July 2017 - Solotravel

Tashkent Border

After enjoying the late checkout, I headed down to the Tashkent station with plenty of time in hand. The usual formalities of showing tickets to get into station and going through the scanners. Then having the passport checked again and ticket stamped there is a lot of red tape in these countries, sadly the result of a Russian past. The station area was a mad house, with so many people, bags and cases everywhere only the Chinese stations could get anywhere near competing with it!

The time to get to the platform came , and it gave me a certain vicarious pleasure bumping my suitcase down stairs and holding the mob behind me even after all the traveling I have done I still cannot believe the lack of preparation for the huge crowds and their luggage. After two flights of doing this, a man stepped up and carried it the remainder of the steps. The platform of course very busy, I was intrigued by stalls selling water and food for the trip but also toilet rolls! Food and water I can understand, but toilet rolls!

The train pulled in and its every man (or woman) for themselves, to get to the cabins first and get luggage stashed as there is a limited amount of space. I have been very lucky to get a bottom bunk for the whole trip, although requested I did not take it for granted. With the bottom bunk comes the safety of the bed on top of the storage area, and to some extent, security of belongings. I had to walk nearly the length of the train to the carriage I was allotted, but then that has mostly been the case so no worries.

The loose mats on the carriage floor a real hassle when dragging a suitcase on wheels plus a backpack. The frilly curtains an enigma to me on a train of all things!

Eventually I found the cabin, already taken over by three young men. We had to rearrange everyone’s bags to accommodate my stuff. One of the men actually gave me the creeps, I had noticed him staring, I know it’s probably unexpected to get an old lady sharing a berth with them, but it was not a great start to a three day trip to Moscow.

Then its time to take the brocade covers off the seats and pillows in order to make the bunks for the night. They bring round the sheets etc and you make your own bed. Then its tickets collected. Soon after dozing off to sleep I was woken again by passport control wanting passports, and this for me was where everything turned to custard!

It was apparent that my visa for Uzbeckistan had expired despite having it checked on entry to the station.So I and my bags were escorted off the train, leaving the train to go on without me ! Not a particularly good feeling I assure you.

Leaving Bukhara

A day of mucking around, with checkout at midday I can never get into sight seeing mode knowing there is a time frame to be recognized. How ever, a bit of walking again amongst the buildings built so long ago is pause for reflection. On the way, I took the opportunity to book a taxi for later in the day for the trip to the train station or Vokzal. Filling in time at the internet cafe very easy to do, certainly a good connection was excellent to talk to home via face time on the Ipad. Afterwards a leisurely lunch at the pool cafe in the Lyabi Haus complex supping green tea along with my Lagman meal

Reception allowed me to store my bag and backpack there while out and about for which I was grateful. On returning to the hotel I sat in the lobby reading on the Ipad when I was joined by a young 17 year old who was on what we call work experience. He was learning English to enable him to travel to Malaysia to undertake further studies with a company. His grasp of the language was extremely good considering his age in a country where there is little English spoken.

He found the games on the Ipad fascinating, one of which was getting English words for points. Our laughter attracted the attention of his friends, as well as the novelty of the Ipad. I gather they are not too common here at present, as I had noticed kids watching over my shoulder when using it. The universal delight seems to be a program called ‘Talking Tom’ that has had any one watching and playing with it in fits, from three year olds and up!

The young people another 17 year old and 22 year old discovered the delights of the Ipad with its music despite it being old and English, the camera tried with all of us in various photos, angry birds and suchlike! The young people were a delight, once the ice was broken; everyone laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. The fact that two of them did not speak English made little difference to the conversations. One lad swore in his language, it sounded very much as it does in English, and I cracked up. Pointing out to the English speaker I knew what had been said, which he duly passed on to his friend amidst much laughter.

Time came to get the taxi and one of the young men helped with my bag and made sure the taxi driver knew where I was going. It was extremely kind and reassuring. With another four hours until the train, left there was no hurry, but I always make sure there is plenty of time in case I have to move cases very slowly up or down stairs. The time went very quickly, fortunately no stairs. Interestingly because of my early arrival, there was no security checking done, but after an hour, everyone coming in was checked by security.

The sleeper part of the train was parked at the other end of the station and in due time the engine arrived and connected to the carriages. I was looking for carriage nine, so watching as the train slowly drove past the numbers dropped from twenty-three downwards. The train complete must have been at least half a kilometer in length or more, carriage nine went past, so I got up to go to it when the train stopped. Having reached the carriage, the train stopped then started reversing, so it was all the way back to where I had started! Some people, who I had been chatting with, laughed with me and enjoyed the joke!

The high number of the train suggested it was going to be a slow trip, taking ten hours to cover the distance that five had done previously! As an overnighter it was ok, the seats very hard of course even with the mattress you have to make them more comfortable. Providing passengers with sheets and a pillowcase for bed making has been the case on all the trains.

I ended up in the wrong berth but staff, probably thinking ‘Inglesi’, soon sorted it! The girl in the berth with me was sorry I had to go to another. Leaving as late as it did it was not long before most people were asleep.

Arriving at seven in the morning it was back to the hotel I had stayed in previously.

Bukhara, Uzbeckistan

Pleasant train trip from Samarkand to Bukhara, I slept most of it!

