To Uzbekistan would love to go those, who have already visited Italy and Spain, and want something exotic, but , nearby, without Visa and not expensive. In my opinion, it is most
convenient to travel in this country in the spring. In winter Russia is also beautiful, and in summer in Uzbekistan is too hot. 40 - 50 °C are not the limit. At this temperature the whole trip will be reduced to moving from air-conditioned car to hotel room, which is also with air-conditioning. Besides, the spring there is very delicious, literally and figuratively. By the way, I going there to eat - I want to taste pilaf in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Tashkent and samsa. I love samsa with
lamb very much. So, the plan is to visit 4 cities. Each of them at least once was the capital and each of them is interesting, beautiful and unusual
in its own way. Generally speaking, it is logical
to build such route: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, so that the degree of exoticism of the East would change progressively. Tashkent looks very modern. The city center is built of glass and metal, and Khiva, on the contrary, is very ancient. But because of many circumstances
my trip went different. I bought a ticket to Tashkent, from there
I will go to Bukhara, then to Samarkand
and finally to Khiva. The first flight with Uzbek airlines, the tickets aren't cheap - over 23,000 Rubles. But later it pays off - in the country the prices pretty much on everything are very cheap. Moreover, Uzbekistan and Russia agreed to double the number of flights, and this should reduce the travelling costs. It would be great, because for that money you can fly back and forth to any European country. Until recently, when you were crossing
the Uzbek border, you had to fill in
he customs Declaration, in which it was necessary to specify in detail everything, you import. All the money in all possible currencies, electronic devices including cameras
and mobile phones. Now this procedure does not exist anymore, you can take any electronic devices with you and it is allowed to import and export without declaring up to 2 thousand dollars. Thank you - it is much more pleasant to travel now! The airport in Tashkent is located within
the city limits and is quite close to the center. So you can easily get to any place in the city even by using the public transport - bus, for example. But the most convenient way, of corse, is to take a taxi. Coming out of the airport in the first place
you will see taxi drivers, who are happily greeting you. Their prices are several times higher. In order not to pay too much as soon as you get out of the airport you can catch a cab. You can also call the "Yandex Taxi" (similar to "Uber") or use similar service. My plan was to go from Tashkent to Bukhara
by a high speed train "Afrosiyob". It turned out that it was impossible to buy the tickets at the of the ride. Everything was sold out. So I had to take the usual train. The place in a compartment cost $ 13. I'll specify all the prices in three currencies. The exchange rate is unstable, so please keep in mind that the prices are valid for April 2018. After screening of passengers you will be put a stamp on the back of the ticket as a proof that you passed this procedure. Otherwise, you may not be allowed to board the train. The whole ride lasts 8 and a half hours. It is decent, but it is a night train. Which means, that you can go to sleep, wake up and you are already in Bukhara. - So, we are in Bukhara! In the next part you will learn, that the "Lyab-i Hauz" is not a building, you will see an ancient mosque, you will learn why women weren't allowed to
touch the men's scissors. And, of course, we'll taste the Bukhara pilaf. - So, we are in Bukhara! At first you will be greeted by the patient taxi drivers. Bukhara is like three different cities - the new one, the old one, and the ancient one. The new city will be less interesting for tourists, who came here for the Eastern exotic. Modern houses, roads and shops like anywhere else. That's why I have chosen a hotel in old Bukhara with an authentic courtyard. This a typical Bukhar-hotel with a typical inner Bukhar-courtyard and with very pleasant owners. - Why is this Hotel called "Sukhrob Borzu"? - "Sukhrob" is a husband, "Borzu" is a son. - How long do you own this hotel? - 20 years. 20 years?! An important detail. All the tourists, who come to Uzbekistan, are obliged to register at the local police station. After arrival you have 3 working days to complete this procedure. If you rent room in a hotel - you automatically receive registration and don't have to go anywhere. But if you stay by your friends or
rent an apartment on "Airbnb" Make sure you discuss the registration issue. Otherwise, if you leave the country, you will have some serious problems. After check-in I asked the owners to find me a guide. Larisa is a professional guide of the highest rank. She travels with the groups all over the country, but I needed the information only about Bukhara and its surroundings. It is impossible to visit all the sights in one day, so we agreed on two days - 30 dollars per each. We also rented a taxi for these two days - the total price was $ 18. Perhaps it might be more convenient for single travellers to rent a bicycle. A minute away from the hotel is the heart
of old Bukhara - "Lyab-i Hauz". It is a former market square, an architectural ensemble and a pond. Many are misled by the word "Hauz", which has nothing to do with English. "Hauz" does not mean "a building". It is a Persian word, which meants "a pond", a kind of water pool,
but not for swimming. It was used as a storage of drinking water. In hot climate this was the real source of life, around which life was thriving. Nowadays it's nice to sit here by the water in the heat of the day and in the cool of the evening. Around the pond is located an old Madrasa. If you're not for the first time in the East you might know, that Madrasa is a religious educational institution. There are quite a lot of them in any Uzbek city. Your guide for sure will tell some details about them, that cannot be found in Wikipedia. But I will not focus your attention on this on this. ?ome here yourself and you will find out. And this monument appeared recently, local citizens and tourists love taking pictures with it. Children do it most of all. This is Hodja Nasreddin with his beloved donkey, a fabulous Bukhar hero - symbol of the city. As well as the domes. The markets in the East are located within the buildings. Neither sellers nor buyers want to languish in the sun. About them we will talk later. Now we're making a stop on our way to the market to have look at the ancient Magok-i-Attari Mosque, which literally has been dug up. The Mosque was built in the 12th century, originally being a zoroastrian temple. It gradually sank into the ground and overgrew with cultural layers. From the time of zoroastrianism remained symbols on the walls. The two triangles symbolise good and evil and between them is the man. - And another fact - the triangles reflect the main principle of this religion: good words, good thoughts and good deeds. In general It is incredibly difficult to conduct excavations in Bukhara. The city remained at the same place, where it was originally founded. It would be impossible to demolish the houses on demand of archeologists. But still some excavations are taking place. This is a part of the ancient Bukhara. - The scientists found there a lot of coins. - Now they are stored in the numismatic section in museum. - Once here was a market. Here were also the bathhouses. There are quite a lot of them in the city, this one has been working since the 16th century. Back to the market-domes. The first on the way appears dome called "Menjal". - The merchants could exchange any currency here. - Also here stood usurers. Did you know that it is forbidden for Muslims to lend money? That's why this was done by visitors. Bukhara has always been a multinational city, the intersection of trade routes after all. Persians, Turks, Arabs, even Jews lived here.
Yes, Bukhara Jews exist. Nowadays there are about 70 of them left the city. They aren't allowed to move away - they can't leave the
Holy book of Torah. It was brought here in ancient
times and now according to the Uzbek laws it is prohibited to take out of the country items, which are older than 50 years. Walking along the shopping market rows is another adventure. Mixture of bright colours, exotic
for us goods and expressive sellers. On our way to the to the third dome we went to the blacksmith's shop, which was held in the the sixth generation. - Do you know for whom I made this knife? For your husband. - Why? So you don't nag him. The knives are sold with different engravings. You can also order personalized inscription. And girls will like scissors - in the form of a stork, but why only girls? Originally male masters embroidered clothes with gold threads and used such scissors. - And then gradually women began to do this work. - In order not to mix up the tools - this one is made for men and this one - for women. - Women weren't allowed to touch men's scissors. - Yes!
