When you come from Samarkand in a small bus you will get off just across the road from this subway station. This station is one of the edges of the Chilonzor Line of Tashkent's Subway system. From here you can get the subway to the central part of the city.
This is a cheap and fast way of getting yourself around the country. From Samarkand,s Nortwest way out you can easily get a small van to Tashkent. The price will depend of the quality of the van. This one, an old Ford Transit costed me 5000SUM for a 6 hours journey. There were other kind of vand, cheaper, and other more expensive with AC .
This train takes 12 hours and connects the Capital Tashkent to Islam Holy City of Bukhara. The cost of the ticket is 6500SUM for a coach seat and bed. The system of this palce is like this: you have compartiments which sits transform into beds. 6 beds per compartiment. Watch out for your bags. The price includes the sheets, pillow and some breakfast. People on the train pass selling water, juice, bread, ice creams, etc…
This is a very easy way to get around the city. You’ll problably never wait more than 5 minutes for a train and the stations are quite clean and quite safe. To go in you have to pass a metal detector. For backpackers like me, a huge backpack will be very confusion. They need to check your bag to see if you have some bomb. The Subway in Tashkent was design to be a bomb shelter and nuclear shelter so no pictures are alowed inside. There are 3 main lines for subway in the city: red line, blue line and green line. The Uzbekistan and the Chilanzar, and the third under construction (the green one).
The cost of a ticket is 15SUM and system runs until 5am to 12pm.
Tashkent’s subway is the one and only in Central Asia so people seem quite proud of it. Actually Its quite nice and fast. I’ve never took such a fast metro before, nor NYC, Berlin, Paris, Lisbon, Madrid, no, the fastest so far was in Central Asia?!
For a map on Tashkent subway map please click on the following link:
I got a one way ticket from Iran Airline for 266800SUM about $260us. Contact Abda Travel Company for nice deals. They know the man in Iran Air office so maybe you can get a nice deal. 132-22-56 ask for Sanjar, manager of inbound. fax 132-22-56
abdatravel@albatros.uz
Street scene of Theran, Iran
Shared taxis are a easy, fast and cheap way of gettnig around cities in Uzbekistan. ALso its a good opportunity to cut in half, hours buses need to make some journeys. This for long journeys can be dangerous if you decide to pay yourself a only person taxi, please, be smart and go with people, better not to go alone or with just 1 or 2 men. I knew some people rober my driver and another man.
In Tashkent you can get a shared taxi to Fergana Valley for about $6us, also to Samarkand.
In Uzbekistan people dont need taxis drivers license to bring people with them. So basicaly everyone that as a car will ry to make some extra money and take you any where. You just need to negociate the price. A normal trip inside a city shouldnt cost more then 2000SUM maybe a bit less if you can make a good deal.
Trains in Uzbekistan run slowly but safe I think. Although trains are a bit old, they seem to be in pretty good shape to me. You have international train lines going from Almaty to Tashkent ($40us), From Tashkent to Moscow (55 to 65 hours, 2 days a week, $89us+Russian visa), Tashkent to Turkmenabat->Ashgatat.
Inland train lines are like this:
Tashkent->Jizzakh->Samarkand->Navoi->Gijduvan->Bukhara
From Navoi is also possible to get a train to the new built north line going inside Karakalpakstan to Nukus and Qongirat.
Prices:
Tashkent-Samarkand-$3us
Tashkent-Bukhara-$6us +-6000SUM
Tashkent-Urgench-$8us
There are 2 train stations in Tashkent, one mainly for northern lines: Fergana Valley, Moscow, Almaty and Bishkek, and another station for southern lines going to Dushambe, Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench and Ashgabat.
Arrival of the night train Tashkent to Bukhara. 12 hours on the train.
There are several historical buildings and sites in Samarkand which are quite far way from everything. For instance, if you need to go from the Registan square to Central Gorky Park you can get a mini bus on the Registan Avenue also named Registanskaya. From the Main Bazaar, you can get a mini bus to Samarkand War Memorial.
Taxis are also a good choice for moving in the city. If you are coming from Bukhara on a Mini Bus, 5000UM, 6hours, you'll get off near the Long distance Bus-Station. You'll have to get a taxi to the city. Deal the price for going there and don't pay more than 2000SUM or 1000SUm. If they complain about the price of oil etc, its not your problem, maybe they have to change job?
