26 Sep to 2 Oct, 2022 - Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Termez - (Uzbekistan)
As a visitor lacking any common language with the locals, there are certain vulnerabilities. One that we are especially wary of is overcharging. While this can happen even when you can converse, using misunderstandings is a common tactic to squeeze you for more money. In the end, the misunderstanding may have been genuine and we never want someone else to miss what they are due if the communication failure has occurred.
On this trip, we have never felt unsafe. We have seen multiple examples of honesty and good will. We have bargained for purchases, and regardless of whether we agree on a price or not, have always parted on good terms with smiles.
We had one taxi driver try to decline our tip, wanting to round down instead because he didn't have the correct change. I observed a customer and waitress arguing over money, trying to push some cash in to each other's hands. Every deal we struck was honoured and completed unbegrudgingly.
Heading west from Tashkent to Samarkand, we took the train. Our intention was to take the high speed service, but only one day before, most services were full, and ended up on a leg if a much longer sleeper service.
Four days was a nice amount of time for this fascinating city. Unhurried visits to the main sights, some shopping, and plenty of time to linger over meals or cay (chai).
One day, after visiting the museum of the ancient city ruins, we decided to shortcut back to the new town, only to find ourselves clambering down the remains of the old city walls, ending up wedged between them, the cemetery, an express way, and a drainage channel.
Registan, at Night
Sublime and dignified. The three madrasahs which now make up the Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Although the name, in reality, relates to the square which these buildings were built around, it has now become synonymous with the buildings themselves.
Registan, Disneyfied
There are numerous criticisms in books and on websites about the "Disneyfication" that is occurring to various monuments in Uzbekistan. This was not as bad as we expected (and not as bad as this photo might suggest). There was stirring music, culturally appropriate and not too loud, while the lights changed colour and "danced" along the rows of arches. That said, although I didn't reel in horror or disgust, I don't know if it added anything to our enjoyment. On other evenings, when it was simply lit, the subtle details were more prominent, and the overall feel was certainly more dignified.
Registan by Day
Staying in Samarkand for four nights meant we had ample visits past this view. Some days, we crossed here multiple times. It was wonderful to enjoy the changing moods of the shifting shadows.
Repairing a Leaning Tower
Well, if you go back to our other photos, you will see there are some leans. From some places in the grounds, you struggle to see anything that looks perfectly vertical. However, seeing this photo from the 1930s made us appreciate that, in comparison, we can probably call the current angles as "near enough".
Ceiling Selfie, Registan
In Tilla-Kari Madrasah, the "Gold Covered" Madrasah. This is the middle madrasah in the Registan. The ceiling is a beautiful kaleidoscope, and standing in the middle staring up, one starts to lose orientation of up and down…
While the Ragistan is king of tourist sights in Samarkand, it is not alone. There is a lot more to this city than most first realise.
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Samarkand
Another highlight sight of Samarkand. This Mausoleum contains, amongst others, the remains of Timur. He is often described as a tyrant, after ransacking his way through much of the reachable world, from norther India through to Iran. Much of the plunder, though, returned to this part of the world, including craftspeople. So he is also remembered as a builder and developer. In this mausoleum is also the remains of a couple of sons and grandsons, including ruler, astronomer, mathematician Ulug-Beg.
Mausoleum of Qusam-ibn-Abbas
A cousin of the prophet Mohammed, credited with bringing Islam to this part of the world in the 7th century. The shrine grew and was modified over the year, and in the 14th and 15th centuries, many magnificent mausoleums were built in the area.
Magnificent Wood Carved Doors
The mausoleums doors were also worth keeping an eye on, as they contained incredible craftsmanship, too.
Shah-i-Zinda
These are some of the oldest mausoleums in Shah-i-Zinda, and the tile work on them is beautiful. Apparently, much of the tiling is original, and restoration on these was quite minimal, testament to the quality of the workmanship.
