Ready for take-off
15. april 2025, Belgien ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Ready to depart from Brussels with a layover in Istanbul.
First time with Turkish: approved!
15. april 2025, Belgien ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
First time flying with Turkish Airlines.
The planes are clean and modern, the in-flight entertainment is extensive, free wifi on board and the food is delicious. Expensive, but worth it!"
Layover in Istanbul. Huge airport
15. april 2025, Tyrkiet ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
For the first time, I landed at Istanbul Airport (IST), the airport located on the European side. On my previous visit to Istanbul, I had landed at the secondary airport on the Asian side.
TheLæs mere
2nd part: destination Samarkand
16. april 2025, Tyrkiet ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Ready to continue our journey: other 5 hours and 30 minutes of flight (in addition to the 3 hours and 30 minutes already flown) to reach Samarkand, Uzbekistan!
Same plane, same meal, and the sameLæs mere
12+ hours later: we are in Samarkand
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
After 9 hours of fligh and around 3 of layover, we are in Samarkand, the cultural capital of Uzbekistan.
My real first time in Asia, if we exclude the if we don’t count my visit to the Asian sideLæs mere
The golden statue of Islom Karimov
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
The Islam Karimov Memorial Statue in Samarkand is a bronze statue of Uzbekistan’s first president, who ruled the country for 25 years, from its independence until his death.
It is located behindLæs mere
First stop: Registan
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
After a trip in a Chevrolet Spark ordered via Yandex Taxi (extremely cheap) from the airport to the city center, the first stop is the Registan.
Still carrying our bags on our shoulders and tiredLæs mere
Strolling through the city in the evenin
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ 🌙 19 °C
We get lost in the city, strolling at sunset. We enjoy the beauty of the madrasahs, mosques, and buildings, whose mosaics change color in the light of the setting sun.
We are already in love withLæs mere
Kafe Bobur: Shashlik, bread, and kompot
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Time to try Uzbek cuisine, which is heavily influenced by Turkish, Caucasian, and Soviet flavors.
At Kafe Bobur, we tasted shashlik—marinated lamb, beef, or mutton skewers grilled over an openLæs mere
A classic: Lada cars
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
A classic from our travels in Eastern Europe and former communist bloc countries. Who knows what stories this Lada (I think it should be a Zhiguli 2106) could tell. This car might date back to 1976,Læs mere
The beauty of the Registan at night
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
The beautiful Registan shows its best at night.
The lights make the colors of the glazed tile mosaics and the blue dome shine, and the contrast with the dark sky highlights how the entire complex isLæs mere
Uzbekistan som
16. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
As soon as we arrived, we went to a local bank to exchange euros for som. The currency is highly devalued, and 1 euro equals 15,000 som, so after exchanging 40 euros, we ended up with a stack ofLæs mere
The somsa from the corner shop downstair
17. april 2025, Usbekistan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Somsa (similar to Indian samosas) are small parcels of flaky pastry filled with cheese, meat, or potatoes. Their typical shape is either triangular or half-moon, and they are truly delicious andLæs mere
Leaving Uzbekistan, entering Tajikistan
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We booked a day trip to visit the lake region in Tajikistan, on the border with Uzbekistan.
In the morning, a guide picked us up in Samarkand and took us to the border between Uzbekistan andLæs mere
Ready to cross the Tajikistan border
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
We get ready to cross the border. On the other side, another driver from the agency is waiting to accompany us on the exploration of the lake region.
The local version of KFC!
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Panjakent, the biggest city of the area
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Right after the border, we arrive in Panjakent, a city of 40,000 inhabitants and the largest in this rugged area of Tajikistan.
Before continuing our journey towards the mountains we stop in a largeLæs mere
Leaving the city of Panjakant
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
We leave the city and notice many posters bearing the face of the president, in power since 1993. The posters, written in Tajik, call for unity, national development, and love for the homeland.
WeLæs mere
A region full of gold
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
As we climb higher, the driver stops and takes our documents to a police checkpoint.
He explains us that the area is rich in gold, and many Chinese companies operate here, extracting and processingLæs mere
The ascent towards the mountains begins
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
We begin our ascent to the lakes, situated at around 2,500 meters in the Fann Mountains.
After leaving Panjakent, the asphalt road gives way to narrow, winding mountain paths.
A challenging drive,Læs mere
A busy road, but not due to cars!
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Along the rugged road, we encounter few vehicles but many grazing animals—especially donkeys, cows, and goats—that effortlessly climb the steep slopes.
Even the animals enjoy this beauty
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
A dog posed in front of the lake and the mountains.
Driving on the bed of a dry river.
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Our driver leaves the dirt road and starts a very adrenaline drive along the dry riverbed. It’s a bit bumpy, but we can admire the lightly snow-capped mountains surrounding us.
Officially in Tajikistan!
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
After crossing the border, another guide was waiting for us on the other side to continue the journey in Tajikistan toward the lake region and Panjakent.
We reached the 7 lakes, 2500m above sea
17. april 2025, Tadsjikistan ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
We finally reach the lakes, located between 1,500 and 2,500 meters aboe sea on the Fann Mountains.
They are formed by the melting snow from the surrounding peaks, and their colors vary greatlyLæs mere