Uzbekistan

Samarcand became famous because of its strategic position between India, China and Persia and has been for a long time a key silk road city. Alexander the Great apparently said about this city "Everything I ve heard about Samarcande is true, except that it more beautiful than I ve ever imagined".

Sounds good enough for me to go and have a look at this city...

We arrive quite late in the city after a chaotic bus trip that seemed to never ends. Anyway, we find a cosy guesthouse with an inner garden in the city center.
We wake up quite early, in order to enjoy the morning weather, which quickly takes place to a 35 to 40 degree about 11am, and go around the city for a little sightseeing. The city is full of Mosques, Mausoleums and Medressas (Coranic schools).

The biggest monument is by far the Registan. Three huge medressas buikt between the 15th and the 17th century.
Beautifull architecture...let you guys have a look at the pics rather than boring explanations...





































Have a little stop at the bazaar for lunch... rest and relax, now way to walk at noon, the weather is too hot for us (even for locals).
We just follow the "place to go" part on the lonley planet but the city is quite small and we finish the tour by the end of the afternoon.

...Mausoleums





















I have to say, Arnaud and I quite fell in love with the local .....
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..... cars.


Ohhhhh yeah, beautiful stylish old sovietic Ladas.... they are just great !!!! Want one !!!


























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ON
THE
ROAD
AGAIN