Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Hazrati Imam Complex
The Islamic Civilization Center opened in March. It is a library and research center to do scholarly work and preserve their heritage. Why basil everywhere? It smells nice.
The oldest Qur’an was written on deerskin. Our guide may have said there are three from the 640s: one in Cairo, one in Istanbul, and one in Tashkent? We were looking at a copy from 1905. The red marks in the Qur’an are for breaths and when to hold the word longer. In the margins the writing is more typically to certify it is correct than commentary.
Before Islam minarets existed as lighthouses. At the complex they had a competition to build two minarets. All the masters from Samarkand and Khiva dropped what they were doing (in 2007) and came here. Samarkand completed theirs in 27 days, Khiva in 29 days.
My culture is not your costume
Chorsu Bazaar
Last minute shopping! Before the authentic stuff, a moment for the ridiculous “name brands.”
Onto more interesting things. I found the buggies intriguing. The somsa we ate straight out of the oven were divine!
Subway
Of course everyone asks about the female cosmonaut. She is Valentina Tereshkova who in 1963 flew a solo mission going around earth 48 times in almost 3 days. Later she became a politician. Had been a textile factory worker before she was a cosmonaut. The cosmonaut-themed station was from the 1980s.
Amir Temur Square
Or Emir Timur Square, or whatever spelling suits your fancy.
Old artifacts for sale in the park.
Farewell Dinner
I have a friend at home who is gluten-free and keeps an eye out for desserts that can accommodate. So when we were all served chocolate lava cakes with vanilla ice cream and raspberry syrup – I noticed when they brought our gluten-free companion a lovely sliced apple. Awwww
There was a fashion show of the lovely apparel the group picked up on our travels. You will have to use your imagination here, as I do not have permission to share.
