again!
Modern building in Tashkent. One of many in the modern city.
The first of many Ferris wheels we saw on the trip. Sadly we did not get to ride on one.
They are converting from a Cyrillic alphabet to the Roman alphabet. Note both on this billboard.
Yep, we are back in a big city.
Our luncheon restaurant. Note the posh chairs again.
Interesting salad made of bread and potatoes. It was tasty.
Egg plant was a common element of salads.
A beef pilaf. A popular Uzbek dish.
On April 26, 1966 an 8.8 earthquake pretty much destroyed the city again. 300,000 people were homeless, 78,000 poorly built homes were destroyed and but supposedly only 15 people died, but no one believes that number because of Russian secrecy. But once again it rebuilt itself.
A massive memorial dedicated to the April 1966 earthquake disaster.
We spent a considerable amount of time wandering through the Khazrati Imam complex which consists of Tillya Sheikh mosque, Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, Barak Khan madrassah and Imam al-Bukhari Islamic Institute. The complex includes a library which is home to more than 20,000 books and 3,000 manuscripts. The major attraction there was a Koran that is considered to be one of the oldest in world, having been written in the 7th century. The Othman Koran was compiled in Medina by Othman, the third caliph or Muslim leader. Before him, the sacred verses which Muslims believe God gave to Muhammad were memorized, or written on pieces of wood or camel bone. To prevent disputes about which verses should be considered divinely inspired, Othman had this version compiled. It was completed in the year 651, only 19 years after Muhammad’s death. We could view the sacred document (written on deer skin) but were not allowed to photograph it.
The Tillya Sheikh Mosque in the complex. It is rumored that the mosque contains a sample of the prophet Muhammad’s hair.
Inside the Tillya Sheikh Mosque. It was paid for by a wealthy merchant, which is a common way new mosque are built.
Shoes off when entering a mosque.
The proper dress when entering a mosque.
Reminders of the time for prayer that Muslims honor.
Wood pillar in the mosque.
The university for students studying the Koran and someday hoping to be named an imam.
Qaffol Shoshi mausoleum built in 1542. It honors Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ismail Al-Kaffal ash-Shashi! Now you know!
The Khazrati Imam mosque. There was a lot of construction going on around the complex.
Viewing the Othman Koran. Cameras put away.
The ceiling above the Othman Koran ( that we could film).
This is a modern copy of the Othman Koran.
A Koran dating from 1274. There were several other ancient copies on display here.
Another magnificent carved wood door.
We stopped at the memorial to the war dead and then entered the underground metro built by the Russians to view the 1977 architecture and ride on two separate lines to see the different decor of the stations. The metro has four lines, 50 stations and covers 70 km. It was well done.
The WWII memorial and eternal flame. This is a statue of mother Russia crying for her fallen children.
Part of the war memorial. There are brass slabs with names of the fallen all along this walkway.
List of men killed in the war.
A beautiful park surrounds the war memorial.
A moving water fountain in the park.
Entry to the underground metro in Tashkent.
Each station is beautifully decorated in a different theme.
One of the themed stations on the metro line.
Subway car that dates back to the Russian days.
Busy intersection where two lines meet.
Another metro station.
This station is dedicated to the Russian cosmonauts. They are pictured on the walls.
Yuri Gagarin, the first man to go into space. There is even a plaque for Laika, the Russian dog who was the first animal to circle the earth.
Sightseeing for the day was done and we checked into the fanciest hotel so far, the Hyatt Regency. Sadly we will only be staying one night!
A Hyatt Regency! Now you’re talking!
A token Lamborghini in front of the hotel.
Ah…. Hyatt did good!
My room even had some art in it!
A real bar and a bartender who knew how to make a “perfect” manhattan.
Outdoor rooftop bar!
View from the rooftop bar at the Hyatt.
A “perfect” (1/2 sweet vermouth,1/2 regular) Manhattan and sunset! Life is good in Uzbekistan!
Night in Tashkent.
Steps for the day: 9,631. Not bad!
May 10, 2025: Our Quick Visit to Tajikistan (#3 of 5).
– Cotton is the #1 crop of Uzbekistan but they are now moving towards growing wheat which is currently #2.
-Talib is the name for a student; taliban is the name for a group of students!
-We kept hearing the word “Emir” and “Khan”. What is the difference? They are both names for a ruler; an Emir was more commonly used in the Arab world whereas Khan was used in Mongolia and Central Asia.
