The Silk Road: Uzbekistan

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UZBEKISTAN

TASHKENT: capital of Uzbekistan, it's also an obligatory stop to begin the journey through this fascinating region. From here it's possible to take flights that within an hour reach both the northern part of the region and the capital of Kyrgyzstan if you wish to continue the journey in that country. The city doesn't offer much, but in our opinion it's still worth a visit for its originality, given by its dual appearance: Soviet and Islamic at the same time. Wide Soviet-style avenues characterise the city. Worth visiting is Independence Square, whose gates are guarded by steel/aluminium pelican statues that turn a flaming red at sunset.

KHIVA: an hour's flight will take you to Urgench. From here just 30 km separate you from the wonderful Khiva. The old town - Ichon-Qala - mirrors exactly what it could have been in the past, thus remaining an authentic Central Asian city. You just need to close your eyes and imagine its winding alleys swarming with merchants, goods, camels overlooked by splendid minarets, madrasahs and mosques. Today, splendid beauties to admire at sunset as they turn golden. Superb is the view of the city in the sunset light from the top of the Islom-Huja minaret.

BUKHARA: from Khiva a taxi (your choice whether private or shared) will take you in about 5 hours through the suffocating heat of the desert to Bukhara. This wonderful city too has remained the same as in that now-vanished time. Wandering through the old town you come across a veritable tangle of commercial alleys and mini-bazaars. In the distinctive covered markets (the Taqi) tiny shops open onto narrow spaces where artisans work in the half-light. In the courtyards, of incomparable beauty, of the madrasahs, besides the small shops, daily markets are held. Breathtaking for its beauty is the square where the Kalon minaret stands. Framing it are the Kalon mosque and the Mir-i-Arab madrasah, the latter still active today, an important Quranic school.

SAMARKAND: about 4 hours by train brings you to Samarkand, a legendary city, known for the magic of its name which evokes the "Silk Road" like no other Asian city. Unfortunately very little remains of the splendour that Samarkand could represent at one time. Unmissable is Registan Square, where tiles of dazzling cobalt blue, turquoise and green adorn the three madrasahs that frame the square: Ulugh Beg's, Shir Dar's and Tilla-Kari's. Enchanting is the Bibi Khanym Mosque in the morning light. Even more splendid and evocative is the Shah-i-Zinda shrine, where numerous faithful go to pray at the tomb of a cousin of the prophet Mohammed who is said to have brought Islam to this region. From Samarkand, the capital Tashkent is easily reachable by train (4 hours). From there our journey continued by flight to Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan.