More sightseeing today of beautiful Bukhara, which continues to impress me to no end.
Historical Bukhara
We started off by boarding the van for a short drive to outside the Old Town. We passed some of the streets of the newer part of Bukhara, which seems like a smaller but somehow much more alive city than Tashkent. We passed the university, where Rustam studied, and some shopping streets bustling with people. One fun fact worth noting: A lot of the cars have warning stickers on the back windshields about gas. This is because of the constant fuel shortages, so many people have fitted their own extra fuel storage tanks in the back of their cars. These aren’t necessarily safety-tested, so getting in an accident could cause, well, a pretty bad explosion. I daresay those stickers are more effective than “baby on board” in getting other cars to keep their distance.
Our first stop was at the Ismail Samonid Mausoleum complex. The mausoleum, which dates back to the 10th century, is one of only three buildings to have escaped destruction by Genghis Khan when the Mongols conquered Uzbekistan, probably because of its out-of-the-way location. It’s now next to a small Soviet-era amusement park, with a very dodgy-looking Ferris Wheel that I wouldn’t trust further than I could climb it. From the same complex, we could also see sections of the old city walls, which have been partially reconstructed.
Next, another mosque. The Bolo Hauz mosque was used as the Emir’s mosque during the Emirate days. It has fancy wooden columns, and there’s a Phantom-of-the-Opera worthy chandelier inside. Those of you mentioning that a lot of Bukhara looks very Persian are correct: Bukhara is a unique enclave of Uzbekistan where the Persian influence lasted for centuries longer than elsewhere. As a result, most people here speak Farsi, not Uzbek, as a first or second language. And there are subtle differences from the rest of Uzbekistan in terms of culture, architecture and traditions.
From there, we visited the Ark Citadel, which was the Palace in the Emirate days. Several hundred people lived inside the palace complex, including the Emir, his wives and mistresses, servants, soldiers and guards, and some trusted advisors and tradespeople. The Registan inside is also where two suspected British spies were executed in the 19th century. There’s a museum inside, which we took a look through, and we also checked out the former stables area and browsed for souvenirs and tried on fun hats in the little shops.
Then, into the Old Town itself to see Bukhara’s crowning jewel: The Kalon Minaret, Madrasa and Mosque. The Minaret was built in 1127 and still stands today, save for a few cannonball holes which were repaired via reconstruction. The mosque and madrasa have beautiful blue domes and archways, and make for some stunning postcard-worthy photos. (Of course, we had to hand over the obligatory small change in photo fees, as with everywhere else worth snapping pictures in Uzbekistan. Just part of the price of tourism, and it’s such a small amount that nobody minds.)
For lunch, we ate at a restaurant with a fabulous view right over the Kalon Minaret and complex. Dumplings with potatoes and pumpkin, fresh bread, green tea, and a gorgeous setting: What more could you ask for?
Artistic Bukhara
Bukhara, other than having a lot of picturesque historical monuments, is also a city of artisans and master craftsmen. Everywhere we go, there are souvenirs for sale, of course. But many of them are made right here in Bukhara. Somehow, seeing the artists actually at work lends a bit of credibility that’s missing from most souvenir stalls around the world which are hawking made-in-China mass-produced goods.
Some of what’s on offer in Bukhara: Beautiful silk and wool carpets, painstakingly knotted by women aged 18-35 (child labour is outlawed and the work is considered too straining on the eyes for those of us over the ripe old age of 35). Scissors and knives made by local blacksmiths. Ceramic and metal plates and bowls. Silk scarves and clothing, of course. Watercolours. Miniature paintings and Persian calligraphy. Wooden bookstands made using a 9th-century design. Elaborate silver jewelry.
I browsed at most of the craft shops and bought… nothing. Yeah, I know. But I’m not much of a souvenir shopper, and most of the stuff was impressive to see but probably not particularly useful once I got it home. Either that, or it would have been too big, unwieldy or breakable to transport easily. I might buy a couple of things at my last stop, but in the meantime, I was mostly content to look and photograph.
I stopped off on the way back to the hotel at the puppet making workshop for a demonstration. Bukhara’s puppet theatre has a tradition dating back centuries. The puppets are all handmade by master craftsmen, one of whom I met. They mostly use wooden sticks, molds, and papier mache. I got a full demonstration of how the puppets are made, and a chance to try some out and learn how to make them dance. Think I have a career in puppeteering?
Bukhara by night
For dinner, we went to yet another rooftop restaurant. I’m really going to miss those when I get home. The food and wine were both good, the sunset views over the domes were spectacular, and the Bukhara cake — chocolate with icing — was delicious.
Back to the hotel after dinner for another glass of wine and some card games on our comfy supa in the courtyard, before getting some sleep.
I’m quite sad to be leaving Bukhara tomorrow. I’d happily stay here a while longer if I could. This has definitely been one of my favourite destinations on this trip. There’s something magical about this place. But the caravan departs tomorrow morning, so alas, so must I.