Click Here for a Slideshow of Uzbekistan (Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent)

Uzbekistan Fall 2007

In the fall of 2007 I traveled to Uzbekistan with a friend and writer from the UK, Jamila Gavin. Both of us had long wanted to visit the ancient Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara. I am particularly interested in this region because it was once part of the Persian empire. I went there to do research for my companion novel to Anahita’s Woven Riddle, which is entitled Night Letter. While in the capital of Tashkent, Jamila and I visited with the students of Tashkent International School.

I found Uzbekistan fascinating, a mix of cultures and peoples as well as traditional and modern lifestyles. We flew from London to Tashkent, then boarded a train for Samarkand and on to Bukhara. We crossed barren landscapes, which reminded me of the Amercian West, though more vast.

When we reached Samarkand and Bukhara, I felt as if we had the cities to ourselves. The tourists, if any, seemed mainly Uzbeks, most of whom were on pilgrimage to the holy shrines and mosques. In these cities we found an abundance of the blue-tiled Persian architecture, traditional textiles and ancient artifacts. Bukhara, once a home of Omar Khayyam, is like a living museum with the locals still residing in the centuries-old adobe village featuring winding alleys and intricately-carved wooden doors.

 

Uzbekistan Travel Guides

If you are contemplating a trip to Uzbekistan, I recommend hiring a guide. Jamila and I made arrangements with a professional young man named Rustam Muslimov at: http://www.visit-uzbekistan.com/contact.php. This outfit will tailor a trip for any sized party. The guides are a joy to be with, steeped in local history and know the best places to eat. Travel to Uzbekistan is currently very affordable.

Books associated with Bukhara

A book that I enjoyed reading while on the road, aside from Khayyam’s Rubiyat, was Leonid Solovyev’s The Beggar in the Harem, a tale set in Bukhara and based on Turkish folklore, about Khoja Nasreddin, a champion of the poor and downtrodden. A huge bronze statue commemorating Nasreddin and his cherished donkey stands in Laubi Hauz Square in Bukhara.

Another book to read that is set in Bukhara is my novel, Night Letter. Check back to hear when it might be published...