Khiva city

Khiva, a world heritage site, was established about 1500 years ago. The city is split into two parts, the inner city is surrounded by a high wall. This part has more than 50 historical monuments and a few hundred old houses, and many museums.

Outside of this inner-city there is a lot of development. Uzbekistan has high aspirations for future tourism, lots of hotels springing up.
I'm sure there will be a lot of opportunities for the import of soft mattresses...

It has quite a dark past with slave caravans, terrible desert journeys, and raiding Turkmen tribesmen.
Now its welcoming old silk road town that is well set up for tourism. Many tourist buses arrive for the day. Lots of imported Chinese stuff, passed off as local crafts, to buy. Some local crafts, but a whiff of smoke and blinding mirrors.

We are staying at a guest house called Do'ppi. It is either just in or just out of the old city, or right on the border between the two, possibly straddling. There are three guest rooms, so quite small. A family run affair. Breakfast is served in the hallway, but only two rooms can sit at the table at once. The table is only there for breakfast. Shared the table with a Russian couple who explained that they weren't from Moscow. In turn we explained that we weren't from London.

The rooms are very clean. Once again very hard mattresses. Mike rolled over in his sleep and banged his knee on it, making it difficult to climb up stairs (any excuse). At least the pillow is softer.
Unfortunately the walls dividing the rooms are so thin as to be acoustically irrelevant. I'm not sure about pins and dropping, more like ants farting. Talking of which is a lot safer for us now, passing wind with confidence that is.

You can buy antibiotics over the counter here so got Yvonne a course of ciprofloxacin, which hopefully will have the desired effect.
Needless to say there is a bit of a problem here with antibiotic resistant bugs now.

We leave here on Sunday to catch a couple of trains to Tashkent, not easy from Khiva, so have to get to Urgench, a fairly nearby transport hub. A total journey of just under 1000 km. Could fly, but at 10 times the cost, and Mike insists that crashing on the ground is much better than crashing into it. So in the process of procuring tickets.

Travelling around Uzbekistan is more difficult than the far east. It requires a lot more planning. The language barrier is a bit of a issue, but every one we meet bend over backwards to help. There is always a way (mostly).

It is a lot cooler this far north, max daytime temperature is 20°C down to 5°C at night. Decent for the UK, but a big drop for us compared to the south of Uzbekistan. As I write it is warmer in Sutton.

Spent the day exploring the city. Yvonne climbed up the tallest minaret in Khiva called the Islam Khoja, some 44 meters tall. 118 very narrow steps, no hand rails. Mike had had enough of stairs for one day, what with his dicky knee.

To gain access to the many museums there is an entrance fee. You can purchase an 'executive ticket' for around £15 each. Which is supposed to give access to all the sites. Don't hold your breath. Oh no sir this very special madras/mosque, separate fee.
Well, okay looks same same, walk away.

Went to the museum of music. Quite soundless. Saw a piano, a flute, very little information on traditional uzbec music.
Went to the museum of wild animals. Saw a hedgehog, a 'desert rat', and a badger. There were other stuffed animals, but not many you wouldn't see roaming the streets of any urban centre in the UK. Look, a fox!
And so on...

It's all very high tec. Turnstiles which open when you present your ticket with the bar code thingy to the reader. You can download an app to get information about what you are looking at from the little bar code thingy on a sign, next to the object you want to know about. Only you can't because you need a local sim and data. No alternative, no little written explanation. Quite frustrating.
Not sure it's because we are getting older, but it feels like some inexperienced students have brainstormed what they think is a really 'neat' idea. It all seems so silly and fallible.
Such a missed opportunity for some real history and culture from the region and Uzbekistan in general.
Have a distinct feeling that many visitors arrive with such anticipation, and leave in a haze of bewilderment, probably knowing less than they did before. Still, who cares if it brings in the dollars.

Had a pleasent meal in an uzbec restaurant just outside the old city, vodka and beer included, all for under a tenner. Must say the vodka is just fantastic, kind of peppery and easy to drink. A fine way to forget knee pains, and hopefully aid a good night's sleep. It makes some of the museums just about bearable. Having said that the buildings are stunning and worth it just for that.

Here are some photos. Our hostel; the tower that Yvonne climbed; kalta minor minaret; Street scene; Mike's bedroom, nah, the Khan's gaff.