Tom`s travels: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, & Tajikistan (12-31/07/2023)

For our summer vacation, Ania and I decided to visit Central Asia, ending up spending nearly three weeks in the countries of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. We had a layover in Riga and then reached Uzbekistan's capital, Tashkent, in the evening. Once there we exchanged a couple hundred dollars at the airport exchange office and then already got a sim card from the Ucell shop at the airport for the whole duration of our trip. Two young guys from Tajikistan asked us which was best and followed our example. They told us they were studying in Poland and were going home to their families for the summer period. We talked for a while and after getting the sim card we waved goodbye and ordered a taxi with the Yandex app. As expected as soon as we exited the airport a swarm of people, all drivers, harassed us to get us to go with them. We shook our heads and just proceeded further to find our booked taxi. Unfortunately, as we came to realize, more than 90 percent of the cars in the country are Chevrolet and white and of course, ours was too. After a bit of confusion, we ended up finding it and after getting in asked our driver to take us to our accommodation. Again another thing we came to realize, as we had previously researched, was that the majority of people didn't speak English but rather Russian, but even then it was still difficult as we weren't so good at it and they either. Once we had reached our accommodation, the Hotel Grand Uzbegim, we checked in and went to sleep immediately.

The following morning, after an early rise, due to the time difference, we had breakfast which consisted of just hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, tomato, and cookies, and then got ready to head out. The weather, as forecasted, was extremely hot with temperatures above 40 degrees. However, as it is much less humid than Europe it didn't feel as bad as we expected and was nearly bearable in the shade. We ordered a taxi from the app and then got dropped off at the Museum of Applied Arts, in order to get an idea of the styles and cultures we would get to see during our trip. The museum was in fact housed inside a traditional house with a collection of 19th and 20th-century applied arts. The building itself was beautiful to admire with its colorful geometric patterns of the walls, pillars, and wooden ceilings, and definitely a nice first taste of the country. Leaving the museum we then walked around the area, passing by the typical Soviet architecture of the city. In fact, Tashkent had been heavily damaged during an earthquake in 1966 losing most of its historical old town. As it was under Soviet rule, it was then rebuilt in the typical architectural style of the time, with large and long boulevards, and block buildings. The city, like the rest of the country, had been previously ruled by the Russian Empire since 1865 and later by the Soviets until the dissolution of the Union in 1991. Previously, Uzbekistan had had a dynamic history, from the Scythians and later Alexander the Great and Greco-Bactrians, to the Mongol invasions and later the Timurid Empire, followed by Islamic khanates. As we walked in the scorching heat we passed by some nice parks and shaded areas until we reached the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan. After buying the ticket we visited its exhibition; the layout was quite dated, hosted inside a soviet building it probably had not changed since then. However, inside were some quite interesting exhibits such as fragments of Sogdian mural paintings from the 3rd century and Buddha reliefs from the same period, before the arrival of Islam, and then a section dedicated to the khanate period as well. Once outside the museum we then passed by the Palace of Grand Duke Nicholas Konstantinovich, who, exiled by his royal parents to Tashkent in 1877, had this palace built in 1891. From the palace, a short walk took us to the metro station, Mustaqillik Maydoni. The city metro was the seventh metro to be built in the former USSR, opening in 1977, and the first metro in Central Asia. It is also a tourist site by itself as many of the stations are beautiful pieces of art and architecture to admire. The ticket cost only about 10 cents and with it we reached the Pushin station, also nice to see. Once there we came out to the surface level and headed to a place Ania had chosen for lunch, the Eco Café. I had a tasty bowl with different veggies and legumes and Ania had plov, the national rice dish, before then heading back in the metro decided to explore the city further. We reached the Alisher Navoi, probably the nicest of the stations we got to see, and once outside headed on to see the large Chorsu Bazar, an open-air market. They had a lot of things, from fruit and veggies to pottery products, and other things like metalware etc. Nearby was the Dzhuma Mosque, built in 1451 but heavily refurbished in modern times. Right next to it was the Kukeldash Madrasah our first taste of the beautiful glazed tile work which would characterize our tour of the country. After the visit, we headed to our hotel for a break and then for dinner opted to stay close by heading to a place called Broccoli where you could order food by weight in a canteen style.

The following day we woke up early and ordered a Yandex to the train station from where we then got on a train that in around 6 hours brought us to the town of Adijan in the country's far east. The way was long through a mostly bare dry landscape following the Angren river which also formed gorges before reaching the expansive plain of the Fergana valley. Once in Andijan, we got off the train and then looked for a place to eat nearby. We ended up choosing Istanbul Restaurant where I had chicken with rice and salad while Ania had spiced rice and grilled veggies. Once we were done we then ordered a Yandex that drove us all the way to the border with Kyrgyzstan, just 1 hour drive. We crossed the checkpoints at the Dostlik border without any issues and quite smoothly and swiftly and as soon as we were on the other side we were once again swarmed by taxi drivers and people asking where we wanted to go. Before doing anything we decided to look for a place to change money and saw so many small exchange stalls. We picked the one with the best rate and charged 100 dollars. Luckily my internet still worked as we were so close to the border so I was able to order a Yandex to the city center of Osh, just 20 minute's drive without having to haggle with the pushy drivers nearby. As our stay in the country was quite brief and in the mountains, we decided not to get a sim card. Once at our accommodation, the Astoria B&B we checked in and unpacked our stuff. For dinner, we simply went to the nearest supermarket and brought back some food to cook at our place.

