Pe Drumul Matasii in Uzbekistan 19. Complexul Lyabi-Khauz si cazare la Bukhara / On the Silk Road in Uzbekistan 19. Lyabi-Khauz Complex and Accommodation in Bukhara

We left Khiva at 9 p.m., flying to Bukhara one hour. Our accommodation was at Hotel Asl, right in the centre of old Bukhara, in the Lyabi-Khauz Complex. The complex was built during the 16^th and 17^th centuries, and it didn’t change much since then. The name means “at the pond or reservoir”, and is given after the pond in the middle of the square. Back in the 1620, when it was constructed, it was the largest artificial reservoir in Bukhara. Now it measures 46mx36m, and it is surrounded by old trees, especially mulberry trees. Their leaves have been used to raise the silkworms. It is presumed that one of the mulberry in the square was planted in 1477!

Using the kosh method, two buildings are constructed in the mirror: the Nodir Divan-Begi meddresah and the khanaka, a shelter for the Sufi pelerins, who visited Bukhara.

There are always many people walking in the park, in the middle of the square. The women wear dresses in traditional colors and patterns, and are very friendly. The children are nicely dressed to be admired by the tourists, who are ever ready to take photographs of them!

Am plecat din Khiva seara, la ora 21, cu o cursa locala de avion. Drumul a durat aproximativ o ora.

Ajunsi la destinatie, ne-am cazat la Hotel Asl, chiar in Complexul Lyabi – Khauz, al doilea ca marime dupa Complexul Registan din Samarkand. 

Lyabi – Khauz dateaza din secolele 16-17 si a ramas aproape neschimbat. Numele inseamna “la bazin” dupa constructia din 1620, care se afla in mijlocul sau. Era cel mai mare rezervor artificial din Bukhara veche. Astazi el masoara doar 46mx36 m si este inconjurat de copaci batrani, mai ales duzi, ale caror frunze se folosesc de mult pentru cresterea viermilor de matase. 

 acest dud a fost plantat in 1477!

                                                                        alt dud batran

Chiar in fata hotelului, de o parte a bazinului, se afla  medresa Nodir Divan-Begi, originar un caravanserai, construit in secolul 17, despre care voi scrie mai tarziu.

 medresa Nodir Divan-Begi

In partea opusa, dincolo de bazin, in ale carui ape se oglindeste, a fost construit khanaka, un adapost pentru pelerinii Sufi care veneau in oras. Metoda aceasta de a construi cladiri pereche, in oglinda, era numita kosh si se intalneste mult in aceasta zona, pentru medrese.

 

khanaka din Lyabi-Khauz

In parc, atrage turistii statuia dedicata lui Nastratin Hogea, cunoscut aici cu numele de Nasruddin Hojas, un Sufi cunoscut pentru umorul sau. Poate unii ati citit in copilarie pildele sale educative. Daca nu, puteti cumpara in Bukhara o mica culegere, in diverse limbi.

 Nastratin Hogea

E mereu lume la plimbare pe aici, asa ca poti observa in liniste tipologia locala. Femeile poarta haine in culori si modele traditionale. Copiii sunt imbracati frumos si lasati sa fie admirati de turisti, care deseori ii si fotografiaza.

Hotelul Asl este construit in stil traditional, avand in fata ayvanul sprijinit pe stalpi. In interior, influentele locale se vad in finisaje. O mica curte interiora este locul unde iti poti bea linistit cafeaua. Seara, poti admira de la fereastra piata frumos iluminata.

 Hotel Asl, Bukhara

 elemente de decor traditionale

 curtea interioara

 panou frumos decorat

Complexul Lyabi-Khauz

Pe Drumul Matasii in Uzbekistan 13. Cazare in Khiva / On the Silk Road in Uzbekistan 13. AccommodationIn Khiva

We had an one hour 15 minutes flight from Tashkent to Urgench, and then, by mini van, still 30 km to Khiva. We arrived there in the evening. The Malika Khiva Hotel is right near the Ota Darwoza Gate (Western Gate) to the Old City. Like in the other hotels, the presence of traditional Uzbek style was evident.

Pentru a ajunge la Khiva, am zburat de la Tashkent la Urgench o ora si cincisprezece minute, cu un avion al companiei "Uzbekistan", iar de acolo am mai mers cca. 30 km cu microbuzul. Cand ne-am ridicat in aer, soarele apunea asa ca aproape tot drumul am vazut doar o dira de lumina care despartea cerul de pamant.

 aeroportul din Tashkent

 in sala de asteptare

Hotelul Malika-Khiva, la care am ramas doua nopti, se afla in imediata vecinatate a fortaretei Ichan Kala. la poarta sa de vest, Ota Darwoza. Predomina influenta stilului uzbek, de la poarta sculptata la decoratia camerei. Hotelul are punct de schimb valutar si cateva pravalioare.