-Why do mosques all have domes? It was for acoustics and to promote air circulation.
We are headed to another border crossing this morning, leaving Uzbekistan and entering Tajikistan. We were told that Tajikistan is not as developed as the other “Stans” so lower our expectations. Maybe that is why they do not get many visitors. The border crossing went smoothly, taking less than 30 minutes, and our guide, Furkat, hired a porter to cart our luggage across the “no man’s” land so it made our journey easy. The only glitch was our bus on the Tajik side was about 10 minutes late in arriving; it was a minor inconvenience.
Tajikistan has about 10.7 million people but it is growing. It declared its independence in 1991 but suffered through a civil war from 1992-1997. It is not was as well developed as the other “Stans”. Young people leave for better paying (2-4 x) jobs in Russia. Tajiks make up 86% of the population; 97% of the people are Muslims and Tajik is the official language but Russian is used extensively.
A very unusual rose in the hotel gardens.
Our journey today
At a rest stop we were curious about this trailer and animals headed to market.
Older cars have been converted to run on natural gas.
MIR paid a porter to haul our luggage across the border.
Our late bus coming to pick us up in Tajikistan.
Our first stop was the city of Khujand, the second largest city in Tajikistan. It’s origins have been attributed to Alexander the Great (329BCE) and Cyrus the Great of Persia (several centuries earlier). It was an important stop on the Silk Road.
“Zafar” was our local guide in Tajikistan.
Lots of fruit tree orchards along the highway. Mostly apricots.
Stopping along the highway where Furkat bought us apricots and cherries to have at lunch.
Look at all that local fruit! There were many roadside stalls selling the fresh fruit.
Remains from a 1992-1997 civil war that consumed this part of the country.
The school uniforms. Girls wear black skirts and white blouses. Boys wear black slacks and white shirts.
Each city seemed to have many flower beds lining their streets.
The Syr-Darya River flows through downtown Khujand.
Our luncheon resturant in Khujand.
This salad had potatoes, corn, peas, carrots and onions with a vinegar dressing. I had seconds!
Another excellent soup-tomato based in this case.
This was either beef or lamb. I do not remember, but it was darn good! The food continue to amaze me.
The fruit Furkat bought. He had the resturant carefully wash it to serve with our lunch. We all agreed that they were not as sweet as the fruit we raise in the USA.
Locals tend to eat at these tables. Luckily we did not have to try it as most of us would not be able to get up again!
After lunch we visited the Arbob cultural palace, built in the 1950s by the Russians and patterned after Peterhof in St. Petersburg. It is the site where Tajikistan independence was announced in 1992. It is now used occasionally for cultural events. Looked awfully expensive to maintain.
Entry area to the Arbob palace.
Walkway to the complex with a huge fountain.
View from the steps at some of the gardens.
White roses, meant to honor the cotton they grow here.
Main reception area inside the palace.
The large 800 seat auditorium.
Ceiling decor.
They use the venue for weddings now.
Part of the Arbob complex.
From there it was on to walk through the very large Panjshanbe Bazaar and some free time to explore the area on our own.
A huge enclosed bazaar.
Need some strawberries?
Dried nuts and fruit.
All sorts of different kinds of rice.
Spices, spices and more spices.
Eggs are not a problem here.
Sweets of all types for sale.
There were several guys doing shoe repair at the bazaar.
Need a soccer ball or wedding dress? Shops next to the bazaar are ready to sell you them.
The bazar is adjacent to the Muslihiddin memorial which includes a mosque, mausoleum and minaret.
Next was a visit to the historical Museum of Sogdiana which contained ancient artifacts and articles depicting Tajik history.
This rebuilt fortress is now the Historical Museum of Sughd.
They sure like massive doors!
Statue of Timur Malik, the governor of Khujand in the 13th century. He was unsuccessful in guarding the city against the Mongol invasion.
We had a local docent show us some of the more important artifacts. Needless to say there was not enough time to really appreciate what was there.
Impressive artifact for the 7-8th century BC!
Dinner was held in a local restaurant and we were only staying here for one evening before moving on.
The tiny (19 room) Khujand Grand hotel with no elevators and I was on the third floor! Luckily they handled my luggage.
My room was not well furnished but it sure was big and the AC worked and the water was hot. All is good!
For some reason restaurants seem to like having these heavy, upholstered chairs. Although comfortable they were hard to get in/out of them
Very flavorful potatoes.
Eggplant. I did not take picture of entree.
I went for a walk after dinner. Lots of families were out enjoying the mild evening.
