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| Tashkent's Juma Mosque |
TASHKENT has a way of surprising you even before you land. I had pictured it as a low-lying, dusty, windswept place disappearing into the heat-haze and marauding sands of the Central Asian steppes that surround it. So I was taken aback when the city revealed itself as a sea of green. From 30,000ft aloft a network of wide boulevards and winding alleyways magically appear, all lined with trees. First impressions are distinctly pleasant.
Tashkent, the capital and largest city in Uzbekistan, has long served as a transport hub for travellers heading off on adventures to its more evocative neighbours – Samarkand, Khiva and Bukhara. But spend a few days here and you will find yourself justly rewarded. Along with boasting some of the best amenities in the region, it is a city full of museums, striking monuments, both modern and ancient, and millennia of history. Tashkent is a city in the midst of reinvention. Everywhere you’ll see endless construction – so common to Central Asia – and find a population eager to show off their rapidly changing metropolis.
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As any Tashkent guide will tell you, your first introduction to the city’s international airport could be daunting, ominous almost – with just one carry-on bag and nothing to declare it still took over two hours to pass through. Tashkent flights connect multiple times a week through most European capitals and arrive daily from Moscow, Almaty and Seoul.
After finally emerging fairly unscathed you can expect to be greeted by the usual press of men offering to taxi you to the hotel. Normally it is prudent to depend on a licensed taxi but Uzbekistan travel options are limited and the distinction between regular cabs and unofficial taxis is almost nonexistent. Although you will see some cars with taxi lights none will have meters and they are not necessarily safer or cheaper than the teenager offering you a ride in his Daewoo. The ride from the airport should not cost more than a few dollars but despite best efforts I was unable to haggle a ride in for less than US$10.
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| photo: Mahesh Mathai/AJ Williamson |
Nearly all drivers also double as moneychangers. Black market currency exchange is illegal in Uzbekistan but it is practiced overtly everywhere and clearly tolerated. Although hotels often warn visitors to stick to legal means for changing money, illegal moneychangers can be unusually honest with better rates than at hotels and banks.
The exchange rate is about one US dollar to 1,900 Uzbek Sums (UZS). The most common bills are UZS200, UZS500 and UZS1,000. This makes changing a US$50 bill feel more like a bank heist after the hundreds of rubber-banded stacks of money are presented to you. It has a surreal quality to it. Money itself can be such a burden that abandoning your wallet and resorting to a backpack is not too wild an occurrence. Carrying this much cash may seem like a gangster gas at first, but it will lose its charm by the third time you have counted out one hundred and twenty bills to pay for a simple lunch. Hotels and up-market restaurants often provide prices in US dollars but if you want to sample local eateries or shop in the bazaar you’ll need Uzbek Sums.
Tashkent is a simple city to navigate. Large monuments and hotels provide points of reference and the city radiates out from a well-defined centre marked by a large Amir Temur statue. Getting around Tashkent is even easier as the city is serviced by an extensive metro system. A ride costs pennies and the experience is quite something. Soviet-style stations are massive, chandelier-lit structures covered in marble. Try and take a snap for posterity however, and you’ll be assailed by the omnipresent Soviet-style “militsia” who, at best, will only hassle you and check your passport or, at worst, could confiscate your film and escort you to the police station for questioning.
Taxis are affordable and convenient. Waiting for an official taxi could take hours, so do as the locals do and stick out your hand. I did. In less than a minute a car pulled up offering a ride. It may seem alarming in the West. But in this ex-Communist country helping the comrades is still part of daily culture. If you don’t speak Russian, communicating can be problematic so have on hand a list of major hotels and monuments you can plan around. Even this can be a challenge as signs are in Uzbek (which uses the Latin alphabet) but drivers often only read Cyrillic and will still use the old Russian names for streets and buildings.
