Category: Personal

Breakfast is a surprise because even at 6:30 the place is busy, well its not a surprise that the people filling the place are Germans but lucky of us they are not off to the border like us they are headed in the other direction.

Jonathan gives us the good news bad news script. Good news is the border is closed to local for some reason which should make it marginally quicker the bad news is that the bus which ferries people across no-man’s-land is not running so we will be pulling our own cases across the 1km to the other side.

Well “it is what it is” is my response so bring it on.

After an hour or so on the coach we arrive at the border 21 people all dragging their bags towards a young chap in a nice smart uniform with a big shiny machinegun strapped across his chest this is the “before you get to the border check, check”

He looks at our passports one by one randomly flicking through the pages not sure what he is looking for but I learnt a long time ago you don’t mess with people at customs points you just keep quiet and let them do what they need to do.

 

Well past the first hurdle now 100 mt to the next checkpoint. Heave the bags up the steps (no ramp) now all our passports are collected and taken away to be processed.
Now in reality each passport should not take that long however they don’t give them back until all of them have been processed so this does take a little time. This is extended as on of our group (no names Michael) seems to have a different passport number to the one on the list which seems to be catastrophic and something which can not be rectified here at the border so the member will be left behind in Uzbekistan on his own whilst the guide tried to sort it out. 

After arranging transport back to the hotel and someone to look after them we are making sure the team member has lots water, fruit, boiled sweets, telephone numbers and are saying our goodbyes where behold a solution is found (after the guide takes some staff member away into a quiet corned and talks to them) and we all get back in line excitement over for now.  

 

They eventually bring our passports back and we are called through in some random order scanned and then have to talk to one of the customs people.

When you enter Uzbekistan you fill out a form which notes all the different currencies you have and you do the same on exit and they using a calculator work out how much you have spent. They then put this back onto the form you gave them stamp it twice and let you go to the next checkpoint where
they type all your details into their computer and eventually stamp your visa
(I never told you how much fun we had getting the visa in the first place, another time perhaps).
Once stamped you get to go and wait outside whilst everyone else goes through the same process. Now some of our party seem to be taking out more money than they brought in which is a bad thing and there is plenty of changes being made and lots of head scratching going on.

After an hour and a half we are all through and assembled now we have to get across no-mans-land and off we go it is not really a road more packed earth and stones so progress is not particularly fast, more steady.

Half way across we have to show our passports again to some nice young man in a smart uniform with a big machinegun. this is the last of the Uzbekistan checks however 10 mt on and we do the same with the first Turkmenistan checks by a nice young man in a different smart uniform and a machinegun across his chest.

We set off again and I note we cross a river which is probably the actual border. There is someone stationed every 150 mt along our route smiling as we pass.

We arrive at the Turkmenistan checkpoint and our passports are collected again
and taken away again (we all have visas so this should not present too much of
an issue and 45 minutes later they come back and we are scanned through with
passports stamped. Only one more young man in uniform with a gun to go and we are now getting onto our next coach for another adventure.
All in all about 3 hours which our guide says is not bad.

 

The is not really a problem with all of this process you have to remember that until 1991 they did not have borders as they were all part of the USSR so they have no process and they had to create border crossings and everything which goes with them add this to the fact that 20+ foreigners turn up all at once and I think everything went fine. 

No pictures sorry its not the done thing at borders

 

So our last night in Khiva and we are in the center of the town at an open air restaurant where the food is “interesting” soup and stuff in sticks with lots of bread and beer and of course some local vodka, well it would be rude not to.

The highlight is a group of people playing local instruments and a lady singing with a couple of kids helping.

It was a lot better than I am making out and they play and sing with a lot of gusto and polish, this team have done this a lot.

There is the obligatory get the tourists up to dance section which some of our groups seem more than happy to assist with.

 

The small amounts of local vodka which were consumed I believe may have added to the joviality.

 

As much as we are enjoying ourselves we have to leave and get some sleep.

We have our first border crossing in the morning and breakfast is at 06:30 bags on the coach at 07:00 with us leaving at 07:30 and we are already being warned will be long and tiresome.

We continue to drift around this charming place during the later afternoon I say charming the guide put a lot of emphasis on the large slave market they used to have which reduces the charming to chilling.

Khiva has Madrassa and museums plus a real life Harem to potteraround where they put on a very weird / interesting little “activity” which may have been a play or a historical reenactment of some event but given none of us speak Uzbek it was almost impossible to decipher but the main character did have some groovy boots on.

 
A lot of very delicate tile work and plenty of things to delight the eye even a carriage acquired from the Tsar of Russia and a Medieval Friday Mosque. 
 

We are advised that nominally there are three types of mosques an Everyday Mosque, a Friday Mosque and a Special Celebration mosque.

The everyday ones are normally small and local to the community and the Friday Mosque is one for weekly gatherings the last is fairly self explanatory.  

