Samarkand
“Pearl
of the East”, “Mirror of the World” “ Center of the Universe” are a
few of the superlatives that have been used to describe this awesome oasis on
the edge of the Kyzyl Kum desert. Capital
city of Tamerlane, Samarkand boasts the most splendid of architectural wonders,
none grander than the Registan.
No
words, no pictures can describe the emotion we feel when first viewing this
restored gem, twice the size of the Taj Mahal basking gloriously in the early
morning sun in the center of the old city.
Three mighty madrassahs, six glorious minarets and three large blue domes
make up this memorial to Uzbekistan’s fabled past. Blues, browns and yellows
dazzle the senses as one strolls about the old town square as one tries to
imagine what it must have been like in the 14th century when it was
built. The inside decoration of the
mosque is quite mind-blowing with its ornate, gold-decorated wall decorations.
Guidebooks can better describe in detail the endless historical wonders
of this city including the remarkable astronomical accomplishments of Ulug Bek,
Tamerlane’s grandson. For us it is a fitting
climax to a visit full of wonderful images and experiences.
A
memorable visit to the market produces a blizzard of exotic commerce, color and
friendliness. People just love to
pose for photographs and all they ask in return is for us to send them a copy of
the photograph. We taste green
radishes and giant super-sweet melons. We
discover wooden devices that take the place of diapers but are far less
expensive. We meet a man who
proudly shows us his medals and photograph collection carried in his breast
pocket. We taste huge melons,
yogurt and honey, freshly made and decorative breads made for special occasions.
We feel nothing but a friendly sense of these people’s humanity and
community of mankind. It is an
uplifting experience.
After
a few days, we head back by plane to Tashkent to the refuge of a Sheraton for
one night and then, an excellent flight home, courtesy of Uzbekistan Airways.
Uzbekistan
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