- It was believed, that if a woman touches a gold thread, it will darken. Since then in the homes of Bukhara have been existing two types of scissors. The stork with a crest was used by men, and the stork without a crest - by women. And this is a tool for perforation of the pellets, bronze inkwell for callygraphy. - Calligraphy is still being taught in Madrasa. Of course you can find all kinds of Asian-caps, so-called "Tubeteikas". Some of them are simple, some - very unusual, for example this looks more like a baseball cap. A lot of Souvenirs are made in the form of funny, colourful "grandpas". This is probably the best gift for your colleagues and friends. But if you are not afraid to break something on your way home, you can buy Bukhara plates, tea sets and ancient jugs. Regarding the antiquities I remind you - it is prohibited to take from Uzbekistan anything, that is older than 50 years. Would be very disappointing to spend to money and the customs service won't let you through. At the 3rd dome in front of all tourists weavers create their own artworks of cotton and silk. You can come to them, film the whole process and ask any questions. Here is also a working atelier. You can choose any cloth - for example with a romantic image, reflection of the clouds in the water, then you're being measured, and the next day you can pick up finished dress. Of course the domes in Bukhara crown not only the market rows. Another symbol of the city is the famous mosque "Chor Minor". Four minarets, in the yard is a preserved "Hauz". And on the roof we caught a wedding photoshoot. 10 meters away, right at the "Chor Minor", is a mini-market with old and ancient goods. Thousands of badges and medals cost from 1000 so?m to 100 dollars. Of course there're no price tags. Seller offers the price as soon as he evaluates the buyer and his wealthiness. Feel free to bargain! Well, it is enough to delight the eye - it's time to eat. Finally, I will taste real Bukhara pilaf. For the feast I have chosen the cafe "Chinar". I must say it is a touristic place, but there are only touristic places in Bukhara. About the evaluation of pilaf, many people - many opinions. Each of the master, who cooks this wonderful dish, is admired and criticized as well. There is no perfect pilaf. Be sure to find someone, who will say that in a "?haikhana" nearby pilaf is better. We had a dinner in this cafe and with absolute responsibility say: "Pilaf
is amazing here". - What is the difference between Bukhara-pilaf and any other pilaf? - We don't stir the pilaf, everything is layered. - At first comes meat (lamb), then carrot, raisins, "nat" (or "nut" - yellow chickpeas) and rice. - Which pilaf is more tasty? - Well, I think, Bukhara pilaf tastes better. And not expensive at all. Later in this trip in some places was much more expensive, but not so tasty. And this is just the beginning of a trip through the old Bukhara. It will be much more interesting! "Goroda pobradimy" keep wandering around the ancient Bukhara. In this part you will see a stave, that has become a tree and fulfills the wishes, the city of the dead in the land of the living, Why located next to the necropolis village had to be resettled? "Po-i-Kalyan" is not an appeal to Nikolaj to perform a song, what is it then? "Who is there?" How were men supposed to knock on the door, and how were women? And, of corse, the "tasty" Bukhara. What is the secret ingredient in Bukhara flatbread and what makes local samsa so special? "Ark" is one of the oldest objects in Bukhara. There was a legend that the fortress was built by Siyavash - the hero of folk epics. He fell in love with Khan's daughter. Afrosiyab, so was the name of Khan, did not want his child to marry Siyavash. The court astrologers advised against it. Afrosiyab demands to build a palace on the land the size of a bull's skin. Siy�vash did not lose his head, he cut the skin in thin strips and tied to make a rope. With the rope he girdled the area of the fortress. Now it is almost 4 hectares. What a long skin! Ark is similar to our Kremlin. The construction was build for protection against raids. High, thick walls saved emirs, ministers, court staff - almost 3000 people. The fortress couldn't protect Bukhara only twice. during the invasion of Genghis Khan and the Bolsheviks. Then the red commander Frunze ordered to bomb the Ark from the airplane. The last Emir of Bukhara was forced to flee. Perhaps part of the fortress was destroyed because of him. According to one version, he ordered to blow up the Ark. "If I can't have it, no one can!" They say he took all the valuables with him. But the caravan of gold, silver and diamonds didn't manage to get to Afghanistan - the guards killed each other. One of them left and hid this wealth in one of the caves in the Gissar mountains. Reminds me of the story about Ali-Baba. By the way, if you haven't listened, l highly recommend the audio version, the author is Benjamin Smekhov. A work of genius, I must say. Now "Po-i-Kalyan"! No, I'm not asking one of the viewers named Nikolaj to sing a song. This is the name of the central architectural ensemble of Bukhara. It consists of a minaret, mosque and madrasa. If you have been to Samarkand, you know that heart of the city is Registan. But such public squares exist in other cities, including Bukhara. On the square is a tall minaret Kalyan. It was used in different situations - to call for prayer, to punish the criminals, and as a beacon. Caravans at night were guided by its light. By the way, some more details about the last Emir. In Bukhara he had a summer residence, at the entrance to which you will meet peacocks, the descendants of those that pleased the eye of the Bukhara Khan. - Oh, it hurts! I mean, not painful, but it's sensitive! The palace was designed by Russian architect Aleksey Benua. The Emir was a friend of Emperor Nicholas II. Among his gifts is this fridge. - Ice was on top. - Cold water flowed down the sides of the copper tubes - It cooled everything inside. For me personally is a mystery, where at that time in Bukhara it was possible to get ice. I think it's time for a snack. Let's try an unusual samsa! - Here you can find samsa, which is very different from others, that are served in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. - For the first time I see such samsa. - It is called "Alazka" - the name of the area, which is located in the Bukhara region. - This is what it looks like. The shape is different and the dough is not puff. It costs $0,3. - The main difference is... that inside this samsa is a piece of tomato. The next destination is the city of the dead. The official name is "Chor-Bakr", the four "Bakrs". The prefix "Bakr" to the name added the theologians. The necropolis appeared in
10th century, when four priests were buried here. Then it became a tradition. The place is sacred - pilgrims often come here. For a long time, the living coexisted with the dead, here was the kishlak (a village) the "Sumitan". It was resettled after numerous cases, when the kids dug up the graves and played with bones. At the entrance, or at the exit of the complex - depends on the point of view - is a washroom. I was stopped, when I tried to shoot a video of pilgrims, who were washing themselves. You can film, when the women leave. - Do them come extra before the prayer? - Yes, of corse. You have to wash hands up to elbow, wash your face, touch your hair with wet hands, wash your feet up to the knees. - You have also wash your nose and throat. - Before or after? - Before you come in. When I first arrived in Bukhara, I asked the taxi driver "Is there something tasty to eat here?" - Shashlik is very tasty here, the tandoor. You know tandoor? - Samsa? - No, meat, which is prepared in tandoor (oven). - Meat in tandoor?! What's that? - I know that in the tandoor you can cook flatbread and samsa. - You can also cook meat in there. - "Chor-Bakr" is also prepared in there. - Near the near the necropolis is a restaurant, which is also called "Chor-Bakr". Here is this restaurant. Here is this meat. It is really very tasty and, as always in Bukhara, not expensive - $3. I spent a lot of money in the cafe on "Lyab-i Hauz". But I ordered the most expensive dishes there And still had to pay $34 - for three persons. On the road again!! If you have a cherished desire, and you are in Bukhara, be sure to come to the grave of Sheikh Bahauddin Naqshbandi. A holy place - a three-time visit is equivalent to a Hajj to Mecca. And this tree behind the fence according to the legend is the staff of the Naqshbandi. - When Naqshbandi returned from Mecca, he thrust a stave into the ground, and, according to the legend, a tree started to bloom. - Now to make a wish come true, you have to go around this stave counterclockwise three times. - Which direction should I go?
- Counterclockwise, you are going the right way. - The object of daily pilgrimage. - A huge number of people come here from different parts of Uzbekistan and other countries. - Here you can touch it. - And many do so - here is polished surface. - This tree used to be a little further back that way. - The tree was here. - Crowds of people came, went three times and under the log. - It was recently removed from here. - Because it is believed that the only place, where you're allowed to walk around is Kaaba in Mecca. The wish is made, it's time to say goodbye to Bukhara. We have a very busy program and, unfortunately, won't be able to stay any longer in this wonderful city. Although I would love to. Returning to the hotel to pick up bags, I find out how they used to knock on doors in Bukhara. The women pounded the ring, the men - beater. On the men's knock the owner came out - maybe it's a threat, you never know. And on the women's know - the housewife could came out. Before leaving, in order to keep some more warmth of Bukhara with me, I buy a local flatbread. - There is a fire station not far away from Lyab-i Hauz in the ancient town. - Bukhara flatbread is sold nearby. - Hello! - Fresh?
