MORE BERRIES THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A SALAMI AT - Samarkand and Tashkent, Uzbekistan

......previously, our first few weeks in Uzbekistan in the deepest southern town of Termez.........

As a large portion of the Uzbek population were visiting relatives during the end of Ramadan, we reluctantly had to change our travel plans. The train we were hoping to take from Termez to the Fergana Valley was full, so we chose to go as far as Samarkand, and spend a few days there before returning to Tashkent. 

The magnificent Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand

We normally travel in platzkart class on Russian-style trains. As it's the cheapest class, and for us, perfectly comfortable, we never had need to think about upgrading. However, this time, due to the busy time of year, we could only book kupe class, the next step up. It was a good opportunity to try something new. But as it turned out, kupe lacked the open and social feeling of platzkart that we enjoy, with only 4 beds in a compartment instead of 6 or 8, and a door that closed. There was no AC, only a tiny window in the top, next to our heads, and we were glad for the fresh air when we boarded as it was baking hot. As the journey went on, though, and the night cooled considerably, fresh air tuned cold, and Sal in particular, had no sleep due to a chilly wind coming in the window all night. 

Kupe class on Uzbek train (we were up top)

It was our third visit to the important Silk Road city, and although we were not as awe-struck as the first time, the magnificence of Samarkand never fails to impress. We arrived early at our favourite guesthouse in Uzbekistan, a homely, leafy family place set around a central courtyard. We were immediately welcomed with a huge breakfast, after which we thankfully collapsed into a comfortable bed to recover from the trip. 

Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

We spent three relaxing days, wandering around a few of the lesser visited sights we missed on our other visits- it is difficult to see past the mammoth and sparkling big sites in Samarkand, such as our favourite, Shar-i-Zinda. 

A few remaining tiles, Ishratkhana, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

A quiet spot, Ishratkhana, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

A beautifully calm morning was spent visiting the mausoleum of famed Islamic jurist Abdu Durum. It was a quiet complex, with few people around - the couple of men that were praying there gave us some pastries and water. The ancient setting around the fish pond and the surrounding four huge plane trees was pleasing and cool and we sat there for quite some time.

Quiet place to pray, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand

Handsome minaret, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand

Peeking in the entrance,  Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand

Wooden carving on ceiling, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand

Lovely setting around a pond, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand

Stunning colours, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand

We wandered up the hill to see the stunning view from the ex-president Islam Karimov's mausoleum (he was born and grew up around here). It was interesting to see so many local pilgrims here, praying and visiting the tomb. A thought-provoking comment about Karimov from the legendary Central Asian planning website Caravanistan:

"Karimov stole billions from his people and stymied the economy, forcing millions to find work in Russia as badly treated migrant workers.

He also closed the borders, restricted religious freedoms, forced children to pick cotton (while draining the Aral Sea to water that cotton), had thousands of opponents murdered and tortured, and thousands more jailed. Yet, you will find his mausoleum thronged with pilgrims searching for a blessing from the revered forefather. In Central Asia, ancestors have a presence in daily life after they passed away; they spread their spiritual energy and mediate individual relationships with God. Even if they ruthlessly oppressed you."

What a view from Karimov's tomb complex, Samarkand

Locals praying at the tomb

Highly decorated and popular place to visit

Samarkand bazaar was a wonderful mixture of produce, handicrafts, gourmet treats and practical items. The touristy spice stall vendors were hell bent on selling tourists saffron, ladies in scarves sold diary products from buckets on the ground, nougats and halva were piled up in tempting piles, and the aroma of fresh bread came from the bakery section as famous Samarkand-style round loaves were baked and raced around in delivery carts. The fresh fruit was what we were eying, and we ended up with bag loads of gorgeous strawberries. Apricots and cherries were also coming onto the market, and boys juicing strangely pallid pomegranates stood on every corner. Around the edge of the outdoor market were the shops selling a huge array of cheeses and salamis - they really love their salami here. 

Paying for her strawberries, Samarkand bazaar

Gorgeous ceramic section, Samarkand bazaar

'Ere, try this one on for size

Yummy array of early spring fruit, Samarkand bazaar

The train back to Tashkent from Samarkand was aboard the very civilized and touristy highspeed Afrosiyob train, complete with AC, airplane-style seats, and a snack and coffee included in the fare. The only interesting activity was trying to board alongside a large group of enormous Indian tourists, causing complete chaos and noise as only Indians can. Half of them ended up to be in the wrong carriage, and had to back themselves and their considerable amounts of luggage out while everyone else was trying to board. Soon we all settled down and enjoyed the short trip in comfort. 

