Today we departed Bukhara along the Silk Road and visited Shakhrisabz. It was so hot today (+42 degrees) that we went around the Shakhrisabz complex in buggies. Was worth every cent not to walk in the heat especially when there was no shade to be found anywhere!! At Qashqadaryo we stopped briefly at a camel farm. The camel milk sitting out in the 40-degree heat left us wondering about hygiene!! Definitely, no one is willing to give it a try. Shakhrisabz is one...

Welcome to Uzbekistan! Let's start with a brief history of this fascinating country..... Uzbekistan is famous for all those exotic images you see in ancient Persian documentaries. Beautifully ornate tiled cupolas stand above open-air bazaars with exotic fabrics, fruits, and spices. Uzbekistan is bounded by Kazakhstan in the north and northwest, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the east and southeast, Turkmenistan in the southwest, and Afghanistan in the south. The U...

Today is our last day in Tajikistan so there is another border crossing to go. After the rainstorm yesterday we woke to a hot sunny day. Started the day with a visit to the Ancient settlement of Old Panjakent. Ancient Panjakent is an archaeological site, so do not expect to find anything beyond sun-baked walls. The local residents call this place "Kainar" which is also the name of the nearby water spring. In the spring of 1932, a sheep nearby the Zeravshan Riv...

Started our day at the Dushanbe bazaar where we witnessed ladies chopping carrots for Plov, barely even watching what they were doing. One was even chatting on her mobile as she deftly chopped away. Not sure how they have not chopped their fingers!! Dushanbe bazaar was a kaleidoscope of colour, especially the spice section and then it was time to get on the bus for our trip to Penjikent. Traveling from Dushanbe to Panjakent involved backtracking through 24 tunn...

Today we explored the capital city of Tajikistan, Dushanbe. The city has a population of approximately 880,000 people and is becoming quite a cosmopolitan city. Areas around Dushanbe were known as a centre of cotton and silk production during the Soviet period. Although the name of the city is rather new its historical past dates back as far as three thousand years. Quick Dushanbe Facts Dushanbe is the capital and largest city in Tajikistan. Dushanbe means ...