00:00I'm Lilly Dowse and this is Grand Voyager.
00:05In this series I travel the world to discover incredible places filled with culture, luxury and adventure.
00:13Along the way I meet the people, taste the flavors and experience the moments that make each destination unforgettable.
00:26Today I'm traveling to Uzbekistan in the heart of Central Asia. Its cities were once important
00:33stops along the Silk Road where different cultures came together. My first stop is the
00:40Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent. It took almost nine years to build and its grand design
00:47and enormous dome are inspired by Uzbekistan's historic architecture. Inside the museum explores
00:55centuries of history, culture and scientific discoveries. Right now we are seeing in the
01:02main hall of our center, a hall of gallery. In this hall you can see 14 semi-all friends around
01:08us
01:08representing our scholars. Everything comes together it is absolutely breathtaking inside it.
01:15The mosaic designs celebrate renowned Islamic scholars bringing their stories to life through
01:23interactive displays presented in a range of languages. If we talk about Larissa Olukbek,
01:30he was a great scholar of astronomy and he was a great ruler and he counted 1018 stars inside his
01:40observatory called Olukbek Observatory. The center's collection includes historical objects, maps and
01:47scale models. Among them is a display about the Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest site in Islam.
01:56In front of us you can see the fragment of Kaaba Kaaba that was used in 1988 to cover holy
02:03Kaaba. The verse
02:04from Quran and decorations were made of silver and gold streams. Earlier Kaaba coverings were much more
02:12colorful than those used today. Another important artifact is a fragment of one of the largest handwritten
02:20Korans ever made. Umar Akhtar was a calligrapher and he copied this large holy Quran book in 14th century and
02:29sent
02:30Amir Tamur as a gift to impress him. The final room houses a Quran manuscript thought to be one of
02:38the oldest in the world.
02:41This hall is located in the middle of our center under the dome. Over one million Swarovski stones were laid
02:49by a hand.
02:50It's a spectacular room. The stars, the ceiling, having the ancient holy Quran. It's spectacular.
03:04Uzbekistan has so many ways to immerse yourself in the culture and the history.
03:09And this definitely has been fascinating.
03:14Tashkent is full of beautiful architecture. But some of the most impressive sites can be found
03:21underground. At Kosmonatla Metro Station, the walls are decorated with artwork celebrating the history
03:28of space travel. Tashkent Metro is opened in 1977. The length of Tashkent Metro is 71 kilometers,
03:37which has included 50 stations. Almost 50 percent of the Tashkent population use this transport.
03:44Many of the stations celebrate Uzbekistan's heritage and culture.
03:50One such station incorporates architecture inspired by the poet Elisha Nevoy.
03:56This is one of the top metro stations I've been to. I've never seen so many domes.
04:03Tashkent was the first city in Central Asia to have a metro. It started with just nine stations
04:09on a single line. This is the Paflako station. All the architecture is handmade.
04:17Much of the metro dates back to when Uzbekistan was part of the Soviet Union.
04:22Many of the original stations keep their same grand designs. I love the mosaics on the walls. It's very
04:31impressive. And also so clean. Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991. And some of its names have
04:40changed over time. This is Independence Avenue Station. Before it was named Lenin Square. After
04:47reaching Independence Day, it changed the name to the Independence Square. With chandeliers, mosaics
04:54and marble walls, these really are unique metro stations.
05:01Food is a big part of Uzbek culture. Here in Tashkent, the Museum of Polov celebrates the country's
05:09famous rice dish made with meat and vegetables. This is a typical Uzbek palace with a famous bread.
05:19This is the smell of Central Asia. It smells divine. I'm so ready to eat. So let's get cracking. Let's
05:26go.
05:28Chefs come from across Uzbekistan and prepare their own versions of polov. These are all the
05:34different ones on one way. All different polov. It's a dish that brings people together. But there's
05:40also some friendly rivalry. Each region is proud of this polov. That is why if you're asking Tashkent
05:47people what kind of the best polov, you say Tashkent was. If you're asking from Bukhara, you say Bukhara.
05:52Samarkand, Samarkand. For me, Tashkent. I think the Tashkent one might be my favorite. I think this one.
