Even though a thrashing with a bunch of birch twigs sounded quite appealing the thought of being soaped up by a couple of swarthy blokes with moustaches really sent me scurrying for option B.
My chosen option then, walk for three hours, turn round and walk back, snapping along the way, just random stuff and whatever I came across that interested me.
I think I have a great sense of direction and where I am. Off I wandered ( did we not use the sun's position and landmarks before google and its maps controlled/diminished yet further our brains, our hunter gatherer instincts?).
I was soon swallowed up in a warren of alleyways and back streets, not many folk about 'twas like a ghost town.
Follow the yellow brick road?
Nah, more like follow the yellow steel gas pipes.
The odd babushka getting supplies
Workmen toiling in the heat of the day
Whilst the tea lady takes a break
Yes, I guess it is a safe place to wander, though I personally tend to be the opposite end of the spectrum to those who are risk averse.
One thing, when in Uz one is required to carry ones passport at all times. I would advise against it, just take a photo-copy. If the cops want to see the real thing then they can always come back to the hotel to see it.
Why? I would not trust the police, there are tales that when a passport is inspected on the streets, then maybe it takes a few yankee dollars to get it back from the slimeball in uniform.
The Church of Michael the Archangel
Shanks's Pony brought me here as a first port of call that I thought may be of interest. It was.
The Church has to be unique, surely?
Why? because it is located in the building of an old Soviet railway station.
The building still resembles a train station, does it not?
The line was laid and the station constructed in 1907, so that the Emir could travel by train outside Bukhara. The line was abandoned in the 1960's
I guess it's the cross and onion domes that give it away. The church was established in 1994, and was presented with the entire site in 1997.
It was pretty basic inside, the usual religious paraphernalia, but on a smaller scale.
In Soviet times, religion was barely tolerated so the orthodox church could not be registered in Bukhara until Uzbekistan gained independence from the Soviet Union.
So, back to my wanderings, where is next? clue.
When is a door not a door?
When it is ajar.
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