The next morning, our guide Almambet came to pick us up and we then drove to the office of Visit Alay the company we had booked a tour with for the 3 days in the mountains. We paid our due, dropped off part of our luggage with all the clothes for warm weather we wouldn't need and then were off for our adventure. We drove through beautiful landscapes, first rather arid and treeless, later moving closer to the mountains, they became then greener with small valleys filled with trees fed by rivers flowing down from the peaks. As we drove closer we could make out the impressive snow-capped peaks some of which were above 5,000 meters. Finally, we reached the end of a country road where we got off and entered one of the guesthouses along the valley. This one was partnered with Visit Alay and one of the official stops along a multi-day hike. The family which owned the place welcomed us and gave us tea and lunch. As typical in the area, we sat on the carpet floor and enjoyed the local food, boiled veggies, bread, and a cucumber tomato salad. They had asked us for any food requirements, and as Ania is vegan we had asked for some food to be prepared for her to which they happily obliged. However, as we came to realize later on the day and the following ones they weren't really sure what that entitled and we ended up having some confusing moments during the meals. After lunch, we then thanked the family, and with Alambet our guide started our hike. As we started our ascent along the valley, the sun was still high up and strong. We followed a river coming down the mountain and noticed some peculiar marmots along the way, similar to those in Europe but very bright orange in their fur. As we continued up the valley the sun became covered by clouds which helped with the heat but not with the view. Along the way, we encountered some traditional yurts, where some local families were spending their summer tending to their herds grazing around. They would be spending the summer months there without electricity and heat. Continuing on we met those herds along the way and were pleasantly surprised they were herds of yaks. The locals in fact profit greatly from them as they use their milk for food and both their milk and milk products they produce and their fur is very valuable when sold. Finally, after several kilometers, we reached our camp. Once there we found out a group was staying as well, made up of around 8 people from different nationalities who were doing a multi-day hike as well, but a longer one that lasted 12 days. Due to our trip and time constraints, we had been able to only fit three days but that was at least enough to get a first taste of that beautiful land. Once at the camp, we were shown to our own hut where we then dropped off our bags. After putting on a sweater we then joined the rest of the group while they were already making the local bread on an open pan on the fire. The bread made with yak yogurt was quite tasty but became hard and stale very quickly as it lacked any other additional ingredient. We then headed to the main yurt where we chattered with the other hikers over a nice cup of hot tea. Dinner was then served, and we initially thought we would all eat together but were told each one would have it at their own yurts, so Ania and I ate with Alambet in our yurt. As mentioned previously we had some miscommunication and were brought the soup with meat pieces. After telling them Ania couldn't eat meat or dairy they then brought a dish with cheese pieces. We told them also cheese was also part of the dairy products and they then simply took it out. Ania gave up and just ate the cucumber and tomato salad with one of the tofu pieces she had carried from home. After dinner, we then went to bed, on the mattresses laid out on the floor with several blankets to cover us from the cold. In fact, as we were already at very high altitudes, well above 3,000 meters, the night was very cold. To go to the bathroom we had to leave the yurt and head over to the little wooden shack right next to the river and obviously to clean hands we would use the ice-cold river water. Drinking water was also an issue as obviously all hikers wished to refill their bottles and water bags we had to take turns boiling the water from the river and waiting for it to cool down before refilling. Nevertheless, we managed to sleep well warm and cozy under the blankets.

The morning after we woke up at sunrise and saw the other group had already left intending to cross the pass before the forecasted rains in the early afternoon. We had breakfast and drank some water from the water filter. Then backpack ready said goodbye to the family owning the yurts and we were off with Alambet. We started the ascent and the sky still looked quite clear and promising. We passed the first herds of yaks happily grazing and continued onwards. The greener landscape started to give way to the lunar rocky landscape of the higher altitude with the snowy peaks surrounding us. The way got harder and steeper as we went higher up. Eventually, after a few hours, we reached the Jiptick Pass at 4,162m the highest point we both had ever reached walking. Here we came across the group who had left early in the morning and they were surprised we had walked so fast. The weather had changed rapidly and a cold wind was blowing from the other side of the pass. Unfortunately, the clouds were many and low and covered most of the peaks including the impressive wall of the Trans-Alay Range, with mountains well over 7,000 meters which we could only make out partly due to their snow coverage starting already mid way their full height. From the pass we started the descent from the other side, however, it turned out harder than the way up. It was all full of rocks many of which rolled down and risking to injure the others below. After a bit, we managed to reach the grassy area and continued on easily. After a bit down the valley we stopped by the river and decided to have a small break with food. Alambet had brought quite some stuff with him, fruit, veggies, and nuts. After the break, we continued on down the valley eventually reaching a spot where it became narrower and formed a kind of rocky gorge. Not long after we eventually reached the next camp, where we again were assigned to our own yurt. Luckily we had evaded the rain which only came later in the afternoon. We got lunch, cooked potatoes and veggies, and I also got some eggs and yogurt and then had some tea with the others before each one of us went to nap for a while before dinner. For dinner, we had a pastry filled with potatoes, mine with meat as well, and some other stuff.

After a cold, as we were still above 3,000m, yet comfortable night, we woke up the next day at sunrise again, with the other group having left already as they were going to head to a further hiking day while ours was to an end that day. We left the camp behind us and started walking southward following the river. We passed some yak herds and some further huts where children would come out and yell and wave at us. Far in the distance, unfortunately mostly covered, were the beautiful peaks of the Trans-Alay Range, where the group had headed to for their last hiking day. As we continued on, the valley started widening until the mountains disappeared behind us and we reached the immense plain set between the Alay Mountains to the north and the Trans-Alay to the south also called the Alay Valley. The sun had come out and the immense peaks were more visible in front of us despite still being covered in clouds. It was a real sight to behold and definitely the highlight of our trip. We followed a country road with still that scenery in front of us until we reached the village of Sary Mogul, the largest in the valley. It consisted of a series of identical-looking small houses without asphalt streets. We reached the guesthouse of Visit Alay where the local family invited us in while they prepared lunch for us. They even offered us if we wanted to take a shower but we politely declined. Once lunch was ready we had a soup with noodles, a typical dish of the area, a tomato and cucumber salad, and watermelon to finish it off. When asking for the toilet I was then sent outside only to find a little wooden hut with just a hole in the ground. Not what I was expecting but it served its job. While we ate, Alambet headed home, as he lived a few kilometers away, to get his car. Once back and finished lunch we got in his car and he then drove us back to Osh, through a nice mountainous landscape. We arrived at the Visit Alay office where we thanked and said goodbye to our wonderful guide and got our clothes back. Then we ordered a Yandex which brought us to the border. We crossed once again into Uzbekistan but unfortunately, there were no taxis available on the app. We first tried to haggle for some prices but they were quite high and then noticed a bus in the direction of Andijan was just parked there. We got on with a lot more people and were headed then that way. On it all the older ladies tried to talk to us, obviously in Russian. Many of them were saying how beautiful Ania was, with her blond hair, and one even gave us some bread to eat. We chatted for a while and eventually, after the drive reached Andijan. We got off as close to our accommodation as possible, the Eski Shahar Hostel, and then walked the rest of the way. Once there we checked in but through the night found out there was no AC in the room so suffered the heat greatly. Before heading to sleep, we visited the nearby large bazaar and then grabbed some food to eat. I had a tasty durum kebab with fries from what seemed like a popular place called Yalla.

