Samarkand

Thursday October 4^th.
Talgo train at 8am from Tashkent to Samarkand, arriving at 10.15.  Picked up in the small bus by Hassan who will be our driver for the rest of the tour.

We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go

Always a little further: it may be

Beyond the last blue mountain barred with snow,

Across that angry or that glimmering sea,

White on a throne or guarded in a cave

There lives a prophet who can understand

Why men were born: but surely we are brave,

Who make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

                                              James Elroy  Flekker.

As quoted by the lovely Mirza

The Registan on a glorious day.

Crowds aren't a problem

It is larger and more spectacular than you can imagine.

Marg at the Registan.

I’ve made it to Samarkand! For over a year, I’ve been reading books on the Silk Road and “The five stans”.  And Samarkand has been the symbol of all this means to me.  We’re here and it hasn’t disappointed.   The architecture is stunning..   

I could not ask for a better tour.  The focus is the artisans and culture of Uzbekistan, so I am in my element.  We have met instrument makers, woodworkers and potters who are 5th to 14th generation. During soviet times, many of these crafts were banned.  Some craftspeople went underground and some skills were almost lost.  The Uzbekistan we are encountering is very refined.  We learn of ancient scientists, poets and astrologers.  Our guide quotes poetry. 

       

Bibi Khanum mosque.  Built for Bibi Khanum who was Tamerlane’s favourite wife.  Beautiful blue cupola and something like the largest mosque in central asia (have I got that right?)

                   

I have a feeling this may be where Tamarlane and his much loved grandson are buried.  He built this amazing mausoleum for his grandson and they say he never smiled again

Visiting Nargis
Nargis Bekmuhamedova – an architect in soviet times now runs a café and designs beautiful clothes, often using old silks, suzani and woodblock printed fabric. 

Gorgeous lunch at her café, followed by dress-ups in her workshop with many purchases made. 

             

A sample of the beautiful food on offer.  All vegetarian.  The most beautiful salads.  And of course it is on a plate with the cotton motif.

                  

Tired out after lunch and shopping

References: Nargis Bekmuhamedova, Samarkand Textile Designer http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2011/06/nargis-bekmuhamedova-samarkand- designer.html 

Suzanis as Upholstery: 

http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2013/01/suzanis-as-upholstery-bokja-designs.ht

Strolling Through Samarkand in 1930 

http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2013/07/strolling-through-samarkand-in-1930.html

THE REGISTAN

After lunch – The Registan.  For me, in all the months of reading and planning, The Registan has symbolized all that Uzbekistan means to me.  I was very excited to actually be there.  It is huge.  Tour with Mirza of  the Registan complex: Tillikori Madrassah and Mosque, Sher Dor Madrassah, and the Ulugbek Madrassah.

Madrassah’s were originally Islamic schools located with mosques.  The little “cells” housed 2 students.  These rooms are now workshops for artisans and shops selling woodwork, textiles, miniatures and paintings etc.  A little surprised that shops would be in what were once sacred areas. 




           

                         
                       

Autumn is wedding season  - and we saw lots.

If you lived in Samarkand - of course you would have your wedding photos taken at the Registan.

Checked in to our lovely B&B Jahongir in the old city – a 5 minute walk from the Registan.

Win, Stephanie and I visited the local “Registan” supermarket for some fruit – all we needed after our lunch at Nargis’.  (this is the only supermarket as we would know it that we have seen)

The aisle in the supermarket for grains and pulses.

The rest of the supermarket looked more like we are used to with ads and colour

Walked down to the Registan to see it lit up at night. It is magnificent.  They were preparing for the sound and light show, so over about 40 minutes, we saw it lit in many different ways and colours.

Friday 2^nd October

Shakhrisabz

Car ride over the Zeravshan range to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Amir Timur (Tamerlame).  World Heritage listed. 

Visited remains of Ak Saray palace. The Kok Gumaz mosque and Dorut Tiloat. 

The area is known for it’s embroidery style iroq. 

Sat 3^rd October. 

Visited Gur Emir, Ulugbek’s observatory and the ruins of the ancient Sogdian city of Afrosiabs. 

References: The Site of Afrosiabs: http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2012/06/ancient-site-of-afrosiab-samarkand.html

Mirza in front of the statue of his namesake

                       

                    

More weddings

Visited a silk carpet factory.  The founder came from Afganistan years ago.  He was a lovely elderly man.  His son, a physician also manages the factory.  He gave us the guided tour and was a real comedian.  He explained the excellent pay and conditions provided to the weavers. 

Lovely work shop where the girls weave the carpets.  Big open windows. 

They use only natural dyes (onion skins, madder, roots, walnut shells, pomegranate etc). Actually saw madder growing.  Looks like a weed.  Sticky trailing plant that crawls along the ground.

