uzbekistan – Bill's Blog

Samarkand

December 28, 2019billkralovec

Nadia and Alejandra are dwarfed by a madrassa on the Registan

It makes sense that before extensive maritime transportation that Eurasia, with its massive landmass, would be where the longest trade routes were located. Trade between China, Rome, Persia, India and others peaked before the start of ocean-going long haul ships. Samarkand, a two-hour high-speed train from Tashkent, was one of the most important trading cities in the silk road network.

I was in awe standing at night in the Registan and thinking of all of the great names in history who had come through Samarkand. Alexander the Great, Marco Polo, Genghis Khan, Timur (Tamerlane) all spent much time in the city. They would not have had the view we did that evening because of course at that time, there was not electricity. I wonder what they would have thought to stand there with us in 2019?

The Registan (Persian language meaning sandy place or desert) was the central plaza, the heart of the city and back in the day, probably a busy market. Today, the main bazaar moved down the street and the Soviets and Uzbeks have created a clear space on the Registan so people can admire the three madrassas that form the borders of the clearing. The architecture, colors, designs and size of the madrassas are truly breathtaking and I see why it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The muqarnas, or vaulted arches with the tiled designs of different blues, made me want to paint them. The different hues of blue tiles with intricate designs blend perfectly with the beige bricks and brown sand and mountains that surround the city. I hope to learn more about Islamic architecture during my time in Uzbekistan.

Samarkand today is Uzbekistan’s second city with a population around 1 million people in the metro area. The little over 300 kilometer distance takes 2-hours on a high-speed train. It is quite convenient for us because the train station is close to our house. My only complaint was half of the seats in the train face backwards on every journey. I wish they had the reversible seats like or turn the trains around in the station. It is better than the 4-hour+ drive. Samarkand was originally a Persian city and the majority of the population speaks Tajik, which is an Iranian language. Many Iranians almost moved to Samarkand in the 1800s. Walking around the city, I noticed the the Tajiks/Iranians have a bit darker skin and have slighter builds than Uzbeks.

We spent the second day wandering around the hills and ruins of the ancient city of Marakanda. This was the original Samarkand, when it was controlled by the Sogdians, an Iranian/Persian tribe that had a huge empire starting around 500 BC. It is a huge archeological site (500 acres+) just north of the city and has been preserved by the Soviets and the current Uzbek government. It was an ancient walled city. The Sogdians survived Alexander the Great taking the city in 329 BC, the Arabs in 712 AD and finally, dwindled away after Ghengis Khan wrecked Marakanda in 1220. It wasn’t until Timur conquered the area and made his capital in present day Samarkand in the 1300s.

Walking Around the Renovated Tourist Area of Samarkand

It made for a nice afternoon for me and the boys. Much better than trailing my wife and her sister through the markets and tourist shops. The area is large and I wonder how much is still underneath. We visited the museum and learned there are three areas, including a citadel. It is called Afrasiyab settlement and can be reached on foot from the Registan. You can kind of make out where they are with faint foundations and hills. We found some cool earthen caves on the sides of hills, which are probably used by herders tending their sheep as they graze over the area. We looked for some ancient pottery and threw a lot of rocks. We did a big loop around the grounds and checked out the most interesting areas. It was nice to have free reign over the area and not signs or guides prohibiting exploration.

Uzbek Weddings

December 18, 2019billkralovec

Lots of flowers, gold and of course, the wedding video and photo crew.

I was not enthused to attend a wedding on a Tuesday evening. My driver invited me and Nadia to one of the groundskeeper’s wedding last month. Weddings are big here in Uzbekistan! They are quite extravagant and the government even had to make a law limiting the size and cost of the parties. Families save up for years to spend lavishly on food, entertainment, decorations, etc. It is a big industry in Tashkent, with wedding halls located all over the city. I think there is cultural pressure to hold large weddings to show off one’s ability to do so. However, I haven’t been here long enough to definitely say this is true.

Little did I know what I was getting into. Nadia of course declined, so I went with my driver. Upon arrival, we were guided to a table with the rest of the TIS employees who were in attendance. The wedding couple invites family, friends, acquaintances, employers, friends of friends, etc. There were at least 250 – 300 people in attendance. Quickly, I was eating the national dish of plov and drinking tea, in between shots of vodka. Later in the evening, our table was invited into the center of the dance floor where a MC asked me to make a short speech. I wished the couple happiness on their marriage and praised the groom for his dedication to the school.

I was asked to dance with the groom in the center of the circle. Later, one of the aunts was giving 5,000 So’m bills to people to stuff in the groom’s coat pockets while dancing. I think this was for good luck. Uzbeks have a hybrid culture of Islam and influence from the Soviets. Women and men mostly danced separately, but there is often lots of alcohol consumed at weddings.

Uzbek music is growing on me. I like the rhythm and exotic, Turkish sound mixed with a danceable beat. It reminds me of Balkan pop music. The Uzbeks love a party and I actually ended up having a good time.

Beldersoy Mountain Climb

October 16, 2019billkralovec

Oliver resting with Beldersoy Ski Resort Piste in the background

This past Sunday, Owen, Oliver and I went hiking in the Ugam-Chatkal National Park. This was my second visit to the park and we were led by the famous guide Boris. The Chatkal Range, part of the western Tian Shan Mountains, covers “the finger” in far Eastern Uzbekistan. It is only about a 90-minute drive from Tashkent.