The next morning we woke up early and headed to the train station as we had a long journey ahead of us. In fact, we had decided to take the train that would have taken us all the way to the city of Samarkand without stopping in Tashkent. The journey took around 10 hours and to our misfortune the AC did not work properly and so we suffered the whole the way. Furthermore, we were in those typical cabins with two bunk beds, where I could barely fit. Finally, after the extenuating journey, we reached Samarkand. Once outside the station, we got the usual assault of people but we had already ordered the taxi via the app so we just waited a few minutes for the driver to arrive. We were then driven to our accommodation, the Hotel Han where we checked in and left our stuff. We then decided to look for a place to have dinner and opted for a restaurant near the accommodation, called Historic where I had chicken skewers, rice, and veggies. Then before heading to sleep, we walked a few hundred meters to reach the terrace and steps that granted an amazing view of the Registan, the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand. This impressive square is the main attraction of the city, sided by three madrasas built during the Timurid Renaissance, and at night becomes an even prettier sight as a music and light show makes the whole complex come alive. After enjoying the show we then headed to sleep ready for the next day.

After another early rise, we left the accommodation and ordered a taxi to take us to our first monument of the day, the Ulugh Beg Observatory. We pleasantly noticed the temperature was much more pleasant, at "just" 37 degrees and with a slight breeze which made a whole lot of difference compared to the previous and next days, and made it even nearly bearable. Once at the site, we paid the entry fee and then proceeded to visit the site. The observatory was built in the 1420s by Mīrzā Muhammad Tāraghay bin Shāhrukh, better known as Ulugh Beg, who was a skilled mathematician and astronomer and the grandson of Tamerlane, founder of the Timurid Empire. After becoming sultan following his grandfather and father, he also was a proponent of the Timurid Renaissance to which he contributed by constructing madrasas and the observatory, which was considered by scholars to have been one of the finest observatories in the Islamic world at the time and the largest in Central Asia. It used to be a cylindrical-shaped building with a diameter of 46 meters and a height of 30 to 33 meters, the sextant was in the middle of this cylinder. According to the radius of the sextant, the height would have been too tall for the building, built in brick, to not fall. Thus the engineers and architects were able to solve this problem by building half of the sextant underground, allowing the size of the sextant to be maintained without having the building collapse because of its height. Following Ulugh Beg's death, the observatory was destroyed, as the Timurid Empire also started to collapse and it was re-discovered only during the early 20th century with just the sextant part under the ground level remaining. From the site, we then walked along a main road until we reached the Afrasiab Museum. We paid the entry fee and then visited the five rooms which contained objects and artifacts from Paleolithic times to the early medieval period. It also contained a room dedicated to the Afrasiab murals, well-preserved wall paintings dating to the 7th century AD and depicting three or four lands neighboring Central Asia: on the northern wall a Chinese festival, with the Empress on a boat, and the Emperor hunting; on the southern wall a religious funerary procession in honor of the ancestors during the Nowruz festival representing Iran; and on the eastern wall the land of astrologers and of pygmies representing India. Once outside the museum we then walked over to the area close to it where the archaeological site of the ancient city of Afrasiyab is set. This is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world, expanding over a huge area north of Samarkand's city center, and remains largely untouched and un-excavated following the ancient city's destruction by the Mongols in the early 13th century. Moving on through the open hill we eventually reached the Hazrat Khizr Mosque, originally dating to the 8th century it was destroyed by the Golden Horde in the 13th century and rebuilt after, getting its current look in the mid-19th century. The building consists of the central prayer area covered by a cupola, known as the khanqah, and a decorated and colorful canopy overlooking the city. Next to the mosque is the mausoleum built for Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan's first President, who was buried there in 2016. After a brief walk, not too far from the mosque, we then reached the Shah-i-Zinda, one of the major sites of Samarkand. This large necropolis consists of an avenue of grand tombs, resembling palaces decorated with brilliant bursts of color and geometric patterns exuding the essence of Central Asian artwork and design. The about 20 mausoleums date from a period going from the 11th to the 19th century, with the majority and most important ones dating to the 14th century. The entrance fee was quite high and there were already many visitors inside. What surprised us, both here and around the city, was the amount of Italian visitors, probably the most compared to other countries. Interestingly we mostly saw them only in Samarkand with a few in the other two touristy cities of Uzbekistan but none in the two neighboring countries we had visited. Once inside the complex, we followed the layout starting from the lower part, heading up a staircase, and then a slightly sloping road heading up with the complex connected by four-arched domed passages locally called chartak. Legend also has it that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of Muhammad, was buried here after having come to Samarkand with the Arab invasion in the 7th century to preach Islam. Among the tombs, the ones that stood out were in the middle part, which is concerned with the names of Timur's relatives, military, and clergy aristocracy, the Shadi-Mulk-Aga Mausoleum from 1372, considered one of the masterpieces of the complex with most of the original decorative pieces remaining intact. It was built in honor of Timur's, or Tamerlane's sister Turkon and her daughter Shodi Mulk. Also noteworthy was the Ali Nasafi Tomb, also from the 14th century. On the upper part Kusam-ibn-Abbas complex, with the mausoleum and mosque from the 16th century, the Khodja-Akhmad Mausoleum from 1340, and the 15h century mausoleum built for Timur's wife, Tuman-Aga. We entered them all and marveled each time and the beautiful blues and greens of the tiles and the fantastic decorations and patterns. Despite being a Unesco site, with other monuments in the city, however, many of these tombs were controversially restored in 2005, leaving much of the mosaics, majolica, and terracotta to be restorations and not in their original state. After the visit to this incredible complex, it was time to have lunch. We headed towards the city center and opted for the Bibikhanum Teahouse, a popular place among tourists, where we had a Japanese udong salad and Ania had a cucumber and cabbage one. After eating we then headed to the nearby Bibi-Khanym Mosque, a huge complex that made it once one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world. Considered as a masterpiece of the Timurid Renaissance it was mostly left in ruins until it was restored during the soviet period. The complex was built from the spoils of Timur’s invasion of India, and after his return in 1404, the mosque was almost completed. Timur was not happy with the progress of construction and had various changes made, which, however, created problems of structural integrity. The structure seemed to be too heavy to support its own weight and as time passed, after Timur's death, it began to crumble. As we approached it, we admired its grandiose and imposing main facade measuring 35m in height. Once inside, after paying the ticket, we walked through the nice central courtyard visiting the two lesser domed structures to the left and right both with amazing blue tiled cupolas. On the opposite end of the entrance stands the main building with the impressive cupola that can only be seen from the side as the imposing and grandiose pischtaq, which frames a monumental deeply embedded iwan. This is the typical form of most madrasas and mosques in the country, and consists of a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. After having visited the complex we then crossed the street and approached the Bibi-Khanym Mausoleum. Once surrounded by a madrasa which was destroyed by the invasion of Nadir-Shahs Persian army, only the tomb now stands. It was built in honor of the mother of Timur's wife, but needing a ticket for this too we just saw it from the threshold. We had seen quite a bit that day, and as we had still a lot of time to visit the rest we decided to go to our accommodation for a little afternoon nap and relaxation time. For dinner, we then walked back through the city center and went to eat at the

Art Cafe Norgis where I had a tasty plov, the national rice dish, and Ania had cooked vegetables.

