Thursday, Sep 16 — Tashkent
Uzbekistan Airways flight HY 780 departed Bishkek at 6:40pm and arrived to Tashkent at 7:00pm. Driver met us at the airport and took us to Grand Capital Hotel, where we checked into room 403, with a view of the Tashkent Tower
I read a bit. Uzbekistan is 447,400km2 in size, the country is equivalent in area to Spain or California. Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries (ie: landlocked countries completely surrounded by other landlocked countries) in the world, the other being Liechtenstein.
Friday, Sep 17 — Tashkent
Zara and I wander around town
Saturday, Sep 18 — Bukhara
Early morning wake up for Uzbekistan Airways flight HY 51 on an Airbus A320-200 (UK32017) which departed Tashkent at 7:25am and arrived to Urgench at 8:55am. Driver met us at the airport and drove us to Khiva, where we toured Khiva for the afternoon.
Ichan-Qala Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Ichan-Qala Fortress visit Kunya-Ark, Sayeed Alauddin Mausoleum, Arab-Mukhamadkhan Madrasah, Oq-Masjid Mosque, Madrasah of Hodjan Berdi-biya, Shirgazikhan Madrasah, Abdullakhan Madrasah, Juma Mosque, Allakulikhan Madrasah, Tosh-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, Minaret of Islom-Khoja.
At 4:05pm we caught Uzbek Railways - Хива to Бухара. We arrived to Bukhara a bit after 12:15am, where we checked into Bibikhanym Hotel, with the room overlooking the alley.
Sunday, Sep 19 — Bukhara
Construction woke us early. We toured Bukhara during the day: Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, Chor-Minor Madrasah, trade domes, Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri- Arab Madrasah, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums. Nice dinner in the evening.
Monday, Sep 20 — Samarkand
Our tour of Bukhara continued: visit to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa – the summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir, unique site combining Oriental and Russian architecture. Continue to the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi and Chor-Bakr Necropolis. In the evening, we caught Uzbek Railways to Samarkand. We were met at the train station by our driver who took us to the Usman Hotel. We checked into a room on the second floor overlooking the garden.
Tuesday, Sep 21 — Samarkand
We toured Samarkand: Visit spectacular Registan Square, Gur Emir Mausoleum – the mausoleum of Amir Timur, remains of Bibi Khanum Mosque, Siab Bazaar, Ulugbek Observatory.
Tile color:
Yellow - sun
Green - nature
White - purity
Black - against evil eye
Blue -sky
Wednesday, Sep 22 — Tashkent
Samarkand tour in the morning: visit Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, Afrasiab Museum and the Tomb of Saint Daniel. Then drive to Konigil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. Evening train back to Bishkek, where we check back into the Grand Capital Hotel, room 407.
Thursday, Sep 23 — Tashkent
Day tour of Bishkek: exploring the Old City. Visit Khast-Imam Complex, where the world famous Quran, holy book that belonged to Caliph Uthman, has been preserved. The complex consists of Barak-Khan Madrasah, Tillya Sheykh Mosque, Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the Islamic Institute of Imam al-Bukhari. Continue to Chorsu Bazaar. Then take a ride on Tashkent Metro to the city center walk through Amir Timur Square, Independence Square and visit Applied Arts Museum. Evening at the hotel.
Friday, Sep 24 — Flight to Tunis
We catch Turkish Airlines flight TK 371 departing from Tashkent at 2:40am. We land at Istanbul airport at 6:10am