TASKENT KINO

THE "KINO" WAS THE KAZAKSTAN MOVIE THEATER CLOSE TO MY HOTEL. NOT MANY SIGNS OUTSIDE, INSIDE DARK AND EMPTY. A POLICEMAN SLEEPING ON A RED VELVET COACH, IN THE FOYER. AND ABOUT 8 GUYS IN THE AUDIENCE.
THE WOMAN AT KASSA ASKED FOR 2000 SOMS(ABOUT TWO DOLLARS )AND WARNED ME - "PA RUSKI" !!

I HAVE ALSWAYS BEEN SURPRISED BY THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE CINEMA ..IN ROMANIA ALL THE MOVIE SPIES WERE AMERICAN. LATER IN THE STATES ALL THE SPIES WERE RUSSIAN. NOW I WAS IN UZBEKISTAN WATCHING A RUSSIAN VERSION OF OO7 WITH A TWIST . THE MASTER SPY WAS A RUSSIAN WOMAN, A SUPERB RUSSIAN WOMAN THAT IS, WHO KILLS EVERYBODY IN SIGHT , AND SAVES THE WORLD FROM A NUCLEAR DISASTER. NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT THE MOVIE ENDS WITH THE US MARINES SALUTING THE RUSIAN SPECIAL FORCES ...VERY ENTERTAINING. I DID NOT MISS A BIT, EVEN IN A SEA OF UNKNOWN WORDS.

NOW I AM WRITING TO YOU FROM SAMARKAND I LEFT TASHKENT SEVERNY VAKSAL AT 7AM AND ARRIVED IN SAMARKAND THREE HOURS LATER. THE EXPRESS TRAIN - THE REGISTAN - WAS QUITE PLEASANT. COMFORTABLE LEATEHR SEATS, A SMALL TV ON THE TABLE, A WARM SNACK BREAKFAST. ONLY THE BATHROOM WAS MISERABLE - AS PER AMY - WHO IS SICK AGAIN AND SPENT MOST ON THE TRAIN RIDE THERE.
THE HOTEL OF MY CHOICE WAS CLOSED FOR LACK OF HEATING, AND WE ENDED UP AT A SOVIET STYLE HOTEL,THAT IS VERY WARM EVEN IN THIS LOW SEASON. SOME WORKERS ARE SETTING UP A CHRISTMAS TREE - I WONDER WHY, THERE ARE NO TOURISTS AROUND AND CHRISTMAS SHOULD BE A NON EVEN IN THIS MUSLIM COUNTTY. PROBABLY, JUST WISHFUL THINKJING. TODAY , DECEMBER 6TH IS ST NICHOLAS DAYM BYT THEY WOULD NOT KNOW THAT, FOR SURE.

I BRAVED THE COLD AND WALKED TO THE REGISTAN SQUARE - A DREAM OF BLUE AND GREEN TILES.BRIAN, SO WONDERFUL YOU SAW IT TOO. SO MANY YEARS AGO. THE COURTYARD IS FULL OF ARTIZANS TRYING TO SELL HAND WOVEN CARPETS, WALL COVERS, EMBROIDERED HATS,VELVET BELTS, COLOURFUL SILK BAGS, RICH CHESS SETS...I HAVE TO FIND A CHESS PLAYER.IN THIS COLD IT IS NOT MUCH TO DO, REALLY. I GAVE UP ON ANY PARK RENDEZ VOUS, MAYBE I CAN FIND THE CHESS CLUB. THE PUPPET THEATER IS CLOSED AND SO IS THE RUSSIAN DRAMA . I HAD A MASSAGE INSTEAD - 15 DOLLARS FOR ONE HOUR - ONE OF THE BEST MASSAGES EVER.THE PROBLEM IS THAT HARDLY ANYBODY ACCEPTS CREDIT CARDS AND ALL THE TRANSACTIONS ARE DONE IN CASH. THAT MAKES US THINK LONGER ON OUR VENTURES. THE HOTEL REFUSED TO GIVE MY PASSPORT BACK UNLESS I PAY !!! FEARFUL PROBABLY THAT I WOULD VENTURE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT...EVERY STEP IS RECORDED AND WE MUST KEEP THE RECORDS FOR THE DEPARTURE CHECK OUT - THIS GOES FOR HOTEL REGISTRATIONS, MONEY EXCHANGE, TRAIN AND AIRPLANE TICKETS...THE OLD SOVIET NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING IS STILL VERY PRESENT.

TOMORROW MORNING I HAVE A GUIDE FOR THE CITY TOUR, WITH THE HOPE THAT THE SUN WILL FIND US. IF NOT THE BLACK RUSSIAN TEA MAY HELP...THE CITY HERE AS IN TASDKENT IS EMPTY - NOBODY IN THE STREET, AT THE OPERA, IN THE RESTAURANTS..LOW SEASON MAYBE BUY STILL...

I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.
CU MULT DRAG.

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