The next day we woke up a little later and then after breakfast in our accommodation headed on to visit the Registan. The place was a public square, where people gathered to hear royal proclamations and assist to public executions. After paying the hefty price to get in, we first headed to the first madrasa on the left, the Ulugh Beg Madrasah. This was built between 1417 and 1420, and like all madrasas, served as an Islamic teaching school. It has an imposing iwan with a lancet-arch pishtaq or portal facing the square and two high minarets flanking it. As we approached we marveled at the intricate and beautiful tiles and geometric patterns decorating it. Once inside we saw the square-shaped courtyard which included a mosque, lecture rooms and is fringed by the dormitory cells in which students lived. Unfortunately what bothered us a little, and which would be a main characteristic of the country was that the madrasas were used mostly by souvenir shops to sell the same stuff all over. Only a few, and in other lesser cities especially, were used by artisans actually making things. Furthermore, it was quite counterproductive to have souvenir shops inside a paid site. I was told in fact that up until just a few years ago the Registan used to be open like a public square should be, and no fee was charged. Now with the whole fence set up at its entrance, it is quite an unfortunate thing. Moving on we then headed to the second madrasa, the central one. Known as the Tilya-Kori Madrasah it was built between 1646 and 1660, and like the others similar in structure, with just a lower iwan, and the nice niches of the dormitory cells showing on the outside. Through the large central courtyard, we reached the grand central mosque on its western side, built as the mosque of Bibi Khanym had become unfit for use by then. Inside it was lavishly decorated with blue and golden hues. On to complete the tour of the Registan we visited the last madras, the one on the eastern side, Sher-Dor Madrasah. Built between 1619 and 1636 it features a facade like the first madrasa but with beautiful tiger mosaics with a rising sun on their back. These are especially interesting for their depiction of living beings and use of Persian motifs and tell of a pioneering approach to artistic expression, unique and forbidden in the Islamic world. The inner courtyard was probably the nicest among the three, and here we also decided to buy a magnet from one of the souvenir shops after haggling a bit for an acceptable price. It was then time for lunch, we decided to head outside the city center and chose a place called Shoxjaxon Milliy Taomlar where I had a tasty beer kabab and grilled vegetables. After eating, we continued visiting the rest of the city, heading to the Rukhobod Mausoleum. This tomb was built in 1380 for the Islamic theologian and mystic Sheikh Burhaneddin Sagaradzhi. Not far from it, a short walk brought us to the Gur-e-Amir, a grand mausoleum containing the tombs of Tamerlane, his sons Shah Rukh, and Miran Shah, and grandsons Ulugh Beg, and Muhammad Sultan. The construction of the mausoleum itself began in 1403 after the sudden death of Tamerlane's heir apparent and his beloved grandson, for whom it was intended. Timur had built himself a smaller tomb in Shahrisabz, but when he died in 1405 on his military expedition to China, the passes to Shahrisabz were snowed in, so he was buried here instead. Like other sites in the city, the entrance was paid. We walked through the impressive main portal with deep niches and diverse muqarnas decorations. We then approached the central courtyard with the main building showcasing its beautiful cupola and twin minarets all with mesmerizing tiles. The interior, even more mesmerizing than the outside, appears as a large, high chamber with deep niches at the sides and diverse decoration. On the floor are the ornate carved headstones which merely indicate the location of the actual tombs in a crypt directly underneath the main chamber. It was then time for another monument located a few steps away from Timur's mausoleum. This was the Ak-Saray Mausoleum, built in 1470 but never really completed due to a lack of funds as the Timurid Empire started its decline. The interior also did not survive and was recently restored, with the walls being decorated with glazed mosaic and an abundant use of gold. A narrow passage in the form of a staircase leads to an octagonal marble crypt below which we happily visited as it was much colder than the outside. Finally, we exited and headed back to the accommodation for a shower and some relaxing time before heading out to have dinner at the Bibikhanum Teahouse once again where I had a plov, and Ania had chickpeas and cucumber and cabbage salad.

The day after we woke up and then I managed to order a Yandex that would take us south to the city of Shahrisabz, about 2 hours drive away. I had planned to do so as generally there was no direct bus or train there, and day trips asked a minimum of 40 dollars to head there. Our driver though made us lose quite a bit of time as he didn't notice he needed gas until half an hour after our departure, so turned around to find a place to refill. As he needed methane, it's much cheaper but not many gas stations have it, we ended up driving for quite a while until we reached one. Then a long line of cars was ahead of us so we ended up losing another half hour in the heat. Eventually filled up we managed to arrive in the city of Shahrisabz. Once there we got off the car and started exploring the city. We started out with the