In Tashkent there is a very fast way of getting to different places. This little mini vans can get everywhere just in a matter of seconds. There are several main points or squares where you can get them and leave to other destinations. If you’re coming from the border with Kazakhstan for instance you’ll get a taxi or mini van or normal bus to the Chorsu Bazaar. From here you can get transportation to all the main places in the city. 3 major streets head into Chorsu bazaar; they are Forob, Sagban and Zarqaynar Street. Near Chorsu you also have the Metro station which is also a good alternative to rush hours and heavy traffic.
Mini bus costs 500SUM
You should go out of the normal streets of Bukhara and enjoy the old part of it, far from big monuments close to streets often used by tourists. This sould be a different aproach of the city's architecture and youl have a whole different view of the building and how do local people live.
This is just a very nice place run by a very nice family. Rustam is Zukhra’s husband, he’s a bit shy but his wife on the contrary is very happy and full of energy. They will be very nice to you.
Breakfast is included on the price. Usualy the price is for $15 us but you should ask if she can lower the price. If you’re lucky you can have it for $10.
Rooms are big with TV private Bathroom, very clean, Air conditioner and heater for the winter.
Address: Bukhautdin Naqshband or Lenina street
Directions:
This guesthouse is located aside the canal conected to the Nadir Divanbegi Medressa. Right on the side of the madrassa.
This hotel is located near Shota Rostaveli which is a main street here in the city. This is a nice oportunity to have a place in european standards for also the normal european price. clean, small yard with flowers on the back part ofhotel. restaurant.
I ate a quite good tomato sauce spagetti in the hotel’s restaurant. Prices in the restaurant get double the price you would pay outside the hotel, in street supermarkets.
The price for a single room is $30us.
Address: Hotel Rovshan, 118 Mirabad St., Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Directions:
This hotel is near the Turkmenistan and Russian embassies.
Phone: (998-71) 1207747
www.rovshanhotel.com
stay@rovshanhotel.com
This is a very family type bed and breakfast that exist all around Uzbekistan. For an affordable price ou can stay in a clean place good consitions and stay with a local family that will take care of you as their own.
Nice price, from $15us, maybe you can get it for less than that, its a matter of deeling the price.
The rooms are small rooms all with private bathroom and fan for cooling system.
If you need food ask in advance and suggest you'll pay for it after as if they think you want to eat for free, they will say they have no more food.
Address: 83, Mubarakskaya street. Samarkand
Directions:
From the Registan Square go in direction of the Museum. From here take the Bukharskaya street until you find Mubarakskaya street where you'll have to turn left, the hotel is the 1st door on your right.
Phone: 998 662 35 9747
Charvak is located in the Chirchik Valley on the surroundings of Tashkent. This is exactly located where the 2 rivers Ugam and Chirchik get together. This is a very relaxing place although I have to say the surounding landscape isnt that inspiring due to the nearest moribund chemical factory… either the way it makes a perfect day out escapnig the great turbulence and agitation of the capital Tashkent.
Chirchik River comes all the way down the Chirchik Valley passing the Charvak Water Reservoir until reaches Tashkent and keeps down southeast.
Irrigation canals on the Chirchik River supply power for several hydroelectric plants.
A big part of the scenery of the Valley is full of power plants and chemical facilities which give a porr image to this amazing site just a couple of hours from the capital. Right now, almost all the factories are closed to danger is no longer there and you can take bath but just aside a big factory or something. The water from the river runs from the mountains and its colour can tell its from pure spring.
This is a huge construction which already lacks its main part: the roof. Its hard to imagine how could men ever build such a bulding and such a top could ever be built there.
This is a very nice building and ispires you to go back some centuries and imagine yourself right on the middle of the Silk Road thrilling city of Samarkand.
This mosque is located north-east of the Registan Square and was finished a bit before timur actually died.
This building was once one of the biggest mosques for Islam and only the main gate was 35m high. It just ruined and collapsed in 1897 earthquake.
Bibi-Khanym was Timur Chinise wife and got this mosuqe built while Timur was away just to suprised him. It uis said that the architect after already started to build the building told Bibi-khanym that he would not proceed with the mosque construction until she would give him a kiss. When Timur knew about this story, he order the execution of the architect and forced all women to use face veils in order not to provocate and tempt other men.
