Uzbekistan - I take a taxi to the Plov Center. Plov (or pilaf) is the national dish of Uzbekistan — a one-pot meal with rice and lamb. Uzbeks come to the Plov Center to eat plov for lunch. I sit down at a table and order a plate of plov. Then I continue to the old ...

Uzbekistan - The old town of Khiva is enclosed by a 10-meter-high mudbrick city wall. As I enter through the west gate, souvenir vendors are already lining up to sell me all kinds of items. Unfortunately for them, I’m not buying. I head for the 12th-century palace ...

Uzbekistan - Bukhara is best explored simply by walking around. The old city center is relatively small. Many of the squares around the bazaar are surrounded by old madrassas (Qur'anic schools). Some are still in use, others have been taken over by tourist vendors. ...

Uzbekistan - When I arrive at Registan Square, it’s already busy with tourists. I walk onto the square. Immediately, a guard approaches me. “Ticket, ticket!” he says. I look around in surprise. Apparently, tourists need a ticket just to walk onto the square. ...

Uzbekistan - Shahr-i Sabz – a city in Uzbekistan, Central Asia – was intended by Timur to become his capital in the 14th century. The town or village forms a rectangular enclosure surrounded by a wall about 4 km in circumference and up to 5 meters thick in places. ...