20251001_Uzbekistan |
 | Welcome! |
 | Itinerary |
 | Time Zones |
 | Let's GO! |
 | Somewhere near Ireland I get a text message from Penny. My flight indeed would be on time. I didn't know text messages could reach me up there in the sky -- Oh how I've lost touch with technology -- unlike my sister Penny who was quite accustomed to tracking airplanes on the internet |
 | Arrival on time! |
 | I spent a couple days in London before meeting Penny |
 | My sister, Penny, drove me to Windsor for lunch, Note the American flag -- Trump had just been there. |
 | Bletchley Park -- Fantastic Museum |
 | I also went to Didcot and crossed the border into Cardiff Wales. Now after finally getting used to the train schedules, I'm off on my next adventure |
 | One more day in London before catching my flight onward. This is the London Millenium Bridge |
 | Off to Istanbul and Tashkent, Uzbekistan! |
 | Arrival in Tashkent was at 4 in the morning! |
 | The Cotton Plant figured prominently in Uzbekistan's history |
 | After consulting my Guide, I decided to check out this builing |
 | Stunning Madrasa! Not even finished yet, this will be a showpiece for Tashkent and all of Uzbekistan |
 | You know your building is special when they divert roads for it! |
 | The Tashkent Metro was built in the early 70's by the Soviets who were impressed with how the Administrator of Uzbekistan managed the cotton harvest. |
 | One of the older metro carriages -- they had whiz-bang new ones too |
 | The Kosmonaut Metro Station |
 | Steam locomotives introduced by the Soviets |
 | Chinese Electric cars were very impressive -- look out Detroit! |
 | and these Domas vans were everywhere |
 | Sightseeing |
 | The Chorsu Market in Tashkent - this building is just for meat and nuts. Everything and anything could be had in the surrounding district |
 | Modern museum to those who stood up against the Soviet rule |
 | These are called Heliostats and are infinitely adjustable to catch the sun's rays |
 | Used for scientific purposes - material research |
 | Everyone in our group got to make one of these -- they all turned out well. |
 | Our Group -- people from England, Germany, Switzerland, America, Australia and One lonely Canadian |
 | Our Tour Guide, Marifat was a bit of a show off! |
 | Overview of my guided trip - 12 days roundtrip. Roughly following the Silk Road. |
 | Desert outside my bus window. |
 | This was an amazing ancient fortress - where the ruler lived on a hill and the peasants occupied about 30 hectares around it. |
 | We stopped at sunset so the photography was stunning |
 | We got to Khiva at night and these walls were lit up in a spectacular fashion making (for me at least) a stunning introduction to the world I was about to enter |
 | Ongoing restoration work, started by the Soviets. |
 | Lots of tourists around |
 | I think the roof was necessary because of the heat in summer and the cold in winter |
 | This German Mennonite Museum was closed but through the miracle of the internet we can see inside |
 | Lovely Hotel room in a Khiva Madrassa. The entrance tunnel is about 5 feet high. |
 | Entertainment at a local restaurant |
 | In Kitchener these bread ovens are a luxury but in Uzbekistan they are everywhere! |
 | Modern day meets ancient times everywhere in Khiva |
 | The tour bus wouldn't fit into the tiny streets so our bags took this mode of transportation out of the "old Town" |
 | Bukhara. You can get lost easily in these streets. |
 | More dramatic walls - rebuilt by the Soviets -- don't want to give them too much credit but the restorations are impressive |
 | seek out the shade in the noonday sun |
 | Some parts of Bukhara are still being excavated |
 | Moon over Bukhara. |
 | Another Mosque |
 | Picture yourself here selling your wares in the 1600's |
 | And now for some rest and relaxation 1600's style |
 | Our guide giving her talk |
 | only the foundations have been restored here |
 | Not all rulers are equal |
 | The last stop on our tour, Samarkand |
 | Always dust to keep under control |
 | Tomb of Amir Timur - generally well liked |
 | Lookout from the tomb of the first President of modern Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, (not well liked) |
 | How about this for a town square?! |
 | ...and at night a laser light show! |
 | These trees were planted in the 90's by the Soviets to provide a nature area for their soldiers to have some relaxation |
 | 4:00am? It must be another flight. This time to Doha and then to Abu Dhabi |
 | Welcome to the U.A.E. United Arab Emirates |
 | STUNNING! This is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Opened in 2007. -- I heard it's best to go at night and I think I agree |
 | Mosaics everywhere |
 | Cut glass everywhere |
 | And now off into the desert. |
 | Liwa is an assortment of oasis -- dozens of them. All with Date Palm farms on them. |
 | My driver for Dune Bashing |
 | the dune behind the oasis is about 200 feet high |
 | Not a mirage |
 | Welsome to the Oasis |
 | The generator that kept me up half the night! |
 | Like a movie set -- the gravity fed irrigation system for the trees |
 | Hello Mr. Camel |
 | The harvest of dates |
 | Alone against the world |
 | It was actually quite overcast in this part of the desert, (the Empty Quarter) |
 | On the way back to Abu Dhabi |
 | This from the Internet: Hameem workers' residences are large-scale, purpose-built housing communities for construction and other laborers, offering dormitory-style living with amenities like dining halls, mosques, markets, and recreational facilities, aiming to provide better conditions than traditional labor camps, though sometimes criticized for being far from city centers. |
 | Praying is not allowed in the underpass |
 | One of three areas of the city with Skyscrapers |
 | Toured the old fort in Abu Dhabi |
 | Amazing Place! with manicured lawns and buildings that included surgical suites and a hotel for the birds |
 | The operating table |
 | My friend |
 | Back to Canada on an A380!
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