The Ragistan. Samarkand, Uzbekistan, April 13, 2016

The Ragistan is a magnet. I can't help but go there and just sit and watch it. It is all fresh, and rebuilt. The Russians had a lot to do with the preservation of this place. Our guide said that Uzbekistan has had to learn a lot about preservation techniques since the Russians pulled out in the early 1990's.

I couldn't have asked for a better sky today.

Inside one of the mosques, there were photographs of what the Ragistan (and other parts of Samarkand) looked like before the restoration.

On the way to dinner, we stopped at a few Christian churches in town.

Homemade plov, the best yet.

Samarkand by night.

Comments

And More Moscow, August 2019

. The entrance to the restroom. Pelmeni!

Jill Will Go To Ethiopia

January 9, 2013 Arriving in a city under cover of darkness is always fascinating. The city is planning a surprise party. I arrived in Tehran at night, or rather, the very early morning, to barely glimpse a city that looked abandoned. Quiet, peaceful. I arrived last night in Addis Ababa at nearly midnight to find a city still well populated. Merchants closing down shops, taxi drivers parked and gossiping, people everywhere. I can see nothing of the city beyond the hotel's front door - I keep thinking that when I will wake up, when the sun comes up, I will get to see where I am. What I can do now is hear it. The night is full of dogs barking, horns honking, life. The morning will bring with it not only a view of the city, but birds singing, construction beginning, and loud lobby music piped into the hotel. A different kind of life. At the airport an employee strikes up a conversation with me, asking me where I am from, what do I do? I tell him, American. His face lights up, the

More Moscow, August 2019

. I've never had bloodier, more painful blisters. JC walked my ass off....but then he let me borrow his shoes until I could buy new ones. The girl at the store laughed when she saw my three pairs of socks and man shoes. And then I had NEW shoes - well worth every ruble. .

Jill Will Go...

Search This Blog