Seattle to Tashkent to Fergana

After about 30 hours of travel we hit the ground running in Tashkent and are either on the move or passing out from exhaustion and jet lag. We spent Tuesday visiting the Museum of Applied Arts, Yuri Pak's woodblock printing studio, a madrasah crafts cooperative, Bibi Hanum textile studio and the Chorsu Bazaar. All amazing.


Yesterday was a 6 hour drive to the Fergana Valley plus stops at a remarkable silk factory and another madrasah crafts cooperative. It was an 11 hour day before we checked in at our hotel. Unbelievably in this small provincial capital, the receptionist looked like an overdone plastic surgery patient with lips only slightly smaller than her boobs. She was very bright, funny and kind.


Our driver, Mahmoud, is a grandfatherly retired policeman who took us to a roadside food bazaar where we met so many lovely women selling bread, melons and other foods. Lots of pictures and hugs and sign language. The warmth of the people is incredibly moving. Over lunch Mahmoud showed us cell phone videos of his youngest grandsons (adorable of course). The images he showed us next were perplexing. To be continued....

Off to the famed Kumtepa Bazaar and points yonder!