Samarkand

After the first session on Friday am the organisers took pity on we useless non- Uzbek speakers and decided the interpretation was inadequate so the cause of international library solidarity would be better served by taking us on a sightseeing tour. Despite our protests they insisted😀 So we unexpectedly went straight to the most iconic of sights- the Registan. Although this was my third visit, the exquisite decoration on the three huge & imposing medressas facing into the square will always make one gasp. Another thing which adds to the delight of it all is the fact that loads of local people go there for a grand day out in splendid traditionally influenced outfits which adds an extra dimension of wonder to it all. Overcome by the whole experience I bought an antique suzane (embroidered throw type of thing) which in hindsight I am not sure I like 😟from a shop in one of the old cells where the medressa students used to live. After lunch of tasty but v greasy plov tempered by the usual wonderful fresh salads, super-sized sweetly crisp radishes & piles of unusual herbs in a local wedding palace turned conference catering venue where we ate
every meal ( it got a bit tedious) we then went off to the splendid Bibi Khanum mosque - she was Timur (Tamerlaine's) Chinese wife. Legend has it that the architect fell madly in love with her and refused to complete the work unless she let him kiss her & as a result Timur insisted women should be veiled. Probably a load of twaddle though as other people told us veiling was not traditional in Samarkand for most of its history. Next aided by well-seasoned bargainers Farida from NL Kazakhstan & Amina from NL Azerbaijan we raided the bazaar & came away with some fine bargains. We then thought we'd have 2 hours to rest but as was always the way on this trip plans changed & we were whisked back to the very formal conference closure and many many photo opps. So just enough time to dash back & throw on our finery for the bankiet...Read more