- Of corse, they are hot. I bought a flat cake called "Patyr Katlama", it tastes different than the usual one. When they make this flat bread, they use a tail fat - you can feel it. Very hearty meal! On city suburb I meet an unusual couple on the market. - Is this a parrot, or is this a canary? - A parrot, his name is Misha. - Can he read the cards? - Misha sit here! Misha, come here! - You will find happiness and wealth. Your life is changing for the better - 2 paths. One path goes through the parts... And another one goes through your work. 2 paths - 2 wishes. Well, let's go! The next destination is Samarkand. And I decided to make a detour and enjoy the exotic. I will stay overnight in a Yurt camp, which is located in the desert near the border with Kazakhstan. On the way, we will look at the rock, which has preserved petroglyphs, Meet the hordes of Red List-turtles, we will see the ruins of the fortress of Alexander the Great. It will be very interesting! I decided to diversify the trip by taxi ride through the Kyzylkum Desert to the Aidarkul Lake, which is called the sea in the Sands, and by spending the night in a Yurt camp on the border with Kazakhstan. And then we will go to Samarkand. The taxi driver - Bahadir, who by the way knows 5 languages, agreed to drive us this way, which is longer than 500 kilometres, for $100. About an hour after leaving Bukhara, we saw a rock. It is known for the petroglyphs - ancient images carved in the stone. I did not deny myself the pleasure of climbing the rock and admiring the open spaces. Entering Nurota. The town is known primarily for the fact that Alexander the Great allegedly contributed to its foundation. On the hill remained the ruins of the fortress, built on his order. Climbing to the top for sure you will pass by the local souvenir sellers, who also offer the skins of wolves of local wolves. The top of the mountain allows a spectacular view, you can see the whole city. One of the reasons for choosing this place as a base was probably a water source. According to one version, it was formed after the fall of the meteorite a couple of tens of thousands of years ago. And this village was called in honour of the event. "Nur" is means "light". This refers to the light that was seen when the meteorite fell. Source "Chashma" is translated as a well-spring. They say that sometimes at night the water is glowing. Locals believe that the water can heal. Water is constantly at the same temperature - 19.5 �C and is saturated with a variety of microelements including gold and silver. - Kalium, calcium, chlorine, nitrate, sulfate, magnesium, silicon, bromine, manganese... And with "Marinkas". It is a sacred fish. Eating them is strictly forbidden. We drive further through the desert called Kyzylkum - "the Red Sand". Suddenly on the road began we started to see turtles - one, two, a dozen. At a speed of 60 km/h it seemed that the whole division of these listed in the Red Book reptiles decided to storm the highway. We stopped to get a couple out of the way. However, perhaps they returned back on the highway. By the way, keep in mind - it is prohibited to export these animals from Uzbekistan. Why did you stop?! Go ahead - run! The Aydarkul Lake is an oasis in the desert. The clearest water is in summer a salvation from the exhausting heat. In April it is to cool for swimming. And fishing is prohibited here. There are several Yurt camps on the banks of Aydarkul. The most famous is called "U Vahida". We came there first, but there were too many people. The next one is called "U Ludy". It is less crowded. - Yurt camp. - It is actually quite far from the city inside the desert. - In general there are 5 of them. As they say, during the high-season, all the camps are overcrowded. Now, in April, I have the feeling that this camp is at least half-empty. The yurt inside looks and smells as if it has been standing here for a long time and is constantly being used for its intended purpose. There is electricity in yurts. One one light bulb and one outlet. I asked to bring a multi-outlet extension cord. It was necessary to charge several gadgets at the same time. And also I wanted to turn on the heater I got everything. Thank you very much! But the plug of the heater did not fit to the outlet. Good that I had an adapter. And there was not much use for the heater on a cold night. Night in a Yurt for 1 person - 35$. I should say, there is almost no entertainment in the camp. In my opinion, you shouldn't stay here more than one night. People come here to be closer to the nature, to be silent, to think, to wander through the dunes, to watch the flying eagles. There are camels here, you can ride them. The service is stated as free, but it is common to tip the cameleer. The dinner in the camp is, let's just say, frugal. Not enough meat. No grilled lamb for the arrival, unfortunately. Apparently, as a compensation for dinner is offered a bottle of you know what, for free. After a meal, tourists can sit by the fire and listen to the songs of Akyn in Kazakh and Uzbek languages. Time to sleep! Modest breakfast in the morning, then we receive our registrations - all the passports were collected the the day before. And it's time to go! On the way to Samarkand we often had to stop, wait until sheep will be removed from the road, The cattle is also bred here and grazed by the shepherds. I tried to communicate with one of them. - At what time do you start to graze? And at what time do you finish everyday. - From 7: 00 am until 12: 00 am, is this true? - An hour for a lunch? - An hour for a lunch and then you'll graze until the evening, won't you? - Do you like to work as a shepherd? - Do you like the work? - Well, yeah... - Do you like it? Don't know Russian very well. Very popular in the countryside is an animal-drawn transport. Gasoline is not needed, as well as the maintenance. - I asked, what is name of the donkey? - We're not allowed to name a donkey. - And why? - I don't know, it's a custom. So all the donkeys are without names? Yes, all of them. Animals are without names. Samarkand is waiting for us. A city that is the same age as Rome and is compared with St. Petersburg. Samarkand is also adored by many tourists from all over the world for the sightseeings that have become symbols of Uzbekistan. Registan square, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, 18-meter tomb of the Saint, revered by muslims and christians and jews, Siyob Bazaar, giant samsa, the famous Samarkand flatbread, which can be stored for decades, and the champion of Uzbekistan will prepare for us Samarkand pilaf. It will be interesting. So, 500 km journey from Bukhara to Samarkand by taxi is almost completed. The trip was interesting - just remember the turtle invasion. - Saving a turtle - setting it free. Quite often we had to stop because of the sheep that leisurely crossed the road. On the roadside periodically we came across these speed reductors. Uzbekistan is the only Central Asian country that produces cars in significant volumes. It is expensive to import cars from abroad, a 100% import duty must be paid. So, everyone drives local cars. They, by the way, look nice from outside and inside. However, often you come across the cars of soviet manufacture. Basically they are used for transportation of goods. Samarkand greets us with a gloomy weather. It's time to say goodbye to the taxi driver Bahadir. A very interesting person, he told us a lot of useful things. Here he's already helping foreigners to find the way. One of the Central streets of Samarkand is named after the first President, Islam Karimov. He was born in this city and here he was buried. On the street you can see some small electric buses. You can ride for only 1000 so'm,
that's about $0,12. But walking is much more interesting. And here you can buy an ice-cream. By the way, in Uzbekistan it is quite tasty and costs almost 1000 so'm. And here is a bike rental. They are many of them across the country. And of course shops with Souvenirs. Joyful "granddaddies", plates, various jewelry, and T-shirts. And this guy over here is taking some flatbread to the Siyob Bazaar, which is located nearby. By the way, about the flatbread - I've long wanted to buy the famous Samarkand cakes, that can be stored for years. I made a deal with the local bakers. They invited me to their place to demonstrate the manufacturing process. What does the finished cake look like and how much does it cost? I'll tell you a bit later. Let's go back to the walk, The end stop of electric buses is the famous Siyob Bazaar. But we are interested in the elder Princess, Bibi-Khanym - it's a mosque. Amir Timur ordered to build it after a successful campaign in India. He named her after either her mother or his beloved wife. There is a romantic legend about his wife. Timur ordered the construction of the building, but soon he went once again to conquer new lands. Bibi-Khanym looked after the construction of mosque. According to different versions - she was the eldest Princess or the eldest wife or beloved wife. The architect of this creation fell in love with her and deliberately delayed the construction to stay longer near his beloved. Amir Timur has already won all his enemies and intended to return home, but the gift was not ready and Bibi Khanym demanded to complete the mosque in a short time, to which the shameless architect responded with blackmail: "I'll continue and finish the building, but only after a kiss." Bibi Khanym resisted for a long time, dissuaded the impudent, but he was adamant. So she had to agree. A hot kiss left a mark on the skin of the beauty. The mosque was completed. Tamerlan returns, admires the result, but finds out, what price had his wife to pay. Gives the order to seize the architect. However, he manages to flee with the help of self-made wings. Tourists love the story, but it is boring scientists say, that this all is just a fiction. Is it fiction or not, that the 18-meter tomb of the Saint, to which we are heading now, lengthens? - We find out soon. Back to the thing, without which is no feast, not only in Uzbekistan, but also in practically the whole Central Asia, - to the flatbread. The legend says - those, that are from Samarkand can be stored for decades. Then simply they just must be soak in water and you can eat. - Flour is the same everywhere, water is the same everywhere... - Why does it last so long? - Do you know? - Maybe because of the weather. - Because of the climate?
