Bukhara

3 September 2012

Today is the first day back at school for many students in Uzbekistan.

This morning the streets were filled with smartly dressed children; many boys in squeaky clean suits and girls in uniforms resembling waitress outfits complete with a white pinafore and elaborate white hairband. Many were carrying flowers for their teachers - what a great tradition!

Bukhara is another historic and holy town built around canals and pools. There are few remains of these water ways now as they were all drained away by the Bolsheviks, but the holy mosques, medresses, minarets and the massive royal fortress still remain.

The highlights of my visit have been the following:

1. Sitting in the main Kalon mosque as the sun went down, listening to a student sing the evening call to prayer.

2. Persuading the guard of the royal fortress to let me in, even though the ark is currently closed for renovation. Walking through the amazing warren of rooms and seeing the old mosque. Being able to view the whole of Bukhara from inside it's walls.

3. Experiencing the fusion of east and west in an elaborate tea house. The inside walls were lined with exquisite Persian carpets and tea urns. The tea was from China mixed with spices from Uzbekistan. This was served with delicious sweets from Turkey.

4. Getting a hot bath in the Hammom Kunjak, a women's bath house originally built for the wives and girlfriends ( some times numbering 300!!), of  the king.

5.  Seeing the exhibition of suzani ( wall embroideries) at the king's summer palace.