You have to pay to enter. Or as I did, enter on the side door, see it and just go away on the main gate.
Guri Amir mean in Tajik, the Tomb of the Emir.
This is the mausoleum of Timur, his 2 sons and his 2 grandsons, inclukding the well known Ulughbek.
This fine monument with its blue azure tiles was built by Timur order back in 1404 for some of his sons and future grandsons. Timur had order to build his simple crypty in Shakhrisabz, but stories tell that he got some kind of flue while traveling to China and before he even got to Shakhrisabz he died and was burried here instead.
this amazing building seems to have been built to be a Caravanserai, but the khan tought it was a medressa, so after a while (1630) it just became one.
Its entrance blue tiled gate is impressive and got my attention for a few minutes as this was my first monument to see in town, just across the street of my guesthouse.
This amazing small monument is called “Char Minar” because it has 4 minarets is located in Bukhara city. This little monument taken in 1998 by UNESCO to be recovered was in fact a gate of a ancient madrassa long time gone. It was built in 1809 and has more contact with Indian Art styles than t o local art itself.
Its name comes from Tajik although the towers you can see are not actually minarets but simply decorative towers.
Directions
Intersection of Pushkin st. and Lenina go to the street Pushkin until you have to rurn left to see the monument. In the area ask locals for Char Minar. Everyone knows the monument.
This is a royal town inside a city which was constructed on the 5th century and was used and occupied until the Red Army bombing of 1920. This is Bukhara oldest building.
The building in the end of the entry ramp is in fact a 17th century mosque for Juma cerimony (Friday Mosque).
Other places of interest to see inside this monument are:
Reception & Coronation Court
Royal appartments
Living quarters of Emir Kushbegi
Protocol Court of Salamhona
The entry of the Ark cost about $5us but I talk to the lady and said I was student and had no money, so she made me the price ticket of Uzbek people. So I end up paying small fee of $0.70us
Directions
Go to the Registan square taking the Hoja Nurabad Kuchasi street and you’ll not miss it for nothing in this world. Its huge walls will make you notice the big fortress.
This mosque on the picture is one of many mosques forgotten by time in the city. This one is near the big bazaar and belongs to the 19th century. Its called Hazrat-Hizr Mosque and I found it particulary precious and interesting.
Taqi-Zargaron is a area that held the Ulughbek Medressa (on hte left side of the picture) dated from 1417 and its actually one of the three Medressas build by Ulughbek himself. This was ment to be a medressa right after Uzbekistan independence but the government shut it down.
On the righ side of the picture you have the Abdul Ziz Khan Medressa and its construction began back in 1652 by the Astrakhanid ruler by the same name of the building.
In Hoja Nurabad street heading Taqi-Zargaron covered markets before the Kalon Minaret and mosque.
Hazrat Bakhouddin Nakshband known as the “Great Khoja” was born in 1328 in Kasri Village 12km from Bukhara. This Memorial Complex can be reached by local small bus from the new part of Bukhara. Hazrat Bakhouddin Nakshband was buried here in 1389. He was the ofunder of “Nakshbandis” studies and revived again sunats of Muammad s.a.w.
Inside the complex you a have many different building, with a couple of mosques, a main one and a relatively small one for local prayers. The minaret you can see on the picture was build in 1720. Inisde there’s wtare. During this Soviet period this comlex was totaly ruined but in the 675 aniversary President of Uzbekistan gace priority to the memorial recovery and in 2003 it opened again with a huge cerimony with the president giving a very important speech. People like Karimov very much. Its like a bruning love. They like him for the independence and maintaining peace in the country, but from other side they know it is a very strong hand politic.
How to get there: Bukhara Province, Kagan region, Kasri Orifon village
This memorial complex is located 12km from Bukhara. This is a non-Muslims off limit zone unless you can actually get a guide. This way you can easily go inside but not to all the different buildings.
Bakhouddin Nakshband was buried here in 1389. He was the ofunder of “Nakshbandis” studies and revived again sunats of Muammad s.a.w.
This picture shows the memorial complex’s big mosque being repaired. At the time I went there, a huge rebuilt of the big mossque was taking place. They were painting the inside.