Unfortunately, the person that was supposed to meet me was not there! With the help of a girl with phone, I was able to reach the emergency person at Sundowners, who said the person was at the station waiting? Nearly an hour later I saw someone rushing in, it turned out to be the transfer man. He was nowhere near the station, in my opinion! Was not happy, it was hot, and a taxi man kept pestering me, everyone else knew I was waiting there including a very nice young security. guard, who was doing his best to help.

Soon we reached the Lyabi house hotel, and I was thrilled with it, very central and very nice indeed. Central Bukhara is centered on a centuries old water pool. The canals supplying the city water evident, from outside the city as we passed them in the train, to the canals with in the centre itself.

I explored this fascinating old place with its domes, minaret and historical buildings, making sure I was back at the hotel before dark. I found the prices of souvenirs very high compared with Samarkand and Tashkent undoubtedly, because of what it was. No end of mosques and courtyards, gave a real feeling of how things may have been hundreds of years ago. Indeed, people watching, while dining alongside the central pool, I saw many of the women in their national dress, it was easy to imagine camels tied up while people chatted around the pool.

One of the old trees, dead now, had a notice to say it was planted in 1477. There are many mulberry trees giving the area the green it needs. There were men and boys fishing from the side of the pool, and they were catching what looked like sprats. The lines were just a two-meter line with a hook and sinker, attached to the small poles.

Early next day I made the effort to get out before the tour groups hit the place. After ten until 4-5 in the afternoon, there were tourists everywhere.

I went and used the Wifi at an internet cafe for an hour while it was quiet. Even getting a smile from the owner, as he had overcharged me the night before! Another of the shops there was a puppet maker who was giving a talk on the puppets. They are made of papier-mache. I waited to see a puppet show advertised for the evening in one of the courtyards but sadly, it was cancelled. I did enjoy sitting in the old courtyard mostly empty of the sellers of souvenirs. I said hello to a woman who I had watched earlier machining a pattern on cloth. She happily reciprocated but she was still doing the pattern as I left, in the darkened room off the courtyard. The rooms were wonderfully cool.

I chatted to some Americans, and had dinner with a very nice German couple. It was very pleasant alongside the pool. I have taken a real fancy to Borsch soup and Lagham, very tasty hand made noodle dish. I had heard people say they didn’t think much of Bukhara, but I have enjoyed it apart from the rip off prices the sellers seem to feel are their right!

Tomorrow it is up and away again to Tashkent by overnight train, looks like it will be a slow one if the train number is anything to go by, and it is usually a good indicator. Then its on to Moscow, on the second to last leg of the Trans siberian. The final leg being the train trip between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

A Whole day in the Registan.

I plan to spend a quiet day today wandering in and around looking at the Registan. After the usual breakfast, which included being offered boiled or fried eggs both of which I could not face! I wandered off down to the huge Registan buildings. Past the fountains and the lion come tigers, interesting statues combining characteristics of both lion and tigers, although they looked like lions to me. I gather some where in the religion in the past it did not allow statues of live animals thus the strange looking golden beasts. More like a lion than a tiger in my opinion!

It was already busy with people coming and going. The entry fee cost 13,000uz som, I have a feeling that as a poor sucker of a tourist I was charged more! Only about $5 so I was not too worried, they are all sharks looking for the US dollar here. I also feel that each are out to make as much money as they can, as you would, but unfortunately we are not all rich Americans. I doubt that too many of them are that rich now, either.

The courtyards or madras’s are indeed worth seeing and that they are so old is a credit to the builders. The area is prone to earthquakes as well but the mosques continue to stand as they have done for hundreds of years. The courtyards so cool to sit in even when the sun is very hot. It was very pleasant to sit and watch the world go by from a seat in a courtyard alcove. Every alcove or space had its shop or seller of souvenirs. Some quite stunning items but alas lack of space continues to get in my way of buying anything. I have acquired a thick skin now so despite desperate pleas I can walk away!

The mind can only boggle at the number of mosaic tiles in this huge place, they cover a lot of space, and at great heights. Achieving this must have been stunning in itself. The patterns of the tiles are set and designed beautifully. One of the courtyards I assumed was older than the rest as it had flagstones to walk carefully on, where the others had brick. I have to watch all the time for steps that suddenly appear the number of times since being in Asia I have been caught by the unexpected step and taken a tumble. As well as the rough roads, pavements and poor maintenance it is an ever present danger.

The apparent fascination with wedding dresses is quite marked and many shops I passed were selling or possibly leasing them. After watching the people here at the hotel, clean and wash the many wedding dresses caught in the deluge of rain that struck before I arrived, gave meaning to the popularity of them. Seeing brides at some of the sights around the city, I found interesting. The girls looked very beautiful indeed.

The dreaded Asian tummy bug, which I had so far avoided, struck, so it was just as well it was a local day. A dose of pills brought from home soon fixed it but spent the remainder of the day resting. I suspect it was the apricot drink on arrival here, the first try of something original! Not particularly fond of the food here, it is very much bread based, bread, which I personally find dry, and tasteless. Tasting a pomegranate fruit for the first time, was easy once I discovered that it was the pips that got eaten! It didn’t do a lot for me though.

Heading off to Bukhara today, just a short train trip lasting a couple of hours. In fact, I would rather be heading back to Tashkent. I think have seen enough mosaics to last me the rest of my life!