Uzbekistan | FindPenguins

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Trip start
July 14, 2019
Uzbekistan skip's retirement travel
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Day 2
Monday, July 15, 2019 at 8:53 AM
☀️ 32 °C
Altitude: 478 m
Uzbekistan Margilan 40.47588, 71.7172140°28’33” N 71°43’2” E
Margilon silk factory, Uzbekistan
July 15, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Area famous for silk for a very long time. The first pic shows unraveling the cocoons and spinning the silk. Up to 500 meters of silk is obtained from each cocoon. Next is the dye room, showing some of the sources for the natural dyes. Next is carpet making. 4th and 5th are of the traditional hand looms. Last are Soviet era mechanical looms.Read more
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Day 2
Monday, July 15, 2019 at 12:04 PM
☀️ 38 °C
Altitude: 405 m
Uzbekistan Kokand 40.54088, 70.9355540°32’27” N 70°56’8” E
Khan's Palace, Xoqand
July 15, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C
Palace of the ruler of "Kokand" kingdom, built in the 1860s. The kingdom existed for over 1,000 years and was active in the silk road trade.
First is the building itself; then the main courtyard (one of 7 courtyards in the palace, as 7 is a sacred number in Islam). Next are several rooms, leading up to the main throne room. There are 118 rooms, another Koranic number.
This is the Fergana valley, one of the more fertile areas of central Asia. Craftsman here were famous for their woodworking skills, as can be seen in the workmanship here.Read more
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Day 3
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at 8:13 AM
☀️ 32 °C
Altitude: 463 m
Uzbekistan Frunzenskiy Rayon 41.31139, 69.2797741°18’41” N 69°16’47” E
Tashkent
July 16, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Capital of Uzbekistan. Founded 2,200 years ago, this has been a center of trade, including the silk route, for that time. It has only been a political center since the latter 19th century.
The first pic is of the Amur Timur statue. He is better known as Tamerlane, an Uzbek national hero more often associated with Samarkand. Next is Independence Park. Third is the one of the best war memorials I think I've ever seen--a woman weeping along side the eternal flame. It gets at the deep effects of war that are often ignored. 4th is one of the Metro stations, not as ornate as the Moscow Metro, but still nicer than most. Next is "Broadway," the entertainment area of town. Last is part of the main market.Read more
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Day 5
Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 9:33 AM
☀️ 33 °C
Altitude: 714 m
Uzbekistan Koshbakaly 39.67569, 67.006139°40’32” N 67°0’22” E
Samarqand
July 18, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C
Aka Samarkand. Probably the most famous city on the silk road. Founded almost 3,000 years ago. Served as Tamerlane's capital. Became the empire known as the Mughul empire in India.
Most of the old city has been destroyed. Only a few buildings remain and those are generally restored. First is the building at the observatory built by Tamerlane's grandson Ulugbeg, and the second is what remains of the largest sextant/quadrant of the 14th century when the Islamic world was the intellectual center. Astronomy done there became the basis for western astronomy. The work was so accurate that they calculated the length of the year to about 1 minute off of current science. Ulugbeg was assassinated by fundamentalists, resulting in the end of the era of Islamic growth and descent into their dark ages.
Next are a couple of pics of the necropolis of Tamerlane's family built on the site where one of Mohammed's cousins is buried. Last is Tamerlane's own mausoleum.Read more
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Day 5
Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 2:16 PM
☀️ 40 °C
Altitude: 725 m
Uzbekistan Samarkand 39.65474, 66.9752939°39’17” N 66°58’31” E
Registon Square
July 18, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C
The center of Samarkand and, some say, the center of central Asia. These are the only buildings allowing pictures inside. Hence more pictures to see what the inside of the others look like.
