Neophron

7 weeks old.

The variety is endless.

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.

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.

Kyzylkum Desert on the way from Bukhara to Khiva.

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 Samarkand to Shahrisabz by car and then continued to Bukhara by coach. Shahrisabz is the birthplace of the conqueror Timur. The remnants of the Ak-Saray Palace, Timurs summer palace, are still impressive.

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.