Reference:  Samarkand’s Magic Carpets: http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2014/08/samarkands-magic-carpets.html 

Late afternoon visit to Shah i Zinda necropolis complex.

There are 40 steps to climb and if you count these as you climb them, you will be absolved of your sins.  Needless to say, we left feeling very pure.

        
The 40 steps from the bottom

        

The 40 steps from the top

Dinner and fashion show at Nargis’ café.

Nargis and I

The Registan after sunrise

Sunday October 4th

This morning I got up at 6am to see the sunrise over the Registan.
Took my first photo and a chatty young policeman asked where I came from.
He then offered to "show me his minaret for $10.00."  I'd been told by Penelope that this could be quite an innocent offer to see areas of the Registan not usually open to the public.  An offer too good to refuse.

                         

                          

Samarkhand suburbs

Hassan took us by bus to Urgut, (Urgoot) 40 kms away. Urgut claims to be the oldest extant market in Uzbekistan.

They sell everything from clothes (mostly from China), fabrics (synthetic and bling) toiletries, household goods etc.

Right down the back are a collection of stalls selling old textiles.  Many are damaged.  Some are excellent quality and are expensive.  This is the only time we have been hassled by people wanting to sell us things.  Mirza was around just in case we needed help to remove ourselves from all the people following us.  Bargaining is an art and some of the people in our group are good at it. I’m not. I arrived back at the bus and a number of the stall holders had followed other group members back and were selling textiles from the carpark through the closed windows of the bus.

Look at the large stacks of money these men are holding.
"Want to change money?"

After the market visited the Oblakoulov family’s ceramic workshop. Many generations of potters in this family (over 350 years).  Urgut ceramics are traditionally made in brown, green, mustard and pale lemon. 

The women in the family produce beautiful embroidery pieces with traditional Urgut motifs: all silk threads are made of natural dyes and the colours are mainly pastel. You can also buy just the threads, dyed from walnuts, pomegranate, mountains flowers etc.
Lunch on the terrace at the family home.  

Konigil - Mulberry bark papermaking workshop

This papermaker took a huge risk setting up his workshop to revive the craft.  Uses a watermill to pound the pulp.  Once he had started UNESCO provided some assistance.
Of course we had the traditional cup of green tea.

           

This waterwheel (at the end) lifts the huge logs on the inside of the building which pound the paper pulp.




                             

Boiling the paper

       

References: Papermaking in Samarkand http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2011/09/samarkand-revival-of-papermaking.html

 Just one of our many beautiful settings for lunch

THE GOLDEN JOURNEY TO SAMARKAND

PROLOGUE

We who with songs beguile your pilgrimage

And swear that Beauty lives though lilies die,

We Poets of the proud old lineage

Who sing to find your hearts, we know not why, -

What shall we tell you? Tales, marvellous tales

Of ships and stars and isles where good men rest,

Where nevermore the rose of sunset pales,

And winds and shadows fall towards the West:

And there the world's first huge white-bearded kings

In dim glades sleeping, murmur in their sleep,

And closer round their breasts the ivy clings,

Cutting its pathway slow and red and deep.

THE GOLDEN JOURNEY TO SAMARKAND

EPILOGUE

At the Gate of the Sun, Bagdad, in olden time

THE MERCHANTS :

Away, for we are ready to a man!

Our camels sniff the evening and are glad.

Lead on, O Master of the Caravan:

Lead on the Merchant-Princes of Bagdad.

THE CHIEF DRAPER :

Have we not Indian carpets dark as wine,

Turbans and sashes, gowns and bows and veils,

And broideries of intricate design,

And printed hangings in enormous bales?

THE CHIEF GROCER :

We have rose-candy, we have spikenard,

Mastic and terebinth and oil and spice,

And such sweet jams meticulously jarred

As God's own Prophet eats in Paradise.

THE PRINCIPAL JEWS :

And we have manuscripts in peacock styles

By Ali of Damascus; we have swords

Engraved with storks and apes and crocodiles,

And heavy beaten necklaces, for Lords.

THE MASTER OF THE CARAVAN :

But you are nothing but a lot of Jews.

THE PRINCIPAL JEWS :

Sir, even dogs have daylight, and we pay.

THE MASTER OF THE CARAVAN :

But who are ye in rags and rotten shoes,

You dirty-bearded, blocking up the way?

THE PILGRIMS :

We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go

Always a little further: it may be

Beyond the last blue mountain barred with snow,

Across that angry or that glimmering sea,

White on a throne or guarded in a cave

There lives a prophet who can understand

Why men were born: but surely we are brave,

Who make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

THE CHIEF MERCHANT :

We gnaw the nail of hurry. Master, away!