We climbed a steep ridge running parallel to the Beldersoy Ski Resort to begin the hike. The ski piste and hotel was below as we scrambled over rocky outcrops. Boris is known for not using trails, instead going for more difficult routes and he didn’t disappoint. We made it to the top (2,000 meters / 6,500 feet) of Beldersoy and had gorgeous views of the Beldersoy River valley and several peaks. After a rest, we walked through the Urttakumbel Pass down to the Marble River. We had lunch along the river and surveyed a 30-meter waterfall in the narrow canyon.

Walking back up a side trail we saw hundreds of fossilized cockle shells. It is awesome to think about geological time scales. Those shells were once living mollusks living on the bottom of a sea and today they are found on a mountain in the middle of a double-landlocked desert nation of Uzbekistan. I collected a bunch of nice specimens to display in my office.

Cockle Shell Fossils in the Marble River Canyon

We finished the hike by going over to a “solar glade” an open pasture on the way back to our car. The glade reminded me of a desert Sound of Music mountain meadow. It would also have been a great place for a medieval battle scene. Oliver is reading Game of Thrones and is re-watching some of the later episodes. It would be a perfect spot for filming.

Of course the best part of any hike for me is spending time with my family. Being able to talk and explore with my sons gives me so much pleasure. They are two really good guys and we enjoyed each other’s company, despite the early start on a Sunday morning.

The one aspect of hiking in the park that bothers me is the ubiquitous livestock grazing. We didn’t see any horses, cows, sheep or goats on this walk, but we did see plenty of evidence (feces) of ruminants. I wonder what the mountains would look like without the pressure of grazing? I know people have to make a living, but it makes me want to forgo meat all together when I see the impact of livestock on the environment.

I am looking forward to seeing the mountains change as the seasons change. My two hikes so far were during the driest part of the year.

Cycling in Tashkent

August 26, 2019billkralovec

There is a growing cycling community in Uzbekistan as the country is opening up to international influences. Last April the Asian Road Cycling Championships were held here and last March, a cycle marathon to the Kazakhstan border took place.

Velo Market – “the” bicycle repair shop in town

My friend Matthew took us out on a 40 kilometer social loop around the city yesterday morning. We stopped at the bike shop the expats go to for repairs and service. It was funny to see Chinese city bike-share cycles among the selection of bikes for sale. I read where last spring there was an overproduction of bike share programs in Chinese cities. Two of them ended up in Tashkent.

Despite some reckless driving and underdeveloped asphalt road system, the cycling is quite good here. The wide avenues from the Soviet years and vast public spaces make cycling in the city center quite pleasant. There are also many routes outside the city that I am anxious to explore.

Finding Tennis Courts in Tashkent

August 13, 2019billkralovec

Owen and Oliver at the Eco Park Tennis Courts

This weekend we started looking for a tennis center for our family. We are avid tennis players. On Saturday we found two hardcourts at Eco Park. The city government built an “ecological” sports complex and park in 2017 on the grounds of the former Tashkent Zoo. It is really nice with a 1.4 meter running/cycling paved loop, badminton, table tennis, beach volleyball, exercise/yoga areas and best of all, two hardcourt tennis courts. There are also kiosk and cafes/restaurants in the complex. It is across the highway from the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

The courts are beautiful! It was a bit tricky to play however, as we had to call from the kassa (main office) to a manager? named Marina. The courts cost 50,000 soum or around $6 to use. It was 96 degrees so no one else was using the courts. It felt great to get back on the courts after a few weeks here!

We came back the next day and Marina said we couldn’t play because the courts were “being cleaned”. We did not see anyone there. Entering “tennis courts” in Google Maps, we found a sports complex called Burevestnik, so we thought we would give it a try. We could see several clay courts upon arrival in a nice sports complex, but were denied entry by a man dressed in pixellated-camoflauge gear. One of the tennis pros or player from the club came out and explained that the complex was owned by the National Security Service, the FBI of Uzbekistan and not open to foreigners. Oddly, the Burevestnik is the name of a Russian nuclear cruise missile. The gentleman kindly suggested we go to NBU Stadium, also known as the Yoshlik Sports Complex.

Running Track and Soccer Stadium at Yoshlik

These courts were a bit more expensive, 60,000 soum ($7). Once again, we called an English-speaking manager who was very friendly and offered equipment and a coach. We asked for the indoor courts. I was expecting a hot bubble, but instead we came to a glorious indoor tennis stadium. A bit dated, but so nice on another scorching summer day. The club had 5-6 clay courts, one named the Raphael Nadal Court and several hard courts as well. We played a mini-tournament and ended the session with an epic doubles match. The club seemed promising and we’ll follow up with phone calls this week to inquire about memberships.

The Kralovec Family is Moving

October 28, 2018October 31, 2018billkralovec

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I would like to let all of our family and friends know that we will be leaving Japan in July 2019 for Uzbekistan. I will be taking over as director of the Tashkent International School. We are sad to be leaving Osaka but excited for our next adventure. Many of you may have never heard of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Nadia and I traveled there last month and found it similar to Sofia, Bulgaria, a mix between Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is an excellent IB World School and the city is safe and seems to be a pleasant and fascinating place to live. Below are some articles about the country and a photo gallery from our visit.