- Yes. - Or maybe you just put some ingredients in there? - No, nothing chemical, we use the yeast, salt and water. - Everything as usual? Like everywhere?
- Yes. In General, the attitude to this product in the East is tremulous. Here the flatbread will be preferred to any other bread. They don't use knife and break it only with hands. You can't put it upside down - his is a manifestation of disrespect. I asked to make me a flatbread with personal inscription. Not for food - as a souvenir. The Khamitov family has been engaged in this business for more than a decade. - And how many years have you already been doing this? - 30 years. My grandmother used to make these flatbread. Then - my mother. Then - my bride. In the meantime, we will go further to the mosque named in honor of the patron of travelers, the prophet Khazret Khyzr. Once upon a time here was a zoroastrian temple. In the 13th century on its former place was build a mosque, which was destroyed to the ground by the mongols. The mosque was rebuilt only in 1919. Now on its territory is the mausoleum of the first President of Uzbekistan. - Hello!
- Hello! - We have to check your bags. - Okay. - In general, you're not allowed not film here, but are. An exception was made for us, when we said, that we came to Samarkand from Russia. It was nice. We continue to walk down the street of Islam Karimov. It will lead us to a unique place - the tomb of St. Daniel, which length is 18 meters. But it will happen in the second part of our walks in Samarkand. And there you will learn about the ruler-scientist, see the Registan. And for us will be prepared Samarkand pilaf and giant samosa. If you continue walking along Karimov street, after a while you will reach the picturesque place where Daniel is buried. The Saint is revered by representatives of three religions: muslims and christians and jews. On the banks of the river Siab is a nice green square. Above the park there are hills, on one of them there is an 18-meter grave. Why is it so large? There is a belief that it gradually increases. How? It is unknown. But the servant of the complex says - there is no mystery here. The grave is so big, because it was a very respected person. It also slightly increased during the reconstruction. And then the curator tells about a miracle, which is supposedly accurate
take place. In the courtyard of the mausoleum grows pistachio tree. Long time it was considered to be dead, but after the visit of Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' Alexy II, when he sprinkled the tree with Holy water, it came to life and bloomed. The source of Holy water is also situated here, at the foot of the hill. Not far away from the grave of St. Daniel, the next attraction of Samarkand is the Ulugh Beg Observatory. Who was this? Soon you will find out. The flatbread is already made, it's time to put it in the oven. - Is it just an egg in here?
- Yes, just an egg. - A homemade egg. Unfortunately, a tandoor is used less and less. In the gas stove it is faster and more convenient. While we put flatbread in the oven, the host talks about his passion - the cockfights. In the kitchen in a cage is a fighting champion. Someone wanted to buy him for 400$ and it's not the limit. Prices reach tens of thousands of dollars. - True warrior. Take out the flatbread - beautiful. Now I have a flatbread with the name of my Youtube channel - "Goroda pobrodimy". This is such a wonderful flatbread. Just an hour of work. The price of this flatbread is 15,000 s'om ($2), but for the cake with personal inscription, of course, you have to pay extra. How much? It depends on your ability to negotiate. Finally - lunch! I want to taste the pilaf and to compare it with Bukhar pilaf, which, frankly, was on top and to and to reach this level will be difficult. But we have a worthy contender! - This pilaf was made by the ?hampion of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2013. His name is Abdumanon. - This is a real Samarkand pilaf. Well, what can I say - I have a new favourite! (Price: 3$). Bukhara pilaf was good, but Samarkand is no worse - it is magical. Happiness is when one person has a talent, the desire to use it and the opportunity to do it. It just all happens to Ulugh Beg, Tamerlan's grandson, ruler, educator, astronomer, historian and poet. One of the sightseeings in Samarkand is the Ulugh Beg Observatory. Or rather what is left of it. - On both sides was a corridor for Ulugh Beg's assistants, he and his Professors walked along the central path. - They watched the stars, but this is certainly not the end. - There had been a continuation of the Observatory. - Before its destruction the Observatory -went 33 meters up. - Only 31 meters left at the bottom. - The total height was 64 meters. The symbol of Samarkand, the Registan, is getting closer, but on the way we will visit the cafe, which only few tourists know about and will have a samsa for lunch. Well, it won't be a problem to find in Uzbekistan ordinary tandoor samsa. In different cities, villages areas it will costs 2.000 - 5.000 so'm. But in Samarkand in a cafe with a non-standard name for the East you can buy a giant samsa. It costs 15,000 s'om ($2). But it can feed an adult man, two children or a dozen losing weight girls. And the fact that samsa is huge is not the only difference. Those, who taste it for the first time will be surprised. In addition to lamb meat there is a piece of chicken. To make sure, that the client is full. And a tomato after all. It was getting dark. Finally, we got to Registan. And it turned out there is no entrance to the square - it was fenced. All because now you have to pay for the entrance. Price - $4 pro person. "Registan" translates as "sandy place", "sandy area". Sure thing - the East, deserts, sand, but there is a theory, that until the 20th century here were carried out executions, sometimes even mass executions. Blood was covered with sand. Nothing reminds about it now. On the contrary, standing in the center of the square or walking through it, you experience only positive emotions. And of course it is a favourite place for wedding photo shoots. There are 3 madrasas on the square. The oldest one was constructed by already known to us Ulugh Beg. Ans it was named after him. The other two, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori, are not less impressive. Sher-Dor, the abode of lions, is crowned with the image of them, and the brightest of all three - the Tilya-Kori translates as "decorated with gold". That's really luxurious! Be sure to go inside, wander through the courtyards and halls. It is incredibly beautiful there! I also recommend to see the Registan in the evening, when the lights turn on and the building looks exactly like an illustration of a tale "One Thousand and one nights". The samarkand voyage is coming to the end, we have seen only a small part of the beauty of this wonderful city. I hope, someday we will come back here, but it's time to move on. Amazing Khiva is waiting for us. It turned out you can't reach the city by train or by plane. But we'll still visit the former capital of the Khwarezm Khanate, wander through the well-preserved wall of the fortress "Itchan Kala", get on top of a minaret, taste the unusual "vareniki" and of course the Khiva pilaf. To get to Khiva isn't easy at all. There is no airport or train station in the city. Everyone who wants to visit it must first arrive in Urgench. The train ticket from Samarkand to Urgench cost 132 thousand so'm, it is about $16. In the morning before arrival you can enjoy the view of this desert. My attention was drawn to these constructions - straw, that was stuck in the sand. As it turned out, it saves the railroad from the sand. Urgench is a small nice city. Obviously it was renovated not long ago. From Urgench to Khiva we will get a taxi of course. The trip costed $5, including route changes, even the unexpected ones. I think, i should buy a plane ticket to Tashkent in advance, and at the airport I also can change dollars for so'm. - That's how you become a millionaire when you travel. - I gave $200. - Now I will be given a million six hundred sixteen thousand so'm. (Price for the air ticket Urgench-Tashkent: $60) Tickets are bought, now it's time to relax and chat with the taxi driver. He claims that the most beautiful girls of Uzbekistan live in Khiva, and that there still exists such rite as the payment of "kalym". - 3 million - 3 million so'm - A cow - "kalym", a lamb. - One lamb? - Yeah, one lamb. - A bag of rice? - Yes, a bag of rice, a bag of flour, carrots, potatoes. A friendly driver tells where in Urgench you can grab a snack. Because of the proximity of the Amu Darya River in the local cafes are quite a lot of fish dishes. After he heard that I was more interested in samsa, the taxi driver brought me to the place, where it was the best in Urgench, according to him. There are two tandoor on the street, you can watch the cooking process. The tandoor is covered with a cloth on the top to keep warm inside. Cloth is watered in order not to catch a fire. The salsa is here very classic and really tasty (the price: $0,6). By the way, it is difficult to find samsa in Khiva. Why is that? I'll tell you later. The only condition under which I chose a hotel in Khiva, was the location - it must have been situated in the fortress - Itchan Kala. It's like a city inside another city. Architectural monument and preserve, was built mostly of clay, or rather of "saman" - it is a mixture of straw and clay. What beauty was made of this material can be seen from the window of my hotel room. This is the wall of Itchan Kala. There are many hotels in Itchan Kala. If you are going here not in the high season, you don't have to book in advance. Just come, wander around the fortress, choose the best view and book-in. In general, there is a large number of tourists in Khiva. It seemed that there were half so many local residents. Tourists were from Europe - Germany, France and Italy. Russian-speaking tourists are very few. That is why the Khiva people would probably say "Hello" to a stranger in English, not in Russian. The owner of the hotel is telling about some places to eat. He and a lot of other people recommend to visit the cafe "Terrasa". - You can go up to the third floor.
