Now that I have had time to go on a few walk-a-bout towns, I need to show you, dear readers, the sights. There are some charming, curious and beautiful things to be seen so come get lost with me in the old streets of Samarkand Uzbekistan. It’s my first time in Central Asia and I am really quite hooked.
Where to Go
Once I have decided I feel safe in a destination, there is nothing I enjoy more than wandering with complete abandon. I set out and don’t have a destination in mind. The oldest parts of the city are what I want to see. While I am unable to find an official ‘Old Town’ in Samarkand, I know that Registan Square is at least 600 years old. Nearby are other centuries old mausoleums like Amir Temur, it is in this area that I focus today. It’s also close to my Airbnb, so bonus points for that.
When in doubt, look on Google Maps for parts of the city where the roads are not laid out in an orderly manner. This can signify that the streets were made without plan, when the town was merely a settlement. Today find the piece of territory between the above two monuments, and that’s where we explore (Google Maps link here).
Streets
The first thing I notice when walking around Samarkand, are the deep open concrete gutters that parallel every sidewalk. These are a real hazard when you are not used to them and walkers must keep aware so as not to accidentally step into one. What this translates to on the narrow old streets is an unusual sight that I have never seen before. Small shallow gutters that run down the centre of the streets. Usually flowing with water, these are ingenious for keeping moisture away from the houses themselves.
Another thing I notice right away are the original wooden telephone poles are almost always lifted up above the road. They sit atop concrete or metal poles.
Houses
In keeping with the predominately Muslim culture here in Uzbekistan, it is quite normal not to be able to see an actual house. What you encounter instead, is the tall exterior wall and massive front door only. This allows complete privacy and protects the home from prying eyes. What I find unique are the designs on these exterior walls, some lavishly decorated with paint and others have patterns inset within the stucco exterior. These are all on the newer homes.
The old houses, well those are completely enchanting. Made of mud bricks and covered with a plaster of mud and straw, these old homes I have to believe, have been constructed like this for centuries.
I do see some new repairs to this historical style of architecture. There must be enough of these homes in the city that this craft has not been lost. There are certainly a lot of mud houses that I am seeing in this area. Telltale signs are the wooden poles that support the ceiling coming through at the roof-line.
People
Walking these little streets, the people I see are so lovely. Grandmas with their grandkids in tow, elderly gents taking their birds for a walk. School kids filling the lanes and chasing one another in the spring sunshine.
That bird the man is carrying in the wooden cage is a Chukar Partridge known locally as a Kaklik. They are large birds and kept for their singing! Men will carry them around and they can be seen hung from the trees outside of tea houses too, see below. The song of the Kaklik is said to bring peace and a feeling of connection with nature.
Another sight that is incredibly charming and I see it almost daily, are the ladies selling their Samarkand bread. Down any street, on a corner or sidewalk, you can see these beautiful ladies, often with a complete set of bright gold teeth, selling bread. The going rate is about 5k som or $0.60 CAD and it’s the best bread, baked on the inside edge of a clay oven.
Old Mosques
Something I find lovely in this area is the discovery of small mosques, sprinkled throughout these neighborhoods. These are old places, without a minaret, simple one room buildings. They each have a wrap around front portico that the men are gathered on. At this beautiful one I am waved into the courtyard by the gents. One fella can speak English and tells me that this mosque is 160 years old! I love the aged patina, the old wooden carved poles and painted ceilings.
These days, spend getting lost in the old part of a destination, are my favourite travel days. Connecting and sharing smiles with the locals, seeing the quaint and authentic ways of life, feeling a place. Touching centuries old mud homes, giggling at a chalk drawing or having a chat with a scruffy cat. The quiet, grounded realness of this style of travel brings me great joy.
