Tag Archives: Timur
My Iconic Travel Moments – 2011 to 2019 (#2) – Samarkand in Uzbekistan
Number 2 – Samarkand, Uzbekistan My 2018 trip to Uzbekistan with travel buddy Hamish was absolutely superb. You may already have read about the Turkmenistan leg of the trip (Darvaza Gas Crater was iconic travel moment number 4). Uzbekistan just about edged it for me, and even then it was a pretty close call between […]
My Iconic Travel Moments Part 3 – 2011 to 2019 (#2) – Samarkand
Number 2 – Samarkand, Uzbekistan My 2018 trip to Uzbekistan with travel buddy Hamish was absolutely superb. You may already have read about the Turkmenistan leg of the trip (Darvaza Gas Crater was iconic travel moment number 4). Uzbekistan just about edged it for me, and even then it was a pretty close call between […]
Friday Photo – Shahi Zinda, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
I visited the wonderful mausoleum complex in September 2018. It seems like a dream right now! Hamish & I were the only Westerners there at the time in fact there were very few men at all with the majority of visitors being groups of women. The colours & patterns you can are typical of the […]
A-Z April Challenge (Cities Visited) – S for Samarkand
Samarkand, Uzbekistan There are certain names that conjure images of exotic travel to far flung magical destinations. Timbuktu, Port Said, Tangiers, Damascus, Jaipur, The Caspian Sea, Lake Titicaca, Saigon. Samarkand is one of those places and is a location that very much lives up to expectations. It is undoubtedly the Crown Jewels of Islamic architecture […]
Sunday Photo – Timur The Great, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Timur (1336–1405) was the ferocious and terrifying founder of the Timurid empire of Central Asia, eventually ruling much of Europe and Asia. Throughout history, few names have inspired such terror as his. Also known as Tamerlane, Timur comes from the Turkic word for iron. Amir Timur is remembered as a vicious conqueror, who razed ancient […]
Samarkand Day 3 – The Registan
Think India and you think Taj Mahal, with Cambodia its Angkor Wat, Peru conjures images of Machu Picchu. In Uzbekistan, the chances are that thoughts will turn to Samarkand and the Registan in particular. And with very good reason. The Registan Meaning sandy place in Persian, the Registon was the ceremonial centre point of the […]
Samarkand, Uzbekistan 2018 – Day 2
We managed to resolutely resist Samarkand’s Crown Jewels, the Registan. That was for day 3, with today being dedicated to Amir Timur the Great. We would be driving 80km south over the hills and via a bustling market to Timur’s birthplace of Shahrisabz in Kashkadarya province, whilst that evening we would also take in his final […]
Samarkand, Uzbekistan – Day 1
Arriving in Samarkand, Uzbekistan There are certain names that conjure images of exotic travel to far flung magical destinations. Timbuktu, Port Said, Tangiers, Damascus, Jaipur, The Caspian Sea, Lake Titicaca, Saigon. Samarkand is one of those places and is a location that very much lives up to expectations. It is undoubtedly the Crown Jewels of […]
