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Posts from the ‘Uzbekistan’ Category

Oct 31

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Samarkand: Stories from an Ancient Crossroads

There are a handful of places in the world whose names are tinged with magic — faraway cities that conjure up a lost age of historic splendor. So it is with Samarkand. The mere mention of this fabled Silk Road trading hub in modern-day Uzbekistan brings to mind grand monuments, bustling markets, and caravans loaded with riches from both East and West. Samarkand has inspired its share of art and literature through the ages: it’s mentioned as the home city of Shah Zaman, one of the two fictional brother-kings who set the scene for One Thousand and One Nights. Read more

Nov 20

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Uzbekistan Eats: Somsas and So Much More

Suitcases propped against a counter in the vaulted departure hall at Tashkent train station, Bama and I wolfed down our own triangular somsas in a paper bag, biting through layers of thin, flaky pastry to get to the fragrant beef and onion filling. This humble breakfast on the go would herald the start of a culinary adventure through Uzbekistan — 14 days spent hopping between the ancient Silk Road cities of Bukhara, Khiva, and Samarkand, along with Tashkent, the country’s modern capital. After years of dreaming about such a trip, we were ecstatic to finally be in Central Asia. Read more