| Uzbekistan lies at the heart of the Great
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| | the Registan, which was the heart of the
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| Silk Road. For centuries, oases of
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| | city. Madrasahs or Muslim religious
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| Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva brought
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| | academies face three sides of the square,
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| respite to the caravans as they made
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| | giving, one built by Tamerlane's grandson
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| their way across the desert. A tour
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| | who also built an observatory which he
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| through this country immerses you in the
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| | used to advance the science of astronomy
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| essence of the progress of civilization
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| | during his reign. Another legendary city
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| as it moved west. Today, Uzbekistan
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| | is Bukhara, lying to the west. Another
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| preserves this heritage while striving to
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| | oases for Silk Road caravans, Bukhara
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| bring its largely rural, historically
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| | became one of the great learning centers
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| nomadic populations better lives in a
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| | in the Muslim world and spawned the
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| post-Soviet world. Slightly larger in
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| | mystical Sufi sect of Islam. The city
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| area than California and with a
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| | today still contains 350 mosques and
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| population of 26 million, Uzbekistan
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| | supports more than 100 religious
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| contains more than half of Central Asia's
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| | academies. With narrow streets, many
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| people. Known as the 'sunny republic,'
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| | parks and gardens, numerous historical
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| Uzbekistan is arid with annual rainfall
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| | sites and lively bazaars, a visit to this
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| between only 4 and 8 inches. But its
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| | ancient city will satisfy a diverse range
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| heavily irrigated river valleys make it
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| | of interests. Travel here and you are
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| the second largest cotton exporter in the
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| | sure to find something that resonates
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| world. It also contains important mineral
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| | with your spirit. Further west still, you
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| resources and is a world leader in gold
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| | come to a museum under the blue sky,
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| production. Historically, Uzbekistan is
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| | Khiva. A city reputed to have been
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| exceedingly rich, making it a truly great
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| | founded by Shem, one of the Biblical
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| tourist destination. More than 4,000
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| | Noah's sons, Khiva has preserved its
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| historic sites dot the country, and thus
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| | ancient past and been turned into a
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| its stature as the pearl of the ancient
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| | living record of its days as a key center
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| Silk Road. Civilization was already
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| | of trade along the Silk Road. The
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| ancient here when Alexander the Great
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| | historic center of the city contains
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| conquered the region in the 4th Century
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| | spectacular examples of Islamic
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| BC. Up until the discovery of ocean
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| | architecture. Palaces, minarets and
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| routes to India and China, Uzbekistan lay
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| | mausoleums from centuries ago have been
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| at the crossroads of communication
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| | preserved and refurbished making Khiva a
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| between East and West and was the center
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| | lens through which you can gaze into
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| of trade and exchange of ideas. The
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| | history.
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| conqueror Tamerlane (1336-1405) was born
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| | Julia Feydman, has always been fascinated
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| near present day Shahrisabz and created
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| | by the history of the Great Silk Road.
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| an empire that extended throughout
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| | Over time, her passion as well as many
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| Central Asia to Turkey and south to the
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| | memorable trips to the area have grown
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| Ganges. Tamerlane was also a patron of
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| | into a successful, U.S. based travel
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| the arts and transformed Samarkand into a
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| | agency - East Site, Inc. Central Asia
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| magnificent capital for his empire.
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| | Travel is one of the major routes her
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| Importing artisans from conquered
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| | company specializes in. Visit her travel
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| territories, He and later rulers
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| | website today and discover Uzbekistan for
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| commissioned majestic buildings many of
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| | yourself!
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| which still stand. Central among them is
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