Uzbekistan

We visited Uzbekistan because of Peter Hopkirk. What an inspirational story teller. Fascinating tales of adventure on the old Silk Route motivated us to tackle the dreaded “Stans” bureaucracy and we applied for our visa three weeks out. Amazingly, getting an Uzbek visa is really simple and Americans are blessed with multiple entry, 4 years tourist visas, no questions asked. We absolutely love Uzbekistan…our experiences there were wonderful and we strongly urge everyone to visit the best that Central Asia has to offer.

Read more about our Uzbek trip here.

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 Robby, Evgeniy & Becky in front of Silk Road Sign, Khiva

 

 Khivan boy and Becky, Kukhna Ark

 

View of Khiva from Islam-Huja Minaret

 

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 Becky and Robby, Kalta Minor Minaret, Khiva

 

 School kids atop wall, Khiva Old City

 

Skilled craftsman, Bukhara

 

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 Entrance to the Ark Fortress, Bukhara

 

 Uzbek women, laughing self-consciously at their picture being taken

 

Soccer stars, Samarkand

 

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 Registan viewed from atop a minaret

 

 Guri Amir mausoleum, Samarkand

 

Vendors escaping the heat, Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent 

 

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 Ornate Column, Kukhna Ark, Khiva

 

 "Take my picture", Khiva

 

 Gorgeous turquoise dome, a common sight in Samarkand

 

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 City walls, Khiva

 

 Wedding party, Khiva city street

 

Tosh-Khovli Palace, Khiva

 

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 Detail of Mosque Interior

 

 Covered Bazaar, Bukhara

 

 Magnificent vistas, Bukhara

 

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 Emir's Palace, Bukhara

 

 Palace entrance, Bukhara

 

 Uzbek woman and her loom, creating beautiful table cloths

 

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  Bird's eye view, Samarkand

 

  Shahr-i-Zindah Complex, Samarkand

 

Phenomenal design, interior of dome, Samarkand  

 

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 Interior of a medressa (school), Registan Complex, Samarkand

 

 Shahr-i-Zindah, Tomb of the Living King, Samarkand

 

 Beautiful portal, Grave of Prophet Mohammed's Cousin, Samarkand

 

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 Group dinner, Samarkand

 

 Khiva Landscape at sunset

 

 Traditional dance show, Registan courtyard, Samarkand

 

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 Robby and Becky in front of Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Samani Park, Bukhara

 

 Local boys on donkey, Samarkand suburbs

 

 Gathering at Kalon Mosque, Bukhara

 

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 Becky and Robby pose at Char Minar (4 Minarets)

 

 Religious Tree House, outskirts of Samarkand

 

 Islam-Huja Minaret, 45 meters tall, Khiva

 

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 Robby with vendors from Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent

 

 Traditional dance show, Khiva

 

 Tamerlane monument, Tashkent

 

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 Woodwork school for boys, Khiva

 

 Khiva's sole camel (a major tourist attraction for over a decade!)

 

Kukhna Ark, Khiva

 

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 Khiva's beautifully preserved historical city

 

 West gate of Ichon-Qala (old city), Khiva

 

 Dance performer, Samarkand

 

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 View from Kalyan tower (Tower of Death), Bukhara

 

 Hidden secrets, entering a medressa

 

 Beautiful Bukhara Landscape

 

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 Gorgeous Registan carpet, Samarkand

 

 Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand

 

Bukhara Silk Bazaar

 

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 Registan, Samarkand

 

 1 September 1991, Uzbekistan Independence

 

 Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent

 

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  Madrassa, Tashkent

 

  Registan, Samarkand

 

Local kids begging to have their photo taken

 

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 Young gypsy girl and daughter, Bukhara

 

 Uzbek family inviting Becky for a family photo, Khiva

 

 Interior courtyard, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand

 

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  Becky & Robby relaxing at the Registan, Samarkand

 

  Becky and Robby in the middle of the Registan

 

 West gate to Ichon-Qala, Khiva

 

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 Ornate tombs, Khiva

 

 Detail of Kakhna Ark Ceiling, Khiva

 

Our grand finale, dinner at a Khivan palace

 

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  Relaxing at a Chai-khana, Samarkand

 

  Entrance to Shahr-i-Zindah Tomb Complex

 

 Souvenir sellers, Khiva

 

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 Shashlyk fresh off the grill, Tashkent

 

 Faded beauty, Old Mosque, Samarkand

 

 Medressa Portal, Bukhara

 

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 The Imposing Bibi-Khanym Mosque (wife of Tamerlane)

 

 Colorful Palace Entrance

 

 Intricate door, Khiva

 

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 Madrassa near Tashkent

 

 

Earth quake monument, Tashkent