Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Buldging watermelons were placed under shady parasols, stacked on top of each other in a great mound. I followed the flow of people to a blue tiled dome, expecting to find the main market, but instead, I discovered a collection of spice vendors. I walked around the maze of tables and back into the outdoor stands. The sun was piercing, as it beat down upon the stalls of clothes and toiletries. Expecting to find a section of handicrafts and local fabric, I continued to wander. I was unsuccessful and found the Chorsu Bazaar to be dissapointing, with little of interest to someone with no desire to purchase a broom or a synthetic tshirt. However, the people were quite charasmatic, only noticing that I wasn't local when I brought out a camera. There is an Asian look to the people, with a strong Russian influence.



Compared to other Uzbek cities, begging has become quite noticable in both Samarkand and Tashkent. I wonder how much of this is due to tourism, with small children being taught to ask for money and how many tourists have previously handed them a note, so that now they come to expect it from foreigners. As I walked around the entrance of a mosque, I was followed by a young boy and a girl, who grabbed at my arm and skirt, asking for money. There were no signs of desperation, the girl seemed quite indignant about getting something. I was surprised at the mothers attitude, seemingly completely calm about her children pestering a tourist, as they stood waiting at a bus stop.

Tashkent seems such a vast city, that taxis are an essential mode of transport. It is too hot to walk for any distance. We are staying at the Hotel Grand Orzu, which is perfectly acceptable, but nothing special. The swimming pool was a dissapointment. A tiny plunge pool with cloudy water and a guy trying to skim away the dead flies, in an attempt to entice us in. Considering that the hotel is located on the edge of the city, it seems to lack reasons to stay there, since it is so far from the metro station or any of the old sites.

Last night we all went out for a group meal, as three of us are leaving the tour tomorrow. Our guide recommended the Sim Sim Cafe, a great restaurant with an extensive menu of local dishes. I ordered a vegetable salad, which they did very well, and a green shi soup. I was puzzeled that my soup was infact red and seasoned with paprika, nothing like the parsley flavoured green shi that I had eaten in Samarkand. I gave the soup to Jallel to eat and ordered some fries with ketchup, which arrived with chilli flakes in. The rest of the food in Uzbekistan has been surprisingly chilli and paprika free. A disco began in one of the rooms downstairs while people ate, although the dancing wouldn't begin for many hours. In another room, a cabaret act began to set up.

Tonight, a few of us are going to a Syrian restaurant, known for providing some of the best cuisine in town. I think after eating so much greasy kebab meat, we are all longing for a delicious dinner.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

I have to admit that I found Samarkand a little dissapointing, after the atmosphere of Khiva and Bukhara. The city does have some beautiful architecture, mainly consisting of Registan square, with a collection of mosques and medresses, but surrounding that is a busy road and with modern buildings, all slightly dirty. There are a few parks with trees and concrete pathways, which provide shade and a hang out for local teenagers but the area lacks the relaxed feel of other Uzbek cities. Many aspects remind me of a typical Asian city, with run down buildings and dirty food stalls, except Samarkand has retained an exquisite center piece, with a few ornate buildings scattered amongst the monotonous sprawl of grey.



We are staying at B&B Private Hotel Furkat, which is so bad that I felt compelled to photograph it, as on the first night, a few of us sat around laughing at how terrible it is. The good news is that a lot of building work is going on and there are plans for a restaurant and proper rooms, so perhaps in the future it could be really nice. The staff do try their best and are quite accomodating with the resources that they have. Unfortunately, we have been staying there for the last few nights. Upon arrival, the first room we were given was in line with the afternoon sun, furnace like inside, with no sign of the tired airconditioning unit even switching on. In the last few hotels, we have had the hottest rooms and we were getting a bit fed up of it, particularly at the previous hotel, when I spent the first night sleeping on a table in the court yard because I couldn't bear sweating all night and not feeling any breeze. We were moved to another room on the ground floor, with a toilet so fowl smelling, the stench was visable even when the door was closed. With the thought of being here for three nights, and the smell a permenant result of blocked drains and the road being dug up on the other side of the hotel, I asked if there was another room we could be moved to. I had a tour of the hotel, as I was led into five different rooms, trying to decide the things we could live with, such as a clear glass door to the bathroom, if a room had air conditioning, or the smell of sewage if the electricity worked. In most of the rooms either the bathroom smelt horribly or power lines were not able to run the airconditioning. Eventually the best option was a dark and dingy room, with hideous fifties decor, containing a working air con unit. The bathroom door was unable to close completely and would have looked more inkeeping on an industrial fridge, with a hole in the floor for the shower to drain, yet with a flat floor, taking a shower with a door that wouldn't close ment that the bedroom would be flooded. A quarter of the bathroom was taken up with a ridiculous looking boiler, which was most uneffective. The main door to our room in unable to close also, with no facility to lock at night, so I sleep with my bag of valuables and hope for the best. At least I have a room mate and we are above the ground floor. Our local guide reassures us that the next hotel is a nice one.

Aydarkul Lake, Uzbekistan

After a few dodgy stomachs, we got on the truck to head to a yurt camp between Bukhara and Samarkand. I faired pretty well compared to some, with only minor aches after eating at the local pondside restaurants. I think that the salad and noodle dishes didn't do any favours.

We arrived at the yurt camp in the afternoon and a few of us took a camel ride through the desert. It was a brilliant experience and my camel had a pleasant temperment, providing a smooth ride across the sand. I was lead by a young boy, who knew exactly how to handle the
fearsome beasts, one of which continually huffed, as another screamed out in protest, suddenly sitting down after being led just a few meters. It was a memorable way to spend the end of the afternoon, as long shadows formed on the sand and the sun lowered in the sky, as our camels meandered back to camp.

The yurts are beautiful, with colourful fabric covering the wooden framework and comfortable mattresses placed on the floor.

A meal was prepared for us, with a wonderful salad of grated carrots, beetroot, cabbage and potatoes, accompanied by a local vodka which was recommended to stop us from getting ill. Our guide told us that the local people always drink vodka followed by green tea during a meal, so I am doing the same.

I had a good night sleep in the yurt, under several blankets. The following morning we got up early and drove towards Samarkand, stopping at a beautiful lake along the way. Some people swam and a few of us wandered across the sandy hills, for a stunning view of turquoise waters in the middle of the desert. It was a very tranquil place.