Samarkand

 Yes, I really do visit these places, even though I don't have many pictures of myself to prove it. I opted for guided tours of Samarkand and Bukhara over a long weekend, so my guide in Samarkand took this one for me. In the background are three medressas (Islamic schools) established by Ulugbek, one of the most famous scientists of his time. This area is called the Registon, and it has a wide public square in front where markets were.

We went inside the medressas to see the study rooms and living quarters that students experienced. Most rooms were quite small and unfriendly to the taller tourist. However, they also now contain souvenir shops, and I found some nice, hand-woven decorative cloths. This time of year is slow for tourism, so we had time to talk to the shopkeepers who were happy to have visitors.

The rest of the pictures here are from Amir Temur's mausoleum. Central Asia is earthquake prone, and the building suffered a lot of damage over the years. However, a good portion of the original work still exists, and much more has been restored.

One of the things I really enjoy about Islamic art is the amazing tile work. The entryway, with its three-dimensional qualities was something I hadn't seen before. My guide told me that was a Persian style of architecture. In the mausoleum room, there were markers for Temur and several members of his family. The black one is Temur's. The bottom two photos give you an idea of how amazing the craftsmanship was that went into the design and construction of the mausoleum. The blues and greens in the tiles are still used in Uzbek pottery that is made today.