Khiva
Situated
in the incredibly remote Kara Kum desert, alongside the Amu Darya (Oxus) River,
Khiva, the medieval slave town is said to date back to the time
of Noah’s son,
Shem. This ”transcontinental
pit stop” on the Silk Road is slowly being bled dry as the waters of the river
are diverted to feed the ever-demanding cotton trade of the country.
The
old city of t
his desert
hide out for slave
traders on the
Turkmenistan border is truly
an undiscovered gem.
The old city with its small and friendly population
and incredible 19th Century restored Islamic architecture seems
frozen in time. Khiva was a pivotal
city in Russia’s land grab of the 19th Century
as the big bear moved inexorably south in its futile attempts to gain access to
India. Today this “den of iniquity
lost in the desert sands” is a tranquil and very pleasant place to pass hours
of quietness contemplating its violent past which so contrasts with its present
day tranquility.
The
city abounds in quiet streets, ancient mosques and madrassahs (places of Islamic
learning), a market and
friendly merchants with interesting but fairly typical merchandise for sale.
We
stay at a local bed and breakfast with adequate and very inexpensive
accommodation, including dinner, bed and breakfast.
It’s a great chance to meet fellow adventurers from France, New Zealand
and other parts of the world.
Uzbekistan
Home Page Next