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| Clamour of Chorsu Bazaar |
Another Communist throwback is the profound discomfort exhibited by locals at naming a price. A good rule of thumb, and perhaps polite, is to pay between three and six thousand Uzbek sums for any destination within town. Some drivers will eagerly offer their services to drive you around for the day at around UZS10,000 per hour. Drivers booked through your hotel may be more likely to speak English but the price will run closer to US$20 per hour.
Tashkent guide to shopping, restaurants and art
The city has something to offer every kind of traveller. One must-see destination is the Chorsu Bazaar. Located about two kilometres northwest of the town centre, the bazaar is a huge complex of stalls housed under massive blue tiled domes, filling the streets and alleyways for what seems like miles in every direction. This is Tashkent shopping at its best. Here you can find everything from meat, spices and knives to gold, clothes, and films. Keep a special eye out for traditional Uzbek textiles and old Uzbek jewellery, especially antique wedding rings, which can be a bargain.
The Chorsu Bazaar backs up onto the old town of Tashkent and it is well worth exploring and getting lost in for a few hours. The old town is made up of winding alleyways and traditional mud brick buildings. Everywhere life is being lived on the streets and people are always quick with a greeting and a smile. Make sure you pack a good sense of direction and the wherewithal to depart the winding streets for the safety of main roads before nightfall. Another smaller bazaar worth a look-in is the Alayksi Bazaar close to the to the InterContinental Hotel.
Be sure to come on an empty stomach. Alleys are crowded with vendors selling all kinds of roasted meats, deep fried pastries filled with mutton fat, Middle Eastern-style meat sandwiches, huge wheels of delicious fresh baked bread, ice-cream, milk shakes, fruits and sweets of all kinds. I left loaded with fresh peaches and fragrant mint tea.
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| Ornate tiles of the Kulkedash Madrasa |
Close to the entrance of the bazaar is one of Tashkent’s most iconic monuments; the Kulkedash Madrasa. The Madrasa itself is a stunning example of 16th century Uzbek architecture. For UZS1,200 you can walk around the small garden, climb into the towers and will likely have the place to yourself. Next to the madrasa is the Juma Mosque, which historically served as the place of execution for adulterous brides. The beautiful building will be crowded with the faithful every Friday morning.
The Khast Imom is the religious centre of Uzbekistan. It is a complex of buildings containing a mosque, library, schools and a local madrassa. With the exception of the modern schools all of the buildings are built in traditional red brick with attractive blue-tiled domes and facades that glint in the bright sun under deep blue skies. The library contains what is purportedly the world’s oldest Koran, the 7th century Osmand Koran. Across the street from the library is the Mui-Mubarak or “sacred hair” madrassa where you can see a few hairs of the Prophet Mohammed. On Friday both the library and the Mui-Mubarak are closed for prayers, though you can experience the mosque complex packed with thousands of Uzbeks, from the elderly to school children, praying, talking and enjoying themselves. A rare opportunity to gain insight into Uzbek, Islamic life.
After Friday prayers all Uzbeks go to enjoy vast servings of their national food, plov. Plov, is the Uzbek version of the rice dish also known as pilaf, pulao, or pilau from Turkey across Central Asia to India. The rice is prepared with any number of ingredients including dried fruit, nuts and mutton. On the advice of my driver we followed the faithful to what is undoubtedly Tashkent’s best plov joint aptly named The Plov Centre (corner Erashev and Aburashidov). Get there early. It opens at noon and by about two is already running low on the national dish. We arrived at about five past two and ate the very last scraps the place had to offer.
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| Domes of the Khast Imom mosque |
On most days a lunch will set you back about UZS2,000 but on a busy Friday the price can triple to UZS6,000 (although my driver assured me ordering as a lone foreigner, the price would been closer to UZS10,000). I happily chowed down a big bowl of plov with fresh fruit, dried apricot, nuts, chopped mutton and two big slices of horse sausage, a pot of tea, a round of bread and a glass of cool yogurt. The horse sausage was so delicious that I returned the next day and, ignoring the server’s advice ate three servings, leaving me with a nasty stomachache. The moral of this story: enjoy your horse meat in moderation.
