Osh was a pretty cool town, and I think the most 'authentic' 'silk road' feel I got in Central Asia (granted I did not go to Samarkand or Buchara so...). For one people seemed more Islamic oriented- the women colourful in their headscarves and many men wearing scull caps or Kyrgyz hats. The bazaar selling everything under the sun gave the town that cross roads of Asia feel- which I think Osh is in a way- between China, Tadjikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan. Osh is in Kyrgyzstan but the people are 40% Uzbek and only 10k to the border. I couldn't tell the difference between Uzbek and kyrgyz except for the mens hats!
I climbed 'Solomans Throne' a big craggy hill in the centre of town where Mohommad once prayed and is now a fairly major pilgrimage site... I was on top when the Minarette calls went outall across the city for midday prayers- Osh was the first and only place I heard prayer calls (at 4am it wasn't quite as romantic). In Tashkent, and perhaps all of Uzbekistan they are banned...
I ran into Flo, the guy I trekked with in Osh again, and we had dinner at this also very atmospheric street of chaikanas- each with a sizzling smoking shashlyk stand out the front and 'topchans' tea beds, to sit on/ laze on :), and blaring Arabic pop with flashing lights. It was very lively at night, and close to my guesthouse.
So yeah all in all I enjoyed Osh...it was also a crossraods for me, from there I left Kyrgyzstan for a couple of days in Tashkent on my transit visa!
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