Samarkand is probably the most renowned of all the cities of Uzbekistan, largely because of its magnificent architecture and its close association with Tamerlane, the great Turko-Mongol conqueror in central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran whose reputation is rivaled only by Genghis Khan. We traveled there from Tashkent on September 7, and our first visit was to the Gur-Emir Mausoleum where Tamerlane and his three sons are buried. The interior is astonishing.
We got up early for a vivid and sometimes exciting drive from Fergana back to Tashkent.
After visiting its outskirts, we explored some of the sights and monuments of the city of Fergana.
Rishtan, another town in the Fergana Valley, is noted for its ceramic design and production. We enjoyed an afternoon at the workshop of a master potter and his apprentices.
This establishment encompasses the whole operation, from growing the mulberry bushes and silkworms, to dying the silk and weaving the cloth.
Margilan, a town in the Fergana Valley, is mainly noted for its silk production (see tomorrow's post), but it also as a vigorous bazaar, including used hardware and motor-driven implements.
Mainly industrial scenes, viewed from the train window.
