It was raining frivolously as we taxied alongside the runway at Tashkent airport. It was early night; the sky was gray and drizzly and the buildings lining the tarmac had been giant and imposing. ‘Aha,’ I believed. ‘That is precisely what I believed Uzbekistan can be like. Bleak and gray.’
It’s ironic actually, as a result of other than the actual fact Uzbekistan was once a part of the Soviet Union and neighbours Kazakhstan (the house of a sure notorious fictional tv reporter), I knew nothing in regards to the nation earlier than arriving. I shouldn’t have formulated any concepts or expectations about precisely what Uzbekistan can be like, as a result of I had nothing to base it on.
An area grandmother joked with us on the markets.
Maybe it was the Soviet historical past that conjured up photos of austere buildings, bleak landscapes and a closed-off tradition – actually, I’m unsure. However I can let you know that after spending 9 days exploring this Central Asian nation, I couldn’t have been extra unsuitable.
SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY FOR YOURSELF ON OUR 9-DAY UZBEKISTAN ADVENTURE
After a deep, jetlagged sleep in Tashkent, we set off for Bukhara, a UNESCO-listed metropolis that served because the capital of Uzbekistan again throughout the 16th century. A significant buying and selling level for silks and crafts alongside the Silk Highway, I pictured a small city of outdated brick marketplaces, now not in use. However, the wealth the Silk Highway generated all these centuries in the past means the town is a maze of vibrant classical buildings, together with spectacular madrasas and mosques adorned with intricately adorned domes and archways.
The minaret is just gorgeous.
As we wandered towards the 15th century Kalon Mosque and Minaret, the solar broke by way of the clouds, casting the elegant, turquoise domes right into a haze of glitter. Solely moments in the past, the sky was overcast, so the sensible blue and setting solar supplied a very gorgeous backdrop for this superbly adorned masterpiece. I bear in mind pondering I had not often seen a constructing as hanging as this. Imposing attributable to its dimension, sure, however you felt drawn to it, humbled to face in entrance of it, relatively than dwarfed by it. My expectations about the way in which Uzbekistan would look had been effectively and actually confirmed unsuitable already.
READ MORE: 4 REASONS WHY NOW’S THE TIME TO VISIT UZBEKISTAN
From Bukhara, we journeyed by way of the principally flat Uzbek countryside, passing by way of small villages of textiles workshops, farms and native eating places till we reached the Kyzylkum Desert, the place we’d be staying at a Kazakh yurt camp.
With nothing extra to do than admire the panorama round us, it was right here that I began to be taught extra in regards to the advanced historical past of Uzbekistan from our native chief, Zafar.
“My superb pal,” proclaimed Zafar standing importantly above us, gesturing out to the scraggly desert under. We had been sitting languidly atop a dune overlooking our yurt camp, having fun with the final rays of sunshine for the day. “Uzbekistan has a really difficult historical past with a mixture of many, many alternative cultures and religions. There are cultural Uzbeks, cultural Kazakhs, cultural Tajiks and Russians, we’ve got Muslims, Christians and Jews and a few people who find themselves not spiritual. That’s why we’re sitting in a Kazakh yurt camp, in Uzbekistan and why we are going to later go to Tajik folks within the Naratau Mountains, additionally in Uzbekistan.”
Zafar shared many laughs and plenty of knowledge with us.
The combo of ethnicities is as a result of this land, now generally known as Uzbekistan, has been invaded so many occasions over the centuries attributable to its strategic location as a part of the Silk Highway commerce route between the East and West. The introduction of Islam within the 8th century noticed many Arabic teams immigrate into the world, earlier than Genghis Khan and his Mongol military arrived within the 13th century. Over the following few centuries there have been quite a few smaller invasions, till the numerous Russian takeover within the late 19th century. All of those occasions have led to the culturally and ethnically numerous inhabitants of modern-day Uzbekistan.
Coming from a western nation, the place the media is at the moment peppered with tales about “violent, refugee gangs” who’re overtaking our suburbs, or partitions being constructed between nations to maintain immigrants out, I struggled to grasp how such a various group of individuals may reside collectively so comfortably. With a inhabitants of practically 33 million folks all residing in a rustic 17 occasions smaller than Australia, it was a heart-warming however considerably overwhelming idea.
”How does that work, Zafar?“ I requested. ”It appears so peaceable right here, however how does everybody get alongside after they have such totally different cultures and beliefs?”
Zafar answered me severely, with out hesitation. “In Uzbekistan, so long as you’re a very good individual, with a very good coronary heart, you might be welcome on this nation.”
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The concept everyone seems to be welcome in Uzbekistan was confirmed time and time once more all through the remainder of our journey. At a homestay within the Naratau Mountains, we wandered across the little village of Hayat, the place native folks welcomed us to their gates with a shy grin and wave – one native shepherd named Misha even invited us into his dwelling to satisfy his spouse and grownup son.
Misha displaying us his prized household photographs.
In Samarkand, a touristy metropolis by Uzbekistan’s requirements, you gained’t end up being hassled incessantly by distributors as you stroll the charming stone streets or wander by way of the teeming bazaars. I discovered it to be a pleasant, relaxed and welcoming nation – the individuals are curious and type, beneficiant with each their time and their smiles.
These had been only a few of the issues I discovered about Uzbekistan. I knew mainly nobody who had travelled there earlier than me and had subconsciously fallen sufferer to the concept all of the ‘Stans’ had been the identical – presumably harmful, former-Soviet territories. This nation I beforehand knew so little about, taught me a lot in regards to the assumptions I type about locations I’ve by no means seen.
Having squinted by way of the sunshine on the turquoise domes in Registan Sq., gazed down on the kaleidoscope of colors of the autumn apple and mulberry bushes in Hayat, or handed by way of the elaborately adorned metro stations in Tashkent, I can affirm that Uzbekistan is something however bleak and gray. It’s mesmerising.
Go to Uzbekistan on a small group tour with Intrepid and also you’ll see all of the highlights (in addition to some hidden gems).
All photos by Liam Neal.
