Uzbekistan, Bukhara

Bukhara was our favorite Uzbek city. It was more lived in than Khiva, and had a more old town atmosphere than Samarkand.

When it comes to technology, Uzbekistan is the most backward country Tim and I traveled. To make an international phone call, you have to go to the post office and have them connect you the old fashioned way. In addition to being very expensive, you ended up listening to four conversations at once. Internet was dial up, and a poor dial up connection at that. And the currency is hilarious. The largest bill you could get was worth less than a dollar. So, despite the fact that people do not have a lot of money, everyone walks around with giant wads of bills.

When Tim and I went to Central Asia, we expected that the people would be happy to no longer be a part of the Soviet Union. So it was to our surprise that many people talked of Soviet days with fondness. According to these people, it was easier then to get good medical care, as they could go to Moscow. Things were more affordable, as opposed to now when inflation is very high. Other people lamented the splitting of the central Asian people into many different countries. Of course, not everyone agreed with this viewpoint. One business man explained to us that "In Soviet times it was very easy and the people grew very lazy! The government paid for everything." Another man told us that communism was bad because it "sucks everything dry". Democracy was bad because "it's all about money". Of course, one has to keep in mind that Uzbekistan is not exactly a good example of democracy in any way. Tim asked him "well, what would be good?" The answer? "Islam!"

The enclosed courtyard of the women's section in a 19th century wealthy merchants home





Tim and I in 19th century wealthy merchants dress.



It's me under there. If I had wanted to leave the house in the 19th century, this is what I would have worn. It is really heavy-the women must have developed very strong necks!



The Emirs summer palace



Ruined salt and chemical encrusted soil



A few more of the Uzbek people











An old medresa gate in Bukhara



A large Bukhara mosque, medresa, and minaret complex









Tile detail



Tashkent bazaar





Tashkent back street

Uzbekistan; Fergana, Samarkand, and Khiva

We spent about three weeks in Uzbekistan, mostly looking at the beautifully tiled monuments and frequenting bazaars. Uzbekistan bazaars were very orderly, with wide walkways and permanent, uniformly designed shop counters. While walking through the bazaars, many people would stop us to talk, and to give us things-fruit, pottery, a silk purse. The people of Uzbekistan had beautiful, big smiles and many gold teeth. We enjoyed Uzbekistan for its history and its people.

Before entering Uzbekistan we were in Osh, which is a largely Uzbek but was made a part of Kyrgyzstan by Soviet gerrymandering. Here people were very vocal about the government in Uzbekistan, telling us many things about government corruption and repression of peoples rights. These people all believed that they personally were better off and had better lives because Osh was in Kyrgyzstan territory. Once we arrived in Uzbekistan, the people where very quiet about the government. Sometimes we gently tried to draw them out, asking how they liked living here. The response was always "the sun is shining" with a gesture towards the heavens. I always felt very sad whenever I heard this response. We saw a few signs of the things we heard of. Everywhere we went in Uzbekistan there was many government military checkpoints. The Internet was filtered, which is why I was unable to properly update the blog. Many people talked of trying to leave, and some asked us to help them with invitations to America. In Tashkent the police attempted to take us in a small room and search us so they could remove us of our money. We loudly told them no in Russian and they reluctantly let us go.

Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan

Spinning silk thread at the silk factory, Fergana valley



Colorfully dressed women in Fergana





Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Shakh Zindah Mausoleums, Samarkand







The Guir Emir Mosoleum, where Tamerlane was interred, used over 17 Kilograms of gold in its interior decoration





A typical Uzbekistan street



The Registan Madressa complex, Samarkand



Close up of the dome, Registan



Intricate tile work in the Registon



Tile work detail, Samarkand





Beautifully carved door in a mosque minaret. Samarkand



Carved door in the Jewish cemetary, Samarkand



People of Samarkand







Women in Samarkand's bazaar selling ready made salads



Samarkand bazaar



A girl in her school uniform. Samarkand



An Uzbek family, Samarkand



It's the wedding season in Uzbekistan and all the brides look like they are about to be hanged.



Tim on a park bench



Khiva, Uzbekistan



Ladies watching the world from their porch step













Painted ceiling in Khiva







Many of the doors are beatifully carved throughout Uzbekistan



Me, in front of 800 year old carved pillar in a Khivan mosque



The city gate in old town Khiva

Freedom

Many times in this blog I have talked about the various ways in which people have told Tim and I that they disagree with the current policies of the American government, and I have not hid my own disillusionment. However, for many people, even some of those critical of our government, America still stands for the 'land of the free', and this is an ideal that many people yearn for. People in many countries we have visited must deal day to day with repression of speech, of religion, of economic opportunity, and rampant government corruption. The media is censored. Internet is filtered. Any type of dissent is not tolerated. Visiting these countries has given me a new appreciation for where I come from.

While I myself disagree with the international policies of my country...while I believe that America operates on a double standard, striving to provide economic prosperity and freedom for its citizens but at the same time allowing the suppression of the citizens of other countries as needed to protect our interests...while I am embarrassed because of the current mess America has created in much of the world, I am still thankful to be an American citizen. I am thankful to have the freedoms and rights that I have, thankful to be able to travel as we do, to have the economic opportunities we have. Thankful to be unafraid of the police trying to extort money. Thankful to be able to openly disagree with my government, something that in many countries would get me imprisoned without due process of the law.

These freedoms are fragile, and nothing will erode them faster than fear. Fear like that caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and reinforced by our government propaganda in the so called 'war on terror'. This war on terror has already begun to erode our freedoms. Freedom is precious. Guard it as something precious and possibly fleeting, and strive to respect and protect the freedoms of people throughout the world regardless of circumstance.

"In America freedom, liberty. Here no liberty, no talk. Talk...jail."

"I want to travel. In America you can travel freely. Here, it is very difficult for us to go anywhere."

"For us, there is no economic opportunity."

"Many people are arrested. Some just disappear. You cannot speak openly."

"regime"

"dictatorship"

"repression"

"Our faces our laughing, but our hearts are not laughing."

Crossing the street

Osh Bazaar is a huge, bustling bazaar that stretches for several kilometers along both sides of the river that winds through the city. To get there was one obstacle: crossing a busy street filled with horn honking taxis, mini-buses, and motorbikes. Tim made it across, but after several false starts, I began to despair ever getting to the other side. Then an old lady took my arm, and speaking rapidly to me in Russian, Kirghiz, or Uzbek, she began to slowly lead me across the street. Now, instead of the squeal of horns as the automobiles whizzed by, I heard the squeal of brakes as they screeched to a stop and smiling, waved us slowly by.

A butcher at Osh Bazaar



A colorful vender in the Osh Bazaar