ENCORE SAMARKAND

15th -19th April 2025

Local ladies posing outside the three madrassas on Registan

Left: A romantic touch before we leave the 'touristy' madrassas on Registan. It is obviously a popular spot for the traditional/compulsory (Eastern) pre-nuptial photo-ops (left).

Right: There were two couples here, with their 'entourages', when I passed by.

Left: The 'brides-to-be' did not skimp on their face make-up! Every inch was powdered, painted and highlighted. Just as well it didn't start to rain.

Right: There is a very large park adjacent with cafés.......

Left: ....plus the ubiquitous stalls selling all sorts of tat.

Right: .....and the statue of Islam Karimov. He was the first president of Uzbekistan from its independence in 1991 to his death (heart attack) in 2016. He was a somewhat 'autocratic' ruler (ruled with an 'iron fist', I read) and by some means or other stayed in power after 3 further 'referenda' (2000, 2007 and 2015) each time receiving over 90% of the 'vote'. Some suspected 'irregularities'.

Left: Transport (Coca-Cola again) around the park came in several guises....from pedal power......

Right: .....to various forms of 'taxi'.........

Left: .....cheap at 20p (equiv) per ride.

On up Tashkent (or Karimov) Street to the north-east where I found what turned out to be a most helpful and efficient tourist office with staff who spoke perfect English. A rare/unseen feature in all the places I have been to previously. While there I tried to book ongoing rail journeys and, despite the best efforts of the staff, it proved difficult with most trains being fully booked up. More about that later.

Right: A gaggle of schoolgirls on the way to or back from school. They were well turned out, as indeed were most of the citizens around here.

Left: Past a group of singing and dancing ladies.....there were more up the road. I'm not sure why they were dancing....they just seemed to be enjoying themselves....

Right: ....and were happy for me to have my photo taken with them.

Left: At the end of the road was the Bibi-Khanym mosque. Another beautifully restored 14th century mosque, initially financed by Amir Temur (Tamerlane) and was once one of the Islamic world's biggest. 

Right: It has an enormous courtyard behind the façade above with rooms down the sides (more souvenir shops!). The mosque proper is at the end. There is a mausoleum on the opposite side of the road.

Left: The ceiling inside the mosque. A miracle of mosaic tiles.

Right: Just north of this is the vast Syob Bazaar. The photo here shows a mere third of it. There are two other similar areas on different levels. 

Left: Some of the stuff on display.

Right: And more..... I can't think who buys all this, or at least enough to keep so many stalls in business.

Left: Another 'photo op' with a group of locals. For some unknown reason they were keen to have their photo taken with me. Probably because I looked a bit of an 'oddity'!?

Right: I was surprised by the number of carpet shops on the main streets. Subsequently I was told that this part of the world is famous for its silk carpets. I had no idea previously.

Left: I then discovered that there is a major (if not the most important, indeed only remaining major manufacturer) based in this city (according to its manager anyway). It is called 'Samarkand Bukhara Silk Carpets'. It is in the eastern Jewish Quarter.

I met, by chance, the manager, Mohammad, whose father owns the place as did his grand-father before him (who is still alive and takes a keen interest).

Right: They do not come cheap. One of the smaller and 'simpler' designs on display measuring about 5ft x 3ft sells for $5,500. That is Mohammad to the left of it.

Left: This big one of a forest scene took over 3 years to make and is on sale for $15,800! You wouldn't dare stand on it! Indeed, what would you do with it?

Right: Another, very elaborate, design.

Mohammad took me on a most informative tour of the workshop. They produce all their own silk and everything is hand made by the ladies working here (left). Mohammad insisted that only ladies can do this! The complexity, sheer time-consuming patience and skill required to thread every single strand of dyed silk on these looms beggars belief. I still didn't understand how they produced such complex patterns and designs.

Right: Another lady at work.

Left: The storeroom holding many finished products. They also produce silk clothes....but enough photos of silk things.

Right: The ladies about town dressed elegantly and colourfully.......

Left: More colourfully attired citizens. They must be in a 'team' of some sort.

Left: .....unlike yours truly, here sitting with two lions in the park near his hotel. Lions have some significance in this part of the world. I believe they symbolise power, strength and protection and are often found guarding important places or used in architectural decoration.

.....and there is still much more to come from Samarkand!