Planet Uzbekistan
We have opened for ourselves, covered with age-old dust, the ancient doors behind which are the beautiful fabulous East, and would like to state a few dry facts about which nine-meter waves of stereotypes about this amazing country called Uzbekistan, which so frighten modern travelers, should break.
Security. Uzbekistan is an absolutely safe country. In addition to the customs of hospitality, a huge army of law enforcement officers takes care of your peace of mind - at the airport, in squares and squares, at stations and crossroads, you are met and seen off by the caring glances of people in uniform. For the citizens of Uzbekistan, such attention may seem superfluous, and for us guests, who find themselves here thousands of kilometers from their home, such care only soothes and relaxes.
With such a large number of police, during the entire trip, the documents were not checked even once, they came up many times, but everything boiled down to the wishes of a "good journey". Personally, I have long lost the habit of such behavior on the part of the police. In addition to severe politeness, you can always find a common language with them and, for a nominal fee, get into places where the path is closed to mere mortals.
Cities. Tashkent is a large, green and very clean city, it is continuously watered, swept, built and landscaped. Samarkand can share this delight, Bukhara is a bit dusty due to its proximity to the fiery breath of the desert, but also a very well-groomed and cozy city.
Transport. I assure you, if you have a community of 3-4 people, you will not even notice the transportation costs. A taxi around the city costs about 1-2 dollars, a full-fledged auto tour along night avenues and boulevards costs 5-6 dollars.
The humaneness of prices can also be attributed to intercity transfers - a car from Samarkand to Tashkent costs approx. $40.4 hours on a Daewoo-Nexia on a relatively good track. You can also use the branded train Tashkent-Samarkand, the cost of a luxury compartment in which is about $ 12 per person, it is very convenient and comfortable (air conditioning, food, drinks, TV). Leaves Tashkent in the morning, closer to noon already in Samarkand. An indispensable option in the summer heat.
Alcohol. In shops and supermarkets there is a relatively large selection of wines, beer, vodka. And, in my opinion, no one will even punish you if you drink right on the street. But the fact is that no one does this, for all the time, they have not seen drinkers anywhere (with the exception of cafes and restaurants), and even more so drunk. Partly from this, the streets in the evening and at night are so calm. Traditions...
Currency. It is problematic to change Russian rubles in a bank.
I also had euros with me, which also seemed to be the world's most popular currency, so I was able to change it with great difficulty in only one place. Take US dollars on the road. Please note that the bills are in good condition (worn and even slightly torn bills are not accepted here) and it is better if they are 10.20 or 50 dollar bills. Firstly, in local money 100 dollars it can be a whole bag of sums, and, secondly, if an unpleasant situation arises, it will not be so pitiful.
Hotels. You can stay in pompous Soviet skyscrapers or ultra-modern buildings made of glass and concrete, but we always chose small private hotels. Accommodation for two with breakfast costs about 35-45 dollars, which is a lot of money for Uzbekistan.
But for this money, you plunge into the atmosphere, for example, of medieval Bukhara (an old Bai house, restored, with all amenities, but not losing its oriental flavor) or the Samarkand caravanserai. Accommodation conditions are very good, two of the four hotels had a swimming pool, which is a nice addition on a sunny day.
I am concluding my report, perhaps my memories voiced in Cyrillic will inspire someone to travel to Uzbekistan, I will be very happy.
My opinion is that before traveling to Central Asia, you need to mature (in a good way), feel a craving for a completely different world, the roots of which go back to ancient times. The region, in its development, went through a huge number of historical stages, where there were the greatest ups (arts, sciences, culture, architecture) and terrible falls with ruin and almost complete oblivion.
But every time the East blossomed with renewed vigor and every time a transparent spring came to Samarkand and Bukhara with cold streams, aromas of flowers and singing of birds.
Despite the eternal trade and cultural ties with other countries, Uzbekistan has not lost its exceptional originality; for Europeans (which include most Russians), surprise and delight are everywhere here, from original architectural forms to nature, where deserts and bright gardens coexist.
Do not try to look for routes on comfortable buses with a "wide" excursion program, believe me, this is just a dull cover of the world that can open up to you in reality. Oriental bazaar, early walks through the sleepy old city, hot tea under huge southern stars, well-known hospitality, and slender minarets and century-old dust on cobbled streets serve as decorations for all this.