Next door to Alayksi Bazaar and the InterContinental Hotel is the Abdul Qasim Madrasa and Craft Center with plenty of souvenir-style traditional Uzbek gifts. A little pricier, but offering a large selection of both traditional and contemporary Uzbek fashions and crafts, is Human House (www.humanhuman.net, Usmon Nosir 30/9 open Mon-Sat 10am-7pm). Profits go towards helping the impoverished people of rural Uzbekistan.
Tashkent has a large selection of museums ranging from the ancient to the modern and from the kitsch to the truly intriguing. For the most part museums are located near each other, are fairly small and also extremely affordable. The best can be sauntered through in one day.
The Amir Temur museum (133 62 28, Amir Temur 1) is the city’s most famous and, with its new huge dome located in the centre of town, is also the easiest to find. Ironically this is also the first one I would skip if pressed for time, as it is mostly made up of tacky modern murals depicting the supposed civic triumphs of Temur (Timur the Lame, also known as Tamurlaine, the source of Christopher Marlowe’s play “Tamburlaine the Great”) and his descendants. There is also a copy of the Osman Koran. Pop in and whiz round in 20 minutes for UZS3,000 or so (more for photos).
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| Amir Timur statue |
The History Museum of the People of Uzbekistan (30 Sharif Rashidove, UZS3,000) is larger, covering three floors with an extensive selection of artefacts from a broad section of Uzbek history. English guides are available.
Tashkent also boasts some impressive art museums, including the Tashkent Museum of Applied Arts (15 Rakat-boshi, open 9am to 6pm, UZS1,200), located in a traditional 1930s Uzbek house and The Tashkent Museum of Modern Art (near Amir Temur Square and Westminster University), which contains a rotating exhibit of contemporary Uzbek artists displayed in a breathtaking interior space. The Navoi Literary Museum (69 Navoi) is renowned for its collection of calligraphy and miniatures.
If local culture leaves you cold, check out the swarming luxury brand malls for Tashkent shopping with a difference. Russian brands are the choicest cut but you can still find a few old European standbys. Dimur, where you can find the expensive Mirstore, is an area worth exploring if you have a hankering for western goods and food.
If in the city during summer and you’ve brought the kids along or are just looking for a way to escape the sweltering heat try the Akva Park water playground. This aqua park is near the TV tower and InterContinental hotel – open only at the height of the summer.
Since Tashkent is the region’s safest major city it offers a great opportunity to experience the eccentricities of Central Asian nightlife. Locals brag that the night club scene in Tashkent is the best outside of Almaty and after a night (and part of the morning) spent investigating it I needed a full day to recover. Clubs don’t really get started here until 11pm and don’t get crowded until the early hours. Almost everyone will tell you that Katacomb is Tashkent’s greatest nightclub. A surprisingly picturesque location, hidden down a winding road directly on the banks of a river, belies the pumping party inside. The summer club sits on the water’s edge while a winter club is further up the hill. Although impressive, Katacomb is said to be best on Friday and my Saturday night venture was a little bit lacklustre.
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| Spacious baths at the InterCon/ photo: hotel |
On the advice of a fellow reveller I departed to Barxan (pronounced bar-han). Attracting a younger, hip crowd, Barxan was packed to capacity and showed no signs of slowing down when I left at 3am. The Niagara is conveniently located near the InterContinental but asks a steep entry fee (UZS10,000 for men and UZS5,000 for women). Although safe, as in any major city, keep your wits about you when out at night and under no circumstances get in a taxi with two or more people in it. The biggest danger by far are the omnipresent drainage ditches running along every street. They are just deep enough to do some serious damage and when coupled with Tashkent’s poor lighting and a few drinks present a real hazard. Note that, although Muslim, Uzbeks love to drink and will stop at nothing to cajole foreigners into a vodka drinking contest. Take my word that this is best avoided.
