Today is another travel day as we head from Bukhara to Samarkand (Samarqand in Uzbek). Luckily the roads are a lot better (but not great), so we are making much better time. (Edit, I think I may have spoken too soon. This road is bumpy, bumpy, bumpy.)

Well we were making better time until we stopped at the ceramic factory. We watched them make some pottery and talk about the kilns and bought some little ceramic tidbits. Hey, they haven’t has any tourist groups there in 15 days (probably the our guides previous tour group), so we truly were supporting the economy. They have a little garden in the courtyard with some Pomegranate trees, cotton, random stuff, and a grape arbor covered with vines. Hanging from the grape arbor are what looked like some cloth covered lanterns. But then we noticed some hanging from the balcony, and the 7th generation ceramacist overhead us say that. He pipes up that the cages have quail in them, and that is his hobby. He pulled down one of the cages to show us the quail inside. He proceeded to tell us about singing competitions. So many questions, right? Bird singing competitions? It’s a little fuzzy about how you make them sing, but these are wild quail–captured in the desert in April when they are migrating. He doesn’t breed them to make baby quail because wild male quail sing the best. He just goes to the desert and captures unsuspecting migrating quail. Since they are all male, he doesn’t get any quail eggs to make teeny, tiny omelets with. He just has a bunch of wild captured male quail that he enters in singing competitions. They have to feel safe and cozy before they will sing. Hence the covers over the cages–the homemade cages. What is a bird singing competition? Well it means that you take your bird cages to the local tea shop and your buddies take their birds to the tea shop too. (I’m not sure of the logistics of this. In a car? on a bicycle? tied to a pole over his shoulder?). Then they make them sing somehow. Who judges the competition? Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson? No! The oldest man in attendance is the judge. And of course there is a pool of money involved, so whoever has the best (longest? most mellifluous? harmonious?) wins the jackpot. Of course there are national championships and special Telegram groups (similar to Facebook, I think) dedicated to the art of bird singing. I still have so many questions, but this is all I know. I think they were surprised that we were so interested in bird singing competitions, but, seriously, who wouldn’t be fascinated by this?

Our other excitement of the day was our potty break and visit to the mini market. I know! The fun just doesn’t stop! But we did make a Tik Tok video while we were there, so this is really just an opportunity to say WHY HAVEN’T YOU FOLLOWED THETWINSONTOUR YET ON TIK TOK YET? WHY?

All right, back to sightseeing I guess. Once we made it to Samarkand, we went to Registan Square. Just when you think things can’t get more amazing, Uzbekistan proves you wrong. Every. Single. Time. The square consists of 2 madrasas and a mosque. Did we ever provide a definition of madrasa? Our itinerary refers to it as a center of Islamic learning. In other words, it’s like a combination monastery and school because you just live there for your education, not forever. Anyways, the madrasa on the left was built in the 15th century (that’s the 1400s) and the one on the right is a lot newer from the 17th century (1600s). The mosque is also from the 17th century. It’s always incredible to me to think about how old these things are and what was going on in the rest of the world.

So the newer one was built by an Indian ruler or Indian craftsmen or something like that. This is quite obvious when you look at the facade because there are giant tigers in the mosaic work. Islam doesn’t allow animals to be depicted so that’s why they always just have geometric patterns. But the Indians have some Hindu influence, ergo the tigers and also a few stylized swastikas.

Neither of these madrasas are still functional. They are craft centers (i.e. SOUVENIR SHOPS!). I just love the way the Uzbeks take advantage of old spaces and make it relevant to their needs. And I love to look at the souvenirs!

Ok, I think that is enough for one day.

Love,

thetwinsontour