The sacred city of Bukhara was our last stop in Uzbekistan. While we loved Tashkent for its modern, optimistic vibe and Samarkand for its majesty and historical importance, we loved Bukhara for its old soul. Something about this city required you to slow down and pay attention.
The main sights can be seen in a day, but you would be better served if you settled in one of the beautiful hotels in the Medina or an Airbnb for a few days and experienced what it feels like to go back in time. Of course, shopping malls and restaurants and even a klieg-lit soccer stadium encroach around the edges of the historic center, but once you are sipping tea by the 400-year-old reservoir in the center, you forget there is another world out there.
We chose our Airbnb based on the host's reviews and its location in the heart of the old city. It was deep in a labyrinth of small streets (just wide enough for a donkey cart) and ended at a “locals only” daily market you wouldn’t have found in any guidebook.
Traffic in our neighborhood. Staying in the Jewish Quarter of the Old Town was about as authentic as you could hope for.
Our Host, Azamat, who lives with his mother just around the corner from his Airbnb, was insistent on bringing us a full breakfast every morning - no matter how hard we protested. We are not big breakfast people, but they were so anxious that we just “tried it" that we couldn’t refuse. And, of course, everything was delicious.
Here is a review from the listing that “sealed the deal” for us:
“….Azamat is the best Host. He's number one in this case. Azamat is very hospitable and knows his stuff. The design of the house is national. Purity. Handsomely. In the hallway of the house on the table stood fresh fruit in two large plates. Of course it's free. In the morning Azamat and his mother prepared a very tasty and plentiful national breakfast for us. He made us 13 herb tea that was such goodness. Of course, all this is free. He believes that money is not the most important thing in life. The main thing is to be human. I recommend everyone to stay in Azamat's house and enjoy, relax with him. By the way, the house is located right in the center of Bukhara. On foot two minutes from his house all the sights of Bukhara begin”
- Rany, August 2022
And, if you read the previous blog, A Wedding in Bukhara, you know we were invited to Azamat’s nuptials the night we arrived! Uzbekistan hospitality knows no bounds.
Throughout the city, we found similar kindness and a genuine welcome. If we approached an artist at work, they were willing to tell the story behind their craft instead of trying to sell their wares. We were never hassled by vendors or potential tour guides. There were very few souvenir stands hawking magnets, postcards, and ubiquitous tote bags. In a word, it was “refreshing” to be in a place where the history of a place wasn’t supplanted with a glitzy facade.
The ancient art form of Puppetry can be found throughout Uzbekistan, but in Bukhara there is a wonderful museum and workshop.
Our tour organizer Mikhail from Irene Travel+ (see the blog The Last of the Stans), booked us with Shira, an excellent guide for our full-day exploration of Bukhara. There was much to see, but at the same time, she was willing to sit on a bench and answer questions about history, past and present. We visited all the highlights- and you can read about them here. Each one was a revelation. This place oozes history, and you can almost hear the chaos and smell the camel poo from the Silk Road caravans that stopped here along their arduous journeys.
A standout landmark for us was The Samanid Mausoleum, built in the year 907 and just discovered under mounds of silt in 1920.
At lunchtime, we drove out of the city for a traditional Lagman noodle lunch in a vast dining hall where the food is delivered in a flash for office workers and construction crews alike. Hot, steamy bowls of fresh, three-foot noodles in broth with mysterious meat are slung by the armload while young men race around with trollies loaded with sweet drinks, salads, and dessert. A full lunch costs less than $5 USD.
We also blended a solo traveler into our tour and went together to the top of an observation tower and the famous Ark fort. And then, we had a private lesson on unlocking the various positions of a phone stand created from a single piece of wood we bought for our son.
But our favorite experience was tucking in a side door of a building where women were sitting cross-legged on the floor creating fairy-tale “magic carpets ."Some have been working on just one piece of art (because that’s what they are) for over a year. We were mesmerized by the process and came away with a new appreciation for hand-knotted rugs.
My favorite moments were spent writing while sipping endless pots of tea at the edge of the Lyabi-Hauz pond. Starting in the 16th century, this man-made watering hole has been the meeting place for merchants, families, courting couples, elders, and weary travelers. It is also a haven for some of the most adorable and friendly cats I’ve ever encountered.
For those who notice cats in villages and cities worldwide, you know most of them are skittish. Not here. These delightful fur balls were on my lap in a heartbeat. And my heart beat with joy!
At this same spot, I was approached by two girls around ten years old who wanted to practice their English. They were almost as adorable as the kittens. "How are you today, Ma'am?" they asked. "Are you English?" (they were amazed and excited to learn I was American!). "How old are you?" "Do you like our city?" Of course, I happily answered their questions - but if I asked a question back, you could see the panic in their eyes!
Obviously not my adorable students, but this is exactly what they looked like! So well dressed and polite.
Eventually, a few more classmates joined in, and their teacher came over to see if I was okay. He sat down, and we had a great conversation in English about school in Uzbekistan and the importance of teaching kids English from a young age - before you knew it, my table became a classroom! He took a group photo of me with his students that I would cherish if I’d only thought to ask for a copy.
This was the perfect place to end our time in Uzbekistan. We would definitely go back to this magical country someday. We know we could instantly connect with our new friends and be welcome with genuine hospitality. You should definitely go there.
Thanks for following along,
Debbie and Michael Campbell
The Senior Nomad