Earthlooping at the Registan, Samarkand
Unfortunately we only got a 3-day transit visa in Uzbekistan. A really shame, as at least this country deserves 10 days, probably more. We visited the cities of Bukhara and Samarkand to be able to assure that Uzbekistan is the Silk Road as you always imagined it: palaces, medressas, mosques, minarets, squares, narrow streets... you are transferred to ancient times and only the camels and merchants are missing. A totally recommendable country to visit, but spend at least 10 days or 2 weeks in it.
After the 5 days spent in the prison-like Turkmenistan, we were really looking forward to crossing into Uzbekistan. It would be the first country after Armenia with no restrictions: free internet, free alcohol, no stupid laws... but unfortunately we could only spend 3 days in the country as we only got a transit visa (a 30-day visa was time-consuming and expensive to get because you need a letter of invitation). This meant we had to skip some places to visit and we would have to rush everywhere to make the most of the visit. We chose to go first to Bukhara and then to Samarkand, the two nicest places in Uzbekistan, according to the reserach we did. And we proved ourselves right, although that meant leaving important places behind like, for example, Khiva. Next time!
The trip started at 6 in the morning in Turkmenabat (Turkmenistan). We got to the border post around 8 to make sure we were the fisrt ones to cross, as we couldn't lose a minute. The border opened at 9 and the crossing was straightforward. A stamp out of Turkmenistan and minibus to Olot. Yes, to Olot, the same as my hometown in Catalonia! That's the name of the border on the Uzbek side. Unfortunately I was not allowed to take any picture of Olot, but anyway there the officials were really nice, welcoming us to Uzbekistan. After our body temperature was checked (in case we are bringing some disease into the country), we filled in a customs declaration form and we were free to go to Bukhara.
A bit of Bukhara's Old Town Square
On the border we had the first bad impression of the country. Full of thieves! They were the taxi drivers waiting there to drive people to Bukhara. After much bargaining and waiting, finally we took a shared taxi with local people for 15 USD each. A total rip-off! Those drivers are simply thieves, and not only with tourists but also with their own people. Not good.
Anyway, we made it to Bukhara and we went to look for the hostel, in this case Madyna & Ylios guesthouse, a small place in the Old Town next to the covered bazar. Madyna welcomed us but with not much time for chatting as it was around noon, we just paid her (75000 soms), left the stuff and went to the street. It was lunch time and all the shops were closed, so first thing we did was going to have some lunch in a small restaurant next to the main old town square.
After lunch, we went to the square, a beautiful one with two medressas, a pool and some fake camels standing there. There's also an ancient mosque to visit and a funny statue of a guy riding a donkey.
Anyway, we made it to Bukhara and we went to look for the hostel, in this case Madyna & Ylios guesthouse, a small place in the Old Town next to the covered bazar. Madyna welcomed us but with not much time for chatting as it was around noon, we just paid her (75000 soms), left the stuff and went to the street. It was lunch time and all the shops were closed, so first thing we did was going to have some lunch in a small restaurant next to the main old town square.
After lunch, we went to the square, a beautiful one with two medressas, a pool and some fake camels standing there. There's also an ancient mosque to visit and a funny statue of a guy riding a donkey.
Covered bazar
The first impression of Bukhara was very nice. There was a totally relaxed atmosphere, few people on the streets, nice weather and this beautiful square. Actually we didn't know much about Bukhara. Unlike Samarkand, it is not very famous, so it was a great surprise. During high season, the town probably loses a bit of its charm, as we saw a lot of hotels and guesthouses, empty at this time, but probably full and with a lot of tourists on the street in Summer.
From the square we walked through some narrow streets towards the Chor Minor, one of the most beautiful sights of the town. It is a mosque with 4 minarets but looking quite Indian. it is set in a tiny hidden square and we spent some 20 minutes taking pictures there.
From the square we walked through some narrow streets towards the Chor Minor, one of the most beautiful sights of the town. It is a mosque with 4 minarets but looking quite Indian. it is set in a tiny hidden square and we spent some 20 minutes taking pictures there.
