Neophron

Khiva was the first site in Uzbekistan on the UNESCO world heritage list, for a reason. Itchan Kala, the inner town within the first city wall is a living museum. Stunning views from the Islam-Khodja minaret, the minaret of the Djuma Mosque with a forest of wooeden columns inside, and the city wall give an impression. Inside the Tash-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud mausoleum and Kunya-Ark Citadel blue ceramic tiles everywhere in ever varying patterns.

The oasis Bukhara used to be a central trading hub. Today it has more than 200.000 inhabitants but the old town gives more the impression of a city-museum. Although a very lively one since a Nasriddin Afendi (Nasreddin Hodja) festival took place with music and dance in the streets.

We traveled from Tashkent to Samarkand by high-speed train. While being one of the oldest inhabitant cities in central Asia, the modern town lies besides the remnants of historic Afrasiyab. Registan square, Gur-i-Amir mausoleum, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and ruins of Bibi-Khanym Mosque - all impressive, hard to pick a favourite.

The Fergana Valley is the most densely populated area in Central Asia, very fertile but speaking for Uzbekistan also the most conservative part of the country. Margilan is known for silk production and pottery, and Kokand, which used to be one of the religious centres, gave a first impression of palace and religous architecture. We traveled from Tashkent to Margilan with the new high-speed train and back over the old mountain road.