We are now in Samarkand. Yesterday has disappeared because I had a tummy bug. It has wiped out all memory between 7pm on 11 th May and this morning at 0530 am when I finally resurfaced. I have just sorted through my photos for Bukhara and it was stunning. I don't think I can identify which building was which but the photos will give a flavour of the city.
Tiled decoration on a mosque
The walls of the Ark - Bukhara's fortress with a few blue tiled domes in the background.
Could you call this a fence?
A very complicated piece of tiling
A spice merchant and yes I bought some spices. He did a nice line in giving us all some spice tea. No tea in it, and he recited a list of the fourteen spices which it contained with what each was good for. It tasted good too. I also bought a spice mixture for use with cooked meat and was given strict instructions on how to use it.
We were taken to a Susani shop. For those of you who don't know, a Susani is a piece of cloth embroidered with flowers and fruit, all in chain stitch. They vary from cotton on cotton to silk on silk with prices to match. I bought some cushion covers as presents. I have to confess that I also bought a rug. I have to keep saying to myself, 'Pat, you can't take it with you and you now own a Bukhara silk rug of great beauty.' It is done at 350 knots per square inch if it isn't per square cm. Anyway, the best of Turkish silk rugs was done at 240.
It is being shipped back home along with Susanis bought by Debbie and me. The shop was not at all keen on shipping back Susanis presumably because the cost of postage was too high compared with the cost of the Susanis. But they were happy to ship back the rug and include the Susanis.
We arrived in Samarkand in late afternoon yesterday after another bone breaking journey. All I can say is that their motor vehicles cannot last long. Some of the group went off to Registan Square while the rest collapsed into bed. I am sorry to missed Registan square. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to see it today but I think we have full program today.
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