Ak Saray Palace was built between 1380 and 1404 and planned as the most grandiose of all Timur's constructions. However, in the 16th century, Shahrisabz along with its palace was destroyed by the forces of Abdullah Khan II, the Khan of Bukhara, and nowadays only two parts of the walls of the once grandiose structure survive. Moving onwards along the long avenue we passed by a large statue of Tamerlane as this was his birth city as well. Onwards we went, along these anonymous and empty streets until we reached another historical site, the Dorut Tilavat complex. After paying the ticket we entered the structure and immediately noticed the three beautiful cupolas. These were part of the Kok Gumbaz Mosque and the two mausoleums. The mosque built in 1437 by Ulugh Beg in honor of his father had a beautifully decorated interior. The mausoleums were impressive to look at as well, with intricate geometric patterns and dated to about a century before the mosque. Finally, we finished the tour of the city by visiting the Dorus Saodat complex. The main mausoleum here was completed in 1392 and functions as the tomb of Jehangir, Timur's eldest and favorite son who died at just 22. The complex also held a nice small mosque with wooden decorated columns. Here we also saw two tour groups, one of Italians and one of the Germans. Right next to the mausoleum, we then entered a kind of bunker with a door leading to an underground chamber, discovered by archaeologists in 1943. The room is filled with a single stone casket, on which inscriptions indicate that it was intended for Timur. As mentioned before though, after his death while on campaign, Timur was then buried in Samarkand instead. At the end of our visit to Shahrisabz, I realized the place had not lived up to its name; the old town had been mainly destroyed and replaced by wide avenues and gardens, with modern buildings in resemblance to old ones and without basically any life or character to them, also a lack of people as if the city was deserted. In fact, despite being on the Unesco list, the destruction of vast areas of the medieval townscape in 2015 to create the park and tourist facilities has led to concern from UNESCO which might eventually delist it. As it was time to head back we tried to find a taxi in the area, as the Yandex app was not available in the city. We found none even after having asked some shops, and we tried our luck with both the tour bus of the Italians, which told us no as there was no space. And the vans of the German group, which despite having space, they called the owner and he denied us to get in. So in the end after wandering about we eventually found some people who told us to get into one of the minivans that travel between cities and attempt to catch a shared taxi in Kitob. We managed to flag one down and got inside. Luckily one of the passengers also spoke English and luck would want it he was also intending to reach Samarkand. He told us to stay with him and that he would then try to get us a shared taxi in the city. We eventually managed and after a bit of haggling got a taxi for the three of us. We eventually reached Samarkand, thanking the passenger and driver as well, and heading to our accommodation. After a shower, we then headed out to the city and decided to have a kind of late lunch and early dinner at the Art Cafe Norgis where I had manti, a type of dumplings, and Ania had cooked vegetables. Finished dinner we had a stroll around town and headed on back towards the accommodation, stopping at the Registan for the night show with lights and music.

The following day we woke up early and as planned ordered a taxi which brought us to the border with Tajikistan, about an hour's drive eastwards. Once there we crossed the border fast and smoothly despite having read otherwise online and having been worried. Once on the other side, I had arranged with our accommodation for a taxi to take us there. He told us he would charge us 10 dollars but we told him we could wait for someone else to get in so in the end, after having found a passenger, we ended up just paying for a seat which was just 15 Tajik somoni each, or the equivalent of just over 1 dollar. The drive was quick and short and were then dropped off at our accommodation, the Hotel Sugd, in Panjakent. Here we checked in and decided then to look around the area and maybe change some money. Our plan was to spend the night in Panjakent and then somehow try to arrange transport to the Artuch Base Camp in the Fann mountains where we had booked a place. We headed out of the accommodation and went into the large bazaar to exchange some money and maybe find a magnet. We didn't manage to do either and ended up finding a bank where we exchanged 100 dollars. Then we bought some food and water as we just wanted to eat at our place due to the lack of options in restaurants in the area. Before dinner though we decided to head south of the city to reach the arid hilly area where once the old city of Panjakent used to stand. Now the area is mostly a covered archaeological site with a few traces of the urban layout here and there. As it was nearly sunset though the view was amazing, with the arid landscape surrounding us, mountains in the distance, and the fertile plain below where the Zeravshan River flows. Curiously numerous murals were recovered from the site of ancient Panjakent, and many of them are now on display in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and in the National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan in Dushanbe. These murals are quite well-preserved and extremely important as they depict a variety of influences: a mix of Greek, Iranian, and Indian cults, deities, and motifs. As we started to head back though I asked Ania to hurry as I didn't feel well at all. In fact, for the past few days, I had needed to use the toilet often, and at that moment on the hilltop, I really needed to go. Luckily I managed to reach our hotel but my stomach and intestine had given me terrible cramps. Without going into further details I decided that maybe heading to the mountains for three days was not ideal so consulted with Ania. We, unfortunately, ended up deciding to cancel the trip there and instead head back to Uzbekistan and Samarkand the next day. That night I ended up suffering the most and thought we had made a good call in cancelling.

Once we were awake I was glad to hear the Artuch Base Camp had been okay with us canceling without charging us, so we gathered our things and arranged a taxi to take us to the border. On the way there we decided to stop at the Sarazm Archaeological Site, a Unesco world heritage site, and an ancient town dating back to the 4th millennium BC. Our driver said he would wait for us at the entrance while we headed inside to visit. Once inside the site, we walked through the complex which consisted of several tin roofs covering the foundations of houses from the time. We then also visited the small museum which had a small entry fee and exhibited objects excavated around the site. Finally, we got back to the car and drove on to reach the border. Once we crossed into Uzbekistan we then tried looking for a taxi with the app but found none available. For the first time, we approached the taxi drivers waiting at the border there and then tried to haggle some prices. They all set the price really high and so told them we weren't interested. Then one of them told us that he would make us pay per seat if another person would join. Luckily, after just a couple of minutes, a lady came and so we were able to leave all together. Once in Samarkand, we headed to check in to the hotel we had booked as a replacement for the days in the mountains, the Hotel El Emir. I then checked if I could see a doctor to get some prescriptions but unfortunately, as it was Sunday there was none available. We spent the rest of the day in our room and for dinner, I just had some bread.

The next day, we headed to a building nearby where all doctors aggregated. After trying to navigate our way we managed to find a room where a doctor would see me. However, there were some people there so we had to wait. There was no real order or line and people would try to squeeze in front of others. After a bit we managed to have the doctor see me and, in Russian, I was told to take several medicines. I probably had gotten a virus or something; maybe from the eggs or milk products which weren't fully cooked or well refrigerated in the mountains as they had no electricity up there. For paying, she then told us whatever we pleased which sounded a bit weird so we gave her a large banknote. We then spent the whole day again in the room and only went out for dinner. We chose a place outside the old town called Old City Restaurant where I had simple manti filled with veggies as I shouldn't upset my stomach and intestine further for the next few days while taking medicine.

Again, the following day we left the accommodation as we then moved back to the Hotel Han we had booked after our supposed stay in the mountains. We greeted the owner once again and, spent the rest of the day inside the room. For lunch, we had some bread and vegetables and for dinner, we headed out to eat at Art Cafe Norgis where I just had plain rice and cooked vegetables.

