Exploring Bukhara

Sunday 29 September 

Sunday.  Time to dance.

We started our day at the Bukhara landmark the Kalon minaret, mosque and Madrassah, the Poi Kalon Essemble.  For 6000 SOM each (under 1 USD) we entered this huge, but pretty empty, mosque.  The Kalon (Great) or Juma (Friday) mosque is enormous and in days gone past this would see 1000s of worshipers stream in through its 7 gates for prayers.  Now the Moslems are huddled near the back area and the majority of the mosque remains silent bar for the "click click" of tourist cameras.  

The interior is white, simple and cool. The minrab is obviously more decorative. This mosque has 208 columns and 288 domes.  A vast city.  The columns nowadays are topped with pigeons each claiming their spot.   We wanted to climb the minaret but alas it was closed.

We went off piste after this eastwards.  We revisited a Madrassah and mosque then headed into the residential area, a labyrinth of dusty lanes, building refurbs and loose wires.  We emerged for lunch in a restaurant with surly greeter.  Fortunately the rest of the staff were more cheery.  A trip to the pharmacy was next.  I was desperate for lip salve and JC needed eye drops.  Sand, dust and sun are drying us out. My change consisted of cash and a packet of face wipes. 

Our guide book recommended exploring south so we did.  However pretty much everything we aimed for was either padlocked, being refurbished or demolished apart from an expansive Jewish cemetery.  Swathes of the suburbs are being flattened and rebuilt.   

A few interesting sites and then we re-entered the labyrinth of the old town and back to the centre. 

A drink by the pond beckoned and we watched wedding parties arrive for their photos.  Actually suspect these are just wedding shoots rather than the wedding itself.  We often saw couples posing in traditional costumes or wedding attire followed by a photographer and couple of friends to hold flowers/veil.  

Our last treat for the day was Chor Minor, a 18th Century folly.  Very stylish for sure but none of the minarets are real (as in can climbed and house a balcony) but for 5000 SOM each we were able to climb onto the roof.  We witnessed another engagement party arrive for their photo shoot and spied on the kids below.

It rained this evening.   Not British rain.  More like a little mist in the air.  It rained two weeks ago apparently (it’s notable so they remember it).   With an average rainfall of 50 mm it’s getting on for newsworthy.  We found a fab eatery which had a variety on the 'grilled veg and rice diet', this had stir fried veg and rice.  That good, we booked for the next night.