May 13, 2014
Bukhara: What the hell are you doing man?
The wind had not relented by morning and yet my batteries had been sufficiently recharged for me to cycle the rest of the way to Bukhara. Here I found a different world. I also found a hotel. I also found a familiar looking shiny white bicycle at the hotel. "We have another cyclist staying here" the owner told me. "Yes, I know," I said, "And his name is Andreas."
Andreas was very pleased to see me. I assumed he would have been way ahead by now, but it turned out even he had found the Uzbek winds hard to break through and had only made it to Bukhara a couple of hours before me. We both stayed in the hotel for two nights. I wasn't sure if Andreas' presence was a positive or a negative thing for my recovery. He did some nice things, such as taking me out for dinner, but he also did some weird things, such as the time I noticed him wandering around the courtyard of the hotel. "Andreas, seriously dude. Are you naked??" He walked over towards the open door of my room. "Stop! Do not come any closer!" He came closer. "What the hell are you doing man?" He was very definitely naked.
"What?" He responded, "I walk around naked all the time in Austria." He really seemed to think this was normal.
"Well you're not in Austria now. This is a public hotel. In a muslim country!"
He put some shorts on.
Bukhara is an amazing old city, the classic Central Asian Silk Road trading point with the most incredible traditional architecture. I'm going to just show you some pictures so that you can see for yourself. I found it really amazing, but I would be simply lying to you if I told you that what I really loved most about Bukhara was anything other than the air-conditioned hotel room with the comfy bed. Oh, it was lovely!
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Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 19,249 km (11,954 miles)
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