ONE OF THE WOMEN :

O turn your eyes to where your children stand.

Is not Bagdad the beautiful? O stay!

THE MERCHANTS in chorus :

We take the Golden Road to Samarkand.

AN OLD MAN :

Have you not girls and garlands in your homes,

Eunuchs and Syrian boys at your command?

Seek not excess: God hateth him who roams!

THE MERCHANTS :

We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

A PILGRIM WITH A BEAUTIFUL VOICE :

Sweet to ride forth at evening from the wells

When shadows pass gigantic on the sand,

And softly through the silence beat the bells

Along the Golden Road to Samarkand.

A MERCHANT : 


We travel not for trafficking alone: 


By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned:


For lust of knowing what should not be known


We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

THE MASTER OF THE CARAVAN :

Open the gate, O watchman of the night!

THE WATCHMAN :

Ho, travellers, I open. For what land

Leave you the dim-moon city of delight?

THE MERCHANTS with a shout

We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

The Caravan passes through the gate

THE WATCHMAN consoling the women

What would ye, ladies? It was ever thus.

Men are unwise and curiously planned.

A WOMAN :

They have their dreams, and do not think of us.

VOICES OF THE CARAVAN : in the distance, singing
We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

James Elroy Flecker

***********

References mentioned are from Penelope Price's Uzbek Journeys blog.

Tashkent

TASHKENT - CITY OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP
There are two very large apartment blocks, one either side of a main road.
As you face them, the left hand one has a neon sign in Uzbek across the top saying - Tashkent - City of Peace and Friendship.  The right hand one has the same written in English.  These would look very impressive if they were lit up at night, but the aren't,  possibly there isn't enough power.  

Tashkent is a city of wide tree lined boulevards.  Main streets have 3-4 lanes each way.  After the earthquake of 1966, there was in some areas, the opportunity to build wide well planned streets. 

This used to be the Stalin museum, but now that the Russians are out of favour it's been converted to a different museum.

We'd come to Uzbekistan for many reasons.  Some of these included seeing old adobe houses in narrow streets and of course  the 3 M's - "really old" mosques, madrasa's and  mausoleums.  This is not Tashkent.  We'll have to wait for another city to see that.


Driving around Tashkent and beyond has taught us that lines on the road are a mere suggestion.  If it's 2 lanes and 3 cars will fit, well then go ahead.  If you want to overtake a car that is already overtaking someone and it looks safe enough -then go ahead.  Drivers at least are required to wear seat belts.  Many of our drivers put them on when they were going through a checkpoint or past police and then took them off when they were out of sight.  

Radar detectors are common in cars - just so you know when to slow down for the police.  

Speed limits are probably just suggestions too.  Drivers seem to go as fast as they think appropriate when there aren't police around.

Parliament Square - They don't do small

Police are very visible in the streets around cities and on the country roads. 
Police are at the entrances to all metro and train stations.  We were advised to always have a copy of our passport with us.  Locals carry their passport with them at all times and can be fined if they don't produce it upon police request. There are checkpoints when you drive from one province to another.  In Fergana Valley we were often stopped at these checkpoints and our driver needed to take our passports to be inspected.  

Having said all that, the metro and streets are clean and free of litter and graffiti.  

After the Soviets left in 1991, Tamerlane has been resurrected as the hero of the nation.  (Rather a blood thirsty hero)
He was into power and the cult of self.  He and his descendants built huge buildings often with their name on them.  A great quote from Tamerlane:
"If you doubt our power, look at our buildings".  This remains true today.  Uzbeks don't do small or modest public buildings.  Everything is large.  In Tashkent. buildings are often faced with marble and cost an enormous amount.  A state conference building will have 6 large conference halls - why?? How many large conferences does Tashkent host?  Why have a normal heigh ceiling when you could make it 3 stories high.    I wonder how people feel about this when they might be having trouble finding work and feeding their families. 
In Fergana Valley we saw a very large government building which was nearing completion.  We asked our guide what it would be for and the local people didn't know yet what it was to be used for.

Hotel Uzbekistan - I love it.

I the 70's, all the famous people who have came stayed here.

Not good wi-fi or we might have stayed here too.

Sunday 27th
Bek, the lovely young man from Steppe Journeys took us to the huge flea market.  Some old stuff, but lots of junk. Warned to be very careful of our possessions and not to take photos.

Saw Ibsens’ The Ghosts. A good production and well acted, but if I'd known it was Ibsen, I probably wouldn't have gone.  Too depressing for me.

Monday 28^th of September

Breakfast in the courtyard at the Grand Orzu.  Met some of the other people on the tour.  Including Sid and Sharon, an elderly couple from Indianapolis  who had only arrived at 2.30am.  I’m having some difficulty as I keep thinking of them as Sid and Nancy of Sid Viscious/sex pistols fame.

