Samarkand, Feeling Great

I'm feeling very well here. Sleeping well, dreaming lots. No aches and pains, despite not doing yoga, mostly because there isn't enough floor space in my room. 

The weather during the day is hotter than I expected - in the high 20s. The temperature  goes down to low teens at night, so it is always comfortable for sleeping. 

I have suitable clothes for these temperatures, but I also have too many clothes for colder temps, and of course they take up a lot of space. With all the stuff I'm buying, my suitcase is bulging dangerously. 

Travelling in a group of 12 women is working out fine. We are mostly teachers and librarians, but we also have one pediatrician, one stay-at-home mum, and one woman who worked for the CIA!

This is my favourite snack- local walnuts and figs that I bought at the market very inexpensively.

Yesterday was another great day in and around Samarkand. We visited a workshop where they make paper from mulberry bark. This blouse is made of that paper. 

Here is a bit of the process.

An old Soviet vehicle, a "Moscowich 412"

Naturally dyed silk. I bought a blue skein, dyed with mulberry blossoms.

This woman is embroidering a suzani with all naturally dyed silk thread.

We ate at the home of that woman, and her husband, the potter. Their young sons, of 12 and 14 years, did all of the serving and clearing away. I was very impressed, because they seemed to have such a great attitude - no rolling eyes or muttering. 

They served mulberry jam to stir into our tea. What a great idea! It added a delightful flavour. 

We visited their pottery studio.

They also had grapes drying - making scrumptious raisins which were part of our lunch.

Completed pot above and just starting the pot, below (I am having trouble getting photos in the right spots)

We see lots of old Ladas.

The market is in the village of Urgut. Over those mountains, 120km to the south, is Afghanistan. 

This woman indicated with her fingers that she is 70, and was delighted to know that I am 71. She hugged me and said we are "padrugas", sisters. I bought the decoration she is holding.

This woman is demonstrating card weaving, which is used to make woven bands for trim, belts, etc. I bought some of that too.

Cynthia and her friend. Note the gold teeth. Maybe I should get that done, just on my two front teeth, the chiclet, and its partner, which don't match very well.

The woman in the middle requested this photo. She was quite excited that everything I was wearing was red, and everything she was wearing was gold. 

Shoe repair. 

Check out these unique zippers. I was going to buy one, but they were so cheap, the guy just gave it to me. 

A fabric shop. Apparently people come from far and wide to buy fabrics for special occasions.

An Uzbeki dollar store. 10 000 som equals about $1.

Those same mountains, with Afghanistan on the other side.

One evening we ate at a cafe, which had the mist fabulous cakes.

I am gradually getting my eating under control. I don't have to taste EVERYTHING, nor eat everything that is served to me. Having always finished everything on my plate, it is a hard habit to break, but I'm doing it. Otherwise, I would have come home looking like an Uzbeki dumpling. 

In an hour or so we are taking the bullet train to Bukhara for more adventures.