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Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia which has been inhabited for thousands of years by Persians, Tajiks and Turkic people. For centuries it has been invaded by various groups including the Mongols, the Arabs and most recently Russia. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan gained its independence in 1991. The country is currently led by Islam Karimov, president of the government. Uzbek is the official language, however, everyone speaks Russian and many people speak English as well as other languages.
"Why are you traveling to Uzbekistan?" "Where is it?' were questions which I have been frequently asked. The simple answer is that three important cities on the ancient Silk Road, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, are located in Uzbekistan. I have been extremely interested in traveling on the Silk Road and found a great tour with G Adventures, "Uzbekistan Discovered!" Our guide and nine travelers (including myself) spent 12 days visiting these ancient cities and other sites during the month of October.
I arrived in the capital city of Tashkent a few days prior to meeting my tour. My first impressions of the people were that they were extremely kind and helpful, which continued to be my experience throughout the trip. A young man who worked at my hotel, spent most of my first morning helping me get soms, the local currency, showing me how to use public transportation to get around, and suggesting sights to see in the city.
These first photos are of the train station, Independence Square, a war memorial (the book) which contains names of people who have died in war, and a peace memorial. I was taken to these places by a young woman who saw me walking around and, eager to practice her English, volunteered to show me these monuments. The other monument is that of the national hero, Amir Temur (1336-1405) who was an important political and military leader in Central Asia.
The first day of our tour in Tashkent, we visited this mosque where we saw the oldest copy of the Koran. Inside the mosque courtyard, I was impressed by the amazing wood carvings and then we saw two boys actually carving wooden plates. There were shops with items for sale including the embroidered textiles, "suzani," a type of needlework found in Central Asia.
