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Traveling in Uzbekistan in 2004 (Arrival in Tashkent. Urgench. Khiva)
Traveling in Uzbekistan is my son (10 years) has committed almost a year ago, from 23 March to 1 April 2004, greatly helped the site of "100 roads". Thanks to all who shared their impressions and experiences. In Uzbekistan has long wanted, but in Novosibirsk tours to Central Asia is not doing as well as believe that it is not safe. Through Moscow too expensive and do such a hook, here we decided to go alone, tentatively developing a route and learn from sites approximate prices. Race, ahead say that we have returned terribly happy, I just write a story, but once all the time lacked, but I think that share its experience is very important because it helps to travel. Many names have forgotten, something GBP from memory, something already seems not important, but so far when I asked the son wherever you want, he is responsible to Bukhara.
Our route was so: Novosibirsk-Tashkent - Bukhara - Khiva - Samarkand - Tashkent-Novosibirsk. Time certainly was not enough, because it was necessary to meet Ivan holidays.
In Tashkent(capital of Uzbekistan) we arrived the morning, flying the airline "Siberia", in the plane tried to conversations with neighbors, a woman once lived is now flying to Tashkent daughter, in general, I noticed who lived in Uzbekistan early in the USSR, is very fond of remembering the old days. Here in conversation intervened man fifty years, ignorant and arrogant, has become increasingly intimidate us that at customs until the goal strip, looking for dollars, boorish attitude and take all the pier cash, travel the country is not safe, you should seek someone whose support (do not assume whether in meant), sediment left after his unpleasant words, although I do not believe him and, yes, and a woman soothes that such arbitrariness long anymore. Here is through such asshole and make up any unpleasant tales.
Customs has long passed, but there was no untoward incidents, all were polite when I said that the purpose of tourism, smile and wonder of Russia who rarely come with such a purpose.
Uzbekistan we met a bright sunny morning, when all formalities were completed passage route, we were just happy to go to fresh warm air, after protracted Siberian winter, greens terms, the contrast was stunning, even though the leaves on trees just dissolve.
We passed through the crowd of taxi drivers, no, the attention, the most bothersome told that we encounter. Send for the airport, and then not know what to do here is suitable man, he met his relatives and asked whether we need to town, we said that we should. He asked how we can provide for travel. Since I already knew that 3000 soums (national currency in Uzbekistan), this tax is the city, I invited him and that amount, he was satisfied, we, too: for two dollars airport to get to the railway station, though it is not far away, but the taxi would be grazed in several times more. Our arrival has coincided with the arrival of Azerbaijan President, flags hung everywhere, in the city was festive, but not working on railway luggage office, we had to throw a bag with a backpack and wander without luggage Tashkent, failed. Where could still leave things do not come in the head, immediately bought tickets for a night train Tashkent - Bukhara. The train departs in 20 hours and arrives in Bukhara somewhere at six o'clock in the morning. According to naivety, believing that if it does not have own well or reserved seat in a compartment reserved seat and we made this cool night spared. But about that later.
First, in Tashkent, we went to Central Park, there is also a museum Timur, in the museum nothing remarkable except we did not find huge chandeliers, shaking every imagination, especially baby:). After the museum went to the Chorsu market, perhaps we expected to see the colorful oriental market, but anything like this, anything interesting, we saw there, except for strawberries for the month of March, but because we had nowhere to wash her, I refused to buy it, citing the fact that lies ahead of us yet Bukhara and Samarkand, go there and strawberries, alas, strawberries, we were not there.
Hiking, on the bazaar and the statute we returned to center, went to the local Broadway, which sold antiques, paintings and any stuff. Ivan obtain leaved shoot in the shooting gallery, and I am very tired of the bags, went to choyhona something snack, the choice fell on "okroshka" previously learned composition, I have asked reworked to his taste, taste "okroshka" I do not do list anywhere. Then came Ivan and ordered a further two portions, (as it only together, all the portions are enormous in Uzbekistan), remembers her so far, the case probably not in a convoy, but that yogurt instead kvass. It is noteworthy that when we do not satisfied with the menu, we always asked what we would like to eat and prepare for us personally. That was in Bukhara and Urgench. Food has always been tasty and fresh and all in a literal word for pennies.
