Uzbekistan

The mosques, minarets, and mausoleums are the order of the day. The tiles were made in workshops, numbered and assembled at the site using the numbers. Millions of them. Also there is so much wood carving of pillars that it is mind boggling to me. Then there is the brickwork. Pattern after patterns used in one building. So clever. Samarkand is the best so far. Colossal mosques covered in turquoise tiles, inside and out. Truly a sight to behold. Not just one in the square, but matching madrasahs facing each other. Some of the tiles were cut out in a fretwork pattern, concave and convex. Not allowed to photo them without a fee, I did not get a ticket and was sorry not to photograph them. My first night in a yurt. It is deceiving how big it is inside. Feels comfy and very spacious. Will have more along the way. Peeked on the door of a wedding. The couple were sat apart from the gusts under a flashy white silk arch festooned with lights, complete with a boom camera. Found an ice cream kiosk in Registan Square.Our first ones. Tashkent a big city. Best thing going for it is the metro art. No photos allowed and there is also a curfew of 11PM. We were at a dinner/dance place and it did indeed empty out. The locals were dancing like robots on speed, very cool. And they hav lots of energy. Many of our group got drunk and sick. Oops. Noel, the oldest of us-71-did a flip on the dance floor and was very popular with the ladies. The tomb of Mohammed is in Samarkand. The little girls heads are shaved to encourage thicker hair. They do look a bit like waifs.