August 4, 2011
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The Silk Road (Sort Of) Overland
Tuesday 2 August 2011It was nice and cool in the train during the night, so I’ve slept very well. The train was running a bit late as they are doing work on the tracks at some places, but if you’re on a 20-hour train ride, 22 hours does not feel like that late. The landscape we travelled through was very similar to the steppe outside Actau – sand and tufts of grass.
It was great having travelling companions. However, by 11.00 o’clock we were back at the temperatures of last night and we’re all taking turns dozing off here and there during the day – Bahrom, Sevara, Inoyat and I – so there’s not always that intense socialising. Train journeys are good for offing off, especially long ones.
Bahrom and I tried the trick from yesterday – going to the restaurant car when we felt too hot – but this time it didn’t work. It was actually hotter than in our carriage (don’t know why we stayed so long). The Russian lady was not put off by the heat, however. She kept asking Bahrom about me. What was my job? Where did I work? Was I married? Why not? Why did I keep travelling the world instead of making babies? How much did I earn? Trying to keep answers vague or to a minimum didn’t help – the questions just kept coming. I might have been exposed to many types of cultures over the years but I must say I prefer the English approach. “It’s awfully hot today, don’t you think?” is about as personal I’d like to get when ordering food at a restaurant.
We arrive two and a half hours behind schedule at Urgensch, but the taxi journey to Khiva is less than half a hour, and we get nearly two hours to walk around the Old Town before sundown.
The Old Town in Khiva is this magical city and UNESCO heritage site, entirely surrounded by city walls. It is all untouched and time seems to be standing still here. All the museums (I think there are a total of 28 museums) were closed by the time we arrived, but we still got a piece of the magic as we walked past building after building with this gorgeous turquoise and blue tiling. The setting sun added its own glow as well.
Tomorrow, the museums will be open and we’ll get to see what Khiva is all about. Good stuff!
Comments (1)
I must be truly magical to work in a place that time has forgotten. I can imagine the reflections of light on the blue tiles. Your words bring wonderful images.