The 5 Stans of the Silk Road

[RooFlyer]

More of the minaret. Genghis Khan destroyed the original mosque, so the present one dates only from the 16 th century.

 

[rginoz]

I'm really enjoying your trip report and pictures. Such detail in the mosque and minaret!

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks. I regret that these are just iPhone pics, as my Sony needs my laptop tablet to load and I haven't been able to get internet on that for the last few days.

Hoping for better hotel wifi tonight.

 

[craven morehead]

The minaret of the Kolon Mosque was built in 1127 and is an architectural masterpiece. 47m tall with10m foundations, when Gwngis Khan came to sack Bukhara, he was so dumbfounded by it, he ordered it spares.

It was the first time blue tiles were used in Central Asia.

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Is there any significance attached to the use of blue tiles @RooFlyer ?

 

[RooFlyer]

Ummmm... Yes, but I'll check it out and get an accurate answer

 

[RooFlyer]

There is a local legend that the prophet Job came here and dug a well to save the people from thirst. This was built over the site:



In the floor is the well and a memorial to some worthy.


( Several towns in Uzbekistan have the same legend, and their own wells).

Inside is also a presentation on the water situation in Uzbekistan. Pretty dire.

The Aral Sea is an utter disaster, nearly all gone after the Soviets built to many canals off or for the cotton in the South. You can see it's shrinkage over time on the right.



This is a lookout today but formerly there was a water tank.



The Bolo-Hauz mosque is opposite the Ark ( Emir's fortress) and was his mosque, built 1721. Carved wooden columns on the front are a feature.







To visit this mosque, like most we have visited, you only need to take off shoes if going on the carpet. No need for any coverings, of shoulders, knees etc.

 

[RooFlyer]

More walking around the centre of Bukhara.

Weddings have a traditional component, and a 'western' or 'Russian' component. We passed a number of western component photo shoots.



Another sixteenth century or so madrassa ( religious school) what you see are the accommodations. Now shops.



This is another small mosque, 12th century, with artistic brickwork.

 

[tgh]

The masonry is fantastic.. where did they get the cement ? (lime)

 

[RooFlyer]

Lime isn't such a problem. I didn't ask, but it's not uncommon.

But there is debate whether there was eggs involved (probable) and/or animal blood etc.

 

[RooFlyer]

Good God. On the drive from Bukhara to Samarkand today, our local guide explained how Uzbek weddings work (took about 30 mins). Far, far too complicated and involved to ever explain here (or anywhere, by a non Uzbek), but they are usually arranged (not forced). with numerous tic-tacking by the parents of the parties involved, over a period of weeks. The couple may meet each other maybe 4-6 times before the big week. BUT refusal by either party is allowed.

I haven't read these, but see here, but anyone with a low tolerance for male chauvinism should not read!!

Uzbek wedding and centuries-old Uzbek marriage customs

The page tells us about Uzbek wedding party and traditions. Here you will know the fundamental Uzbek wedding traditions and see photos of the arranged marriage in Uzbekistan. Become a guest of the Uzbek wedding party!

www.people-travels.com

and here: Traditions of Uzbekistan. Wedding in Uzbekistan | Novotours Silk Road - Travel Agency (touropertor) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

 

[RooFlyer]

A couple of better pics from my Sony camera:

Citadel panorama with a part unreconstructed wall shown:





Madrassa - religious school. Note the doors to the apartments for the students.



Kalon mosque and minaret





Some of the band of religious inscription is missing on the minaret



The Ismail Samani mausoleum, from 905 AD with the fantastic brickwork. The main walls are meant to resemble woven fabric.

 

[RooFlyer]

The Bolo-Hauz mosque, early 1700s, the mosque of the Emir. 20 wooden columns support a 'verandah'











Inside:

 

[RooFlyer]

The 12th century mosque with interesting brickwork again.










A highly decorated madrassa. Use of so much yellow is apparently unusual.

 

[RooFlyer]

This madrassa was originally built as a caravanseri (an 'inn' or stopover point for traders' camel-trains and other travelers on the silk road). Unlike other caravanseri we saw in Iran, here the camels are parked out the back and the goods unloaded, rather than being kept within the structure's courtyard.

The Emir made a mistake, we were told, and decreed the place to be a madrassa, so it was converted. Again, abandoned during the Soviet era and now a market place/shops etc.







The street (mall) with our hotel in the mid-distance right.

 

[RooFlyer]

Out to dinner on a terrace restaurant. Food is still pretty cheap - a good meal will cost A$6-A$12, with 0.5litre draft beer A$2 - A$4

The view:



JohnM getting some accounting tips from a Jersey company secretary in "Tax Neutral" Jersey . More seriously - one of the advantages of a trip like this. We three, and others are frantically swapping tour experiences, opportunities etc. I've definitely found one tour that I'll do soon through this.



Entree of a cooked eggplant salad. Really good.



Mains of plov - lamb with rice, onion, carrot garlic and spices. Excellent!!

 

[RooFlyer]

Second morning in Bukhara and we visited the Char Minar or 'Four minarets' madrassa. No windows and no calls to prayer from the towers, so not strictly minarets. Built 1807, so a real youngster.



Fake storks:

 

[OZDUCK]

Fabulous pictures - thanks.

 

[juddles]

Rooflyer, I have a methodology of usage of AFF when it comes to certain TR's - essentially most days I am in too much of a hurry to enjoy these, so I stick to other short threads and argue with people for fun. But threads such as this I wait until every so often I can actually sit back and really enjoy them. This I have done with this one. Absolutely amazing photos. Truly amazing. It makes me want to visit those places tomorrow! I really thank you for taking the time to gather and post these.

I am usually very reluctant to travel with other people, as almost everyone rubs me the wrong way. (Not their fault - usually mine!) But knowing JohnM, and the fact that you two have done many shared trips successfully, I might just have to put my hand up and see if you two travel champions could allow me to join you on some trip next year?

Back to this TR, I have posted some "likes" on one or two specific posts, but really I feel this is one of those TR's (like Craven's africa thing) where I just want to blanket-post likes on all of them. Well done!!

 

[JohnM]

I am usually very reluctant to travel with other people, as almost everyone rubs me the wrong way. (Not their fault - usually mine!) But knowing JohnM, and the fact that you two have done many shared trips successfully, I might just have to put my hand up and see if you two travel champions could allow me to join you on some trip next year?

I’m going to Chad next year. Can’t get Rooy interested in camping though... .

 

[RooFlyer]

Samerkand teaser