Uzbekistan: The Gold Road to Samarkand by Mark Davidson

If I could travel back in time, I’d wander along the open road, trade with the nomadic caravans and barter for goods along the “Silk Road”. I recently visited Uzbekistan on a tour of the country that has seen countless empires and wars. Situated on a key stretch of one of the greatest trade routes in history that stretched from the Mediterranean all the way to China.

The city of Tashkent has been the capital of Uzbekistan for over 2,000 years. Although much of it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1966, it has been rebuilt as a modern city. Examples of Russian architecture stand side by side with traditional buildings, leaving many symbols of Communism since the country’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Khiva has hardly changed since ancient times but to get there we had to take an internal flight on the national airline, Uzbekistan Airways. When boarding the plane there were no pre-assigned seats so it was a case of sitting in any vacant ones. They were tatty and, like the interior of the plane, left much to be desired. It did, however, give me a chance to speak to a few locals, gaining a brief insight into the history of the country.

A Step Back in Time

The city is surrounded by unbroken clay walls which are studded with 40 bastions. Exploring the old citadel was like stepping back in time to a scene from the Arabian nights. Following the maze of twisting alleyways it was easy to become immersed in the hustle and bustle of middle-eastern life. Wherever I turned I was accosted by traders keen to sell their wares, everything from fake Arabic daggers to cheap tatty souvenirs. I could only imagine what it must have been like for those who bartered their way along the “Silk Route”.

During one afternoon we were treated to local trapeze artists performing on high-wires, along to the accompaniment of musicians playing long horns, known locally as a “Karnay”.

Most evenings I listened to the fables and stories of Nasrudin, a storyteller who lived in the 13th-century and went around South East Asia on his mule regaling audiences with tales. It was interesting to note that many modern stories came from his anecdotes. Speaking to some of the local inhabitants I was often greeted with a brilliant gold smile. It seems that in certain parts of Asia gold teeth are worn as a status symbol to indicate wealth. Is the same treatment available on the National Health Service I wonder?

Lamb is the favourite meat served in many restaurants and forms part of the national dish, Plov, made with rice, pieces of lamb, grated carrots and onions. The traditional way to dine is to sit around a low table, eating without the use of any cutlery but using only your fingers. To wash down the food it is customary to drink tea with the meal.

Bukhara has the huge Kalyan Minaret, once considered the tallest building in the world when it was built in 1127. Like many others, I stood awestruck at the sheer size, amazed at how it was constructed with perfect symmetry. Climbing the minaret required plenty of effort, but seeing the city from above made it worthwhile. It was a sight to behold, especially as the magnificent brickwork of other buildings glistened in the evening sunlight. However, like all the monuments you could only get to the top on your own as the stairways are very narrow.

Camping in a Yurt

Despite staying in hotels for most of the time, we also had the opportunity to rest like travellers of yesteryear, staying at a traditional desert camp. Sleeping in a yurt, a felt-covered tent and one similar to those that have been inhabited by locals, facilities were basic. It was cold and frosty in the morning and I could only imagine warriors from long ago awaking from their slumbers and peering out into the world with thoughts of conquests ahead.

In between travelling to the major cities I saw some of the ancient rest stops where nomads once paid to have their horses stabled for the night and were able to rest before setting out on their journey once again. The equivalent of the modern day motorway service station.

Samarkand was one of the great medieval trading centres and home to the great Mogul emperor Tamerlane. His legacy can be found in the magnificent architecture. The Registan, the main square, is the centrepiece surrounded on three sides by buildings whose pillars, arches and domes are perfect in colour and shape. During its history it was stormed by Alexander the Great and reduced to ashes by Genghis Khan.

Standing in the square I marvelled at the workmanship that had gone into constructing these buildings. Close to the square is the 600-year-old Observatory of Ulug-Beg, the astronomer and mathematician who calculated the length of a year to within ten seconds!

The Shah-i-Zinda

One of the most beautiful sights in the city is the Shah-i-Zinda. It includes mausoleums and other ritual buildings built from the ninth to 14th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda – “the living king” is connected with the legend that Kusam ibn Abbas, the cousin of the prophet Muhammad was buried there. He came to Samarkand with the Arabian invasion in the seventh century to preach Islam.

Samarkand is famous for its local spice and silk markets and when venturing into one of the many bazaars it was easy to be overcome with the multitude of smells and colours. Traders not only bartered for food but also for fine silk and cloth made using methods that have remained the same for centuries.

One can only imagine what it was like to be a traveller in the days of yesteryear, living with Bedouins, listening to their tales by the campfire and bartering with those local traders who sold their wares far and wide.