Travel guide Uzbekistan

It's the big market of every town and village in Central Asia. Even in the big tourist cities, the atmosphere is still very authentic. A mix of peoples, ethnic groups, languages and costumes, the bazaars are always colorful. Each trade has its own space, clearly organized.

Dotted along the trade routes, these ancestors of motels were veritable Towers of Babel. Merchants from all walks of life would stop off to chat, exchange itineraries or trade. Many of these former places of exchange and trade have now been converted to tourism and hotels.

Uzbekistan was the Soviet Union's biggest cotton producer, a highly polluting crop that requires a lot of water. After independence, some land was converted to wheat, but cotton remained the dominant crop for a long time. It's only since 2016 that the country's crops have really diversified.

Hospitality is the number-one quality of the Uzbek people: it's on every street corner, and increases in proportion to the distance from the big cities. In the villages, tourists are often invited to sample the culinary delights of the lady of the house, and get to know the whole neighborhood. Don't turn down a cup of tea!

This is sheep fat, renowned for its refined taste and widely used in Uzbek cuisine. It comes from the hindquarters of the local sheep. Used in the preparation of all national dishes, it is the choice morsel offered to guests. Its taste and smell accompany the traditional plov. You won't want to miss it.

A word designating the neighbourhood, i.e. the first link in the social organization of Uzbekistan. Each mahalla has his council of sages, his mullah, his otin. The neighbourhood councils of each mahalla meet several times a month in the chaikhanas to discuss common problems and to weave the social fabric of the neighbourhood.

The most economical way to get around. There are 10 or 12 people in old minibuses, which are increasingly replaced by modern models. There are some marshrutka for long distances. This is a slower way of traveling than cabs, but it allows the visitor to pay the same price as his fellow travelers.

The great spring festival, celebrated on March 21. Navrouz means "new day" in Farsi. Forbidden under the Soviets, and allowed again after independence, this festival is an opportunity to get together with family, friends or neighbours and prepare the traditional soumalak, a dessert simmered 24 hours a day and concocted from young wheat shoots.

This is the traditional Uzbek dish, based on sautéed rice, carrots and mutton. Depending on the region, it can have some variations: addition of grapes, chickpeas, garlic... The word plov is the Russian word, in Uzbek, it is called osh. Establishments specializing in the preparation of plov are thus called oshkhanas.

Uzbekistan has long occupied a particularly strategic position for trade between China and the West, at the crossroads of the two continents, and oasis cities such as Bukhara and Samarkand drew much of their wealth from it. Ikate silk is still traditionally produced in the Fergana Valley.

Cotton hanging of various sizes sold in all the bazaars of Uzbekistan. In homes, suzani is used as a bedspread or wall decoration. Covered with traditional patterns, it is made of pieces of different fabrics sewn together. Embroidered by women, it allowed the future husband to see the skill and talent of his bride.

Tea is the traditional drink of Central Asia. It is drunk at any time of the day in tea houses. The authentic tchaikhanas offered only tea. The kitchens were at the disposal of the customer, each one brought there what to make its meal. The men spent hours discussing business while drinking their tea.