In the morning, we ordered a taxi and left for the train station from where we left Samarkand to reach the next city on our trip Bukhara. The train was fast, comfortable, and with AC this time and after reaching the city we ordered a taxi to take us to our accommodation. Bukhara is set further from the mountains than Samarkand, close to the Zeravshan River, but also close to a desertic landscape making it much warmer than the other city. After checking in our accommodation, the Al-Bukhari Boutique, we decided to explore the city a little. As it was the hottest moment of the day there was literally no one around, with the streets completely deserted and with the scorching heat. We walked through the main area but decided we would visit in the afternoon and the next day and looked for a place to have lunch. We opted for a place called Ayvan, which ended up being one of the nicest restaurants during the whole trip. Hosted inside a hotel it is set in a beautiful tiled-filled part of the building with intricate decorations and patterns. The prices were above average but the food was really tasty, we shared a cucumber and tomato salad, a rice dish, and grilled vegetables and bread. After lunch, we headed back to our room and waited a bit before heading out again to finally explore the city. We first stopped at the Nadir Devonbegi Madrasah, originally meant to be a caravanserai but turned into a madrasa after its construction in 1622. Its facade had a beautiful pischtak with a mosaic showing two mythical birds known as simurg, two lambs, and a sun with a human face. The interior, with a small but nicely decorated courtyard featuring artisan shops and also a souvenir one where we bought a magnet. In front of the madaras was a really pretty square called Lab-i Hauz with at its center one of the few remaining howz, or pond, in Bukhara. The ponds acted as the city's principal source of water, and several existed prior to Soviet rule. However, they were known for spreading disease and thus were mostly filled in during the 1920s and 1930s by the Soviets, with this one specifically surviving because of its importance, being surrounded by important monuments. On the northern side of the square was another madrasa, Kulkedash, the largest in the city and with a simple empty courtyard. To the west, the rectangular edifice topped with a dome known as khanqah, completed the square. Leaving the square and continuing through town we then passed through the Toqi Sarrofon, a bazaar built in 1535 made up of a cupola with an arched passageway below. Not far from it was another square, featuring the ruins of a caravanserai and old baths. Here was also the Magok-i-Attari Mosque, a small brick building originally from the 10th century but rebuilt in the 16th century, with a southern façade featuring a beautifully carved iwan. Continuing onwards we passed through another bazaar, the Toqi Telpak Furushon, built in 1571 and featuring several decorated arches. This place was really lively, with lots of souvenir and artisans shops, and was really pleasant as it featured a much more bearable temperature than the outside thanks to its architecture and form. We continued on along the old town's main street, sided by the principal shops, and past yet another bazaar the Tim Abdullah Khan, built in 1577. Unlike the other bazaars, which are rather crossroad markets known as taqs, this one is fully covered and closed and the only surviving of six that once were in Bukhara. Continuing on our walk we then reached another large square with several important monuments, the Madrasa Abdoullaziz Khan built in 1654 and with an incredible pishtak, or facade, decorated with an intricate iwan featuring mosaics, relief majolica, glazed tiles, marble carvings, alabaster frescoes, carved wood and gold leaves. Across from it stood another impressive madrasa, that of Ulugh Beg, dating to 1417 it is the oldest, as well as the first madrasa built by the Timurid ruler. Walking further we passed through another covered bazaar, the Toqi Zargaron, featuring nice artisan shops, and then reached the most important and impressive square in the city, the Po-i-Kalyan. Here were three impressive monuments that we would come and visit thoroughly the next day, the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah, the Kalan Mosque, and the Kalan Minaret. As the sun was starting to set, we reached the western end of the old town where the large city fortress known as the Ark of Bukhara is set. We would come and visit that one too so we then decided to look for a supermarket nearby and grab some stuff for dinner. Once we had shopped we headed back through the city and stopped again at the Po-i-Kalyan complex to admire it at night, which light up was even more impressive; the nearly full moon also contributed to the mystic atmosphere. Once back at the hotel, we had dinner and then got ready to sleep.

The morning after we woke up at a decent time and then headed out once again to explore the rest of the city. We walked through the whole old town once again, passing by the major sites, and reaching the Ark of Bukhara which we entered after paying the ticket. The fortress was originally built in the 5th century AD and expanded in the following centuries. It features a square form with earthen curved walls reaching up to 20m and fully surrounding it. The fortress With royal palaces, government offices, stables, and libraries the fortress functioned as a city within a city. Once inside we visited the western section, which comprises probably one-fifth of the whole fortress. In fact, the rest was completely destroyed when the Russians invaded and conquered the city in 1920. We started out with the mosque of Dzhuma, featuring a beautiful portico with tall carved wooden pillars. The interior was also noteworthy due to its colorful wooden decorations and featured a small museum with ancient Persian and Arabic books. Next up was the throne room, where the emirs of Bukhara ruled and passed judgments with the 1669 stone throne under a beautifully carved wooden canopy. The other buildings in the fortress included the stables and other living quarters where a museum was set up with archaeological pieces and objects from the courtly life. Right in front of the fortress we then reached another of the city ponds, where the Bolo Haouz Mosque is set. The latter was built in 1712 and features a beautiful colored and carved wooden canopy added in 1917. Moving onwards, not too far, we then reached the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, constructed during the reign of Timur and with a Khwarazm-style conical dome uncommon in Bukhara. Also nearby was another mausoleum, that of Ismail Samani, an emir from the Samanid Empire. It was built in brick in the 10th century and is considered one of the iconic examples of early Islamic architecture as well as the oldest funerary building of Central Asian architecture. At that point, having reached the western edge of town, we decided to head back to the city center, and on the way stopped to see the Madrasah Kosh, a complex of actually two madrasahs Modari-khan and Abdullah-khan, both with nice tiled facades and currently under restructuring. Once back in the old town, we decided to visit the Po-i-Kalyan starting out with the mosque. Having paid the ticket we entered the large courtyard and admired the surrounding building, dating to 1514 and built over a previous mosque destroyed by the Mongol invasion. There are decorated iwans on the four sides of the yard with the westernmost featuring a nice blue dome above the mihrab. Coming out we then stopped to admire the Kalyan Minaret, a masterpiece by itself. Constructed out of baked bricks in 1127 AD it reaches a height of 48m. It is also known as the Tower of Death, because until as recently as the early twentieth century criminals were executed by being thrown from the top. To complete the visit of the complex we then visited the Mir-i Arab Madras, closing the square to the east. Built in 1535 it features a nice tiled facade with niches for the scholars' rooms and two blue domes popping out on either side. This madrasah still serves its original function as a religious school to this day, making it the only madrasah in Central Asia with such a longstanding use. From there we then traversed the old town and reached the last monument in the city, the Chor Minor, a peculiar small square building with four minarets topped by blue-tiled cupolas. Despite being close this beautiful madrasa was worth admiring from the outside. It was then time for lunch and we opted to head back to the central Lab-i Hauz square where we stopped at the restaurant right next to the pond, Labi Hovuz. We ordered a few dishes, tomato pepper salad, potato wedges, grilled vegetable sashliks, and a cabbage salad, and were surprised at their size when they came. We had so much food we then had leftovers for dinner and for a really low price as well. After lunch, we headed back to the hotel for a nap and then headed back out before sunset for a peaceful stroll around town. We really enjoyed Bukhara, finding it probably the nicest town we had seen so far, with its historic old town inscribed in the Unesco world heritage list. Looking forward we also consider in a way better than Khiva, as it is more characteristic, less polished and refurbished, and definitely less touristy.

