Bonnetts Abroad Past Trips

Uzbekistan

Arrived Tashkent

Got bags

Met at airport

taken to van

Taken to hotel

waited on terrace for rooms

chatted with Carmel, Chris and Angela

After rooms ready, needed to convert cash, so walked to bank

Continued walking towards market

Walked passed Circus

And mosques

Into Market

Found tube station and travelled to Cosmonaut, the nearest station to our hotel

In the evening had dinner across the road from hotel in Jumanjis

Early start, breakfast box from hotel

Train from Tashkent station. The rail track goes through the Kamchiq Tunnel (11.9 miles long).

Arrived Kokand

Had lunch at Cafe Orda

Visited Khudayarkhans Palace

Visited Juma Mosque

Visited Norbutabek Madrasasi

Drove to Margilan, checked into Atlas Hotel

Long drive to Rishtan for ceramic workshop of Rustam Usmanov

We then drove back to Margilan, to visit the silk weaving workshops, the Yodgorlik Silk Factory

Then we went for lunch

After lunch we visited a craft exhibition/shop at Said Ahmad Haji madrasasai

On the way to Margilan station to catch the train back to Tashent, we stopped of at a local shop to get bread and cheese for our supper to eat on the train.

At this point, the advance party met up with the rest of the tour

We set ofF on a tour of Tashlent, first stop was the Khast Imam complex

The Khazati Imam Mosque

After which we walked across the square to Muborak Madrassah, which houses one of the original 8 copies of the Khoran, along with copies from down the ages and almost every country, photos where not allowed inside.

And then across the square toBarak–Khan Madrassah

Then it was tme for lunch, we were driver to a private house where we were treated to a 4 course lunch.

Then it was time for the market

We then headed down into the underground

And emerged in the central square

In the morning, we had to get the the flight from Tashkent to Khiva, it was too early for breakfast so the hotel had prepared breakfast boxes for us.

We were met at Urgench airport and driven to Khiva, we had a bit of trouble finding the hotel, but got there in the end.

After settling into the hotel (it was still quite early, so sat and drank tea until our rooms were ready), we went out for a guided walk.

We walked through the streets, past Kalta–minor Minaret ( the short minarette) to Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasssah

We then walked on the explore the Kala kilates a Konta Ark

Then on to Mohammed Rakhim Khan Madrassah

Around the Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum

And then into the Juma Mosque

With a day to ourselves, our first target was to climb the city walls

We followed the walls round to the north gate, where we had a look outside of the walls

We climbed the stairs to the top of the wall

After descending from the walls we walked torwards the centre of Khiva, but stopped at Itchan Kala, which is now a woodworking workshop.

Then it was time for lunch, we selected the Terrassa Cafe and sat outside upstairs

Back to Juma Mosque

And then to tash Khauli Palace

And then a look around a Caravanassi before heading back to the hotel

In the evening we were taken for a walk outside of the city gates, and then led to a restaurant

Today we were scheduled to visit the desert forts north of Urgench. We walked to the minibus, through the west gate of Khiva.

It was a reasonably long drive (very bumpy). Our first stop was the three forts of Ayaz Qala

We parked at the yurt camp

We walked up the sandy slope of Ayaz Qala 1.

From the top of fort 1, we had good view of fort 2, and what is left of fort 3

We stopped briefly to photograph some camels

Then on to the old palace/fort at Toprak Kale

We stopped for a late lunch at a modern shopping centre in Urgench

Back to the hotel, and then out for a meal and some traditional dancing!

Travelling across the desert, we stopped four times, toilet stop, lunch and a viewpoint over the Amur River, and another toilet stop before arriving in Bukhara after 9 hours.

First stop of the tour was the Ismail Samani Mausoleum

we then walked over to Chashma Ayub or Job's well, where we sampled the water

We walked to the Bolo Khaouz Mosque

And then on to the Ark.

After which we went for lunch, and then to an art gallery, with the work of a local master.

Then onto the Madir Divan–Begi Madrasah

We walked past the Magak–i–Attari Mosque

To 2 Madrasahs, opposite each other, the Ulugbek Madrassah

And the crumbling Abdukkaziz Khan Madrassah

Last stop of the day, was the Po–i–Kalyan complex, with the Kalyan Minarette

Quick trip to the bank first thing to get some more currency.

Then a tour, first stop, Chor Minor

Followed by the Bakhaudin Nakshbandi Ensemble

Then on to Sitira Mokhi – Hossa

Last stop for the morning was Chor Bakr Necropolis

We left the hotel at nine, first stop was to a cotton field

Later on we stopped at a pottery and embroidery workshop, we also had lunch here

First stop Gur–e Amir Complex

Then on to Registan Square

We walked down to Bibi–Konum and the ruins of a mosque

Then a visit to the first president's tomb

Then it was time for lunch, plov in a private house

A gentle walk down the central boulevard, looking at the sculptures and the statues.

In the afternoon we went for a wine tasting session at the museum of wine tasting, we bought a bottle of port and a bottle of Samarkand brandy.

First stop of the day was a water powered paper mill

We then drove on to the Ulegbek observatory and museum

And then to a market

In the evening we were taken to a dance show

The train to Tashkent wasn't until late afternoon, so we had time to visit the Shah–i–Zinda Necropolis Ensemble

After lunch it was time for the train to take us back to Tashkent

We had dinner in a self service restaurant, and then checked back into Hotel Bek, this time we were given a huge suite on the top floor.

In the morning we left the hotel at 10:30, and were driven to the airport. Check in was painless and we waited for the plane.

Arrived at Heathrow, but the noght before we'd had a message from door2door cars saying they would not be meeting us at the airport. So we went down to the National Express booking room, and were able to get on to the next coach.

In Southampton we walked down to the ferry terminal, caught the boat and were back on the Island by 22:00