- That sounds interesting! - There is a panorama of the inner city. - If you want higher, there is an arch. - Inside it is the Khan's Palace. - There is also a balcony upstairs - you can see the whole city. - You can also get up there to see the beauties of the city. - This is actually a view from the terrace of the cafe called "Terrasa". And here is how many people are now in cafe, it is a very popular place. Lunch for three persons - $30. Yes, it is nice... Nice food, nice view. And in the next part we will see what Khiva looks like at 6 am from the top of the minaret, take a walk on the great wall of Itchan Kala, taste the fresh backed flatbread and find out the why is the Khiva pilaf very different from the others. - Khiva, the first light of dawn. It is about 7 am now. So Khiva wakes up. In order to make these fantastic shots, I got on the top of the minaret "Juma Mosque". - Here is the minaret from the inside. - At at the top. - The views are stunning here. - People come up here and leave their autographs. - I don't know, was it the "L'one" or somebody else. It's too crowded in the afternoon. The platform at the top is tiny, and it's really hard to get on it, as well as get down. - It is quite difficult to go up and down. It can fit maximum two people. High, steep steps. The Juma Mosque is located below. This is a room for Friday prayers. The mosque is unique - in fact it is an area under the canopy, which is held by these wooden columns. According to some reports, there are 212 of them, according to the others - 213. - Almost all of them were restored, that means they are new. - But some of them are ancient, which are several centuries old. - Although, to be honest, most of the columns are ancient, not new and restored. It's an amazing feeling, You touch the real antiquity. Imagine, these wooden carved pillars have seen more than 10 generations of locals. - And this, what is put up for sale by the local workers. Here are the little booties. To visit the Juma Mosque and any other sights of Itchan Kala, tourists need to buy a ticket. It is valid for two days, probably because it is difficult to visit all these 15 objects in one. The price is decent - 100.000 so'm. But in generally the prices for tourists in Khiva are higher than in other cities of Uzbekistan. Probably for this reason the main contingent of visitors are the representatives of the Western Europe. - The first thing you see when you approach the city is the wall of the fortress Itchan Kala. - It's a very beautiful construction. - Many are not allowed to get up here, but we are wandering through the wall of Itchan Kala. The view is stunning! Height, as you know, on the top and on the bottom is perceived differently. You think - it's just 10 meters. But after climbing the wall you realize - there 10 full meters to the ground! With a strong wind somehow you do not risk approaching the edge. There are no insurance fences here. Perhaps because the whole Itchan-Kala is under the protection of UNESCO, which imposes certain obligations. For example, you can not change the appearance of an architectural monument. - There is some kind a hole here. - Well, it is clear, here were met the enemies. Loopholes, through which the defenders fired at the attackers. In the evening from the wall you can admire the beautiful sunset, but it will be in the next part. We will also learn how different is the Khiva cuisine from everything we have seen before. Local pilaf, flatbreads on the street, vareniki stuffed with eggs, raw mince. And we will see a short minaret, a sad camel and many other things. It is very interesting in all trips to watch the real, not ostentatious life of citizens. But I will continue my story. In the previous part we parted on the fortress wall. - It's strange, but now I don't see any crowds of tourists. Maybe they were all taken away for dinner. We'll go for a much too. In order to eat real Khiva pilaf, we were advised to leave Itchan Kala and go to the former ceramic factory. Here is a cafe, where the real Khiva pilaf is made. -In Khiva pilaf, in this version, is no chickpea, it's a big, yellow pea. - And... - The man, who was cooking pilaf, said that in Khiva-pilaf usually large pieces of meat, they do not cut it. - And it is not so oily, here is less oil, more crisp rice and carrots were sliced differently. - It is not shredded, as in Tashkent, in Bukhara and so on. - And most importantly, this pilaf is made with beef, not with lamb like any others I bought in Uzbekistan. Probably because I love lamb so much, the Khiva-pilaf did not impress me. Unfortunately, it's not magical at all. Another story is the local flatbread. That's how they look like in a cafe (price: $0,3). Unlike in any other cities we've been to here people don't sell flatbreads on the street. - So, if you want to buy a flatbread, then you have to go to the store and buy a it there. - Why is this happening? - Because here flatbread, as the owner of the cafe says, is backed at home. In any case, it is impossible to buy them inside the Itchan-Kala, there are no such trade-points with women who sell it on the street. But it is quite possible to see here such picture. Housewives bake flatbread for the dinner table. - In other cities the flatbread is usually sold on the street, and in Khiva is not like that? - Yes, it is...
- Is it? - And where is it sold then?
- In a store. - No, I mean not in the store - on the street? - You know, in Bukhara, in Samarkand, in Tashkent they bring flatbread and sell it on the street.
- No, everything is in the store. - Here you can buy it only in a store. - There is no such thing here?
- No. - We will buy such flatbread in the store. - Do you eat loaf? - Well, yeah, in Moscow we eat loaf. - Anybody can eat, whatever he wants. - And we are making bread ourselves. I think it's great. You eat flatbread piping hot We were treated. It's very tasty. Thank you very much. And they refused to take any money. Khiva is a great city for walking. As if you were in some Eastern fairy tale. You can buy souvenirs everywhere here. Actually, they are the same as in other cities of Uzbekistan. Only hats are here different! Surprisingly to see in Khiva the sale of fur hats. But foreigners are happy to buy. And here are already familiar to us Zoroastrian symbols in the form of ceramic tiles. If you hear a knock - don't be lazy, come and look, what's there. It is the local master creates another masterpiece. And attracts tourists to the shop where masterpieces can be purchased. - There is a famous unfinished minaret. - It's builder (master) had to flee after he found out that the Khan was going to execute him, so that the master would not build something like this anywhere else. But it's a legend. In fact, the Khan, who planned to build the highest minaret in the East at that time, died in the battle when the work was done by a third. Unfortunately, no one continued his work. Now the minaret, which was supposed to be the tallest, is called "The short one" - "Kalta-Minar". But at the same it favourably differs from all the colleagues. Where else have you seen anything like it? And here is resting a camel. Of course, for money you can take a picture with him. But to be honest, he looked unhappy. In the evening we found him behind the locked doors of a barn. I decide to have dinner not in cafes of Itchan Kala that are focused solely on foreign tourists and therefore expensive. And there is no lamb meat that I love so much. As the owner of one of the central restaurants explained: europeans do not like not only the taste, but also even smell of dishes with lamb. Well, local restaurants and cafes had to adapt to those who bring money in the city. That's why there is no samsa with lamb. I will have dinner in a cafe that is loved and visited by the locals. How to find it? Very simply. You get out of the fortress, catch a taxi and ask the driver to take to a cafe where he eats and his friends eat. Here we tried dishes such as "Jiz" this is meat, "Khiva ijoni" - mince. Supposedly the recipe got here from Hungary. "Tukhum Barak" these are "vareniki" stuffed with eggs, pumpkin, cheese or something else. And this is called "Ok Choi" or "White Tea" - I guess you understand what it is. Well-fed and satisfied, we return to the fortress wall to watch the sunset. Tomorrow we will say goodbye to Khiva, which has impressed and will be loved and remembered forever. And then my plan is to go to Chimgan Mountains. We will taste "green samsa" there, we will climb Chimgan and wander on the bottom of Charvak Reservoir. It will be very interesting! Before the flight from Urgench to Tashkent, we witnessed this picture. Groups of youth rehearsed a meeting of the President, who supposed to arrive in the city the other day. The flight was great. The arrival almost have ruined the taxi drivers. Absolutely shamelessly raising the price they almost violently tried to push in the car. Unfortunately, I didn't shoot it on video. From the airport to the city center, where I rented an apartment, a taxi costs 10,000 - 15,000 