 

As I said before we are trying to get some sunset shots of Khiva and we have found a 3 story building just by the East gate which we can climb up onto which for some reason is not crowded with other tourists trying to do the same thing.

There are no “Health & Safety” officers here so stairs with no banisters and flimsy wooden posts to stop us falling to our doom are the norm and you just keep climbing and don’t look down.

Whilst waiting for the “right” light (like I know what I am talking about) acouple of curious local girls want me to take their picture, they then of course want to see it,



in return they show me how to clamber across the roof tops of the houses below us which gives me some great shots from a different angle.

 

OK job done and a quick dash back to the hotel for a shower before dinner which Jonathan says will be special so who knows what we will end up eating.

 

We are quite often in awe wandering around Khiva, open mouthed and gawping at the intricate and colorful buildings not to mention the colorful people.

We are also reminded that we are in an ordinary town as we bump into two wedding parties looking stunning if rather somber given the occasion

 

We are lead to believe that it is traditional not to smile and we should not worry about them.

Another happy group we bump into are these and whilst the adults look very pleased and proud the youngster dressed in silver should be less impressed.

Although he probably does not understand it he is off to his circumcision which happens to boys when they are either 3 or 5 no idea why the gap but  I think earlier rather than later would be his response if asked.

The lady holding the child is noted for her gold teeth which are all the rage, everyone and I mean everyone has gold teeth. Not sure but I imagine they go to the dentist not as much for a checkup but a revaluation.

We are enjoying Khiva very much and spend the rest of the time hanging around and drinking coffee watching the locals and haggling for souvenirs.
They have lots of carpets, wall hangings, paintings chess sets and trinkets although i am biding my time until we get to Buchars where Jonathan says the is more choice and keener prices.

As the day starts to wind down we are hatching a plan to come back later to try and get some sunset shots from a highpoint we have spotted before meeting up with the group for dinner somwhere in the center ofthe town.

 

Well this is what we want a real honest to goodness ancient walled city. Legend has it that Khiva was founded when Shem son of Noah discovered a well here although there are several other theory’s.

Whatever the origin it has been around since the 6th century and was a fort and trading post on the Silk Route and capitol of the Timurid empire in the 16th century with a very busy slave market.

It is a Unesco World Heritage site and this stops development inside the walled area which ensures it keeps its ancient look and feel.

Here is their representation of the original Silk Route with Khiva right in the middle

and here are the walls of Khiva

 

Up early for a day touring the place with some free time in the afternoon to wander around. Entering the town through one of the ancient
gates we are confronted by a maze of streets which eventually lead us through
ruins and great mosques. It is a very picturesque place with several Madrassa
museums minarets and the slave cells inner citadel (Kunya Ark) and quite a few
people selling items which they are touting as hand made.

 

Khiva is split into two parts. The outer town, called Dichan Kala, was formerly protected by a wall with 11 gates. There is a picture below notice to the right hand side of the picture these are tombs which are a ruse as attackers were not allowed to walk over graves and so it was a sort of extra protection for the city. 

The inner town, or Itchan Kala, is encircled by brick walls, whose foundations are believed to have been laid in the 10th century. Present-day crenellated walls date back to the late 17th century and attain the height of 10 meters. The old town retains more than 50 historic monuments and 250 old houses, mostly dating from the 18th or the 19th centuries.

Djuma Mosque, for instance, was established in the 10th century and rebuilt in
1788-89, although its celebrated hypostyle hall still retains 112 columns taken
from ancient structures.

 
It’s difficult to imagine what exactly ancient Khiva was like, considering the historical areas were restored to a scrubbed and squeaky-clean look by the
Soviets in the 1970s.
It is not often the Soviets are praised for their work but this time you have to take your hats off to them an this place could so easily have been lost given how close Bukhara and Samarkand are to it. 
The clustered array of mosques, madrassahs and tiled minarets within a area of less than 3km give you a sense of how crowded and bustling this town must have been throughout its history. It was noted as being very crowded with so many people inside the walls it was difficult to make your way around.

 

 

So there we were at a little coffee stand in the middle of a delightful park asking the café owner for two white coffees when it occurred to me that we might want to check which currency to use.

Interestingly we had with us British Pounds, American Dollars, Euros, credit / debit cards from five different countries but all to no avail as what we really needed was Uzbekistan Som. Who would have guessed that three of the main currencies in the world would not be useful well you learn something every day.

We did in the end find someone who would take dollars (they do need to be pristine no creases or folds accepted) it was at a burger bar attached to a cinema complex a little further down the road.

On payment after what was some very strong coffee the lady did give us rather a large amount of change which threw us a little. There seemed to be a lot of bank notes which looked impressive but in reality were small demomination. To be clear 1000 Uzbekistan Som equals 30 UK pence or 46 US cents and the largest bank note they have is 1000 so this will be fun. 

