Uzbekistan

Fotos

25.06

No-driving day in Nukus.

I visit the art museum, that I got recommended the previous day. The painter, archeologist and collector Igor Vitalyevich Savitsky has collected “all” contemporary art of the 20th century, which he could find in Central Asia and Russia.

It’s worth seeing, I spend more than 2 hours in it and I’m sure was an exception.

Walking around outside is impossible , so I spend the afternoon writing the blog in the air-conditioned hostel room.

In the evening, I walk past this small “pub” again, where I had a drink the evening before. Someone calls “How are you?” I enter again and was greeted euphorically.

It’s about the same time as yesterday. There are three of the four people from the previous day in the room and a few more. They sit and stand around one of the small tables. In front of them are small vodka glasses and a bottle of vodka. The small room has been heating up throughout the day. It’s like being in a sauna. The sweat runs down the people’s forehead. They are already visibly drunk. Now and then other people come and get their evening ration of vodka or beer.

Like the day before, I also take a bottle .. beer, not vodka. A few minutes later, the missing fourth person from the previous day came in, the one who speaks some English.

He orders a 1/2 liter beer and about 2cl vodka in a plastic cup. Then he makes two sips of beer and fills up the missing amount with vodka. Gradually the cup of vodka mixes with the beer. It was a tough day, he explains to me. He was on his feet the whole day.

26.06

Khiva

On the way there, I went a bit off-road to visit a fort on a hill, which was visible from the road. Although Jürgen shoots some photos, there are none, because I forgot to put the memory card in the camera. The fort seems to be built of mud. Only the walls are left and these will fall victim to wind and weather in the long term.

Since it’s only 200km from Nukus to Khiva, I extend the distance and drive through villages along the Uzbek / Turkmen border. It is much greener in this area, rivers and irrigation canals criss-cross the area and there is plenty of crops and many rice fields.

Khiva is an old oasis town on the ancient Silk Road. The old center, surrounded by a high wall, has a whole bunch of interesting sights. Whether the heat, I try at least a minimum on doing sightseeing. The historic old town is more of an OpenAir museum. Within the city walls, there are not living many people anymore. Currently, there are hardly any tourists, only some locals trying to sell their souvenirs.

If there are many foreign tourists, it sometimes itches one or the other to try it with a rip-off. I wanted to buy a bottle of fruit juice in one of the MiniMarkt. The young boy wants 17.000 SOM = about 1.70 EUR. I tell him: Isn’t that a bit much (the normal price is the about a third). He insists, that’s the price. I leave the shop.

27.06

Khiva to Buxoro.

First problems with the motorcycle. No wonder on these roads. The plastic part where the front light is fixed, broke. Just 2mm thin plastic. Small cause, big effect. I have to solve this at least temporarily. In the hostel I want to take off the front part.

You know, I am very happy with my motorcycle. Seldom have problems. But those guys, who designed the parts, belong to prison. So many different screws. I already have a toolbox with me, but I do not have the one hex-wrench, that I need take off the cockpit. Tomorrow, one of the people here at the hostel will bring me what I need.

The girl here in the Dervish Hostel speaks excellent English, so I have the opportunity to finally ask a few questions.

It’s off season at the moment. On the one hand, that is good, because you can stay overnight for 8 to 10 EUR, breakfast included, and you have to share a room only with 1 or 2 other people. On the other hand, there is seldom a person to talk to and to change news and experiences.

I have to say, often you are more a guest and less a tourist. In majority the accommodations are excellent, often you get offered tea and fruits several times a day.

28.06

Another day in Buxoro. The distances are big and so I am moving much faster than planned. Therefor I stay one or another day and relax. It’s not a race.

Compared to Kihva, the historic buildings in Buxoro are more spread. I like that more, because when walking around you get a bit of an impression of the daily life.

As there is no better solution possible at the moment, I try to fix the problem with the headlight with duct tape temporary. I’m curious how long that will last.

I mentioned on another trip, that I am not very good with trading. I walk through a market and want to buy a small picture. I can’t buy souvenirs that break easily. My counterpart does all the work for me.

He wants 80,000 SUM, but for 200,000 I can get three pictures. But I only want one. Well 100,000 and you get two. Then he gives me a third for free. I think he just felt sorry for me.

In the evening I sit down in a restaurant to eat. A young man sits down unasked. He starts to talk to me. Always annoying me with the same phrases and words. At some point he should understand that I do not understand anything. When the waiter brings the food, I tell him that he should leave now.

29.06 / 30.06

Samarkand

.. Is probably the tourist center in Uzbekistan. I stay one day and spend my last Uzbek money and buy pistachios at a horrendous price at the local market. I just should not allow anybody to persuade me to buy something.

There is only three different brands of cars in Uzbekistan. Most seen cars is Chevrolet, mostly the smallest ones. Then Lada and there are driving around a few Daewoo.