in Samarkand

So finally I'm playing tourist here in Usbekistan.

Yesterday morning, we took a bus ride to this beautiful town Samarkand. How is the waether? rainy... brave and continuos blog readers, does it reminds you about something? Exactly, when i have been in moscow, it also rained the hole time!!!

The bus ride was quite interesting - as we were going out of the modern city Tashkent, passing cotton fields, little villages with donkey carriages, trough landscape of hills and also desert.

here in Samarkand are various nice moscques and medressas, crowded with souvenir sellers. Unfortunatly, you can't find anything like an "old town".

We stayed at a very nice hostel for just 10$ - B&B and a beautiful view over Registan (the most famous place here). I'm travelling here with Hurshid again (remember the first blog in Tashkent) and his family-in-law lives here. So we have been invited to a big dinner. Well I couldn't really speak with them (no russian here) but the meal, they served has been enormous. We rolled back home, knowing that we are invited for lunch today. Well same place same table and again far too much to eat - I still can't really move :).

An important fact to know in Samarkand: NEVER, really NEVER pay an entrance fee before you have looked around the area. Most of the time, there is a back door to sneak in or at least a big window that allows you to see into the house. Just if you have verified that there is really no way.. well then pay, but don't forget to bargain ;). Works 9 out of 10 times. This advice is motivated by the greedy entrance fees ;).

Well tonight we"re going one to bukhara with the night train and then I will stay there for 2 days. Btw,.. one day is enough for Samarkand.

Well, so far a few news from Samarkand

best wishes
Peter