so'm. They tried to convince me that less than 50,000 will not work. My advice - either to call a taxi using some web-service after leaving the plane or just go a little further, where you will be able to catch the cab for normal money. It's best to call a city-taxi, which I did. However, those who tried to trick me promised the driver to pierce the tires of his car. It's disgusting! I hope that this video will watch the representatives of authorities who are responsible for this sphere. And there will be no more louts and grabbers during the journey. It seemed to me that there was nothing to do in Tashkent. In fact, this is not entirely true. I decided to go to the mountains for a couple of days. It is good, that they are just an hour's away from the capital of Uzbekistan. My good friend from Tashkent, Alexander, helped me to get there. We share the same passion - traveling. He suggested to examine several rest houses, choose the best and check in. They key factor is a good view. On the way, we stop at the mini-market to buy something to eat. - Almonds are expensive, but nutlets with apricots are not less tasty. - I want the ones with apricots. Nuts, Kurt, sweets. Here, by the way, you can also get water. - This is a wellspring, - I met a man here once. - He comes here every time from Chirchiq. - He is a geologist and says that this water is very valuable for its mineral properties. Once again: from Tashkent to Chimgan is no more than an hour driving. That"s why the capital's residents choose to come here on weekends for picnics. In Moscow everyone goes to the country, here - to the mountains. And why not? The air here is wonderful, the view is gorgeous, you can even fly a kite. On the way out of the city, on the recommendation of my friend Sasha, I try an absolutely new dish for me - the green samsa. So, why is it green? It looks pretty normal -yellow and ruddy. It's because of the stuffing. Inside the samsa is a rare grass. - You can taste this grass only in April . - It wasn't here for 2 weeks ago and won't be in 2 weeks. - Instead of this grass the samsa was stuffed with some another greenery. - For example, with spinach and some other the greenhouse plants. - Also with sorrel? - Not with sorrel, but with spinach. - But this grass is special. - It grows, when the mountains are green. - After some time it won't grow anymore, so we should enjoy it now. - What does it taste like? - It's delicious, it's impossible to explain. - Wait, I need to taste it again. - The taste is very similar to spinach. - Yes, it is very similar to spinach. - And the dough here is without extra oil and is not puff. - Just water and flour - that's all. - It is a mountain herb? It grows only..? - Yes, it is a mountain herb. It is growing in these hills right now. - So, it's good that we're here. Here in this cafe is this green samsa made. Outside - right next to the road. Apparently, this is a popular place. Along the road often come across some places, where people sale of honey. You can always stop and buy. First, we will take a look at the complex called "Nebesa". Nice houses are located on the slope. April is not a the high-season, the complex is empty. In pool is no water - It's cold for swimming. The climate in Uzbekistan is sharply continental. During the day at this time the temperature in the mountains can reach +30�C and at night fall below 0�C. The mountain tops are covered with snow. And we'll be there soon, by the way. Unfortunately, the "Nebesa" has no advantages, except the appearance of the houses. Microscopic area, small rooms. I'm not impressed. The caretaker came to us. The junior suite costs 300.000 so'm for one person. and it's not important, if it's an adult or a child. The suite 50.000 more expensive. Despite the fact that the complex was empty any discounts were flatly refused. But whatever happens, it's for the best. It's good, that didn't stay there. We had a really great place ahead of us On our way there we also have visited this place. Here it is not even clear, what the owners offer to their customers except wandering among the trees. And this holiday home hasn't opened yet, but I am sure, it will be popular. This is a wonderful location. - We haven't opened yet! They haven't opened yet... - Thank you for the information. Well, we've arrived. The hotel is called "Avenue Park". Here you can admire the mountains, as well as the Charvak Reservoir. It was at that time a little shallow, but still looked very nice. Two days in the suite, breakfast was included. And they gave us a 20% discount. Even though the rooms were almost all occupied. Just because we asked - it's not the high-season right now. That is called a customer care. And the location! Look at this stunning view! When you come to the mountains - you always want to climb to the top. In Chimgan you can do it by using the cable way. (the cost of the service: $2). It's length is 800 meters. The top point is almost 2 kilometers high. - Be sure to use the cable way. - It is a nice feeling and the views are wonderful. - The mountain air is amazing. - Some take their children with them. - Hello! - Hello! - Have a nice day! - Thank's, you too! - Up here is a strong wind and it's cool. - And here we have a well-spring. - Even in summer it is recommended to bring warm clothes if you, when you planing to reach the top. - And now, in April, it is really necessary. - And here are travelling bags. - Nice green grass is beneath us. - It has a very saturated color. - At this time the juiciest grass is just appearing. - It's a joy for anyone who eats grass. - And once again - the traveling bags. - They got into the cabin by their own, so will be able to get off. - Open the bar get ready to disembark. - Opening it... - Opening it forwards and downwards - And now we just get out of the cabin. - So, here is disembarking point. - It is high and very beautiful up here - great! - We've just reached the snow peaks. - It snowed just recently, two days ago or yesterday. - The tourist season hasn't begun yet. - That's why here are quite a few people. - But still tourists keep coming. - But in peak season here, they say, are crowds and crowds of tourists. - And the air is wonderful. - Though it is cool now. - It is easy to breathe here! - By the way, there is a new tradition here to make a wish and tie ribbons on the bushes. Some vacationers, for some reason I do not understand, climbing up, do not descend from the lift, and immediately go down. It is some kind of "Merry-go-round ". And many people do it this way. I had to miss a dozen busy chairs before I could sit and go down. - On the way back it is, for some reason, much more windy, - It's very, very cool... - Some passengers even took a blanket with them. - Hi! Barbed wire... This is probably to ensure that no one would jumped off and no one could climb up the cabin. - Fearless grannies and fearless grandpas are also using cable road. - Thank you! - The exit. - This is a rockslide, by the way. Down here you can ride horses or quad bikes. - How much does the ride cost? - 15,000 - 15,000 for what? - For one lap. - Back and forth? - Yes. - And 60,000 per hour 60,000 per hour is about 7,5 dollars. I always liked cafes on the slopes in the mountain, you can enjoy the scenery and delicious food which was cooked in front of you. Not far from the" Avenue Park "is a roadside cafe, which is called" 555" and offers a view. - This is how it looks like - You can sit on these tables. - And there is a road. - This dish is called "Kazan-kabob". It is a lamb meat cooked in a cauldron. - In this cafe you can order not only shashlik with fish, but also burgers or hot dogs. - This is an unusual dish of meat, which haven't seen yet during my trip. - It's a lamb and mushrooms on skewers. This is how much did it cost (check in the cafe: 14 $). Girls at the reception in the hotel said that it is possible to take a walk the on the bottom of the Lake Charvak. - Maybe you remember this song: ""Brichmulla, Brichmulla, Brichmulli, Brichmulle, Brichmullou." - So, on the other shore is a village which is called "Brichmulla". - Here you can pick up these beautiful shells.. The sun is sets - it's time for me to go. I will definitely come back tomorrow. I going to sleep early, because I want to see the sunrise. - I'm standing on the bottom of Charvak Reservoir. - It became shallow. Charvak is an artificial reservoir, created for irrigation in dry summer. Unfortunately, not only earth showed up. It is easier for these guys, they have a car. And, to be honest, for me walking was exhausting. Thought - the distance is long, maybe should I run? - I'm running along the bottom of Charvak Reservoir. - It's great! - Unbelievable feeling! - It's an incredible beauty! When there is a lot of water - it comes up here. Samosa, flat bread and rice - it's very good, but if you don't walk to the mountains. I should run more often in the morning. No one will remain indifferent to the mountains. We are happy too, got the impressions for the year ahead. Now we're going to Tashkent. On the way