 Hotelul Malike-Khiva

 sala de mese

 boncuk - purtatorul de noroc, intalnit si in Turcia sau Grecia

Ota Darwoza, Poarta de Vest, principala poarta de intrare in orasul vechi

Pe Drumul Matasii in Uzbekistan 2. Cazare in Tashkent / On the Silk Road in Uzbekistan 2. Accommodation in Tashkent

 The “Uzbekistan” Hotel, a four stars one, was inaugurated on 1974 in the Amir Temur Square, right in the centre of the city. It was a hotel for the foreign tourists only, as the locals were not permitted in. It is a huge construction, like in other towns of the former Soviet Union. It has the form of an open book, offering large panoramas to the square. In spite of the fact that the furniture is a little bit old, the rooms are big and clean. They have air conditioned, mini fridge, TV setr and hair dryer.

The hall is still elegant. The restaurant offers national and European dishes. The breakfast (Swedish buffet) was good and the dishes have been  plenty.

The subway station is right in front of the hotel, making simple your movements into the city. Many objectives are at the walking distance, like museums (History, Timurids, Fine Arts), parks and squares (Amir Temur, Independence), open market (Oloy Bazaar), etc.

We arrived earlier in Tashkent, so we had to pay an early check-in of 18$/person. This gave us the opportunity to add some objectives beside those of the group programme.

Hotelul de 4 stele "Uzbekistan" se afla chiar in centrul capitalei uzbece, in Piata Amir Temur. Inaugurat in 1974, era hotelul pentru turistii straini, in fosta Uniune Sovietica localnicii neavand acces in aceste hoteluri. Ca arhitectura, el seamana cu multe hoteluri colos (243 camere) din alte orase. Acesta are forma unei carti deschise spre piata amintita, oferind frumoase imagini panoramice. Chiar daca camerele in sine au un mobilier mai vechi, ele sunt spatioase si foarte curate. Ele sunt dotate cu aer conditionat, mini frigider, televizor, uscator de par.

in camera noastra

priveliste spre Piata Amir Temur, cu muzeul timurizilor in plan secund (cupola vernil)

Holul principal al hotelului va poate da o idee despre eleganta sa, chiar daca putin vetusta.

Restaurantul propriu ofera specialitati ale bucatariei nationale si internationale. Micul dejun oferit, stil bufet suedez, a fost complet si foarte variat.

iata deja ceva din luxul oriental

Chiar in fata hotelului se afla statia de metrou, ceea ce face deplasarea in capitala foarte usoara. De altfel, numeroase obiective turistice se afla in apropierea sa, la distanta de mers pe jos.

Deoarece noi am sosit mai devreme decat inceperea excursiei, am platit o taxa de "early check-in", care a insemnat 18$/persoana. Am dorit sa avem timp la dispozitie pentru a vizita si altceva decat cele incluse in programul excursiei, adica Muzeul National de Istorie, Muzeul dinastiei timurizilor si am urcat in Turnul TV pentru privelisti panoramice asupra orasului. In plus, am vazut mai pe indelete cateva locuri din centrul orasului, prin care am trecut a doua zi cu intreg grupul.

Thassos revizitat 2. Cazare la Studios Astris / Thassos Revisited 2. Accommodation at Studios Astris

Studio Astris in Astris is an awesome accommodation. Elena, the owner, is a very nice and amiable person. The small terrace, where you can eat, looking to a well groomed and full of flowers courtyard, makes you feel great the whole day.

For those who do not want to run around the island, the bay across the road is all that they need:  clean water, good sand, the view of Mt. Athos and the tavern with various dishes (including fresh fish). Besides, two of the most beautiful beaches, Psili Amos and Salonikios, are at 2-3 km. If you want more taverns, Potos is at 5 km and the second town of the island, Limenaria, is at 8 km.

A plus is the mini-market, own by the same family, which is well assorted (fruits and ice-cream included). A petrol station is at 500 m. The owner speaks English.

Cazarea la  Studio Astris a fost una deosebita, iar gazda – Elena – foarte amabila si primitoare. Mica terasa pe care puteam servi masa, bucurandu-ne de o curte ingrijita si plina de flori, ne-a dat bunadispozitie pentru intreaga zi.

Pentru cei care nu vor sa se deplaseze prea mult, se poate doar traversa soseaua din fata casei si te afli deja pe mica plaja din Astris. Nisipul grosier, apa limpede, privelistea muntelui Athos si taverna care ofera feluri diverse de mancare, sunt tot ceea ce ai nevoie pentru o vacanta placuta. In apropiere, la doar 2-3 km, se afla si doua dintre cele mai frumoase plaje de pe insula – Psili Amos si Salonikios. Statia de benzina este la 500 m. Potos, o localitate plina de taverne, se afla la 5 km si Limenaria, a doua ca marime din insula, la 8 km.

Un alt avantaj evident al acestei cazari este minimarketul bine aprovizionat, proprietate a aceleiasi familii, ceea ce face sa ai totul la indemana. In curte sunt disponibile locuri de parcare pentru fiecare dintre cele 10 camere. Gazda vorbeste limba engleza.