Gorgeous York

Welcome to York readers. A lovely little town that should be on everyone's 'not to be missed' list when visiting the UK. So surprising that it is the fourth time I have been to the UK and the first time I have been to York.

York dates back to 71AD when it was a Roman fortress, the remains of which are still visible in modern day York. Then it was a Norman city, and then a Medieval city from around the 13th Century, which is what is principally on display for the throngs today.

Stain glass windows in York Minster.

 The York Minster (St Peter's Cathedral) is the biggest site in York. I took a tour and it went for two and a half hours. the guides in York are truly knowledgeable and full of interesting stories like the Bishop whose statue in the Minster has two right feet, so he wouldn't be thought of as Catholic - who use their left foot to genuflect. There are 128 stain glass windows, the largest of which has been years getting restored and lead removed, and will be another seven years until completion. It is replaced with a giant photo.
It's the largest minster in the UK I believe, and was built on the site of the original, smaller, Norman Cathedral, which was built on the site of a Roman fort.
I have seen many stabs at the date of its building, but lets say between 12th and 14th centuries. It's not to be missed!

Typical Tudor redesign of a Medival building. Note the 'overhang'

 The streets themselves can be walked for hours, amazing medieval buildings which have had a Tudor redressing over the years (like the one above). Medieval can date back to the 12-13th centuries, whereas the Tudor period relates to the reign of King Henry the 8th, in the 17th century. These buildings typically have quite a bit of overhang on the first floor, because they were taxed according to floor space and this overhang space apparently didn't count! Aslo, the medieval city walls surround much of York and can be walked along. They don't quite connect - there are gaps, but in total it's around 4.5km walk to circle the town. It really is a placed steeped in history.

The Minster from a distance, taken from the city walls.

 And for those of us who are train buffs, the awesome National Rail Museum (well priced at free!) is a must too. So many old, powerful steam locomotives. One that had be opened to show the workings was just brilliant. I finally understand how steam is used to move giant pistons. Highlights included a Shinkansen (Japanese Bullet Train), Royal Carriages, a history of British Rail and the Mallard (2500), built to go fast from London to Edingburgh. This blue beast could reach speeds of over 110 MILES per hour, so around 170kph. I know, why did they bother switching to diesel? In fact I asked, apparently three people could drive a diesel train, they needed ten for a steam train.

Not the Mallard, but a similar train that could touch 11mph.

 So that's beautiful York. It is even sunny today, that makes two days out of  twenty. Mid-summer. I am told I have been lucky.....

                 

On Holidays.... Scrap Metal, Cars and..... Beer???

When one is travelling one needs a bit of a break sometimes. To settle down for a week with friends and not be a tourist for a short while. If that is possible. That's what I have been up to of late. Now, I am in York, back being a tourist in this awesome little town I can't believe it's taken me so long to visit. 

So I have been in a place called Northampton where I helped a good mate remove some scrap metal from his house. I tried and failed at Salsa dancing. I had a few beers and was told quite adamently that we don't drink beer in Australia, it's only drunk here in England. Okay, I call what the Brits drink 'Ale' to differentiate it from the cooler, easier to drink lagers and bitters we principally drink in Australia. Essentially though... I disagree and would kill for a Pure Blonde or Cascade Premium.... Fosters is the main Australian beer available here. Enough said.

What's NOT to love about possibly the best tourist site in England? A scrapyard in Northampton.

Well, then I journied to ChesHam to catch up with another old friend, one I hadn't seen since January 2001. Chesam is a wonderfully English village/town with a great little old town not so far from London. Another couple of lazy days going on picnics, confounding people with requests for Aussie-style burgers and the discovery of a computer game I somehow had missed called 'Angry Birds'. Then there was the car - a Westfield. This was worth taking a hair-raising ride in! An inch from the ground, nothing to keep the English Wniter... What? Sorry person next to me just informed me that it is Summer here. That doesn't seem right. Still, no roof to keep the weather out, an engine that sets off car alarms.... Woooohoooooooo!