This amazing place is one of the most emblematic squares in the world and a must in whole Cneral Asia and on the Silk Road.
This was the medieval commercial centre of Samarkand and it seems to have been a wall-to-wall bazaar.
In Soviet era, restoration took place and digging went down 3m to take all the existing sand off te buildings walls exposing its amazing construction.
You have Ulughbek Medressa on the left side of the picture. This was finished bak in 1420 under Ulughbek. On the right side ou have the 1636 constrution Sher Dor Medressa (Lion), and its gate is decorated with tiles with lions which seem more tigers… In the middle is Tilla-Kari (Gold-covered) Medressa, completed back in 1660.
This minaret was the tallest building in all Central Asia. It was built back in 1126 by the Karakhan ruler Arslan Khan. Kalon means "great" in Tajik.
At the bottom of the Minaret is the 16th century congregational Kalon Mosque. This mosque was constructed right on the place of an earlier mosque destroyed by Jenghiz Khan. This mosques helds place for more than 10,000 people it was re-opened for worship 14 years ago.
Opposite to this Kalon Mosque is the Mir-i-Arab Medressa built in the 16th century. This is still a seminary for muslims and every year 250 young men, enrol here for a 5 year study of Arabic, the Qur'an and Islamic law.
This is a very interesting construction with a very beautiful decoration. From the top you can enjoy the city at its completely greatness. The city from the top looks a bit sandy but because the majority of the buildings are made of mud or mud made bricks.
This minaret was the tallest building in all Central Asia. It was built back in 1126 by the Karakhan ruler Arslan Khan. Kalon means "great" in Tajik
Kalon Minaret Top View
This building is 47m tall and its foundations go as deep as 10m. Genghis Khan when arrived in Bukhara ordered his army to spare this tower by its beauty and greatness. I think he made the right choice. Near the Minaret you have the Kalon Mosque, The Mir-i-Arab Medressa abd athe Amir Alim Khan Medressa.
On the picture you have the view from the top of the tower 47 m high you can just apreciate the city from up.
Hoja Nasruddin was a Sufi . He is still today renowned for its sense of humour and his educational Islamic stories are used to feel people heart with joy and laugh while studing and learning the Islam.
This statue is located in Labi-Hauz square Bukhara city.
There are several Nasruddin Hojas and that can be confusing. The Arabs call him Joha, the Turks know him as Nasruddin Hoja, and the people of India/Pakistan and Iran as Mulla Nasruddin.
i had a very nice suprise when I got to Bukhara and saw the statue as I didnt knew about its existence. I somehow started to remember some stories my Arabic teacher usually told us about Hoja Nasruddin. At a certain point it started to be the higlights of the whole classes where everybody started to laugh.
Small stories of Hoja Nasruddin:
Catching the train
Nasrudin and two of his cronies arrive at the train station just in time to see the train leave. “when is the next one?” they ask the station master. “in an hour” answers the man. Nasrudin and his friends decide to spend the waiting time in a rail station pub. An hour later they leave the bar just in time to see this train, too, leave. They attempt to chase it, but without success. Upon enquiry they are told that the next train leaves in three hours. They decide to return to the bar. This time they get to the platform as the train starts pulling out from the station. The three of them do not give up. They open a run with all their might, and indeed two of them succeed boarding; only Nasrudin trips and falls, and misses the train. The station master helps him on his feet, and seeing Nasrudin watching the disappearing train in great distress says: “do not worry, sir. The next train is in another half an hour” “it’s not me I worry about” answers Nasrudin. “It’s my friends. You see, they were only escorting me to the train!”
Machismo
while working as a lorry driver, nasrudin found himself one day a sole customer in a roadside restaurant, in the middle of the desert, when three bikers budged in. the bored bikers started to provoke him, looking for a fight. one of them bumped into him, another put his cigarette ashes in his cofee, etc. nasrudin didn’t react, got up calmly, payed his bill and left. while they listened to him starting the lorry outside, one of them said with disgust: “what a coward!” “yeah, not a real man, that one…” agreed his buddies. “right,” agreed the restaurant owner, looking out through the window. “not only he’s not a real man, he ain’t a real driver either. just now, reversing the lorry, he run over three new bikes…”
Who died?
A traveler was passing through town when he came upon a huge funeral procession. Nasrudin was on a corner watching the people pass by.