there we stop in another remarkable place called "Botschka". People come here to eat from Tashkent, 70-80 kilometers away. Because the food is tasty and it feels like you on a picnic here Where does the name come from? It is said that the barrels were here the only benchmarks. Then they disappeared, but the name stuck. One of the oldest, most famous and expensive places is "Chinaras". If you ever been to Uzbek restaurants in Moscow, then the prices won't surprise you. But by the local standards, the bill was impressively high - 363 thousand soums ($43). I was not ready for it, I did not have enough so'm (local currency), so I had to send someone to change dollars. Where he did it in the middle of the mountains is a mystery. Speaking about the food, it was pretty good. It was not perfect, not the top of the Eastern culinary art, but it was nothing to complain about, except huge prices. Well, we got "Tarhun" and a slice of the orange was with the mold. But it doesn't matter. The main advantage of this place is its location. And the name, of course, was chosen for a reason. It is said this cafe has grown to a huge chain. So, it's time for Tashkent. In the capital of Uzbekistan we will wander through the center of pilaf, get on the TV tower, walk through bazaars, parks and central streets of the city. It will be interesting! Before my trip to Uzbekistan, I thought that there is nothing to tell about its capital - Tashkent. Well, usual city, quite modern, However, revising the footage I came to an unexpected conclusion, that is so much material, that one episode won't be enough. In the first part I will tell you about three iconic places of Tashkent, which are close to each other: the TV tower, the center of pilaf and the "Tashkentland". Preparing for the trip, I read on the Internet that it is forbidden for the tourists to make on the Tashkent TV tower is to shoot videos. Even the mobile phones could be taken away at the entrance. I was upset of course. After all, the footage from that height means a lot! At some point, even thought not to go to the tower. But still I took the risk - and it was worth it! First we had to pay for the entrance, it is necessary to have a passport. For a non-residents ticket to the tower is more expensive than for a citizen of Uzbekistan. It cost 40 thousand so'm pro person (approximately $5). - It is the Tashkent TV tower. - It is said that for some time it was prohibited to shoot any footage here, even the mobile phones were taken away. Now if you don't have any professional cameras or equipmen you're allowed to shoot videos. A tourist on the TV tower can visit only two floors - the 6th and 7th floor. You're taking the high-speed elevator and watching, what how it looks in the shaft. The 6th is a walking floor, with a circular panorama. Visitors come to the windows, gasp, admire, look for their houses and take photos. Tashkent is an ancient city, just good looking. It was founded somewhere in the 2nd century BC. In the 11th century it has received its present name, which means "The Stone city". Tashkent was guarded by a wall in case of raids, the wall had 12 gates. They were named either after areas where they were located or after directions. For example, those that went to the Samarkand tract, were called - Samarkand. In 1865, representatives of the Tashkent nobility presented the symbolic keys to the 12 gates to the commander of the Russian troops General Mikhail Chernyaev as a sign of unconditional surrender of the city. Those days Tashkent was under the rule of Kokand Khan. And the people of Tashkent didn't want it. The keys to the city were made of pure gold, their total weight was more than 1,5 kilograms. On each key there was an engraving - which gate did they belong to. Now the keys to the city are stored in the national Bank of Uzbekistan. On the floor above is a restaurant. You would say - nothing special, a typical restaurant on a TV tower, but there is one thing... It spins. Feels unusual... Of corse it does not move so fast to get you sick, even if the visitor had a little too much to drink. The speed is quite comfortable. I didn't order anything in the restaurant, I'm going to eat in the center of pilaf, which is just 200 meters away from the tower. It's a paradise for those, who lose pilaf. For Tashkent residents this place is so famous and popular that it's even, as we could say, pop (has lost its exclusivity). But it's still very popular. Every day thousands of people come here to eat. It is cooked by the best specialists in the country, who are constantly switching between each other. There are a lot of people here, so the cauldron must be huge. Even it is difficult to assume how many portions of pilaf it contains. But by two o'clock, everything it is already empty! Then the smaller cauldrons, "reserves", take the battle. - What's the difference between this and that pilaf? - Andijan pilaf - it is a different type of rice, is called "Devzira". - And here we have usual Tashkent wedding pilaf - The main difference is the rice. - And what's on the right? - This is also a wedding pilaf. - It is the same as the one in a big cauldron. - The only difference is the size of cauldron. Tourists are brought here non-stop. Before they start eating, everyone takes a picture of a giant cauldron. You can even pretend that you're the one, who has cooked - a scoop was put here extra for tourist photo sessions. And this are ingredients for the main dish. Only with some additives you will be full. Looks impressive. My mouth's watering! I want to eat this beauty. We're coming inside. And you are already lost. What to do? Whom to ask? There are many waiters, but they are all elusive. We still managed to get one and demanded to bring a pilaf. He ran away. Then brought us a portion, but without any beauty, just rice and meat. - Of corse with such a flow of guests the level of service falls. - For example, they brought us a pilau, which was not complete (no quail and chicken eggs and other things). - So we asked to bring us everything complete. - Here are the sausages, quail and chicken eggs. The pilau was pretty good, but it is too much going on, you can't enjoy it. I wouldn't come here a second time. Would find a quiet place where you can comfortably sit on the couch, and where the waiter is not in a hurry, and carefully and patiently listens the same words: "Oh, I don't know what to eat, maybe you can recommend me something." And with a smile he recommends the pilaf. Near the TV tower is located a Tashkentland - an entertainment complex with some attractions and a water park. In April water Park, of course, was closed, but it was possible to go on rides. You could explore the area and understand what more you want to ride on this cable car (price: 2$). If you made a choice - then buy a ticket, Payment is only at the entrance. After that, you ride as much as you want, without paying extra. Favourite entertainment for kids - cars. There's a haunted castle, but I think it doesn't make scream most of the visitors - it makes them smile. And King Kong he says something in Uzbek. Here you can take a boat ride. A wonderful picture, isn't it? But there is one thing. If you take a ride, do not go the back seats, choose to the front ones. And in conclusion, you can once again climb to the height - - take a ride in a Ferris wheel. In the next part you will learn whether to rent a car, what are these houses, what exactly is sold at the Tashkent flea market, and why the "hippodrome" - is not about horses. The journey through Uzbekistan continues. I have already been to wonderful Bukhara, famous Samarkand and ancient Khiva. All that you have seen in previous episodes. By the way, it's great that the audience of YouTube liked "Goroda pobrodimy". Thank you for "likes", friends. I filmed not for this purpose. Just wanted to show, that Uzbekistan is beautiful, sunny, hospitable and delicious. But I won't deny, "likes" are very pleasant. We will continue to walk around Tashkent-and will visit the center. This is actually the center of Tashkent. It used to be the main walking area of Tashkent called "Broadway". There were a lot of cafes here, but now everything is gone. Once it was incredibly crowded here. Young people, musicians, parties. But then some representative of the authorities was upset by the smell of the food. There were many cafes in the open. All of them were closed. And walking there is not recommended at all. In the end, Broadway became empty. Now, it's slowly coming back to life. Constantly here are rarity traders and artists. Traditionally prices from sellers of antiquities on the Tashkent Broadway several times, even 10 times, higher, than the average. Philatelist, for example, will be upset - he won't get one stamp. He'll have to buy the whole album with some substandard copies. And the price is , of course - in dollars. It's like buying souvenirs on the Arbat in Moscow. And, like on the Arbat, there are artists here. The costs of their services are more adequate. - How much is your drawing? - 50,000 - 50,000?
