Remember how Fergana Valley is a thumb of Uzbekistan that pokes into several countries and is bordered by Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. The tour guides all said the main populations in Central Asia are of Turkish and Persian origin and can often understand each other’s language.
I’m writing this more than a week after getting home and I don’t remember ANY of these names. None. I’m going to hope I can get the guide to help me! So I’ll say a few words and hope for identifying information will be forthcoming.
The man who knows everything, according to the guide.
They made me do it! “Sit here sit here!” They all took this shot.
This is a different place…
The only minaret I saw in the middle of a courtyard, and there’s a reason. But what was that reason?
We saw many craftsmen this day and tomorrow too. Here is a carver making the omnipresent pillars.
And here is a master weaver.
We enjoyed a visit through his shop and he offered us tea and tasty treats.
It was lovely. The tea and treats are on the right. On the left is some halvah tastes from another shop where we got to watch the master maker produce (and then taste!) several flavors.
On the way back to the car, through the parking lot, we found her making what the guide called a Russian specialty. Oh let’s have some, say I! The guide was a little iffy never having tried them before but she reported a delightful experience and that she would bring her other tourists here whenever she was in the area. Oh joy, after 3 weeks, this was the first hot sauce on offer!
True, more snacks. This was the snack-i-est day of the trip! This is the driver and the guide.
Yup, another place I don’t remember.
I got a treatment from a local lady to ward off the evil eye. She put me in a mini-daze that was delightful.
We visited the museum/home of the fellow in the frame referred to by the guide as ‘attractive to all women’.
One of the caretakers at the house, as I was admiring the grapes, she climbed up to harvest us a plateful. They were wonderful.
Another fascinating place!
This stop was to visit an old hotel that had been converted into studio spaces for artists. It was very cool, and oh goodie, more tea and treats!
From a balcony outside the converted hotel.
Traffic and the setting sun. What a great day!
