Going full circle in Tashkent

I ended my three Stan journey right where I began, full circle,  in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It's not that it was my favorite city because it wasn't. It lacks the desert allure of Khiva, the majesty of Samarkand's Registan Square or the liveliness of Bukhara's ancient streets. What it does have is an international airport, which is why most people end up in Tashkent at some point in their travels.  That is not to say there is nothing to do. While many travel blogs recommend getting out as quickly as possible, I would argue it's worth a day or two. As a matter of fact, I'll even name six things worth experiencing. 

 1. The Chorsu Bazaar.        

  A gigantic market dating back to the Silk Road days. Its name means "four streams" or "crossroads" in Farsi, signifying its importance as a trading post back in the day. It's still a hubbub of activity with every type of food imaginable, most of it available for sampling. 

I went twice but would recommend going before the flight home. I love bringing typical foods back for my friends and this is the perfect place to stock up.

Ditto for provisioning yourself for a long journey back. Trust me when I tell you that a backpack full of freshly baked bread can be a lifesaver when you are sitting for hours in a connecting airport. 

2. The Subway system

    More than just a cheap mode of transportation, the ornate stations are a window into Soviet-era Uzbekistan. Many station have different themes, so even if you prefer to get around via Yandex taxis, it is worth the $0.13 investment to go through the turnstile and jump on for a couple of stops. 

True story: a woman I met on the walking tour ended up having her credit card blocked because her bank was certain that the 13 cent charge from the Tashkent metro system had to be fraudulent. 

3. Amir Timur Square 

    The sooner you learn about Amir Timur, the smarter you'll look on all those free walking tours. Might as well get to know him from day one. He's a national hero whose name appears on every other street, park and plov shop.

This central square is on the smallish side but it is beset by some of the city's most important buildings. There are two in particular that are worth a visit. 

To learn about Timur and the vast dynasty he founded, spend some time at the State Museum of the Timurid Dynasty. 

Next, visit the 70's era Hotel Uzbekistan. It has a bar/ restaurant on the top floor that is open to the public and has great views over the square. It also the start/ end point of the double decker bus tour, which is not technically a hop-on/ hop-off tour, since it only has two stops and you have to wait hours for the next one but if you want to get a 1.5 hour overview from the comfort of an air-conditioned seat, you could do worse than this tour. 

4.  The Taskent TV Tower

        For more great city views, you can visit this 375 meter high tower which features an observation deck and a revolving restaurant.

I'm not going to lie and say it is the most fascinating tower ever but it does get bonus points for its exhibition of 80's era boomboxes on the ground floor.

As for the restaurant, the tables are situated on a rotating platform while the rest of the restaurant (ie the hostess stand, the bathrooms, the bar) do not move. The practical consequences of this is that if you get up to use the bathroom, when you come back,  your table will not be where you left it. This may have been the first time I have had to ask a waiter "Do you happen to know where my table went?"

5. Seoul Mun

    Technically speaking, this is a shopping mall which is reason enough for me to dislike it. But is set on either side of a river that turns into dancing waters once night falls and has a bunch of bars and restaurants, including some with vegetarian options , where you can lounge while you catch the show, so it gets a thumbs up from me. 

6. Magic City Family Park

Uzbec Disney has absolutely no business going as hard as it does. It is free to get into so I went in expecting a dinky, run-down traveling carnival vibe possibly with a costumed Amir Timur hustling for tips. Hell to the yo'q. I could not have been more wrong.

Everything about this place, from the shops on "Main Street" to the hourly light shows to the restaurants to the over 35 rides are top notch. There's an aquarium, movie theater, bowling alley and boats you can rent to traverse the park via its man-made river. 

 

The only thing it is lacking is alcohol- something about the whole "family park" thing- but Seoul Mun is a five minute walk away so it's not that big of a deal. My last night in Uzbekistan, I had a 2am flight, so I spent my last few hours bouncing back and forth between the two. That and zip-lining through the park while holding a 360 degree GoPro camera, cuz if you are going to go full circle might as well be literal about it...