The Westfield. Vroom!

Chesham.

Now I am in York, visited an amazing 'Minster' (Cathedral) here today. But - that's for the next entry!

Colleges: from All Soul's to Hogwarts!

Bridge of Sighs.

A few more days in Oxford and I have seen much of this amazing town. The buildings are magnificent, the colleges that form Oxford University are amazing, and the weather is.... terribly English. It is the middle of Summer, or so I am led to believe, however the weather is probably better in Melbourne right now, where it is the middle of Winter. Rain, wind and tempertures around the mid-teens!

Luckily Oxford has enough sites to keep one's mind, slightly at least, off the weather. There are some impressive structures to walk past, such as the Radcliffe Camera, a large circular building that doesn't appear to take photos, and the Bridge of Sighs (pictured above), which reminds me of the bridge in Mostar, Bosnia.

Mr T. Rex, the Pitt Rivers Museum.

Then there are the museums and libraries, of which there are many. The T-Rex above can be found at the wonderfully Victorian Pitt Rivers Museum of Natural History along with many other skeletons. There's information on the Dodo, other displays on Evolution and then in a second room, dimly lit, are hundreds of glass cases filled with objects from all over the world from Papua New Guinea to the Americas. There was also the biggest Totem Pole I have ever seen! It was wonderfully English and dim and dusty, with far to many objects to be displayed properly, they just crammed as many things into the cases as they could, and then as many cases into the room as they could.

Then there was the Ashmolean Museum, another wonderful museum following in the British tradition of invasion, pilferring followed by display. Both museums were in amazing buildings too.

All Soul's College.

 But the cream of Oxford is its university, and the colleges. Why, today alone I visited four colleges, and a couple yesterday. Above is All Soul's College, typically Anglican in name (Church of England) with a remarkable Chapel, and as with all the colleges here, immaculate lawns and fantastic quadrangles. I have also visited Merton, Whadham & Exeter College (this last one had a fantastic chapel as well).

Outside Christ Church College on Sunday, the queue is unbelievable!

 But the cream of the cream is Christ Church College. Yes, it does get the most visitors because of one singular reason - it is known as the Harry Potter College. This is the building used as Hogwarts, or part of Hogwarts. But it is also a magnificent college, the largest I saw with more wonderful lawns and quadrangles. Unfortunately the chapel was closed for the Georgian Boys Choir, but just walking around the buildings was breathaking enough.

The 'Harry Potter Hall', Christ Church College.

And then there was the most popular room in the house - what the lady at the entrance called 'The Harry Potter Room'. Well, this grand hall had people in and out all the time, and I am pretty sure it was the dining hall in the Harry Potter films. I visted Christ Church College today, although I went yesterday but saw queues like you wouldn't believe. I estimated there was between a one and two hour wait, so I passed yesterday, but today was Monday and I could basically walk straight in.
Of further note is a building called the Bodleian Library, a grand building yes, but inside was one of the more interesting displays on the making of the King James Bible, one of the first fully-translated English-language bibles (after two others I think) first published in 1611. It was translated and put together by many literary men here in Oxford over many years leading to its publication. The display showed different translations, the history, even a note about the 'Wicked' version of the bible printed many a century ago now. Why was it wicked? Instead of the Seventh Commandment reading: 'Thou shalt not commit adultery', the printers omitted the 'not'. Needless to say, scandel ensued!

Interior courtyard view of the Bodleian Library.

And so, that is that for Oxford. This place goes back nearly 1000 years as a learning centre, and some of the colleges are almost that old. It's been a brilliant place to stop for five nights. Next on the agenda is a bit of rest for me, but I will be back in just over a week blogging about the northern English town of York!

This is Oxford!

Seems my liking for interesting titles has all but disappeared! Here I am in Oxford, greeted by (relatively) good weather, I had a bit of an explore today, also visited the Church of St Mary the Virgin and climbed the tower.

