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Uzbekistan 2021 (Eid)

We were extremely pleased to see Uzbekistan appear on the Abu Dhabi COVID Green List. Uzbekistan is a fascinating central-Asian former Soviet country. It was on the ancient Silk Route, which led to the cities of Bukhara and Samarkand amassing great wealth and power. This is reflected in the quality of their Islamic architecture. Uzbekistan is a double landlocked country meaning all the countries surrounding it are also landlocked (to reach any coastline from Uzbekistan, you have to cross at least two other countries).

A short flight and a high-speed train found us in Bukhara - a city that still radiates some of its historical trading past. In both Bukhara and Samarkand, there are central squares that are ringed by 15th-century Madrasahs, or Islamic schools. We also spent 2 wonderful days hiking in the Nurata Mountains. We stayed overnight with local families in their traditional stone houses. We particularly loved the way the villagers managed their crops and fruit trees - creating a green winding oasis through the harsh rocky mountains. These are hardy, tough people, and interestingly, they are predominately Kazakhs rather than Uzbeks. We wrapped up the adventure with some shopping and sightseeing in Tashkent, the capital.

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