Back in Tashkent, we continued our casual sightseeing- an impressive graveyard full of Soviet-era busts of Russian officials, a madrassa converted into a traditional crafts workshop, and a palace which design was based on industry. A fantastic find was Mirabad Bazaar, much closer to us than than huge and famous Chorsu Bazaar. This charming market with friendly vendors had everything we needed all contained under an attractive round flat roof. We actually discovered a new, slightly more expensive strawberry variety that was so unbelievable delicious there's almost no words to describe. 

Imposing busts and graves, Chigatay Cemetery

Crafty Abdulkasym madrassa, Tashkent

Brutalist architecture, Friendship Palace, Tashkent

Friendship Palace, complete with bolts falling from the roof, Tashkent (spot the cap)

Mirabad Bazaar, Tashkent

Delicatessen shop selling all sorts of meats and cheeses

All of a sudden a month had passed since our arrival in Uzbekistan, and it was time for us to leave the country. We had, by now, formulated some sort of plan, and decided to make a few stops in Kazakhstan on our way to Kyrgyzstan. We could hardly wait!! Please stay tuned, and we promise the next blog post won't be so long in arriving. We were a bit overwhelmed when we first arrived, and took a little while to get ourselves into gear. 

Giant plov pot, Tashkent

Moody under the city, Tashkent

Rush hour, Tashkent metro

More beautiful metro art, we are fascinated by it!

A few general notes about travel in Uzbekistan:

Having arriving into Uzbekistan from Penang in full hot season in April, where the energy was drained out of us, and the feeling of lethargy was difficult to shake, we absolutely revelled in the cooler spring weather of Central Asia. Days were sunny and warm, and nights just the right temperature for sleeping soundly.  

Unusual statue on a grave, Tashkent

As previously stated, accommodation costs had risen in the three years since we last visited in 2019. We stayed at a mixture of hostels and guesthouses, and the were all clean and friendly. Most accommodation offered a substantial breakfast, sometimes included and sometimes for a few dollars extra. We paid between £16- £22 a night for a double room, usually with our own bathroom.

Our comfy, homey room in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

I'm sure we've mentioned it before, but we absolutely love the ease of the public transport in Central Asia. In all the places we visited in Uzbekistan, local buses were one price for a single trip, no matter how far one went. In Tashkent, this was the same for the metro. 1,400-1500 som (£0.09-£0.10) was paid to the driver as one exited the bus. So easy. The long distance trains seemed somewhat pricey, but it's all relative. Our longest train trip, which was 14 hours, cost 170,000 som each, about £12.

Ready for boarding, Uzbekistan trains

Samarkand train station, Uzbekistan

It's probably pretty clear that we adore the fresh produce in Uzbekistan. Everywhere we went, seasonal fruit and veggies and freshly baked bread were available. Dairy products were delish and always full fat- none of this diet crap in Central Asia! Smetana (a cross between Greek yoghurt and sour cream) is our favourite, and this time we discovered Central Asian-style kaymak. We had tried kaymak in Serbia, but unlike it's Balkan cousin, the variety here isn't salty, more like a clotted cream. We tended not to eat out a lot, preferring to make ourselves picnics with salad, local pickles, eggs and smoky cheese, traditional round bread, and fruits and smetana. When we ate out, we enjoyed meat. Lamb, beef and chicken are usual here - on skewers (shashlik) and from a spit (doner) are the two most common types.

Yum chill and garlic

A takeaway meal, rotisserie chicken and Uzbek wine!

Interesting flavour juice (we didn't try)

National obsession, plov

Messy looking, but delicious beefshtek and goulash

Perfectly presented cherries and berries

Beautiful produce in Uzbek market

A fine discovery was Uzbek wine- the different brands we tried varied from delicious to headache inducing, but at less than £2 a bottle, generally very enjoyable indeed! Beer was also available with mixed results. We have been so spoilt having spent a long time in the Balkans during the past few years - you really can't beat that area for premium alcoholic drinks at rock bottom prices. Ditto for the cafe culture- there isn't one in Central Asia. Tea, or choy, is king here. We got our pathetic coffee fix in the mornings with the local instant variety. 

Uzbek wine

Most streets and parks in the cities we visited were lined with mulberry trees - both red and white varieties. No-one seemed too fussed about collecting them, but we scoffed as many as we could whenever we saw easy to reach fruit.

An idea of our stops within Uzbekistan

 

Lovely Uzbek girls

Hilarious Uzbek picnic set- what more do you need besides shashliks, vodka and a machete?!

.....we're off to Kazakhstan for a short time- keep in touch!.......

US BACK IN UZBEK- Tashkent and Samarkand, Uzbekistan

.....previously in Thailand......

