Sandarkan, Crossroads of the Silk Road

Several days in this 2,700 year old city were spent looking at the many mausoleums that celebrate the lives of past nobles, I’m seriously over them, many have been well restored surprisingly often by the former Soviet Government.
Fortunately there were lots of other things to see including the making of ceramics, metal trays, miniatures, carpets, embroidered goods, etc.
My guide and driver here were great value and were happy to find interesting things to do including taking me to the best somsa making and eating place in town, it was us and the locals only which was great.
We even went wine tasting to kill some time till my train came this afternoon, the white wine was light and nice and the first couple of reds were ok but from there they got stronger and sweeter, too sweet for me as each tasting was the size of a normal serve of desert wine at home, the last couple were cognacs which were 40plus percent alcohol, I just about staggered out of there after 12 tastings.
Tonight I arrived back in Tashkent after several hours on the fast train which topped 212kph, not bad I thought.Read more