Oh I am a bad blogger. Good thing I have a day job. My excuse: I am back in school getting my doctorate (online at George Washington University - so cool!). Needless to say, I am a tad busy. I started back into classes the week I got back from summer holidays in the U.S. I have been struggling to keep up, do my real job, raise a 13yo (yes, Otto is now officially a teen) and get some sleep here and there.
Otto and I did manage to take a quick trip to Uzbekistan with some friends during his school break. It was amazing!! I cannot believe how little I know about the history of Central Asia and how developed it was. Super cool architecture and art. It was a really good trip with friends who will soon be leaving us to move on to their next post...
Here are the photos. We started in Tashkent, drove to Samarkand, Bukhara and then flew back to Tashkent. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Uzbekistan, I highly recommend it. It is a UNESCO world heritage site...and for good reason.
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| On the road to Samarkand. A stop at a little stand where we could buy nuts. The guy monitoring the bathroom got mad at me for taking photos... |
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| Mausoleum for Amir Temur - the great ruler of Central Asia. Look him up...pretty impressive |
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| The detailed mosiac work is stunning. |
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| Registan Square - the centerpiece of Samarkand. |
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| Women praying at a functioning mosque in Registan Square. The whole room is almost entirely covered/painted in gold leaf. |
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| Happy Birthday Otto! He turned 13 on our trip. We got a weird (but pretty) local cake. I just made him his real birthday cake today - a german chocolate cake. |
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| This is a stand to hold the Koran |
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| No, I am not showing you how polluted Samarkand is, look at this..remarkable site from a distance. And now look at the next photo. |
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| A massive structure that we were able to see miles away. This site is still under renovation. |
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| Now we are in Bukhara. The minaret was built in the 11th century and has very little renovation. Freaking amazing!! |
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| The Uzbeks are known for their handicrafts. Hand embroidery, silk scarves of a very unique pattern. They also make carpets. I tried to buy one, but the price was too much. |
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| Bukhara - the old and the new. |
I only wish I had more time. I would have liked to visit Nukus, a nothing city in the desert to the NW. The reason...they have an amazing art gallery there of avant-garde Russian and Central Asian art, collected and protected in the 50-60's when Stalin tried to outlaw such things. If you have a chance, I recommend the documentary, The Desert of Forbidden Art.
I am done with this semester at the beginning of Dec. Hope to do a better job blogging...at least during that month off. And by then I should know where Otto and I will be posted next.
