Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Post Office Woman with our Package - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

This woman at the post office was curious as to why we'd take photos of our package. Audrey explained to her that the packaging was interesting for us, because in America we don't wrap our items in a bag, sew it up, secure it with string and hot wax, and then put official stamps all over it. She found this cultural exchange amusing, picked up her beautiful package and posed for the camera. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Father and Son at Ippodrom Market - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Father and son play games to pass the time at their Ippodrom market stall in Tashkent. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Corn Vendors at Tashkent Market - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

We suppose these women vendors don't realize that business is more difficult when there are seven people selling the exact same product right next to each other. Dig deeper into Central Asian Cuisine and find out the best and worst of food and markets in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Soviet Car with Heavy Load - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

We expected this car to be leaning on its side... Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Uspensky Sobor, Russian Orthodox Church- Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Assumption Cathedral (Uspensky Sobor) is one of Tashkent's four Russian Orthodox churches. The grounds are peaceful and the interior is used regularly by people lighting candles and saying prayers in the shadows of icons of their favorite saints. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Soviet Architectural Design at Post Office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

If you keep your eyes open, you'll find lots of Soviet-era design on the streets of Tashkent. This nuclear space-age design adorns the main Post Office. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Korean Food (Bibimbap) - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

After almost three weeks of the same four Central Asian dishes (plov, manti, laghman, shashlik), our taste buds were thrilled by a Korean meal of bibimbap in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan has a visible Korean population whose families have lived here since WWII. It's quite odd (for us) to see Koreans speaking Russian to each other. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Mailing a Package at Post Office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

We bought ourselves our first souvenir of the trip in Turkmenistan. Then comes the challenge of mailing it. The Tashkent post office offers creative packaging - put it in a cloth sack, sew it and seal it with hot wax. Addressing the cloth sack was a challenge also. We're looking forward to seeing if our package makes it safely to the U.S. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Spice Cocktail at Chorsu Market - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Plov and meat spice cocktail at Chorsu Market in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Simmering Plov (Rice Dish) - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Carrots, peppers, raisins, chick peas, and spices simmer together with rice and beef for hours to make the perfect plov. Flamingo, a simple outdoor cafe/restaurant became a favorite for lunch where a big plate of fresh plov would cost less than $1. Team it with tea and you've got a fitting Uzbek meal. Dig deeper into Central Asian Cuisine and find out the best and worst of food and markets in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Mongol Rally Car - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Another Mongol Rally team (American-Mexican-British) staying at our hotel in Tashkent. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Tashkent Graffiti - Uzbekistan

Tashkent graffiti Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Vendors with Umbrella at Ippodrom Market - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Vendors line the cement outside the covered area at Tashkent's Ippodrom market. There is no natural shade here, so all vendors take shelter from the blazing sun under their umbrellas. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Chorsu Market in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Chorsu Market is one of Tashkent's main markets. No shortage of food, furniture, and cheap clothing here. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Mosaics on Soviet Bloc Buildings - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Tashkent's block buildings are covered with mosaics and Soviet era designs. Although the metro houses some of the best examples of Soviet-era design, photos are forbidden there. Each station is decorated in a different style, from the inside of a space ship to majolica Silk Road style pillars. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Fresh Plov (Rice Dish) - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

A large plate of tasty plov big enough for the two of us. Together with a pot of tea, our lunch cost just under $1. Unfortunately, places like this - with good and inexpensive food - are not quite on every corner of Tashkent. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.

Chilies, Cilantro, Cumin at Market - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Chorsu Market was full of chilies, cilantro, cumin and other spices used in Mexican cuisine. If only we had a kitchen... Dig deeper into Central Asian Cuisine and find out the best and worst of food and markets in the Caucasus and Central Asia.