BootsnAll Travel Network



Isolated yet romantic Khiva, Uzbekistan

Rousseau once wrote that “houses make a town, but citizens a city.”  I’m reminded of these wise word when I stroll into Khiva (pronounced Hiva) today.  It’s way out in the desert near Turkmenistan and about a half days journey south of the what’s left of the Aral Sea.  This is my favorite tourist stop in my trip through Uzbekistan despite its empty, somewhat abandoned feeling.

 

The old town city walls are perfectly intact, enclosing the peacefully quiet remains of this ancient city within.  In its heyday Khiva was anything but peaceful.  It was a slave trading town ruled by ruthless khans who would slit your throat for stealing an apple.  Actually a good clean slice to the neck sounds nice compared to their other prefered methods of execution such as two day impalements, getting stuffed into bags of wild cats, or being buried alive. 

I run into Muhammad, a 21 year old language student on my first day and we arrange to meet for a free tour of the city.  He wants to improve his English and when I tell him I’m an English teacher he’s thrilled.

Muhammad tells me every last detail about the city, all of them fascinating, but the best part are the stories.  The following post is my favorite:

 

 



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2 responses to “Isolated yet romantic Khiva, Uzbekistan”

  1. Oowada Shigeru says:

    What do these two people eat?

  2. Danny says:

    They´re big grasshoppers. I bet you´d like to fry them up Owada-san.

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