 

Back at the hotel for a couple of hours relaxing we identify out tour guide Jonathon and try and get some money changed as we will be in the country on and off for a few days. I though $100 would be enough for the next few days

the photo shows exactly what I got 200+ of 1000 Som notes.

 

Anyway at least I can now pay for my massage which was a story not worth
telling as we checked and the hotel only take Som as well and only preapproved cards.

Dinner with our tour group was spent trying to remember names and not confusing Americans with Canadians (they are never happy to be mixed up).

Soup and minced beef on a stick a vodka or two and next you know its breakfast again and this time I avoid ordering eggs.

 

Jonathan wants us to check our cases are all there as there as he thinks there is one missing. looking at the line of bags (around 25) I do not see mine.

I have tied nice bright yellow ribbon on it (Supplied by Lan (Judi’s mum)) so I can pick it out in an instant but it’s not there. Looking around I do spy it on another trolley making its way through the door.

I stop the porter and haul my bag off and place it with the rest. These are then left outside on the pavement by our coach and as I am saying hello to people in our tour group and desperately trying to remember names I spy a different bell hop dash over and yank my case out of the pile and run off with it. I shout as loud and I can and whilst I get everyone else’s attention not his and he is busy stuffing the case into a different coach.

I of course intervene and drag it out but the guy is adamant it must go on this bus as it is on his list. You have to admire his conviction if not his accuracy as he is wrong as it is not actually on his list as we check and my room number is not there but he is still holding firmly onto my bag.
(My head is already worrying about what I would have done if I had not spotted him one set of clothes for 21 days not something I want to contemplate for too long).

A few other hotel staff join in our discussion then the tour guide and both coach drivers before the “Day Manager” orders the guy to let go of my case which he is not particularly happy about but does concede and I watch it go safely into our transport.

This day manager is now delaying our departure as he repeatedly bows and
shakes my had and apologizes over and over again until I use one hand to grab his arm giving me purchase to pull the other from his grasp. I smile and say just wait for my “Trip Advisor” review sunshine.

 

Only been on this “Vacation” for  one and a half days and already I am
getting a bit weary.

 

Anyway once aboard we set of sightseeing around Tashkent first stop Amir
Timer Square Doh!! at least I can buy coffee there now.

 

 

 

 

    

Decided to take a walk around and stretch the legs a bit.
Mike has acquired a city map so no problem getting around and with his handy compass I am pretty sure we will be ok. (Mike for future reference is my Father in law)

It is quite warm (around 30c) which does not bode well for the padded jacket and scarf I have packed we shall see.

First sight is listed as a Photographic exhibition (Ташкентский
Дом Фотографии) which I am pretty sure is Photography, Well its open and free so it would be rude not to so in we go.

Some fairly interesting oil paintings and we are accompanied all the way around by the guard who is insisting on pointing to each picture as we walk past (as if we needed help). Several big rooms full of paintings all local scenes and I have to say they are ok nothing I need to rave about but well executed (no pictures allowed).

The one thing which does strike us is that there are actually “no” photographs at all which for a Photography exhibition seems slightly odd.

We move on past the Congress center a tall white marble edifice which is very
impressive, where the guards are hiding in the shade of the trees and cross a 5
lane road to gardens of Amir Timur Square. We need to read up on our Uzbekistan history as this guy seems important.

Not too many people around but a sprinkling of them sitting on benches and kids playing, it soon becomes apparent that we are becoming the center of attention. People are surreptitiously taking pictures of us.

Now we are not standing out particularly although we are the only none locals around so not a problem for a while but it all begins to get a little out of hand when people want to take a picture of us two old Europeans smiling alongside their children (this won’t we the last time this happens on this trip). This continues for a while until we decide it is getting a little warm and we should continue and find a drink somewhere in the shade

 I drove through the French countryside with the dawn breaking, the sun rising behind me, and the early morning mist hanging low along the rolling hills and into a traffic jam on the Toulouse ring road, so some things never change.
I still arrived at the airport with lots of time to spare for my short flight to London.
To prepare myself for the coming weeks I though I would get some experience travelling on coaches so after flying from Toulouse to Gatwick I took a National Express coach to Heathrow and then a London Transport red bus to my destination for tonight which is Chalfont St Giles.

It was all quite an experience and a timely warning to me regarding how difficult it is to heave you luggage on and off. Note to self maybe I did pack a few more items than I really needed to perhaps I could jettison some of them before I start on the next leg of the journey. (Who would know apart from you and me)
One thing that struck me today was “Signage” I don’t mean I walked into something I mean how difficult it was to understand them. Lucky for me I am English and at least understood the actual words, I think in the coming weeks it will be me looking lost and forlorn staring at the signs. We shall see we shall see.

Nice web site for anyone who read to the end

http://www.flightradar24.com/IBE31PC