Ann's Adventures: Bukhara, Uzbekistan

I'm having a massage while waiting for the train from Samarkand to Bukhara. As you can see, it is a very modern train station. Trains are exactly on time, clean, and comfortable.

I'm working on a Japanese braid called kumihimo, in Uzbekistan, taught to me by Kristína in Iceland.

When we arrived in the old town of Bukhara we went for lunch at a very cool cafe. I had this delicious cappuccino after my lunch.

Then we checked into the most beautiful hotel so far, which has been built in an old madrasa (educational institution), hundreds of years old.

Here is the entrance to our suite.

The bathroom

The following photos are from around the Kuleta caravanserai, Bukhara.

The caravanserais were inns, surrounded by walls, and are located along the caravan routes. Travelers could spend the night here, with places for their camels, horses, etc to be looked after. In addition, they could stock up on provisions for the next leg of their journey. Large caravanserais (and this one is huge) served as warehouses for goods, as well as places for trading.

It is understandably a popular place for tourists. The buildings are extensive, and house shops selling carpets, silk suzanis, ikat fabric, jewelery...

An antique ikat coat:

This man has his hand over his heart as he says thank you, rakhmat. It is a lovely gesture, which is done for the littlest thank you to the biggest thank you.

I bought this beautiful silk suzani pillow cover. The embroidery is done with a tambour hook. I love it!

We watched this man dye silk first in onion skins for the gold, then into indigo blue to make green. In ancient times, dyeing was the realm of the Jews.

I've always wanted a samovar for tea, but here they are antiques from the Soviet era, and expensive.

This is the simplest but most beautiful building I've seen so far, dating from the 10 century. It is the Samanid mausoleum. No coloured tiles, but instead, very textured brick work.

We were walking past this amusement park, and took a ride on the ferris wheel. I thought I might be scared, but it was fun.

Lots of tourist buses parked by the wall protecting the caravanserai.

Camel saddlebags.

I don't think they have a gurney.

I love this! Traditionally dressed woman on a scooter.

The number 40 is significant in Islamic culture. Here there are 20 ancient wooden pillars, but with the refection in the pond, they become 40.

At a suzani shop in the caravanserai, a young girl helps her grandma serve us tea.

I like this quilt made of ikat and embroidered scraps, but it is too big and heavy to take home.

The daughter demonstrating tambour embroidery.

I asked what the women use to darken and accentuate their eyebrows, and grandma gave me a tiny tiny pouch of it. I tried it out this morning and looked like Groucho Marx.

When I asked the little girl for a photo, she struck this sweet pose.

The puppet maker did a fantastic little puppet show for us, with a dancing girl.

And here is Baba Yaga.

We visited the small Jewish quarter. The Jews, Moslem, and tiny Christian (Russian Orthodox) population get on well here.

Notice the swastikas carved into the door, in the Jewish Quarter. These date back long before Hitler stole the beautiful symbol of good luck from India and the east.

A daycare centre, and grandpa walking his grandkids to school. Three generations living together is very common.

A donation box for Muslims to donate to their community.

We were greeted by the loud calls of many peacocks when we entered the grounds of the Summer Palace, built by the last Emirs of Bukhara. It is now a museum, displaying the sumptuous decor.