Saturday, April 18, 2009
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan, I must confess that we knew almost nothing of that country before deciding to go. Of course, the main reasons for this travel destination choice had names like Silk Road, Samarkand, Bukhara and Tamerlane. But it would have been hard to to provide more details and respond to simple questions such as: actual location of the country, history, current data, etc..
So, the first travel guide let us know that the country which was, up to the late 1800s divided into several small independent nations called khanates, was conquered by the Russians in the late nineteenth century.
Uzbekistan, as a single nation and republic exists only since 1924, when various territorial entities of Central Asia were united in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. Uzbekistan is an independent country since 1991.
A century of Russian influence has of course not completly disappeared, but the country still retained its specificity and its national character. We were pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the people, for their hospitality.
The outer walls of Inchan Kala, the old city of Khiva
Modern madrasah in Tashkent
People are incredibly friendly
The monuments of Timurid Samarkand are simply gorgeous! Here, a view of one of three medrese on the Registan square.