Earthlooping and the Chor Minor
With no time to lose, next goal was to secure a train ticket to Samarkand the following day, so we headed to the New Town to try to find an agency where to book the tickets, as the train station is 12 km away and we would have wasted too much time. We found the agency, booked our tickets and went back to the Old Town.
From the main square, we entered the covered bazar. Beautiful, with small souvenir stalls and really nice shopkeepers. from there, a street leads to the main sights of Bukhara: two medressas, the Kaylan Minaret and the square with a mosque and another medressa surrounding it, the fortress and yet another mosque, especially nice as it is standing on wooden columns. This walk from the bazar to the fortress is one of the most beautiful you will ever have in a town. At the end of the street you have impressive buildings with blue-tiled domes on the right and on the left, then you get to the small square with the tall Kaylan minaret, from there to the fortress.... Simply beautiful. And the town is so well preserved that you really feel you are in the Silk Road times. Bukhara is everything you expect from a Silk Road town. The only pity was that we couldn't go up the minaret neither the water tower next to the fortress. They were both closed, so we didn't have the chance to have some aerial views of the town.
From the main square, we entered the covered bazar. Beautiful, with small souvenir stalls and really nice shopkeepers. from there, a street leads to the main sights of Bukhara: two medressas, the Kaylan Minaret and the square with a mosque and another medressa surrounding it, the fortress and yet another mosque, especially nice as it is standing on wooden columns. This walk from the bazar to the fortress is one of the most beautiful you will ever have in a town. At the end of the street you have impressive buildings with blue-tiled domes on the right and on the left, then you get to the small square with the tall Kaylan minaret, from there to the fortress.... Simply beautiful. And the town is so well preserved that you really feel you are in the Silk Road times. Bukhara is everything you expect from a Silk Road town. The only pity was that we couldn't go up the minaret neither the water tower next to the fortress. They were both closed, so we didn't have the chance to have some aerial views of the town.
After all the sightseeing and when it got dark, we walked back, went to have some food at the same restaurant than earlier, a beer in a nearby pub and early to bed, as the following day we were taking a train to Samarkand, the most mythic of all the Silk Road towns.
So, again early morning, we took a marshrutka to the train station and then a 4 hour train to Samarkand. When we got there, the first thing was trying to book a tran ticket for the following day to Tashkent, as from there we had to go to the border with Tajikistan on our last day in the country. There were no suitable trains available, so we would have to think about another option: going by taxi to Tashkent and from there to the border.
From the railway station we took a taxi to the chosen hostel, but it was a bit far from the center and with electricity shortages, so we decided to go to another one for the same price but only 200 m from the Registan, the main sight in Samarkand.
So, again early morning, we took a marshrutka to the train station and then a 4 hour train to Samarkand. When we got there, the first thing was trying to book a tran ticket for the following day to Tashkent, as from there we had to go to the border with Tajikistan on our last day in the country. There were no suitable trains available, so we would have to think about another option: going by taxi to Tashkent and from there to the border.
From the railway station we took a taxi to the chosen hostel, but it was a bit far from the center and with electricity shortages, so we decided to go to another one for the same price but only 200 m from the Registan, the main sight in Samarkand.
Kaylan Minaret Square in Bukhara
The procedure was the same as in Bukhara: leave the backpack, pay and rush to the street to make the most of the daylight hours. The first visit was the Registan. It is one of the most beautiful building complexes I have ever seen. A big square surrounded by three astonishing and superb medressas. The bad thing is that you have to pay a high price (being low season you can bargain, though) to enter the complex, but it's totally worth it. You can get inside all the buildings, walk around the courtyards, enter a golden mosque.... simply beautiful, jaw-dropping.
We spent like two hours in the Registan before heading to the other main sights of Samarkand. Unlike Bukhara, when you walk from sight to sight you don't feel that Silk Road feeling that much, as most of the city is renovated, that is they have newly-paved streets and so on, so it lacks that charm a bit and it feels the ancient sites are separated, not a whole as in Bukhara.
We spent like two hours in the Registan before heading to the other main sights of Samarkand. Unlike Bukhara, when you walk from sight to sight you don't feel that Silk Road feeling that much, as most of the city is renovated, that is they have newly-paved streets and so on, so it lacks that charm a bit and it feels the ancient sites are separated, not a whole as in Bukhara.