On the Avenue of Mausoleums
Shah-i-Zinda is like a little street lined with mausoleums. Here we can see some of the work in detail, including where it has curved to create shape and form as well as texture and colour. Looking past the tiles, the Octagonal Mausoleum can be seen, unusual in that it is open sided.
Inner Details, the Octagonal Mausoleum
A Fine Breakfast Spread
OK, it was not just for the two of us, but the array of foods meant we did not start any of our days hungry. On top of these dishes, we were given a small bowl of porridge, a fried egg, and a sausage. No complaints from us.
Russian Jeep for Sale
It hardly ever rains around here, so the lack of a roof seems hardly an issue.
No Translation Needed
A picture might be worth a thousand words. This one is worth one word. A very important word.
Bibi-Khanym Mosque
When built, in the 14th century, it was possibly the largest mosque in the world. Can you see Jo in the foreground? It is not possible to go inside, with the main dome still unrepaired after a 19th century earthquake. Peering through the doors and windows, giant cracks in the walls and ceiling make the structure look very vulnerable. Outside, though, that sense is lost, and the colossal facade is humbling. The historians, though, record that the building was done so quickly, and the engineering was stretching the limits so much, that cracks started appearing even before the works were complete. It's no wonder, then, that some movements in tectonic plates might cause the whole endeavour to appear precarious.
Recently Refurbished Hazrat-Hizr
Certainly much humbler in size, the nearby Hazrat-Hizr Mosque in Samarkand presents an extremely colourful ceiling.
Heading south from Samarkand, we found ourselves progressively further and further from the trodden tourist path. Most foreigners don't make it to Shakrisabz, and in Termez on the border of Afghanistan, we saw one person who was definitely not local.
There was a Piece of Rope
A car we passed on the way south in Uzbekistan. Loading your car in this way is probably not legal in many countries, but it looked surprisingly sturdy, even though there only appeared to be one piece of rope running over the top. Looks like he may have done this before.
Ak-Saray Palace, Shakhrisabz
All that remains of Timur's Ak-Saray Palace. the two sides of the entrance portal. This must have been impressive before it was destroyed - you can see it only gets to where the arch would have begun.
Cay (Chai) in a Converted Caravansary
Using online translation is getting better, rapidly, but is a tool we try to avoid unless it is important or getting awkward. Locals generally seem to have one installed, and are quicker to resort to using that than we are. Whike it takes out some of the fun and challenge, it introduces a new game. What did they think they were saying or asking? Negotiating a taxi, just this morning, while waving fingers in the air and trying to clarify for how many and how far, a phone was thrust in front of me. The English translation displayed said "Uzbek serenity." My perplexed expression did not seem to deter him as he pointed insistently at the screen. Yesterday, at the hotel comparing different options, the manager used his phone to ask Jo a puzzling question, "Can I paint the room now?"
Termez, in southern Uzbekistan, the border of Afghanistan. The drive down here was flanked by landscape that perfectly reflected what I expect Afghan landscapes to be. Pretty broad and dry, with rocky hills and outcrops. Goatherds riding donkeys or walking, surrounded by scores of black woolly goats. When we got to the city, it was enveloped in a cloud of dust, limiting visibility and filling our eyes, noses, and lungs with grit. Thankfully it settled after a few hours, but it did not feel out of character for where we were.
As we were leaving from the bus station, before getting in to our vehicle, a police officer approached us and asked to see our pasdports. I took them and accompanied this officer to a small, slightly terrifying room reminiscent of many a movie scene. It had a table with one chair, which he took, and another chair in the middle of the room. Bare concrete walls, and nothing else in the room, except an exercise book and pen. Thankfully there was a window, and my concern would have been greater had he closed the door and told me to sit. He smiled, haphazardly copied some details from our documents in to the unformatted and messy pages of his book, took a photo of the entry stamps, and sent me on my way.
No comments:
Post a Comment