Destination : The Silk Road

It must be 'zondag', for i have sinned. I moved to another hotel, since the one i was in was a dump. Only 12.000 sum, but bed and toilet/shower were pretty grubby. I changed to three-star Hotel Khan, across from restaurant Istanbul, with a single room for US$ 22. They just opened and i was the second customer.

Wandered around Kokand and saw Theatre Khamza, Narbutabey medressa and mosque. The medressa is no longer in use, so no school-kids around. The caretaker opens the doors just for tourists. Went in to see the museum at The Khan's palace.

Since it is 'zondag' i will also have an ice-cream. I never do this on holiday's, but what the heck.

Why go - Faithless

Kokand, Tajikistan - An empty and no longer in use Narbutey Medressa

Kokand, Tajikistan - wonder when the next performance will be

Kokand, Tajikistan - Wrong hotel ..., needed to fix the toilet to keep it from dripping

Kokand, Tajikistan - Better hotel, first visitor ever

Kokand, Tajikistan - Museum at Khan's palace

Kokand, Tajikistan - Graveyard

Ready to leave Uzbekistan and head for Tajikistan. Arrived in Kokand today with the bus. Cheap, but slow. Tomorrow will go explore the old town and maybe a bazaar.

Heading into Tajikistan the day after tomorrow.

In Urgench you go sleep in 'Hotel Urgench', in Andijon you sleep in 'Hotel Andijon', in Namangan you go sleep in 'Hotel Namangan'. Wrong, although the french book had a hotel of that name in Namangan it no longer exists. The LP has no description of Namangan, so i copied the map form the french guide book. Looking for a hotel or 'gastrnizi' got me into hospital Huh ? No, i was not hit by one of the Daewoo-Damas brigade, nor did i get into a fight with the traffic police. The top floors of hospital Saydana are used as a hotel .

Miss, i know you are a waitress, but if i order with you i have to fallback to the stuff i know ; plov, lachman, shashlick. If i 'talk' to the cook i can get a look in the kitchen and maybe get something else for a change by pointing at the food i want; potatoes, meat and a salad. Ok, if you really want you can bring it to my table. It is the one with the 'Sarbast Special'. This also gives me a bond with the cook and when i leave i put my right hand to my hart and give a little nod with the head. He does the same. Have not seen any of the totally veiled women that are supposed to be here. Things change in time. I like the way they practice Islam in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. You are allowed to drink alcohol, although you see most men sip their tea. While discussing the world economic crisis, the weather and foreigners passing by.

Namangan, Tajikistan - waiting to leave ...

Namangan, Tajikistan - The Daewoo-Damas brigade

Hmm, interesting to go on a quest in Andijon for a cache. I reached the ADC alright, but did not find the cache. I even think this one can impossibly be found in a stealthy way. I entered the building and saw lots of students, learning english.

I was invited in, since they do not often get foreign visitors i assume. It is a bit off the normal tourist track. I was asked the normal questions ; Where are you from ?, Where are you going ? and What is your name ? How come a 43-year old guy does not have a wife and kids ? It got a bit more interesting once they invited me to participate as a judge in debatting class. Want to know what the subject was ? Should people spend all their money on traveling ?

Of course i am biased on the subject, but the five guys from both parties [Parliament and Government] made their arguments in good english and counter arguments by each party where given. Put together in only like 5 minutes. Impressive ! Not a word of Uzbek was spoken. In the end the pro-party won the debate, because they argumented their pro's the best.

Later on pictures where taken in different places within the ADC and i was invited to join dinner. Something which is difficult to deny. We headed for a real chaikhana and we sat down the twelve of us; director, teachers and a few students. Of course the national food was served; plov ! This time in chaikhana-style where we sat around a central table ; tea is served, refreshments where passed along and the plov was served on four big platters. Each plate was 'attacked' by three men and in no time the plov was gone, while making a lot of jokes [in english !]. In the end i think we made a new acronym for the ADC ; Advanced Diaper Center instead of Advanced Development Center. Can you imagine how we got to that ? I can't recall. I even got a 1 sum-note from 1994 as a present. Currently the 100-sum note is the smallest they have.

Forgot all about the cache ...

Andijon, Tajikistan - ADC crew

Andijon, Tajikistan - War memorial throughout Uzbekistan, Crying mother

This morning waved the two french girls goodbye, after sharing a bottle of Andijon Wodka in the evening [1 Euro for 0.5L of fine wodka]. They are heading to Tashkent and then back home. I just need to go slowly to Kokand, so i can enter Tajikistan in time. Decided to go for the 9-day Pamir-trip and got the money for it from the Asaka-bank in Tashkent. Now just determine the timing of the pamir-trip.

Today just wander around and go geocaching in an attempt to find the Andijon-cache. It is about 3km from my Andijon Hotel. The hotel is close to Babur square, where the 2005 Andijon Massacre took place. Next to earthquakes, Ghengis Khan and Timur they in this case had some overreacting police. Some powerful local businessmen where jailed, being accused for being members of Akramiya, a local extremist Islamic movement. A group of allies stormed the prison and a massive peaceful demonstration was held. Overreacting the government troops killed between 200 and 1000 civilians.

Again changed some US$ in the black market on the bazar. There is 1800 sum in a dollar on the black market. Officially it is still 1450 sum. The trick to ask a shop owner to return sum on a 10- or 20-dollar note is not always working.

Margilon, Tajikistan - Bench work

Margilon, Tajikistan - Nice carriage ...