samarkand

IT HAS STARTED TO RAIN, WITH SNOW..THIS MORNING WAS SO COLD THAT I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ANY PHOTO WITH MY FROZEN HANDS AMY THOUGH,MIRACULOUSLY REVIVED WITH CHARCOAL TABLETS AND POMEGRANATES TEA,WAS SHOOTING EVERYTHING, IN A SHORT SLEEVED BLOUSE AND NO JACKET IN SIGHT. THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PLACE WAS NOT THE REGISTAN SQUARE THAT IS NEWLY REBUILT,BUT THE NEKROPOLIS OF THE LIVING KING - THAT STILL HAS THE FEEL OF THE 15TH CENTURY, WITH MOST OF THE MONUMENTS UNTOUCHED. I EVEN ASKED AN IMAN TO SAY A PRAYER FOR ME AND HE SANG ONE PASSAGE OF THE KORAN LOOKING TOWARDS MECCA. IT FELT SO RIGHT, AND IRAQ IS SO CLOSE TO HERE. I THINK WE ARE EVEN ON THE SAME SIDE OF TIME.

JUST RETURNED FROM OUR GUIDE'S HOUSE ,FORM A FAMILY DINNER COOKED BY HIS MOTHER. SHE SERVED US 'SARMALE', CALLED THE SAME BY THE TATARS OF THE CRIMEEA - SO HERE WE GO. GOING HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD TO COME HOME AGAIN...THERE ARE 120 NATIONALITIES IN UZBEKISTAN - RUSSIANS, IRANIANS, GREEKS, ARMENIANS, COREANS, TAJIKS, JEWS..'AND WE LIVE IN PEACE. NO RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS'-SAYS THE GUIDE .SURE , BECAUSE THERE IS NO RELIGION . NOBODY GOES TO CHURCH OR TO MOSQUE, EVERYBODY WAS CLEANSED OF ANY RELIGIOUS INCLINATIONS DURING THE SOVIET OCCUPATION - SO NOW IT IS SILENCE IN THEIR SOULS.THE GUIDE THINKS THAT ALL THE UZBEKI GIPSIES COME FROM INDIA ,WHILE ALL THE OTHER GIPSIES IN THE WORLD ARE ROMANIANS. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW OVERWHELMED I WAS WITH HIS MIS INFORMATION.
(HIS DAUGHTHER IS ALINA AND SHE SHOWED ME HER COLLECTION OF UZBEKI BARBIES - MADE IN CHINA ...I AM SURE THAT OUR US BARBIES ARE NOT MADE IN VERMONT EITHER,MAYBE A BETTER CHINA OUTFIT )

TOMORROW WE ARE LEAVING FOR BUKHARA WITH HER PUPPET THEATER THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME SEEMS MORE ENCHANTING THAN ANY BLUE TILED MONUMENT. ALL THE PAYMENTS TO HOTELS, GUIDES, RESTAURANTS AND ALIKE ARE MADE IN CASH - FOR ONE DOLLAR WE RECEIVE 2000 SOMS SO FOR EVERY 50 DOLLARS WE NEED A SPECIAL BAG TO CARRY THE PILE OF CASH. 'MAKE SURE YOU COUNT ALL THESE MONEYS - HERE EVEN THE NATIONAL BANK OF UZBEKISTAN CAN CHEAT YOU',HOW REASSURING.

I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED. SORRY FOR THE MISTAKES BUT THE SPELL CHECK GOES ONLY FOR RUSSIAN,NOT ENGLISH.
CU DRAG,

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