Ye Grande Olde Building, Typical of ye Oxford!

The journey was slow on National Express, the buses that cover the UK. Long wait in Birmingham reminded me of my trip in 2000-01 where I had many long waits in Birmingham for connections. But I arrived last night in Oxford to find it bustling with many people indeed. Yes, many students are staying on and many tourists are here visiting.

Organ in Chruch of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford.

 And why not? Oxford is a beautiful town full of more universities than you could poke a stick at! Los of wonderful buildings too everywhere you go. It's a lovely place to be and no mistake. I am staying at unversity residences which has turned out to be a good move, I have a nice room withy plenty of spce, with five nights here I am able to unpack and spread out.

St Mary the Virgin.

 So now I can kick back and relax and check out a few places I will never study! Don't lose your bookmark!

View from Chruch Tower of Oxford.

Cardiff

Cardiff Castle.

Folks you find me, unsurprisingly thanks to the title, in the capital of Wales, Cardiff. I have had three days here and it's a nice enough place, although I am taken aback somewhat by the number of alcoholics on the street who have frequent loud 'conversations', and parents who yell at their kids too. It's been strange, not something I have experienced on this journey anywhere else.

Attraction-wise, Cardiff isn't packed with stuff to see. Most buildings have 'Millennium' in front of them, like the Millennium Centre', a big fancy building with giant Welsh words cut out of a bronze facade. Inside are a couple of shops, a theatre or two, a BBC centre being built which will house a Doctor Who Exhibit (now you're excited). The building itself features heavily in Torchwood and once or twice in Doctor Who. The lady at the shop even had a list of many Doctor Who filming locations around Cardiff. No... I didn't then spend the rest of my time hunting them down. I promise. But Doctor Who is a big part of Cardiff today. Really!

The Millennium Centre.

 The National Museum is full of the history, particularly ancient and palentological (yes I made that word up) of Wales. It's free, which I enjoyed. Interesting art too. Then the Cardiff Castle is the showpiece of the city. It is 11 pounds which is quite exorbitant in my view. But it has some interesting history going back 2000 and is a must see. In one section there is a house built into the walls, inside it is done up as restored Victoriana - quite brilliant! Lovely clock tower as well.

Cardiff Bay.

 That done, I went for an afternoon trip to a small village called St Fagan's, about 20 minutes by bus from Cardiff. There is a wonderful open air museum there with houses and a castle also decked out inside. It's really worth a look in the Wales countryside. Beautiful grounds as well! Wales is an interesting place. The accent is amazing - and hard to replicate - and everything is signed in both Welsh (usually first) and English. They are a proud people!

St Fagan's Castle.

Tomorrow - I head to Oxford!

Getting my Geek on!

Sylvester McCoy (The 7th Doctor) & Myself, London Film & ComicCon.

Well folks, a brief sort of soourn from the travelling. After a night I'd rather not remember flying from Yoaunde to London, losing my bag and struggling for a measly hour's sleep on the plane, I touched down in sunny England with two days of serious nerdom ahead!

London Film & Comic Con 2011.

The above two pictures are from London Film and ComicCon, apparently a title sneakily stolen from the original ComicCon oft held in the States. Well, for me, a Doctor Who fan, it was great. I got to meet actors from the series I have never met before. If the naes Sylvester McCoy, Sarah Sutton, Sophie Aldred, Louise Jameson, Richard Franklin and John Leeson mean anything to you, you might have been excited too.

Then again, there were many people frpm different series and movies there. The Highlander guy for one, and Christopher Lloyd of Back to the Future, Taxi and Star Trek fame. Did I say Star Trek, then how about Brent Spliner who played Data? There was Kenny Baker - R2DC from Star Wars and many more, but THE most sought signature was that of Karen Gillan, the present Doctor Who companion and pin-up girl. I only saw her from afar.

Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) and Colin Baker (The 6th Doctor) at the Doctor Who Day, Beer.

