Tashkent

I enjoyed my short stay in Uzbekistan, despite abundant police checks on the way in through the fergana valley! At every bridge/tunnel/dam they had police/army posted along the road and sometimes big no photography signs.

I went to the big Chorsu Bazaar (started to seem like I was doing a bazaar tour- from Osh bazaar in Bishket, to the Jayma Bazaar in Osh, to the Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent! ) The Chorsu was biggest probably, though it would be close between it and Jayma... Jayma bazaar had the coolest atmosphere! They had a staggering array of spices and nuts, and dried fruit... Of which I bought some to snack on for the plane to India!
I went to the Medressa and the relgious centre of the old town, and there saw a 7th century Koran , that belonged to Osman, made from deer skin, which was huge, and amazing to see. I didn't think I was going to be amazed that much, but I was! The Medressa gave me a taste of what the rest of Uzbekitan must be like, but it must be better too I think! The Art gallery also gave me a snapshot of Uzbek culture on my whirlwind tour :)!
I made sure to try Plov, which I've had all over but is the best in Uzbekistan, and it was delicious- it is like a rice dish with grated carrot and other stuff in it (depending) all cooked in a big wok... Uzbeks are crazy about it, and they even say it is an aphrodisac! I had one with raisons in it that was very nice!

One night I had dinner in a small home-restaurant in the 'old town' (not always that old!), quite a nice spicey soup with meat and dumplings in it, and the mandatory nan, which is like a cross between indian naan and turkish bread, and is at every single meal and in the bazaars you see so many of them (round flat nans) and just on the street you randonly see people carrying a tray of nan covered in a cloth, or riding a bicycle load of nan around, or pushing a pram full of nans (this is the most common form of nan transport I think!... it is one of the stongest impressions I have of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan( a brief imprssion I admit) is the abundant presence of nans (which are very nicely decorated with patterns on top).

Anyway, got to the airport OK and had a smooth flight to Delhi, over amazing mountain ranges... I am only guessing but I think we crossed the Pamirs and the Hindu Kush... I don't think we were north enough for Karakorams.... It was so dry, the landscape, didn't look very inhabited or inhabitable, except for a few river valleys! We went over Tadjikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan! more Stans that I haven't been to!

Now I'm in Delhi... seem to have lost my stalker too which is good! Yay!
xxooxx