“Who died?” the traveler asked Nasrudin.
“I’m not sure,” replied Nasrudin, “but I think it’s the one in the coffin.”
True faith
There was a terrible draught. after a long deliberation, the villagers decided to approach nasrudin, who was known to work miracles on occasion, and ask for his intervention in bringing the rain. the whole community went over to nasrudin’s hut and the elders stated their request. “sorry”, said nasrudin. “there will be no miracle - you have no faith”. “but nasrudin, how can you say it?” said the villagers. “after all, is it not our faith, that brought us to your door, begging for help?” “if you really had faith” said nasrudin, “you would have come with umbrellas”
Level ground
Nasrudin was fixing his roof one day when a friend approached his house. His friend called out, “Excuse me, Nasrudin, could you please come down here for a moment?”
Narudin put down his tools and climbed down his roof to meet his friend. His friend then asked, “Could I borrow some money?”
Nasrudin thought for a moment, then beckoned to his friend, “Please, could you join me on my roof for a moment?”
The friend climbed upon the roof, followed by the Mullah who then exclaimed, “I HAVE NO MONEY!!!”
Certainty
“Let us toss a coin and see who is right?”
“Certainly,” said Nasrudin, “head’s I win, tails you lose.”
Orthodoxy and heresy
“Nasrudin is your religion orthodox?”
“It all depends,” said Nasrudin,
“on which bunch of heretics is in power.”
The Nature of the Unseen
It seems that the Master of Mirth and Chief of the Dervishes, Nasrudin was once called to pontificate on the ‘Nature of God’ in the local mosque. Present where the many Imams and Dr’s of the Islamic Law. Out of courtesy and because Nasrudin could not be counted on saying anything worthwhile, these illustrious guests explained and inspired the audience with their eloquence and wisdom.
Finally it was Nasrudins turn to explain ‘the Nature of God’. “God . . .”, started Nasrudin impressively “is . . .”
Nasrudin removed and held up an ovoid mauve vegetable from the folds of his turban, ” . . . an aubergine.” There was uproar at this blasphemy. When order was finally established, Nasrudin was reluctantly asked to explain his words. “I conclude that everyone has spoken of what they do not know or have not seen. We can all see this aubergine. Is there anyone who can deny that God is manifest in all things?” Nobody could.
“Very well,” said Nasrudin, “God is an aubergine.”
Samarkand is inside everyone imaginary to be distant, exotic and full of poetic mystery.
This city already held a important place in the region and is in fact one of the oldest Central Asia settlements coming as far as the 5th century BC. Alexander the Great arrived in 329BC and said that the city Marakanda’s was even better then he actually thought. Samarkand became capital of Timur Empire in 1370 was during 37 years a huge and important economic and cultural centre. All its present day historical monuments are by the hand of himself Timur, his grandson Ulugbek and the Uzbek Shaybanids.
Registan Square
Uzbekistan is a wonderful place to visit in Central Asia. In terms of historical sites, this is by fact the richest country in the entire region. This country holds a very important place in the emblematic Silk Road and both Samarkand and Bukhara are a must while visiting it. Uzbekistan sees itself as the most important country in the former Soviet Central Asian republics and along with its Big Boss, President Islam Karimov makes a very strong hand over the country politics and civilian laws.
Uzbekistan suffered several incursions by several different empires starting to make part of some old Persian regions, On the 4th century BC, Alexander the Great came and actually married in Samarkand with a girl named Roxana. After came a small contact with Buddhim in the Kushan dynasty and again a small and brief return of Persian power under the Sassanians. Ater the Western Turks that came down from the northern steps, came Islam with the Arabs on the 8th century but who didn’t stay for long. Persian power came back again for the 3rd time now with the Samanid dynasty in the 9th and 10th century which turned Bukhara the capital of the empire. The Great Genghis Khan came to destroy late in the 13th century. Was only after all this that Uzbekistan came to be central in the region and due to the Timur empire became a very important outpost for the huge route of the Silk Road. In the late 18th century the country started its first contacts with Russia and since then became more and more in the hands of the Lords from the North.
Apart of the well known South historical cities, there are a lot to be seen and explored to the North heading Fergana Valey. Little lakes, and big mountains are very nice to visit on the Northern part of the country.
Registan Square in Samarkand
