...Bukhara

 Siesta was longer than expected, obvs much needed, I blame it on the heat.  Had a shower and headed out.  It so easy just to wander, I love cities you can just wander.... happened to wander into a bar ...was definitely craving a beer 🤣 I was due to meet the guys around 20h.  After wetting my appetite I returned to my wandering.  Ended up at the main square for sunset.  It was setting behind the death tower so I positioned myself away from the tourists and watched.

It is a lovely time of night.  Managed to refill my camera reel and headed off to meet the guys for dinner.  Bukhara was actually ok for vegetarians which was a pleasant surprise.  I ordered some cheese like parcels and pumpkin manti(dumplings) which were good washed down with some expensive beer.  Every now and again it's ok to treat yourself 🤗

After dinner we headed back into the main square, all of the buildings are lit up and it looks very pretty 😍 

We just sat and chatted, chilled and I managed to video call my brother which was great as meant he had been released from hospital! (Phew)

Was about 23h so decided to head back, after arranging another sunrise meet with Elana.  We do love our sunrise walks 😛

This time when I arrived back to the hostel even though later there were lights and the family were still up so was ok.  Headed to bed ..rang my bro again to share with him my amazing digs and delightful toilet !! 🎉

Had also arranged a call with kezza to make some plans for August.  Alot later than intended I got some shut eye for maybe 3hrs 😏 

As I left grandma was up and doing her daily prayer, I wandered to the main square a little bit earlier than planned and what a treat.  It was just me myself and I in the most photographed place in Bukhara.  So I had a play with fotos, self timers, trying to get the perfect foto.  With the aid of a flower pot I managed to get a decent enough one. 

By the time Elana arrived the number of people in the square head multiplied!! So we took the opportunity to get fotos from all angles.  The buildings are so big ...it makes you look tiny 😊

We wandered around most of the main sights.  A few people were stirring but mainly we had the sights to ourselves.  Including at one a vine with amazing grapes.  So an nice early morning snack was had! This was my last morning in Bukhara, leaving Elana I did one last sweep of the sights to make sure I'd have some  fotos 🤣 ( because clearly you can never have enough) 

Back to the hostel I had time to have a nap before breakfast.  Again I shared breakfast with the girls from India.  It was great conversation, talking about the differences in our cultures, what we want for the future, putting the world to rights.  We continued  after breakfast with a fresh pot of fruit tea that the girls had bought and some dried apricots that I had bought in the market.

Let's talk apricots.... I have ever only known two forms of apricot fresh and dried! Here they have at least 5 or 6 stages of the drying process, it's amazing and super tasty! Did you know there was a nut inside the stone of an apricot? I had no idea , they are super tasty, 😋

I went for another little nap, packed, checked out and went back to the main square for my last inhale of this amazing sight.

Had agreed to meet Pol/Paul at 13.15 to get s Yandex to the train station.  Walking through the city, middle of the day with kit only equals one thing 🥵🥵🥵🥵

Yandex ordered of we went to the station.  It's super random, the airports are closer to the city centres than the railway stations.  Again we took advantage of the clean toilets and air conditioning.  It's funny the train stations are the only time you see other travellers.  I've now seen at least 5 people from my first train doing the same route at the same time.

Obviously not that excited about the imminent arrival of our train after our last experience we were pleasantly surprised when an AVE type train rocked up.  Air con, head phones all seated💺 

I had a little nap and before I knew it we had arrived.  After another yandex journey into the city were Pol/Paul and I agreed a drop off as we were staying in different directions.  We happened to be dropped off right in front of registan square.  The daddy of all daddy sights in Uzbekistan (so I thought)

Don't get me wrong it is incredible, beyond the pictures you see!!!

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