The evening we sat in the train, a positive first impression, cleanliness, linen is included in the fare, and a package with tea on each of any shortening and confectionery. And all that is low shelves across the top of the wagon and no one slept on the sides, too. So we were alone in the compartment. But what we do not take into consideration is the fact that the train is not heated, so froze that I could not sleep, blanket does not help, the first time in the life of the so-frozen, to the very bones, when it finally fell into whether sleep in either forgotten, train made a stopover in sight in Samarkand, come running pile of children and women and have our votes as Roma for the whole wagon offering bread, it was awful: gam noise, poked bread under the nose, I finally stood and banishing from our compartment hawkers, disappeared the moment, but I sleep more, and so was unable to.
The train itself is not in Bukhara, and the station Kogan, it still 30-40 minutes drive from the Old City. In the morning train met with a woman, she dissuading us to take the car, said that visiting us as deceived and put us in the bus for 400 soums which went directly to the Old City. So finding themselves in the old city, we lost a little bit, early morning and where to find the hotel, reached the Lyabi-House, were asked if local, local surprised our slow-wittednessly, yes they are on every street corner here say, and indeed around the square Lyabi-House more private hotels, but this was our first experience to find hotels and frankly not very good.
We put in our way got to the hotel that attracted us is that it was near a tourist office in the Internet cafe. Traders of us were reached worthless :). We removed the room for 15 dollars, could be in five, but for 15 and could arrange for breakfast, were not yet high season and a pile of empty hotels. A small room with bath, and supposedly hot water. This argument and bought me, and Ivan liked that the house was, according to the owner, 200 years. Water flow to squirt on so thin that the bath could forget. Heating was not, so that even at night under a thick blanket was cool. After that incident traded taxi for me, they know how to do it. In other words, I agree with the taxi in advance that it will use the service if he would find me a good private hotel for a price and then himself will be traded. In fact they have done absolutely unselfishly unlike the Crimean taxi drivers, brought to his, and those for it unfasten interest to them. While in Uzbekistan, and perhaps this is.
Throwed things at once ran, to go around the city. The first impression amazing. All in the tale, lanes, minarets, madrassas, bazaars. And the main spring, a thousand years have not seen flowering apple, apricot, acacia (all childhood passed in the Crimea), so in Siberia nostalgia for the present. southern spring, when all bloom and leaves on the trees yet.
In describing the sights will not dwell too, as they detailed a number of sites. In Bukhara we remained two days, if time permits, the Bukhara have to spend at least three days. The first half of the day we simply go around the old city, although we had a map, we can still explore the city, as the saying goes, where the eye is carried, because all around was new and interesting. We took to the street functional, and in wander off to smithy were very exotic. Here, I decided to make the first of our photos in Bukhara, but the owner immediately prevented, he said that Isl included in the historical complex and have to pay as the price nowhere fun, we gave just 1500 soums. For this was more likely than required, because we not only allowed to make remarkable shots, but the landowner up a book with pedigree, showed us genealogical tree, old photos, spent an entire tour, spoke about healing. When we came to the patient, and he burned his wound on the hand. Displaying a collection of knives, explained how to distinguish good from bad knife. At Ivan very impressed by the pedigree blacksmith, then we are in the best case ancestors and know their grandparents.
Then we took to the set of "Poi Colon" and visited various madrassas whose names no longer remember, ibid in the way we met the gold market and gold market, gold cheap, but all 80 models - ies, Ivan by that time already tired and we catch the car went to lunch Lyabi-House, satisfied from the experience. In my opinion this is the best place for recreation. Chayhana near the pond. Was the shade under a tree times Chingiz Khan, observe ducks in a pond near kestrel "elderly" as it led the conversation, huged children to Nasreddin Hodja donkey (that Ivan did not like much), Nasreddin Hodja his favorite hero, in my he simply jealous and afraid of the truth can and that may be something donkeys break. Book we Bukhara pilaf and salads, salads are not great, mainly tomatoes and cucumbers with local sour. Very good local juices, not our cheaper, but the quality is better. When we brought pilaf, we realized that we never eat it, even one portion for two, then decided to order any dish on one portion, but fell again in Samarkand to be taken in, ordered portion barbecue, a portion is four shampurs at a price of just 3000 soums per batch.
Uzbekistan Travel Tips Part 1 (Arrival in Tashkent. Urgench. Khiva)
Uzbekistan Travel Tips Part 2 (Khiva. Road to Bukhara. Bukhara)
Uzbekistan Travel Tips Part 3 (Road to Samarkand. Samarkand)
Uzbekistan Travel Tips Part 4 (Samarkand. Shakhrisabz. Departiry from Tashkent)
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