- Yeah, it's cheap. These are bicycles to rent. We have already seen those in Bukhara and in Samarkand. A trampoline, but there no kids. In the center of the city there is a monument of Amir Timur. In the past in this square grew a stunning centuries-old plane trees But they were all chopped down Apparently, it has been done in order to be able to see this building which was built for a billion dollars. Was it really a the need to destroy the ancient trees? Nearby is another impressive building - the library. - This is the State Library. - It is cool in Tashkent today. - But the sky is amazin! I have to show you this impressive memorial, which was erected in memory of the victims of an earthquake in 1966, when in Tashkent was destroyed a huge number of buildings. The granite cube split was shattered, the clock stopped at the moment when the earthquake began. The whole Union helped to rebuild the capital of Uzbekistan. Absolutely all fraternal Republics sent their builders, and in a short time Tashkent was reconstructed. The memorial, which is called "The Courage", is located at the river Ankhor . There is also the most famous and most popular cafe. Foreigners like to come here. The food is tasty, it is relatively inexpensive, colorful and is located on the river bank - amazing! Some cafes in Uzbekistan, maybe even the majority of them, have a narrow specialization. In one cafe you can eat pilaf, in another - meat. I came to the place where they make Jizzakh samsa. The difference from the classic (tandoor) one is the size. This salsa is much bigger. At the entrance to the cafe there is an advertising banner with a thematic poem. "Finally the flame is gone, And the Creator doing more. Hanging like nests of a swallow Samsas in the tandoor, right in a row. A little time will pass, A tantalizing spirit from them will go, Samsa, riddled with fever, Sparkles with a bronze tan." Bravo to an unknown poet! Bravo also to you, creator of samsa. The only thing the owner told me that every day in her cafe come and eat to two hundred of these scones. The number amazed me, I shared it with the taxi driver who drove me back. He said that 200 - is nothing special at all. There are places in Tashkent some places, where a day are sold several thousand of Sams? Samson? Samsa, I guess. A few thousand a day? Well, I don't know ... And do you know where the most delicious samosa was? From my point of view, of course. It's funny. Traveled, if not to the most, then certainly to a significant part of Uzbekistan looking for perfect salsa. And I found it in a place, where I didn't even think to shoot videos. Well, good that we have photos. Had some things to do on the outskirts of the city, went to a good friend in Tashkent. And she took us to the usual cafe near the house. It was the yard, which are hundreds of them. Well, I couldn't even imagine, that I will nostalgically remember these place being hungry. And samosa is not expensive - 3,500 so'm ($0,4). Meat-lamb, a little fat tail, dough-puff. Some more about the food! About "Naryn". There is a place in Tashkent - "Katartal". People come specially to eat this dish there. - Meat of a horse is boiled - Then this meat should dry out to be something like jerky and dough - Homemade dough? - Yes, homemade. - As if the dough is made for noodles - And why the broth? -Some people do eat with broth. - With the noodles? - Yeah, with the noodles, like a soup. An interesting feature of Tashkent - the large number of pharmacies. In Uzbek it's means "dorihana". If in the area is at least one of "dorihana", then soon there will be another pharmacy, than another one and so on. Even it can be, that on one street in a row are a dozen pharmacies in a row . - The whole street almost consists of pharmacies. - It begins there. - Here again, a pharmacy. - Another "dorihana", a pharmacy. Then there is also "dorihana", "dorihana","dorihana"... Near the hospital we found 17 pharmacies. Do you know what that is? You will be surprised. It's a dump! Most of them are in Tashkent. In the house there live people, sometimes families - they are service personnel. Often it is visitors from distant areas. They keep this place clean and sort the trash. Probably, that is why Tashkent dumps do not have a typical for such places smell. Non-standard solution, I have never encountered it. But, why not? And now let's take a look at the bazaars! Many people are interested - does it make sense to rent a car in Uzbekistan? So I'll tell you. A taxi in Tashkent costs an average of 10 thousand so'm, a little more than $1. From Bukhara to Samarkand I drove for $100. This is with all the stops, with an overnight stay on the border with Kazakhstan in a Yurt. Now look how much it costs to rent a car ($50-100 per day). In my opinion, the conclusion is obvious. Moreover, a taxi here is any car that has stopped. In most cases - white! Uzbekistan-the country of the sun, and white, of course, is the most popular colour among car owners. There are several bazaars in the city. Alai - in the center. Knowledgeable people are not adviced bo anything on it to buy. After the reconstruction, it became, of course, beautiful, but terribly expensive. If the word "hippodrome" flashes in a conversation with locals, you know, you do not necessarily have to deal with a horse lover. He's probably talking about shopping. The fact that for many years the largest clothing market in Tashkent is located on the outskirts of the city in close proximity to the racetrack - so the people and nicknamed it after that. You can buy almost anything here. Sellers do not like when they are filmed, so there are not many footage. Here are baby cradles, here - wedding dresses. At the Hippodrome managed to try an unusual dish - pigodi. It's a Korean steamed pastry with cabbage and meat inside. Be sure to pour the sauce - an unusual taste. The dish is quite decent and hearty. - It can be opened? Do you put something inside? - Yes, we do. - Inside we put soy, it's bitter. There are a lot of Koreans in Uzbekistan. In Tashkent are some areas where they mainly live. And Korean cuisine for Tashkent have become familiar. We went to a restaurant in the city center, where you can taste them. I got myself a kuksi-a cold soup with noodles and meat. Incredibly tasty, especially in the heat. And this is hot boiling soup. In addition, they gave a bunch of salads. To eat them strength was gone. We took with us and tried later - also very tasty. But back to the bazaars. The bill in the Korean cafe made 72 thousand soums ($9). Fans of flea markets should definitely visit "The Yangiabad Bazaar". He works the weekends. This seems to show products of Soviet times under on open air. Here you can find anything, for example, you can buy money: Soviet, Royal, Uzbek. Flags, pennants, some strange mechanisms, billiard balls. I was pleased with the ancient computer. - It works? - Yeah. They say that here the car owners buy spare parts for their rare "Lada", "Muscovites" and "Volga". Another thing is the bird market, in addition to poultry and pets-kittens, puppies and rabbits, you can buy hedgehogs or turtles. By the way, the turtles can not be exported from the country. This" hustle " is constantly wanted to be closed. Please don't do this! The flea markets exist in many cities around the world, and the authorities don't consider them bad. For example, I love to wander through such markets and buy something unusual. It may, perhaps, someone should revitalize this area? Farhad Bazaar is not in the center. You can reach it by metro - the ride costs 1.200 so'm ($0.15). If you-a tourist and have bought too many tokens, you can take them back to the cashier and you will return the money for them. Here in Farkhad can meet something of the Eastern-colourfulness. It is a stunning announcement. Who is Yura? Why is he being stopped? - I love this kind of flatbread. - How much is it? You can also eat this. - When there is lack of Calcium, you should it this. - Pregnant women do eat this. - Pregnant women? Assorted Kurt - salted dried cottage cheese. Nuts, sweets - this is what I take to Moscow, but I won't buy it here, I'll buy it on the most picturesque Bazaar of Tashkent - "Chorsu" It is not to be confused with others, can be recognized by the domes. - Inside the dom. - This is pelmeni, - farinaceous food. - What is it? - It's for laghman. - Ok. So, you do not have to cook anything, it is cooked? - Yes. Just put everything in a hot water. - Alright, thank you. - Here you can buy a poultry. - Fresh flatbread is being sold. - Here are Korean salads, pickles, cottage cheese. On "Chorsu" you need to buy everything that will be taken to Moscow - to your friends, relatives and colleagues. Traditionally in the list of such goods nuts are walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts. Trading rows are located not only under the dome, but also next to it. Here the workers wash their hands, vegetables and cool something packed. Do you like these huge bundles of radishes? Impressive goods - impressive seller. Every day such bundles have to be brought here and then taken away. There are helpers here . If you do not want to carry what you bought on the market - no problem. The helper goes all the time behind you, puts everything in his cart, can advise, be silent - it's like you say. Each such cart has its own number, to avoid confusion, the price is as agreed. I think ten thousand soums ($1.25) is OK. A flatbread-plate - after having a meal (meat) it's not necessary to wash - just eat it too. If you are on the "Chorsu" there is no way, my friends, to pass you by "guzzle rows". For sure you would want to eat what is offered. And there is plenty of options. Of course, the pilaf, but we have eaten it in Tashkent in the previous episode. Of course, shashlik, samsa, chicken in different variations, fish for lovers, some sausages... This is naryn, I've already told you about it. Why is it on bottles? Have no idea. Was ashamed to ask. Everyone must have noticed it for sure. And what's that? What do you think? - How much? - 2500 The dish is called khanum. There are potatoes in the dough - and all this in tomato sauce. The dish is unusual, but has its admirers. Well, Souvenirs, Souvenirs, Souvenirs... Funny grandpas, which have already become familiar, magnets on the fridge in the form of flatbread, which has shashlik on it, bags, carpets, plates... The day ends, also ends the vacation and the trip to Uzbekistan. We're going to the airport. We carry a lot of gifts and are not afraid of excess. "Uzbek airlines" allow one passenger to carry 30 kilograms of cargo. But the tickets are still expensive. By the way, in previous years if I was shooting a video at the airport, I would definitely be approached by a policeman and would strongly recommend to stop filming at least. Now, you can film - if you want. Well, the journey to Uzbekistan is over. It was wonderful!