A part of the Registan
Walking through a pedestrian street we got to the Bibi-Khanym mosque, a massive mosque which we didn't enter because of the lack of time and also because of the overpriced ticket. Actually that is the worst thing of Samarkand. Unlike in Bukhara, they make you pay for every single place you want to visit. And they make you pay a lot! Of course they can totally renovate the city! So we decided to just pay for the Registan and see the rest of places from the outside, which was enough to enjoy them. I don't know, but just for the fact that you are a tourist I don't think you should pay astronomical prices to visit the monuments. Of course I agree you must pay, but please, not European prices! It makes you feel ripped-off and not a really nice feeling about Samarkand, too money-lovers!
Anyway, from the mosque we went to Shah-i-Zinda mausoleum, to a nearby mosque similar to the one in Bukhara (the main difference was that in Bukhara it was for free and here it was a holdup) and then to Samarkand's main bazar, where we could taste the famous, although nothing special, Samarkand Non (bread). For the end of the day we left the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, where Timur is buried. Timur was the ruler who ordered the construction of the main buildings standing now in Samarkand.
Anyway, from the mosque we went to Shah-i-Zinda mausoleum, to a nearby mosque similar to the one in Bukhara (the main difference was that in Bukhara it was for free and here it was a holdup) and then to Samarkand's main bazar, where we could taste the famous, although nothing special, Samarkand Non (bread). For the end of the day we left the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, where Timur is buried. Timur was the ruler who ordered the construction of the main buildings standing now in Samarkand.
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum in Samarkand
After the mausoleum (ouside sightseeing, of course) it got dark and we went for some food to an overpriced and not recommendable restaurant, then to the supermarket to stock-up on some food for the next day's trip to Tajikistan and to bed, as we were quite exhausted after these 2 last days and we still had a long journey ahead.
The last day in Uzbekistan was a transportation day to make it on time to Khujand, Tajikistan. We started at 6 in the morning by waking up, and taking a taxi to the place where shared taxis are leaving to Tashkent. The ride took us 3 hours. Once in Tashkent, another taxi to a bazar to take a 1,5 hour bus which dropped us on the road next to the border with Tajikistan. A short walk and we were about to leave Uzbekistan after an exhausting but really rewarding and worth 3 days of express sightseeing.
All in all, Uzbekistan was a totally worthwhile experience. Bukhara and Samarkand are two beautiful cities in where to experience the Silk Road feeling, although if to choose, always go for Bukhara: nicer people, nicer atmosphere and not money-lovers as in Samarkand. And even if Samarkand has the name and the fame (and the Registan), I personally prefer Bukhara as a whole. The only bad feeling about the trip was not being able to visit Khiva and, in a lower scale, Tashkent, but Uzbekistan is one of those places that we'll maybe come back in the future.
Don't forget to check the travel guides of Bukhara and Samarkand as well as the picture gallery of both cities!
The last day in Uzbekistan was a transportation day to make it on time to Khujand, Tajikistan. We started at 6 in the morning by waking up, and taking a taxi to the place where shared taxis are leaving to Tashkent. The ride took us 3 hours. Once in Tashkent, another taxi to a bazar to take a 1,5 hour bus which dropped us on the road next to the border with Tajikistan. A short walk and we were about to leave Uzbekistan after an exhausting but really rewarding and worth 3 days of express sightseeing.
All in all, Uzbekistan was a totally worthwhile experience. Bukhara and Samarkand are two beautiful cities in where to experience the Silk Road feeling, although if to choose, always go for Bukhara: nicer people, nicer atmosphere and not money-lovers as in Samarkand. And even if Samarkand has the name and the fame (and the Registan), I personally prefer Bukhara as a whole. The only bad feeling about the trip was not being able to visit Khiva and, in a lower scale, Tashkent, but Uzbekistan is one of those places that we'll maybe come back in the future.
Don't forget to check the travel guides of Bukhara and Samarkand as well as the picture gallery of both cities!
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