05:59The kitchen also prepares traditional Uzbek pastries filled with meat and vegetables and baked in large
06:07clay ovens. It really is a palace dedicated to Uzbek cuisine. Uzbekistan is full of historic cities
06:17and Samarkand is one of the most famous. Known for its incredible architecture,
06:23its historic center was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
06:30Uzbekistan, once upon a time, a thousand years ago, here were lots of caravans and they used to bring
06:37goods from every part of this wonderful world and meeting each other here. But then the big space
06:44for caravans had been transformed into this wonderful ensemble with the three majestic madrasas.
06:51The Ulag Beg Madrasa dates back to the 15th century. It was an Islamic school where students lived and
06:58learned. In this madrasa, they would study astronomy, philosophy, Arabic poets and Persian poets. And
07:06these universities, they were fountains of development of science. Science which is recognized as a
07:13contribution to the world culture today.
07:15It feels very calming and relaxing in here. The big open space out there and then you come in.
07:22And I can imagine studying here. Nearby is Shazinda, a collection of mausoleums dating back centuries.
07:31The mausoleums dedicated for the royal family, mostly they were built in the 14th century,
07:37but they were built next to the place which is famous from the 8th century, the tomb of Qasim ibn
07:45Abbas, the cousin of Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah. The site remains an important place of pilgrimage
07:51today, attracting visitors from all over the world. All these glazed bricks you see, they are actually
07:59calligraphy in Arabic, in a foofy style. Much of the historic site was destroyed in the 13th century,
08:06but new mausoleums were built in the years that followed.
08:12Samarkand was also a major center for paper making and we've come to a traditional mill to find out more.
08:20We call it silk paper, that paper which is produced here, handmade and as a raw material we use the
08:27bark
08:28of a mulberry tree. The outer bark is peeled away and then the inner fibers are broiled. Once softened,
08:35they're beaten into a pulp using a water wheel for power. This part we use for silk paper production,
08:42with no glue, with no any chemicals, with no any chemical colors or whatever. All natural made.
08:48Yes, all natural made. The pulp is then spread onto a screen to form thin sheets of paper that are
08:54pressed
08:55and dried. Once ready, we polish the paper, rubbing the surface to make it smooth and shiny.
09:03It's this silky finish that gave the paper its name.
09:08One of the busiest places in Samarkand is Sayab Bazaar. The stores are packed with dried fruits and nuts,
09:15as well as sweets and honey. But there's a little trick to finding the best quality.
09:21You ask him, please give me raisins or please give me almonds or pistachio, but give me something
09:29which you have behind. Because in the Oriental Bazaar, what is already shown is very delicious,
09:37but which is behind hidden. This is for superb tastes.
09:41The city is famous for its raisins, and I'm keen to try them for myself.
09:48I've never tasted a raisin like that. It's really meaty.
09:52Happy first time.
09:53They're delicious. Everything is amazing. The nuts here, the dried fruits, because it's good quality.
10:00Another of the city's famous food traditions is this distinctive round bread. At this family bakery,
10:07I'm learning how it's made. In the days of Silk Road, traders would carry Samarkand bread on their long
10:14journeys. Tandir is a big oven for baking bread. And this size of tandir fits about 40-45 pieces of
10:27Samarkand bread. Each bread is one kilo and a half. Each loaf is carefully shaped by hand,
10:34before being placed against the hot walls of the oven.
10:41The heat from the oven is intense, and these loaves take around half an hour to bake.
10:48Ah, that smells amazing. Once the bread is ready, it's time to see how everything turned out.
10:55That is the most perfect bread I have ever seen. And they come up pretty easy. He's done them to
11:03perfection. Here, bread is traditionally shared between friends and family. And with loaves this size,
11:11there is plenty to go around. This is so heavy. One kilo of bread. And it smells divine.
11:21As my time in Samarkand comes to an end, I look back on my journey through this beautiful country.
11:30It's the experiences I've had along the way that make this trip extra special.
11:38Uzbekistan has been a tale of two cities. One with historic culture, and the other with much more
11:46modern style. There's so much to explore. But now, time for my next adventure.
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