We are in the Fergana Valley, considered to be the most fertile part of Central Asia. Alexander the Great founded a city here in 329BCE. This area was on the famous Silk Road trade route. They grew and continue to grow grains, silk, cotton, nuts, vegetables and fruits here. The current city of Fergana was established by the Russians in 1876 and retains its Russian influence to this day. Early settlers were encouraged to plant trees and it is now one of the greenest cities in Uzbekistan.
Fields where grapes are grown for eating, not for making wine.
Another important crop grown in the area is wheat.
Local market where you can buy almost anything.
Making “somsa”, the popular local version of an empanada.
From Fergana we drove the short distance to the city of Kokand, that dates back to the 10th century where we visited an 18th century Madrassah school and the 1873 palace of Khudayer Khan with its 113 rooms.
The Narbutabey Madrassah, a boys Islamic school that was originally built in 1799.
A Madrassah was an Islamic boys school.
All these buildings have elaborate mosaic tilework.
A local person who was coming to worship later in the day. He took us around and showed us the adjacent mosque.
It was a simple mosque where worshippers stayed outdoors.
A saying from the Koran.
The attached Muslim cemetery where the graves are simple with no special adornments.
The 113 room palace of Khudayar Khan.
Another view of the palace facade.
Entrance to the palace.
Carved doors.
Closeup of the door carving.
Ceramic tiles with elaborate design are everywhere.
More decor in the palace.
Carving in the palace.
Look at the detail in the ceiling.
One of the 113 rooms in the palace.
The blossom on a pomegranate tree growing in the palace courtyard.
Clothing on display in the palace.
Map of the old Silk Road.
A 19th century Koran.
School kids ready to spend money on some snacks after a visit to the palace. He was the first of dozens of kids who interacted with this lady.
The school kids wanted a picture with our group.
Nearby is the Jami Mosque, one of the 600 mosques and 15 Islamic boys teaching schools (called “madrassah) that once existed here.
The Jami mosque, dating to the early 19th century.
Top of the minaret at the mosque.
Inside the Jami mosque.
Walkway in the exterior of the Jami mosque.
Carved exterior of the mosque.
It was then on to the town of Rishtan, famous for its ceramics. We visited the shop of a ceramics master where we saw how the intricate pottery is made and painted, all by hand. Lunch was also served in the garden area of this small “oasis” in the city.
Entering the home of a ceramic master,
The beauty of the home is behind the entry.
They love growing roses in this part of the world. We saw them everywhere.
Lunch in the garden area.
Still warm bread!
Fresh yogurt, pickled beets, roasted nuts and cilantro.
Another delicious soup.
Meat filled dumplings that reminded me of Asian fare.
Dessert of cherries, coated nuts and cookies.
Watching a master at work.
Everything is painted by hand!
Drawing the pattern by hand.
Ready to be painted then fired. It takes days to complete one of these dishes.
Examples of the type of ceramics they make here.
Leaving there we visited a local business that grew silk and made silk products. There we received a fairly detailed explanation and demonstration of how silk is created and made into unique products. Of course we were given the opportunity to purchase some unique, fairly inexpensive silk products they manufactured.
Walking down an alley to get to a neighborhood silk “factory”.
We interrupted a kid soccer game.
This 17 year old kid acted as our guide. He was knowledgeable and articulate!
Silkworms eating Mulberry leaves. They feed for one month before making cocoons.
Showing how the cocoons are converted into silk thread.
Creating the design for the silk weaving.
Weaving the silk into a final product.
Watching some “magic” as they created some remarkable designs on the silk by dipping it into these dyes. It was like making tie dyed tee shirts.
The resultant silk product. Impressive!
Note the unique designs these guys created by dipping the raw silk in the different dyes. It was an impressive display.
They wanted a picture with our whole group.
Of course we were taken to their shop….to shop!
Lots of opportunity to spend money. Prices were quite reasonable.
I was tempted to…but passed up buying this for $70!
After the shopping spree we returned in the late afternoon to our hotel in Fergana for dinner again in a private home. We move on in the morning.
Local bakery selling artistic breads.
Furkat bought this to serve at our dinner tonight.
Entry to the courtyard and home where we had dinner.
Another trio of appetizers, which included marinated mushrooms.
Delicious chicken dish. I was impressed with the flavor of the potatoes in this country.
Sweet dessert tonight, no fruit.
Our host showing us the picture of his father who served in the Russian army.