But wait, there's more. On Sunday I made my way to Beer from my base in Exeter to a 'Doctor Who Day' at a little place called Pecorama. Beer is a really pretty town on the English South Coast. Sarah Sutton also appeared there, and I got to meet the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker. And play mini-golf, and see a Doctor Who exhibition.

On my side with a Dalek! How do you turn the thing around?

Masks etc at the Exhibition, Pecorama, Beer.

But now I am in Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The sojourn is over, and I am a back-packing tourist once more! Cardiff has many tourist attractions.. the Torchwood Hub, a Doctor Who Exhibition.... yes my geeky sidetrip is done with...

Beer, Devon, England.

Yaounde et Au Revouir Cameroun, El pais Beau!!

Here I stand (well sit) in Yaounde with a few hours until I leave Africa and Cameroon. Again, expectations have been defied. I highly recommend Cameroon for a taste of West Africa. The only negative I can think of is the cos of accommodation.

I came here in the rainy season, but didn`t lose a day to rain, so I have been lucky. The weather has, in general been good and cool. My only regret is not being well enough to climb Mount Cameroon. 

I left Bamenda yesterday. The day before I travelled northwards along the ring road in a packed minivan to see the Metchum falls, on the Metchum River.

The Pastor preches to the bus before we leave Bamenda for Yaounde.

Metchum falls proved to be big and impressive in an amazing part of the country. The ring road is in the north-west and has been a highlight of Comeroon. The transport also was. The mini-vans or bush taxis have all been packed to the hilt, leaving us wondering often whether we would make it. If that isn’t amazing enough, we hitched from the falls to a northern town called Wum to get transport back to Bamenda.

Streets of Yaounde.

After three days trips in as many days , yesterday I took a bus to the nation’s capital, Yaounde. It’s not got a lot of sights , and the National Museum is closed for renovations at the moment. So many closed museums on this trip.

Still, leafy and wide streets, it’s not too bad here.

The bus journey was eventful. I had a six yearold fall asleep on me for the whole jounrey nearly – over six hours. We had a wmon come on the bus trying to sell some sort of tonic, then a pastor who said he would cure our illnesses. I still have a cough !! The bus was very packed an chaotic and took two and a half hours to leave, but before nine pm I was here in Yaounde.

Metchum Falls.

And soon I am gone, like the wind, with six weeks in Europe and then to Japan again, followed by my first teachng English gig in Georgia. Yes... the future awaits. You know I have been to some brilliant places, yet I remain excited.....

The Fon of Bali, artwork and amazing views.

So since Limbe I moved on to Bamenda, a bustling busy town in the English speaking north of the country. It's been the base for a couple of day excurisions, and should be for one more tomorrow.

Yesterday I took a squishy bush taxi, two plus driver in the front, four in the back, to the little village of Bali.

This is where the Fon of Bali recieves honoured guests.

 Bali is an amazing little village 20km from Bamenda which has a great community spirit. Singing can be heard across the hills, and the place is looked after by His Majesty Dr Ganyonga III, the Fon of Bali. For the unitiated in Cameroonian governmental systems, much of this area in the north is divided into Fondoms, or small Kingdoms. The Lonely Planet informed my travelling partner and I that we could get a palace tour! So we found the palace and waited for the receptionist. A man passed us and said as it was Sunday everyone was at prayers. He suggested we come back tomorrow. As I gathered myself to leave, the receptionist appeared and we got our tour. Little did we know, the gentlman who we first spoke to was the Fon! So now I have officially met a King! He solves disputes, entertains and recieves many guests from government representatives to even foreign diginitaries. They all work together for the people of Cameroon.

Masks at the Prescraft Centre.

 Today we headed to a place called Bamessing where we visited an arts and crafts centre where traditional African crafts are made such as masks and bowls. The people work here and we saw them working with the clay. It's another community project and was a great place to visit and buy things too, good prices. It is called 'The Prescraft Centre'.

View from Sabga Hill.

