Uzbekistan > The old palace of Timur Lenk

As we leave Bukhara, we make a short stop. I stroll through a few streets to the Chor Minor mosque, with its striking four-domed minarets. The souvenir shops are just opening their doors. There is also a small shop inside the mosque, but the owner is not yet present. In the corner, I notice a narrow staircase. I climb up. I am now on the roof of the small mosque. From here, I can see the domes of the roof and the four minarets inlaid with mosaic. Back on the bus, I hear from fellow travelers that they had to pay to access the roof yesterday—a perk of arriving early. We drive toward Samarkand. Along the way, I watch the flat landscape pass by. In the distance, I see mountain ranges. I notice a lot of farmland along the route. Compared to Turkmenistan and Iran, the landscape here is much greener. Irrigation is managed through constructed channels. I see concrete troughs stretching for kilometers. Unfortunately, some of these are broken and no longer usable. I also see kilometers of water pipes, which have taken over the water supply.

Uzbekistan - The remains of the old palace of Timur Lenk in Shakhrisabz

Around lunchtime, we enter Shakhrisabz, the city where the former ruler Timur was born. Timur, also known as Timur the Lame, was a 14th-century Turkic-Mongol warlord and founder of the Timurid Empire. I get out at Timur’s former palace. Only the remnants of the 40-meter-high entrance gate remain. I find the people in the nearby park far more interesting. There seems to be some sort of holiday or festival underway. It’s busy. Entire families are strolling around, everyone dressed in their finest clothes. Some ask where I am from, while others want to take photos together. It’s fun to walk through the park, attracting a lot of attention. I go with the flow of people toward the mausoleum further on. Halfway there, I stop at a small terrace to order a sandwich. A wood-fired oven bakes sanna bread, which is pressed against the edge of the oven. The mausoleum rises high above the city. Inside, the sons of Timur are buried. Timur himself is said to be at the very back, though Samarkand also claims his tomb. At exactly three o’clock, I leave Shakhrisabz.

Uzbekistan - The Registan Square in Samarkand

Via a shortcut, the driver heads toward Samarkand. The road is poor. Children wave to us from the roadside, which makes me realize that few buses pass through here. Once we reach the main road, we continue on to Samarkand. Late in the afternoon, I arrive in Samarkand. My hotel is very close to the Registan, the city’s central sacred square. Around the Registan square stand three beautiful old madrassas. I grab my camera to take a photo of the square with the setting sun. An officer, whose job is to ensure that no one enters the square after dark, asks if I want to climb the old minaret. I had read in the Lonely Planet about this lucrative side job, but it also seems fun. I pay a few euros and follow him to the Ulugh Beg Madrasah. He opens a gate for me. I climb the tower via a narrow staircase. Although it’s only 52 steps, it is quite a climb—the steps are high. At the very top, there is a narrow opening where I can just barely stand. From the top, I look out over the Registan square and the city. Beautiful. When I come back down, the gate is closed, and the officer is nowhere to be seen. What now? Shouting doesn’t help. Then I discover the key is hidden under a stone. Just at that moment, the officer returns, laughing. With him, I walk back across the square.