Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Another day, another few madrasahs, mosques and minarets….

We visited the Hast Imam library in Tashkent. It houses the oldest Koran in the world. Written in Kufic script in the late 8th or early 9th century, it has a long and chequered past. Its creation was ordered 19 years after the death of the Prophet Mohammed. It was taken from modern day Iraq to Samarkand by Timur. The Soviets moved it to Saint Petersburg but it was eventually returned to Uzbekistan. The manuscript contains drops of blood that have resulted in several fanciful tales including the murder of its creator while trying to protect it and the murder of the ruler who commissioned it.

Tashkent is the very pretty and peaceful capital of Uzbekistan. Maybe we weren’t there long enough to figure the city out but we just didn’t get a distinct ‘feel’ from it.

Dinner was a farewell to Uzbekistan. We got to meet Ilya, the tour organizer who put everything together for us. Our guide Julia was in fine form at dinner, bursting with energy and fun. She was an amazing guide. Her English was fantastic (she also speaks Italian). Despite being part of a large group, she kept us on track and helped us learn the regional history through riveting stories.