In the morning we woke up before sunrise as we had arranged a transfer from Bukhara to Khiva by car. This was because the train between the two cities was very slow and left only during the night. We contacted a tourist agency in Khiva and had a driver arranged to bring us there and on the way stop and visit a few sites. The drive was quite long but still comfortable with AC. After driving the whole way through a desertic landscape we reached the first site of the day, Guldursun Qala. Located in Khorezm, an oasis region in northwestern Uzbekistan, this impressive dried mud fortress was built in the 12th century AD. It is part of a series of other fortresses just like it, known as the desert castles of ancient Khorezm, scattered around this oasis region. They date from the 4th BC to the 12th century AD and were part of a defensive system of the region which saw different rules throughout its history, until the last ones, the Khwarazmian Empire fell to the Mongol invasion in 1221 and so did the whole network of fortresses. After this first fortress, we drove on and reached the second one, Duman Qala. In a much worse state with just the outline remaining it is surrounded by a desert and in the middle of nowhere. We were then off to drive to the next one, Ayaz Kala, the largest of them all and actually consisting of three separate fortresses. This was also the most scenic as all three fortresses were located on a kind of mesa separate from each other and surrounded by a desertic landscape. As we approached them we noticed some dromedaries just walking about and learned they belonged to the nearby yurt camp, used by tourists. However, during our visit, there was no one around so we had the whole place to ourselves. We visited the largest of the three, located on the highest mesa and with an incredible 360-degree view. Though only the exterior walls remain it was still impressive to admire. From there we could also spot the second fortress, smaller but with impressive fortified walls enclosing the small space on the top of the mesa. Once back in the car we then drove off to the next fortress, Toprak Qala. This one was rather important as it served not only as a defensive structure but also as a royal residence, with a throne room, fire temple, and armory having been excavated. At its height, it accommodated a population of 2,500 people and during our visit we could admire the foundations of many of the buildings, so quite well-preserved compared to the others. Next up, a short drive away, was the last fortress, Qyzyl Qala, built between the 1st and 4th century AD possibly as a fortified defense for the nearby Toprak Qala. Its walls were high and well-kept as it had been the subject of a modern renovation program, with the objective of showing what a fortress looked like originally. It was finally time for us to go and after a bit more driving we eventually reached the town of Khiva the last city on our Central Asian trip. We checked in at our accommodation, the East Star Khiva, but were given a different room than the one planned as ours was still occupied. After a bit of a discussion, we were told we would get it the next day after it was cleaned with a small discount. We reluctantly had to accept as there was no other choice and after a shower headed out for a stroll in the city and for a place to eat. Our accommodation was a little outside the old town so we had to walk about 20 minutes before we came upon the Itchan Kala, the old town fully encircled by mud brick walls 8 to10 meters high, 5 to6 meters thick, which reach a total perimeter length of 6250 meters. The Itchan Kala retains more than 50 historic monuments and 250 old houses, dating primarily from the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries, and is inscribed in the Unesco World Heritage list. We entered through the Bagcha Darvaza, the northern gate, and followed the main street until we reached the core of the old town. Here we picked a restaurant, the Mirza Boshi Tea House, where I had a tasty plate of potato fritters with veggies and a red sauce. After dinner, we had a stroll through town admiring the beautiful architecture at sunset but keeping the visit to the actual monuments for the following days.

In the morning we had another early wake-up before the sunrise as we had planned another day trip. This time we were driving northwest and our first stop along the way was a fortress-like structure, the Chilpik Qala. Like the ones from the previous day, this also sat on a lonely mesa with tall mud brick walls. However, unlike the other ones, this was first known as the Tower of Silence and was used by people of the Zoroastrian faith for the exposure of their dead. Their bodies were laid out under the open sky for the birds to eat, and after their bones were clear they were collected by their families and placed in clay or stone ossuaries for burial. It was originally built in the 2nd century BC and later refurbished and re-used between the 7th and 10th centuries AD, most probably as a fortress too. Once there we climbed to the top and admired the beautiful panorama all around us. Back in the car, we drove onwards and the plan was to stop in the town of Nukus to see an art museum. However, the day was long, and we weren't really interested in it so we asked our driver to continue on to the next stop. He gladly accepted as he had also been our driver the day before, and less driving time was definitely something he must have appreciated. We reached the second site, Mizdarkhan, a huge archaeological site and necropolis covering three hills close to the city of Khodzhelyli. The site was founded in the 4th century BC and was the second-largest city in Khorezm. It grew and prospered until the 14th century when Timur attacked it and reduced it to rubble. After that as the city was no longer populated the site was then turned into a necropolis and mausoleums and tombs were erected here and there. Still to this day, people are buried there with interesting tombs consisting of a marble slab with the name and sometimes a stylized picture of the deceased and a wooden ladder set down horizontally over the burial. Once inside we strolled around and saw there was a small tourist group as well. Among the mausoleums was an interesting underground one of Princess Mazlumkhan Sulu with beautiful blue tiles inside. Once we had visited enough of the site we headed back to the car and were off driving northwards to finally reach probably the highlight of the day trip, the town of Moynaq. This town was once a thriving city and formerly a sea port on the Aral Sea, while now sits about 150km south of the lake's shore.