It was almost exactly two years since we last flew to Tashkent with Uzbekistan Airlines, and they seemed to have upped their game somewhat in the intervening years. The smiling cabin crew and delicious and plentiful food were big improvements, and we enjoyed the views of Chinese and Central Asian deserts and mountains out the window. We forgave the two hour delay and were very excited to have arrived in the capital of Uzbekistan.

Tashkent metro station

Flying over Central Asia (spot the wee plane)

Our first couple of days were a bit slow to get going. Our accommodation had nothing going for it apart from it's location across the road from the central train station. We could have lived with the odd characters wandering around (one guy had a bruised and bandaged face), but really couldn't believe there was no fan in our room considering it was 41 degrees outside (a problem that was rectified for the final of our three nights, after our complaining!). Some of our US dollars bought especially for the trip were deemed not perfect enough for the banks to change into som, the local currency, causing us slight panic. Some of the strict government rules had been lifted since our last visit. We were now free to pay for accommodation with local currency, although the extremely irritating policy of only being able to stay in places that could give an authorized registration slip was still in place. But soon these small things were ironed out and we enjoyed a couple of days around the capital city.

A big positive change from the last time we were there was being able to take photos in the underground metro system (a further example of the loosening of government rules). The whole labyrinth was so photogenic in a funky Soviet way, and we spent hours riding on different lines, and stopping to take photos at the different themed stations. The payment system for public transport in Tashkent is the most sensible we have come across. It's 1200 som (US$0.13) for a trip anywhere on the metro or local buses. So easy and simple!

Arty designed metro station, Tashkent

Grand metro station, Tashkent

Yuri Gagarin, first man in space, Kosmonavtlar metro station

Inside Tashkent metro train

Our best experience whist in Tashkent was when we escaped from the heat into an air-conditioned cafe, and started chatting with two young students studying for their IELTS exam. After a conversation they invited us for lunch the following day. We met them, along with the clever younger brother of one of them, and spent a pleasurable couple of hours conversing with them in a nearby restaurant. Their English was excellent and easy to understand, and we had the added bonus of being able to ask questions about their culture. The most interesting thing for us was one of them desperately wanted to train to be a pilot and move to New York, while the other was going to take over the family export business and settle down in Tashkent with a wife and take care of his parents. Such different motivations for learning English, but both smart and very determined.

Our new friends, Tashkent

We loved the huge lunch they ordered consisting of plov (pilaf) with lamb and horse meat, samsas (something like a meat pasty), suzma (a kind of cross between cheese and yoghurt), flat and tasty Tashkent nan bread, dill and yoghurt dip, salad and cherry juice. We had already decided we wanted to try plov again, after eating some extremely oily varieties last trip that we really disliked, so it was a good opportunity to try some recommended by locals. It was all absolutely delicious- even the horse, which tasted like a strong corned beef. It was most embarrassing when the youngsters gave us presents and insisted on paying for the meal, and we came to a deal that we would take them out on our return to Tashkent later in the trip. Very sweet.

Plov with lamb and horse-yum!

We wandered the city streets looking at monuments of fearsome past warrior leaders, slightly derelict public gardens and religious buildings, but the 40 plus degrees temperature had us fearing sunstroke, so we tried to stay in the cool and shade as much as possible. Having said that, the heat was dry and nowhere near as draining as what we had experienced in April in Bangkok.

WW2 monument, Tashkent

The sparkling white Minor Mosque was quite surprising, as we were allowed entry in short sleeves and shorts. Another example of relaxed attitudes to religion in the region. Although a modern building, the grand old style was evident and there was a cool peacefulness about the place.

Interior dome of Minor Mosque, Tashkent

We discovered a new region of Tashkent along a peaceful and tree lined canal through the middle of the city. Due to the hot weather, people of all ages were taking advantage of all the clean gushing water, and bathing and swimming in the cool shade. It looked extremely inviting, and had we had our bathers, we for sure would have joined in. It was still very pleasant strolling along the side and trying to guess the variety of the many mature deciduous trees, amongst them plane, horse chestnut and ash, and many others we couldn't identify.

For a detailed look at Tashkent from our previous trip, with lots of pictures and a bit of history, see here.

People in Tashkent were so incredibly kind, and whenever we stood still looking confused for more than a few seconds (it happened quite often), some lovely English speaking person would stop and ask if we needed help. A good example of that was when we were waiting for a bus to take us to the southern train station to catch our train to Samarkand. A well dressed man approached us, asked where we were going, told us which buses we could take and how much it would cost. Then, care of his app, he told us one would be arriving in one minute and that we should get ready, then waved us off as the bus left!!

Although we had visited Samarkand less than two years ago, it seemed a convenient stop on our route to Tajikistan. Border crossings are complicated in Central Asia, with much opening and closing with little notice, and a lot of planning is needed. So, we took one of the spick and span, perfectly organized trains from Tashkent to the grand Silk Road city of Samarkand.