In the first pic of the square as a whole, the building on the left was built in the 15th century by Ulugbeg as a madrassah (which at that time meant a school for science) that became the main science institute of central Asia. The other two were built in the 17th century. These pictures show the two levels of small rooms for sleeping and study and the way the walls throughout were finished. The last is the "gold mosque" in the madrassah built after the former science buildings were changed to Koranic study.Read more
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Day 7
Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 1:30 PM
☀️ 40 °C
Altitude: 515 m
Uzbekistan Nurota 40.55646, 65.6806340°33’23” N 65°40’50” E
Nurota
July 20, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C
City near the center of Uzbekistan. Located at an oasis where traders met to be refreshed and do some business. The first pic is of a ruined fortress supposedly built by Alexander. While the archaeology suggests it was built in the right time frame, there is no evidence that Alexander was actually here. The oasis pool in the second pic still provides all the water for the town; while the 3rd pic shows the "holy fish," so named for the mosque and mausoleums located here. The fish are protected. Next is the main square in town. Last is the entry to the park including the oasis, the fort and the main mosque in town.Read more
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Day 7
Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 7:59 PM
🌙 39 °C
Altitude: 270 m
Uzbekistan Eski Do‘ngalak 41.06223, 65.9564141°3’44” N 65°57’23” E
Kyzylkhum desert
July 20, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ 🌙 39 °C
Central desert in Uzbekistan. The pictures are of the desert, with the last two of the remains of a 10th century caravansarai.
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Day 8
Sunday, July 21, 2019 at 3:04 PM
☀️ 45 °C
Altitude: 238 m
Uzbekistan Bukhara 39.77058, 64.4216239°46’14” N 64°25’18” E
Bukhara
July 21, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 45 °C
One of the oldest cities in the world at more than 2 1/2 millennia and a major intersection of the many routes of the silk road. The first pic is chassma ayub: Job's Spring. Tradition has it that the biblical figure Job arrived here and made the spring by banging his rod on the ground. Note the conical dome. That survives from Tamerlane's time. Next is the main mosque here followed by the Ark. This is the fortress and residence of the emirs/khans who ruled Bukhara. In the local Turkic language, ark=home. An interesting parallel to the Noah story. Next is a madrassah, a mosque and another madrassah portico that actually has pre-Islamic symbols, some are even Zoroastrian.Read more
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Day 9
Monday, July 22, 2019 at 12:24 PM
☀️ 37 °C
Altitude: 236 m
Uzbekistan Bukhara 39.77631, 64.4149339°46’35” N 64°24’54” E
Kalon, Bukhara
July 22, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C
Kalon means large and refers to this square of large buildings. The first is the main minaret that is a symbol of Bukhara. The second pic gives a sense of scale, while the next 3 are of the mosque and madrassah around the square. Last is one of the nearby Trader's Domes. These were built over intersections such that people had to pass on through. They provided shade and weather protection for shoppers and merchants alike, and each one has a mosque and a hammam (bath). Kinda like a forebear of modern enclosed malls.Read more
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Day 12
Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 8:25 AM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: 104 m
Uzbekistan Khiva 41.3786, 60.3574341°22’43” N 60°21’27” E
Khiva
July 25, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Former capital of the Xorezm (Korezm) empire. Now a provincial city restored to recall history, at least since the last time it was destroyed by invaders about 300 years ago.
The original city is at least 2,500 years old.
The first pic is the tallest minaret here followed by the west gate. Then a couple madrassahs. The tile work around the entrances is similar to other sites. What is unique to Khiva is the balcony within the arch over the entrance. Next is an overview of part of the city. Last is one be of the oldest mosques, this one built on the model off Mohammed's first mosques outside Medina.Read more
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Day 12
Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 8:51 AM
☀️ 30 °C
Altitude: 103 m
Uzbekistan Khiva 41.37913, 60.3584841°22’45” N 60°21’31” E
Khan's palaces, Khiva
July 25, 2019 in Uzbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
There are 5 palaces here, but only 2 are within the city walls. First is a gate. Then the private mosque. Next are the three courtyards: the harem, the area for private entertainment and the formal reception room, what might call the throne room.Read more
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Trip end
July 26, 2019