April 19—28, 2012. Trip to Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan
Trip to Uzbekistan from April 19 to April 28 of 2012. Getting acquainted with the cities of the Great Silk Road – Tashkent, Samarqand, Bukhara and Khiva, with their landmarks and highlights. Exploring history, culture and traditions of Uzbekistan. Visiting the workshops of national handcrafts and familiarizing oneself with the national cuisine. Hiking in the mountains and horseback riding, among many other things. On my return from this trip, I will supply the Photo Album section with the album, devoted to Uzbekistan and its sights, and I will share my impressions and some information about this country in the Articles Section.
Uzbekistan is situated in the very heart of the Central Asia. Its area is 447,400 sq. km. From west to east it stretches for 1,425 km, from north to south – for 930 km. Its main territory lies between two affluent rivers, Syrdarya (2,137 km) and Amudarya (1,437 km), into which many small rivers flow, streaming down from two big mountain systems – Tian Shan and Pamir-Alai.
From the times of old, this country was a place, where the caravan roads from Europe to Asia, India and China crossed. Bearers of different religions, cultures, languages met one another here, nations influenced each other.
Uzbekistan – is a country with unique monuments of history, with only one in its kind, original nature. Uzbekistan has been always attracting travelers. The diligent people of this region welcome the guests with hospitality and warmth. The country’s wild nature strikes you with its contrasts: lifeless steppes and hot deserts give way to green, blossoming oases, fertile valleys run into mighty mountains, majestic in their silence and adamancy. Upon their peaks, even in summer, snow glistens in the sun and cold weather breaths on its saddles. Not only contrasting landscapes, historic medieval monuments and palaces and exquisite Uzbek food attract tourists here, but also various fruits, sappy and sweet. They are very healthy and have a special taste because of the generous sun and good climate of this region. These are juicy apricots, fragrant peaches, golden figs, sweet apples, plums, water melons, aromatic yellow melons, vast variety of grapes (seedless grapes, lady’s fingers, Crimean, Charos grape and so forth). Sunshine and fruits are the brand mark of Uzbekistan.