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Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Posted on January 18, 2023January 21, 2023 by KK

I think the main attraction for me in Bukhara was checking out “The Ark”, a fortress apparently occupied from the 5th century until about 1920 when it was bombed by the Soviets. The wooden pillars that held a lot of the place up together showed its age, in comparison with say, a lot of the madrasas which are very brick-oriented. In the “Reception and Coronation Court”, on a stage that held a single throne, one could rent a costume for USD$1 and get their picture taken – and of course, as a “Khan” (ok, Kan), I had to get my silly portrait taken.

Entrance to The Ark Fortress.
Beautiful old wooden pillar carvings mixed with Central Asian Islamic elements.
The Reception and Coronation Court.
Bow down to your new ruler, Khan Kan – I need to get me one of those hats.
My “puppet regime”.

The rest of the city, it was more so of the same – checking out minarets, mosques, and madrasas. Don’t get me wrong, they’re beautiful (I love the blue-green Islamic tile work) but after getting over any initial awe of any structural grandeur, it can become quite repetitive. There was a central “oasis hang-out spot” called Lyabi-Hauz where a lot of people gathered to hang out and eat – that kind of pool was very common back in the day for people to bath in but since the waters were never really changed much, it became a major health-hazard – and all are now gone except this last one.

Madras entrances are always quite grand – but the insides are places of study – a central courtyard surrounded by many classrooms.

Another draw of these parts of the world is the carpet-making. Of course, I couldn’t get myself one because of cost and logistical concerns. However, I 100% appreciate intricate, hand-made “art” – and rugs from these parts of the world are just that. (It’s funny but this was the point I became a carpet fan – and interest that peaked when I visited Azerbaijan later.)

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