Tashkent hotels, hostels and guesthouses
In terms of accommodation Tashkent hotels are among the best, although certainly not the most affordable, in Central Asia. Two properties dominate the high-end hotel market, the cream of Uzbekistan hotels. InterContinental Tashkent and the Turkish-owned Dedeman Silk Road both offer four-star amenities with business centre, but while Dedeman is closer to the town centre and more affordable, it comes second to InterContinental in style and comfort. The Dedeman Silk Road (tel: [998-71] 120-3700, www.dedeman.com from US$140 a night) sits in the business centre of Tashkent, eight kilometres from the airport. The hotel has 206 rooms with Internet, safe, satellite TV, mini bar and hairdryer. WiFi is available in the lobby. There are three restaurants, a health centre with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and Turkish bath.
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| Inviting Dedeman pool/ photo: hotel |
The InterContinental Tashkent (tel: [998-71] 120-7000, www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/) is Tashkent’s most expensive option (from around US$220 and up a night depending on the season) but undoubtedly the nicest. InterContinental goes for old-world European charm with large chunks of marble thrown in for good measure. Standard rooms have satellite TV, dial-up Internet, stereo and mini-bar. WiFi is free in the bar and lobby but the painfully slow dial-up connection inroom is charged. Find a health club, gym, indoor swimming pool, sauna and spa, and massages from US$35 dollars an hour. Brasserie on the Park offers American breakfasts and international cuisine with a Sunday “jazz brunch”. The hotel partners with a dependable taxi company on call for its guests. This is a good Tashkent business hotel choice, perhaps the only one if you have “expectations”.
Also in this price range is the 126-room Grand Mir Hotel (tel: [998-71] 140-2000, www.grandmirhotel.com). Rooms are basic with fewer of the amenities found in its more modern competitors but it makes for a comfortable, if not impressive, pit stop. The newest hotel in Tashkent, the Indian owned Park Turon (tel: [998-71] 140-6000, www.theparkturon.com, from US$200 a night), is another fairly uninspiring spot to rest your head. For the price, rooms are cramped. However the Park Café serves good Indian food and the smart business centre is supported by the hotel’s very central location.
Tashkent offers a wide variety of Soviet-style and general mid-range accommodation (a rapid pace of construction ensures there’s always more to come). The Markaziy Hotel (tel: [998-71] 238-3000, markaziy_hotel@gmail.com, from US$110) formerly the Tashkent Sheraton (according to the in-room stationery) is now run by the Uzbek government. It is no longer up to Sheraton standards but it does have three pools (two indoor and one outdoor), tennis courts and large comfortable rooms. Here I met Aziz at the People Travel Silk Road travel agency in room 308 and he appeared knowledgeable with good English.
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| Senate building, Tashkent |
A good mid-range option is the centrally located Poytaht Hotel (tel: [998-71] 238-3000, www.poytaht.uz, singles from US$70 a night). It offers large rooms with king-size beds, satellite TV, minibar, Internet, hairdryer and a bathroom with separate bathtub. Basic business centre facilities and an outdoor swimming pool are also available and the hotel is in arguably the best location in town, right in the city centre. For some, this may offset the somewhat basic amenities.
If travelling on a shoestring and in need of a cheap Tashkent budget hotel, try the B&B Ali Tour (tel: [998-71] 153-7162, ali_tour@tkt.uz). This small, convivial Soviet-style guesthouse has long been a backpacker favourite, largely due to the charms of owner Alisher Khabibullaev who is on hand to offer travel assistance, and lashings of free vodka.
With a car and driver it is possible to see all of Tashkent’s main tourist sites in a day but to stop there would be to miss the spirit of the city. To really enjoy the place, spend a lazy afternoon strolling in the park or stretched out on a traditional Uzbek reclining bed enjoying roasted mutton and naan bread in one of the city’s many outdoor cafés. Order a pot of tea and a hookah (Arabian hubble-bubble pipe) and join the locals in watching the world go by.
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