Samarkand State of Mind (and a Whole Lot of Dust)
okay, so. samarkand. wow. just…wow. i’m still picking bits of sand out of my ears, honestly. i’m a botanist, right? I’m supposed to be all about lush greenery and delicate ecosystems. samarkand is…not that. it’s more like a beautiful, ancient desert dreamscape.
I just checked and it’s hovering around sixteen degrees celsius right now, with a wind that feels like it’s trying to steal your hat. hope you like that kind of thing. it’s…crisp. in a dry, dusty way.
I was here for a conference - something about the resilience of desert flora, naturally - but mostly i just wandered. got hopelessly lost. ate way too much plov (seriously, it’s everywhere. delicious, but everywhere). and tried to decipher the expressions of the locals. they’re…reserved. but with these little flashes of humor in their eyes.
Registan Square is…well, it’s everything you see in the pictures, and then some. the scale of it is just insane. i spent a good three hours just staring at the tilework. i’m usually pretty good at identifying plant species, but i felt completely overwhelmed by the sheer artistry of it all.
Someone told me that the best way to experience Registan Square is at sunset. apparently, the light hits the tiles just right and it’s like…magic. i didn’t quite get the magic, but it was undeniably beautiful.
I also stumbled upon this tiny tea house tucked away in a side street. the owner, a woman named Fatima, didn’t speak much english, but she insisted on pouring me endless cups of green tea and offering me dried apricots. it was one of those moments where you just feel…connected.
“Apparently, if you try to haggle too aggressively in the bazaar, they’ll just give you the item for free out of pity. Drunk advice, but i’m tempted to try it.”
Speaking of the bazaar…it’s a sensory overload. spices, textiles, carpets, ceramics…you name it, they’ve got it. i bought a ridiculous amount of dried fruit and a hand-painted bowl that’s probably going to get broken on the flight home. but it was worth it.
I heard that the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis is a must-see. apparently, it’s a stunning complex of mausoleums with incredible tilework. i didn’t make it there this time, but it’s definitely on the list for next time.
If you get bored, tashkent and bukhara are just a short drive away. i didn’t have time to explore them properly, but i heard they’re both worth a visit.
Pro-tip: learn a few basic uzbek phrases. even just “hello” and “thank you” will go a long way. people really appreciate the effort.
Gear List (because i’m a botanist, i overpack):
Wide-brimmed hat (essential for sun protection)
Reusable water bottle (stay hydrated!)
Comfortable walking shoes (you’ll be doing a lot of walking)
Sunscreen (seriously, the sun is intense)
Small notebook and pen (for jotting down observations - you know, botanist stuff)
Phrasebook (uzbek, obviously)
* Camera (to capture all the beauty)
I’m already missing the smell of spices and the sound of the call to prayer. samarkand is a place that gets under your skin. it’s chaotic, dusty, and utterly captivating.
Check out TripAdvisor for some restaurant recommendations: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g298489-Samarkand.html. And Yelp, if you’re feeling optimistic: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Restaurants&find_loc=Samarkand%2C+Uzbekistan. Also, this local forum has some interesting discussions: https://www.uzbekistan.travel/en/.
I’m off to find some more tea. and maybe another bowl of plov.