Today was a magnificent weather day; blue cloudless sky with brisk cool winds. Everyone is talking about the "October" weather that we're having now in September. We'd expected to be sweltering until the blazing sun and instead we're trying to find areas of sun to stand in for warmth.
At last we saw Samarkand. For me Samarkand is a kind of mythical city having heard about it so much from my aunt Eze. I had to pinch myself this morning as I stood in front of The Registan, a complex of three medressas: Ulugbeck (a pioneering scientist of his day), Sher Dor (the Lion) and the Tilla-Kari (Gold-Covered). These religious schools were built in 1420, 1636 and 1660 respectively. I have many many photos which I can't upload to the blog right now due to high internet fees at our hotel, but I will add them later on. But imagine three massive buildings around a square (picture Lincoln Center) with domes, minarets and facades covered entirely in beautiful turquoise tiles.
Next we went to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque which is largely crumbling but atmospheric nonetheless. It was interesting walking toward Bibi-Khanym along an "avenue" of glitzy shops that the government has obviously set up, knowing that all tourists will walk this route. The only time we stopped was to look at adorable school children (there seemed to be several schools along this route also) in their uniforms at play. Children are very curious and enjoy approaching us and having their pictures taken.
After a lunch that lasted far too long we headed out again for Shah-i-Zinda, an "avenue of mausoleums". Although it was restored in 2005, I thought the tiles and restoration work was lovely. We climbed a long stairway and then traveled from mausoleum to mausoleum inspecting the different tile work on each. There was a tiny mosque somewhere inside the complex where we had an opportunity to see prayer. It's amusing when, in the midst of prayer, someone's cell phone with a crazy ringtone goes off. Obviously they were supposed to have turned it off before entering.
Last stop was Ulugbeck's Observatory, "one of the great archaeological finds of the 20th century". His 30m astrolabe, designed to observe star positions, was part of a three-story observatory he built in the 1420s. Ulugbeck really rocked.
Dinner at an old local home. Food wonderful; many veggies and lots of vodka. House had been taken format he family during the Soviet period and the grandfather somehow was able to buy back the home and now it remains in the family. The granddaughter is earning money by hosting groups and serving home cooking. Very nice evening.
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