Asked hotel reception to ring the Fine Arts Museum to check they were open.  Yes they were and would be open till 6.

Walked there, took about 40 minutes and the policeman at the entrance informed us it was closed!  Apparently we set a mean pace on the walk as we  found out later that Sid referred to this as “The Australian Death March”.

Mustakillik Square, and the independence monument.

The Monument of Independence (1991), which marks the sovereignty of Uzbekistan, is a large golden globe with outlines of the borders (territorial) of the State. 
The “Happy Mother” monument (2006) was completed by the sculptor, Ilhomom Kamolom Dzhabbarovymi. The image symbolizes a mother's homeland, and a child - the image of the future. 

"A simple Uzbek woman with a kind face and happy eyes: this is a symbol of the homeland, life and wisdom. Her open eyes are fixed on the dearest thing which any mother has - her child, symbolizing the birth of the young independent state. She carefully keeps her priceless treasure, it is in safe hands and no one and will ever be able to wrest it from her. She will nurture and raise him, in order that he grew up worthy of his mother – the Motherland. "

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Lunch at Café Bon. 

Visited the local outdoor food market.  Great fruits including figs and a never-ending variety of dried fruits.  Some very friendly stall holders who introduced us to new fruits and wanted their photos taken, and to take photos of us.

Tuesday 29^th of September

Met Mirza – our guide for the next 2 weeks.

Our craggy Peter O’toole look alike bus driver took us to the Applied Arts Museum.   In the former home of Tsarist diplomat Alexander Polovtsev.  He was a connoisseur of Oriental architecture and decorative patterns who had locak master artisans decorate his private mansion. 

Mirza took us through the exhibits of ikats, suzani, jewellery, ceramics, metal work, carved wood, carpets and national dress.

Lunch at a local restaurant.  Where Uzbeks would eat, rather than tourists. Bread - of course and 4 different salads.  Penelope explained that bread and salads are standard and uzbeks don’t see these as food.  (ie the food starts after the salads)

Followed by a lentil soup and fruit.  This is our real introduction to Uzbek dining.  Every meal has bread and green tea and you really do need a large appetite.

Visited the house museum of Tamar Khanum.  A dancer – I think the second who danced unveiled.  The first woman to do so was murdered for such scandalous behavior, I think by someone in her family.  Tamar was “quite a woman”.  She travelled widely and met all kinds of political figures.  Mao gave her Chinese national dress which she danced in. 

Tamara Khanum:

http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2011/10/tamara-khanum-legendary-uzbek-dancer.html

Visited Mr Pac.  A man of Korean background who is a master woodblock printer.  Great studio.  Uses all natural dyes.

Woodblock cloth:

http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2012/04/woodblock-printed-cloth-of-uzbekistan.html

Beautiful canals - you can do quite a walk around the city,

Visited an embroiderer who has her studio under a beautiful green dome which had been part of the Barak Khan mosque.

Visited the Rakhimov family’s ceramic studio and workshop.  Beautiful adobe buildings.  A real inspiration.  The family have ceramics in the Applied Arts museum and are possibly the best known potters in Uzbekistan.

Wednesday 30^th September

Bit of a tour of the Tashkent Metro. 

It’s amazing for many reasons. 

·      It is CLEAN.  Ie no smells of stale urine and no litter.

·      Whenever we got on a train, young men would stand up for us.

·      The soviets commissioned mosaics and other decorative arts for the stations.

·      Stations may have a theme eg, astronauts, cotton (including cotton themed light fittings.

Trains are old. 

We stood out as tourists – just don’t look or dress like the local population.  People were very friendly though – smiles with some of the women even though we don’t speak each other’s language.  More young people than we thought have some English.   A young woman who is an actor made an effort to have a chat with us

Police are visible on the streets and in the subway.

Unfortunately no photography is permitted on the subway.  ( Photos will be deleted from you camera if you try)

Metro to Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent’s oldest market - in the old city.

Visited the Earthquake monument – in 1966, an earthquake destroyed a large part of Tashkent.  The “Stalinsky” apartments largely survived.  Unclear how many people were killed as govt figures may not be accurate.

Visited Golubie Kupola Parke with second hand booksellers.

Visited the 19^th Century Abulkasum madrassah and saw woodcarving and miniature painters.

Visited contemporary jeweler Ulughbek Holmuradov wardrobe sized atelier.  Gorgeous contemporary jewellery.

http://www.holmuradov.com/ind.php?topic=&section=A&lang=En


All posts on the website about Tashkent are here:

http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/search/label/Tashkent

http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/2012/07/48-hours-in-tashkent.html