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!