I was once a bustling fishing community and Uzbekistan's only port city with tens of thousands of residents. However, a 1960s Soviet government diversion of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers to divert water for a monoculture of cotton production sapped the Aral Sea off its inflows, causing much of the lake to dry up. The evaporating water caused what was left to have extremely high levels of salinity making it toxic both for the flora, and fauna, but also for humans. Once there we visited the little museum where they had photographs and a film documenting the history and change of the once great Aral Sea. It was rather sad to watch and even sadder once we stepped out of the museum and observed the view from the cliffside, once the bank of the lake, over a vast desolate desertic landscape. A highlight was the series of rusting hulks of the boats that once made up the city's fishing fleet during the Soviet era. We could walk up to them and even climb inside some. Despite the ecological disaster which has no way back, successful attempts have already been made in Kazakhstan to stop the shrinking of the lake, while in Uzbekistan that has not been happening and is not in the current plans of its political leadership. Following this intense visit, it was time for us to head back. We got in the car and had our long drive back to Khiva. We asked our friendly driver to drop us off directly in the old town as we through to have dinner there. We thanked him kindly and then went off to look for a restaurant. We ended up choosing the Terrassa Cafe & Restaurant a great place with, as the name suggests, a beautiful terrace overlooking the rooftops and granting an amazing view, especially at sunset. I had grilled vegetables, potatoes, and rice while Ania had cooked vegetables. Following dinner, we had a nice stroll around and then headed back to our accommodation.

The next day was dedicated to fully visiting the old town. We started out once again by walking through the northern gate and following the main street. We passed the Amir Tura Madrasah, now being repurposed as a hotel, and then reached the popular central street cutting the town into half from east to west. We headed to the western gate, the Ota Darvoza, where we then bought the ticket that grants access to all sites inside the old town. The price was really high at around 12 dollars but it was still nice to be able to see the monuments as we were there. We started with the Konya Ark, the town's citadel located on the western part right next to the walls and the western gate. It was built during the 17th century by the Khan of Khiva, Muhammad Erenke, and once hosted a collection of buildings including an arsenal, a powder mill, an official building, warehouses, a kitchen, guardhouses, a stable, and a parade area. Now only the reception hall, mosque, mint, and harem are preserved. We strolled around the complex visiting the different parts and buildings, including the nicely decorated throne room and mosque both dating from the early 19th century. Once out of the citadel we crossed the square and visited the Muhammad Rahim-khan Madrasah, with a beautiful tiled facade and containing a small museum inside of photographs from the early 20th century. Next up was another interesting museum, hosted inside a former trade house built in 1905 by a wealthy Uzbek businessman. The museum detailed the history, objects, and crafts of the Mennonites. In fact, a large group of them had fled to Central Asia to escape conscription, before eventually being chased again by the Soviet Army. It was interesting to see this religious Germanic group having lived in this area. Nearby we then reached and marveled at the Kaltaminor, probably the most beautiful minaret ever. Construction began in 1852 and was supposed to be the largest and tallest minaret in the Muslim world reaching 70 to 80m. However, in 1855 the khan of the Khiva Khanate at the time, Muhammad Amin Khan, was killed and construction abruptly stopped reaching just 29m. Despite that, its 14.2m base diameter and its incredible blue and green tiles are still a wonder to admire. Next to it is the Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasah, also built at the time of the minaret, now a luxury hotel and an exchange office which we used later that day. Next up was another madrasah, the Qozi Kalon, which had a small museum of musical instruments inside. It was time for lunch, and we headed again to the Mirza Boshi Tea House for lunch where I had the potato fritters again. After eating we headed back out to explore and soon after reached the Islam Khoja complex, consisting of a beautiful minaret which is the town's tallest at 57m high, and a nice large madrasah which we then visited. Inside the museum was quite nice with several applied art pieces such as furniture, carpets, sculptures, vases, etc. Moving on we then visited the Juma Mosque which from the exterior looks like a simple low rectangular building with a nice 42m high minaret. However, once inside, we marveled at its impressive structure and style consisting of a forest of carved wooden columns. They number 212 and are lined in 17 rows, and like the mosque, date mostly to the 18th century but some of them are also as old as the 10th century. We marveled at its peculiar structure and style for quite a bit and enjoyed its peaceful setting before heading outside. Nearby we visited yet another madrasah, Matpana Baya, built in 1905, with an exhibit on science and astronomy of the Timurid period. Continuing onwards we then entered the Tash Hauli Palace, built from 1830 to 1841 by the ruler of the Khiva Khanate Alla Kuli Khan, and includes more than 270 rooms on three courts. Once inside we walked through the large complex, the harem, the reception chamber built in 1832, and the court built in 1838. The whole place was mesmerizing thanks to its stunning blue, white, and golden tiles that create complex arabesques on the palace’s walls. From the palace, a short walk took us to the Kutlug Murad Inaq Madrasah built at the beginning of the 19th century and with a series of paintings by local artists depicting the life and culture of the region. What was interesting was a structure located in the courtyard which consisted of a small cupola and a staircase leading to an underground circular room, once used as a water basin, and now providing an extremely pleasant escape from the heat above. The last monument we visited was the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, which required a separate ticket from the one we had bought to see all the other sites in the old town. This grandiose mausoleum was originally built in 1664 over the tomb of Pahlavan Mahmud, an Iranian poet and wrestler who lived from 1247 to 1326. He was then turned into Khiva's patron saint and the mausoleum was further embellished in the following two centuries. The interior is in fact a mesmerizing array of blue, white, and gold tiles and the exterior features the town's largest and probably pretties cupola with its deep blue-green colors. Having finished the tour we decided to head back to our accommodation for a bit of relaxing and a shower. For dinner, we headed back into town and decided to change restaurant, this time going to the Cafe Zarafshon. The setting was really nice, right on the square facing the Islam Khoja complex. I had a plov while Ania had a cucumber and tomato salad and grilled vegetables.

The next day was to be out last in Central Asia. Having visited the whole town already we woke up later than usual and then headed into the old city once again to stroll around and just enjoy the day. We dedicated most of the time just walking through its pretty streets and looking at the souvenir stores as our plan was to get a few things to bring home. We ended up being a few ceramic plates and bowls with wonderful decorations, our favorite of which with pomegranates, Uzbekistan's national symbol, and also some magnets and cloth bags. For lunch, we headed back to our accommodation and just ate some leftovers we had. Later after a nap and shower, for our last dinner in Khiva, we went back to the Terrassa Cafe & Restaurant where we had booked a table on the highest terrace. We enjoyed our dinner, manti and rice for me, and vegetarian plov for Ania while admiring the cityscape at sunset. It was really a sight to behold and a night to remember. Following dinner, we had one last stroll through town by night enjoying the architecture with the full moon before heading to sleep as we had an early taxi to the airport for our flight back home.