Samarkand woman

Interesting tombstone in graveyard, Samarkand

Old boys putting the world to right, Samarkand

Classic Registan view, Samarkand

We won't go into the details about Samarkand history and the various mammoth and beautiful monuments- all of this was comprehensively covered here, on our last visit.

The first guesthouse we looked at was a fantastic travellers hub, particularity popular with over-landers. It ticked all the boxes for us- clean and quiet air-conditioned room with a bathroom and hot shower, a place for laundry and a central location. The courtyard was often filled with other travellers to exchange tips with, or just relax in the shade with free flow Uzbek tea and watermelon. The filling and varied breakfast changed every day, but always included fresh fruit, gallons of tea, bread, butter, cheese, salami, home-made jam and honey, yoghurt and eggs!

Shady courtyard at guesthouse, Samarkand

Our favourite monument from the last time we were in Samarkand was without doubt Shah-i-Zinda, or Avenue of Mausoleums. This visit we found little changed, although the crowds were absent and we did miss those Ramadan Ladies! The magical glow of the warm brick and the gorgeous array of bright greens and blues of the tiles on the exteriors of the buildings had us gazing in wonder, and the interiors of the tombs of various people important to Amir Timur were cool, shady and often dazzling with their rich decorations.

Morning light on Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Inside a grand mausoleum, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Moody light in tomb, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Minus the crowds this visit, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Catching the light, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Intricate tile work, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Pretty interior tiles of mausoleum, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Soaring colours, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Rich getting some attention, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Looking out at the beauty, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Dripping colour, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Tomb roof detail, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Rich inside mausoleum, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Wonderful decoration, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

Visiting the dead, Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand

The other highlight of Samarkand was the Siob Bazaar. We are suckers for a good market, and Central Asia's are amongst the best we have seen. The mix of different looking people and aromatic, fresh and varied produce, was an exotic spectacle. The dried fruit and nut sellers offered what seemed like every kind of fruit and nut that exists, and we couldn't resist the blackberry ladies surrounded by mounds of juicy berries and shot glasses of rich juice. Happy sellers called out to us, and offered little tid-bits to entice us. We ate food from this market every evening for dinner, and not only spent next to nothing on food, but enjoyed fantastic and healthy meals.

Fresh herbs, Siob Market, Samarkand

Cultivating tools in the market, Samarkand

Masses of salamis

Walnut stuffed apricots

Piles of dried fruit and nuts, Siob Market, Samarkand

Apricot kernels (taste like almonds)

Uzbek hats in Siob Market, Samarkand

More than anything, in Uzbekistan, we revelled in the tastiest bread, dairy products and produce we have ever come across, which was every bit as good as we'd remembered. In Tashkent we stocked up on walnuts and semi dried apricots, and in Samarkand we continued with the best peaches, plums and mulberries we've ever had- so juicy and full of taste. Our absolute obsession from last visit was smetana, an unbelievably delicious and creamy local yoghurt we convinced ourselves must be healthy (conveniently ignoring the 25% fat content!). We ate it with fruit or bread and jam, like a high tea.
Uzbekistan has always been synonymous with ice cream for us. The country seems to survive on it during the hot summer, and we were more than happy to join in! We made a point of trying a different type every day (one of us sometimes having more than one a day- not mentioning any names!).
We were constantly served watermelon everywhere we went in Uzbekistan- it's the national food, and they adore it. Normally, we wouldn't be too fussed with watermelons, but here they taste incredible, like everything else!
It's still unknown to us how the produce here tastes so good, but the freshness, aroma and unbelievable taste is unlike anything you can buy in Australia or the UK. It's all seasonal, obviously straight from the garden/farm, often less than perfect looking, and doesn't last long. But the quality is very high.
Of course, the ubiquitous teapot is always on the table, and Sal in particular loved the green tea that was often served.

Mountains of melons

Making manti (dumplings)

Scrummy berries and smetana, our Central Asian obsession

Smetana flavoured crisps

Only a week into the trip, and we hit our first obstacle. We had applied for an e-visa for Tajikistan, having read it would be issued the following day. One week later, we were still waiting in Samarkand, a city we loved, but had thoroughly explored (twice!), and had to make a decision what to do. For sure we didn't want to lose the US$100 we had already paid for the visa. Fortunately just as we were making plans to buggar off to another country, the visa came through, and we were on our way to Tajikistan! Yipee!

Big and brassy, Samarkand

Soviet mosaic, Samarkand

Old Russian classic car, Samarkand

....onto Haft Kul (Seven Lakes), Tajikistan....