Mirobod was our first "Bazaar" experience in Tashkent when moved here in 2015. Bizarre would be good way to describe our initial visit, and it still isn't my preferred shopping method, but if you want access to the best quality produce and don't mind bargaining for every single item on your shopping list, a trip … Continue reading Day 11: Mirobod Bazaar
Tag: Uzbekistan
Day 12: Mausoleum of Al-Hakim al-Termizi
The Al-Hakim al-Termizi complex on the edge of old-Termez is a conglomerate of several structures built from the 11th to 15th centuries dedicated to the 9th century Sufi mystic, great early Islamic author, and most important representative of Central Asian Sufism, Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ali bin Hasan bin Bashir Al Hakim At-Termizi. Born in … Continue reading Day 12: Mausoleum of Al-Hakim al-Termizi
Day 13: Sultan Saodat Ensemble
Termez may be best known for its many Buddhist archeological sites, but the 2,500 year old city also boasts several important architectural landmarks from the Islamic era. For those travelers already familiar with the Sah-i-Zinda Necropolis in Samarkand, the Sultan Saodat Ensemble may seem underwhelming, however those who make the effort to explore this ancient mausoleum … Continue reading Day 13: Sultan Saodat Ensemble
Day 14: MyTaxi
Add this one to the category of "essentials for survival" as an expat in Tashkent. MyTaxi is an app that simply must be installed on your smartphone the moment you get your brand new SIM card. Providing an Uber-like taxi service in the Uzbek capital, MyTaxi rides are never far away, and you'll never have … Continue reading Day 14: MyTaxi
Day 15: Buddhism in Uzbekistan
Before there were Chinese Buddhists, before there were Korean Buddhists, and before there were Japanese Buddhists, there were Uzbek Buddhists, or at least late Greco-Bactrian and Kushan Buddhists. As Mahayana Buddhism spread out of India through Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan, Termez became a center of Buddhist teaching at an essential hub on the silk road. From … Continue reading Day 15: Buddhism in Uzbekistan
Day 16: Kyr Kyz Fortress
Across the Turkic world the legend of the kirk-kiz is associated with any number of places. The Kyr Kyz fortress in Termez is one of these, but the legend is just that... a legend. The common theme with all of these local legends involve the so-called "forty virgins" depending on the version of the story … Continue reading Day 16: Kyr Kyz Fortress
Day 17: Jarkurgan Minaret
Jarkurgan is a small dusty town about 60km north of Termez, the last place you'd expect to find a standalone medieval minaret, but in the early 12th century, this place was a bustling stop along the ancient silk road, and the minaret served as a beacon to travelers guiding them to the safety of the … Continue reading Day 17: Jarkurgan Minaret
Day 19: Greater Chimgan
Charvak is a great place for a lake holiday, but if you continue a bit further up the twisting mountain roads you'll eventually meet the tallest point in eastern Uzbekistan, the 3309 meter (10,856 feet) Chimgan peak. Snow capped until early June, with snowfields preserved on its northern slopes year round, this mountain retreat serves … Continue reading Day 19: Greater Chimgan
Day 20: Palace of Arts – Turkistan
Located between Independence Square and the Monument of Courage, directly across the street from Tashkent's Crying Mother Monument, the Palace of Arts "Turkiston" is another of the Uzbek capital city's most imposing Soviet era monuments visitors will find hard to miss. Construction started in the final days of the USSR, but was derailed by lack of … Continue reading Day 20: Palace of Arts – Turkistan
Day 21: Uzbek Wine
Uzbekistan is hardly world renowned for its contribution to the global viticulture industry, but grapes have been cultivated in Central Asia for more than 2,000 years. Zoroastrians were famous for their wine making skills, and this tradition survived the muslim conquest into the later middle ages, under Russian Imperial influence, during Soviet times, and through … Continue reading Day 21: Uzbek Wine
Intentionally International 