On the way back we climbed to the top of this amazing hill and saw some of the surrounding hilly area. Breath-taking views from Sabga Hill near the village of Sabga. This area is known as the 'Ring Road'. It's a windy road that circles the area. Tomorrow we plan to go a different direction!

Photos from Limbe & Primates Prospering!

And now some photos from Limbe. Since I last posted properly I  visited the amazing Limbe Sanctuary for Primates - sorry can't remember the exact title, but it was just brilliant. I got to see Gorillas, Drills, Mandrills and Baboons (as well as one big python!) all rescued, confisctaed or donated to this amazing place that gives them large cages (I mean large, plenty of space and really an enclosure) for them to live safely in without fear of the poachers and hunters here, of which there are many. Often I worry about zoos and the like in the third world, no issue here though!

Oil rig off the coast from Limbe.

Amazing Tree in the Limbe Botanical Gardens.

Drills at the Wildlife Centre.

Pictures from Kribi

Hi Folks.

Finally able to upload some photos, so firstly here are some I took around Kribi, around a week ago now. Enjoy!

Sunset - Hotel View in Kribi

The amazing Lobe River.

Local Tribe I visited near the Lobe River.

Pirogues in front of the Lobe Waterfalls.

Cameroonian Beauty....

Alas.... Photos are not going to happen here I fear. After discovering a mass of viruses on my SD I was able to clean them off but my photo files remain hidden. Perhaps there is something I can do later for my next post in Cameroon. Land of infurating internet!

But let me tell you of the last few days at least. Sadly, this is one place where the photos would have spoken volumes. I took a bus ride to Kribi, in the south and on the coast after two short nights in Douala. Kribi is a nice little town with perhaps only one decent restaurant and some nice beaches. The bus ride was predictable for Africa, full of colour and life, talking, excitment, through some amazingly thick forest - make that true African jungle! So exciting! The only draw back was really the fact that no-one was keen for windows to be open much, and so a fair bit of sweating ensued.
Kribi is in the French speaking part of the country - which in fairness is most of it. The room opened out on the Atlantic ocean, and so the location made up for the plainess of the room and the mosquitoes (I am reliably informed there is little malaria at this time of years by locals. Well, it will prove reliable if I don't get it again!), but not for the price. I am finding accommodation in particular much more expensive here than in other parts of West Africa I have visited. Half the daily budget just disappears to it!
Anyways. I am travelling with a friend now which makes it easier and well, affordable. My budget would be shot if I was on my own! We journied around 8km south of Kribi one day to see the Lobe waterfalls, very pretty and on the beach. Lots of fishing boats around as well, lots of interesting lizards and remarkably large bats also!
Then we took a pirogue ride to what we were told is a pygmy village along the Lobe river. The trees were up to 30 metres high at a guess, and the sounds of the jungle provided an amazing soundtrack to our boat journey. However, the village was small and everyone was out on a hunt! I must an ignoramus, but I thought Pygmies were short of stature. Not at this village...

Yesterday we took a bus back to Douala, shared with chickens and some boxes of fish in the hold that leaked water and now our bags have a wonderful fishy aroma... it's not too bad, definitely faded considerably over night.
We braved the slow moving Douala traffic and now we are in Limbe, near the largest mountain in this region - Mount Cameroon. It pelted rain last night but no mosquito bites = good night. We can see oil rigs not far at all from shore, the hills are amazing but the clouds are low and we can't see far. It is very humid here too. But beautiful.
Also, not so far from the Nigerian border, we are in the Anglophone part of the country - yes, English is the main language. This morning a visit to the Botanical Gardens. Not so amazing really, a few cool trees and interesting plants, but also far too many mosquitoes!
So from here we should see Mount Cameroon tomorrow, and then we are moving about every day or two trying to cram as much into my final week as I can!
hopefully I can update soon! Au Revoir for now!

From Uzbekistan to Cameroon. You read right!

The joys of African computers an internet have already struck – I lost the whole post.

Annoying when you consider I have to traverse the Fench keyboard too! Still, somehow I have gone Asia - Europe - Africa in a blink of an eye!

Here I am in Kribi, Cameroon, a few days and a lot of miles from where I last blogged, Uzbekistan. So anyways, since I last blogged from Tashkent, I went to the airport where the security guards searched for extra Euros they were sure I was carrying, hopped on a plane to Riga, Latvia. The flight was fine, five hours over night. Cold have done with more sleep though!

Then at Riga airport everyone was searched thoroughly after getting off the plane. Riga airport was confusing, having to be bussed a very short distance to the next terminal. No explanation about how and where to get the bus from though! So five hours in Riga airport…. Not a lot to do let me tell you.



I had two nights in London, and then three days ago now up at five am to catch a flight via Zurich to Douala, Cameroon. A packed fight with lots of children. Still, we touched down safely in Douala. It has a bad rep for being crazy and even a little dangerous, but I found it quite chilled and laid back. Not a bad place, especially compared to say, Accra.



In fact, that’s Cameroon. Not a lot to see or do, but relax and ejoy the vive. There was a band outside the airport playing West African vibes, so awesome and chilled. Weather? Mid twenties, humid, but sea breeze helps.



Yesterday I took an African bus-ride here to the chilled and pretty town of Kribi. The bus had people standing in the aisle, animated discussion, it was brilliant! The scenery is almost jungle, dense green forest. Rivers, good roads, friendly people. And nw I am in a beachside hotel where I can hear the Atlantic Ocean pound the shore all night long.



Who could ask for more?

The Rue De Libertè, Douala

View from my hotel, Kribi.

Last days of Central Asia - Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

So folks, thanks for taking this Central Asia ride with me. In a few hours I head to Tashkent airport where I will board an Air Baltic flight via Riga to London. I will be in a different part of the world, a new section to my journey in 2011 will begin. 

After two short days in London I will be heading for two weeks in Cameroon, West Africa. It's strange how despite my first expereinces of sub-saharan Africa, I still head back there every trip.

Kulkedash Medressa.

 For now though, I need to reflect on Tashkent. It's quite a city to be honest. At around three million people it is the biggest city (population-wise) that I have visited in Central Asia. It has wide streets and fast cars and my guesthouse had one of the most beautiful simple rooms I have had all journey.

This dome is just part of the giant Chorsu Bazaar.

 Tashkent seems to follow a grand vision that the President, Islam Karimov, has for the country. Big and impressive. This is rather similar to his Kazakh counter-part, Nazabaev, although I believe they don't get on! But Tashkent is not just big and wide, it's also pretty clean, and from the outside at least, it looks rather modern. The obsession with blue (and near-blue) domes continues, there's a museum devoted to Timur himself. Inside there's a quote from Karimov. I won't try and repeat it, because I can't remember it word for word, but it says that anyone wondering about the might and power of the Uzbek people, should look to Timur to understand why they are so. (yes I paraphrase rather poorly)

Timur Museum, not the jade-coloured dome!

 The Central Museum is rather interesting, at least on the top floor. If you are like me, you are more interested in the last 100 years than the 60 million that preceded them. Perhaps this is because it is more relatable to the country I see today. Then again, if you are an archeologist like someone I met here at the guesthouse, you may indeed enjoy you prehistoric pots! Lots of information on Soviet times, not so much in English though. And looking to the future, thanks to oil oil oil!
A few choice Karimov quotes too. Can't miss out on those. A big TV tower was built in Tashkent in 1928, sending signals out 100km today. That seems really early for television, 1928. Then again, it only came to my country, Australia, in 1956. Rather slow really... It seems that television signals were first experimented by a Russian scientist in 1907. You learn something new every day!

Fountains and Tashkent Life.

 Many monuments and statues around town, including a weeping mother which apparently features in many Uzbek cities. She is weeping, I believe, of ones lost in war. Fountains also play a huge role in Uzbek lives here. As in many places I have seen in Central Asia, they double as swimming pools. It is pretty hot here!

Assumption Cathedral.

Other highlights include the bustling Chorsu Bazaar where you can get most anything. Except for a connector USB cable for my camera it seems! There is a beautiful Orthodox Church, Assumption Cathedral, in the midst of renovations. And then the Kukedash Medressa, a quiet little function Islamic school but very pretty near Chorsu Bazaar. Have I left anything out? I'm sure I have, but that is Tashkent and Central Asia.
Amazing, different places yet, but fascinating.

Before I go, I want to talk briefly about the police here in Central Asia. I was warned by people and especially the guidebook before I go that they would be the biggest problem in Central Asia. They would take my passport and not give it back until I bribed them, they treat foreigners poorly. Some horror stories. Well, touch wood & inshallah, I have less than half a day left and the worst thing I can say is they were curious about my passport, its stamps, Australia and me. They were also friendly. I had no issues whatsoever. Yes I was very careful to make sure all my documents were correct and registered where needed, BUT I have nothing but thanks and respect for the police doing there job in this part of the world. Tashkent went through a series of terrorist attacks back in the late 90s and early 00s but has been very safe since then.
Police of Central Asia - I salute you!

A Brief Essay on Uzbekistan

Statue of Timur the Great, Samarkand.

 Central Asia has some enigmatic states. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan (which I am not visiting. This trip at least) and even Uzbekistan. A country who reveres an historical figure, the all-conquering Amir Timur, more than anyone or thing else. Nevermind that he lived over six hundred years ago, the guy went on a rampage conquering Iran, Iraq, parts of Turkey and India and the Cacaucus as well. For a reasonably small state as Uzbekistan, that's not a bad effort.
Then he set about building one of the most beautiful cities on the Silk Road in Samarkand. I'm starting to revere him a bit myself. He was lame in one leg and 1.7 metres tall - shorter than me. Maybe I too can conquer a few places. But, I don't believe I exagerate, he has acheived deity-like status in Uzbekistan.
It is a country hounded by Mongols and Genghis Khan, Russians and Soviets too. Timur represents the tim they were top of the heap.
Today his spirit is everywhere. A great man casts his shadow over a country that has some reasonably bureaucratic visa laws, and a President, Karimov, who would like to be as enigmatic and great as Timur is.
A wealth of resources and the added bonuses gained by letting the US on your soil (and then kicking them out) gives the impression that Uzbekistan is reasonably prosperous, espeically in the region. There are lots of new buildings everywhere I went. Tashkent gleams, and parts of Samarkand shine, although other older parts hide behind much more recent walls.
The Russian language and alphabet are slowly on the way out. The Uzbek identity is rising strongly. The money is insane. The biggest note one can get is 1000 som. This is roughly 40 US cents. So when one changes 100 dollars you have so much cash finding enough places to hide it is a major challenge! The black market is used by everyone. One gets 2400 per dollar on the black market the official rate is around 1700. Every night you spend has to be registered on a slip and possibly shown as you exit the country, depending on the whims of the border guards.
The climate is insane. In Bukhara I encountered 40 deree maximums, it gets in excess of fifty late July and August! But in the winter I was told there is a metre of snow in the streets! Minus 20 is not uncommon! How do they cope?
I haven't seen a cavalcade of pictures of Karimov, but I hear he is not disimmilar to Nazabaev of Kazakhstan fame. Opposition parties are generally not allowed and usually he wins impossibly high proportions of the vote when elections are held. But Uzbekistan is doing ok right now, so people are reasonably happy!
Central Asia is a fascinating area of the world. I have less than two days here before I must depart. The trip now turns to a couple of days in London, then Cameroon. Then to Europe.
Every place is special and unique in its own right. To imagine what it's like to live here though, that is still beyond me!

Please enjoy pictures of the Registan in Samarkand below. Tomorrow I shall blog about Tashkent, the Uzbek capital. Thanks for reading.