UZBEKISTAN

Daily Living

TRAVELLINGby plane

Uzbekistan Airways is the only one national carrier.

In the airport you will be asked to declare all the money you are bringing into the country - don't worry about this - declare everything you have and make sure you have less money when you leave. The Uzbek govt don't want precious foreign currency leaving the country. Also ensure that this declaration is made in duplicate and to keep one copy of the declaration form with you, duly signed and stamped by the customs official as this will be required at the time of departure as a proof of money that you brought in

TRAVELLINGby train

Not recommended as train cars are very old, built during the former Soviet Union. The equipment is outdated and mostly on the life support, there are no showers, the toilets are small and dirty, and there is no air conditioning. Even the undocumented Uzbek workers in Moscow typically fly home instead of taking a train (international). But to get to Samarqand or Bukhara you will have comfortable and fast trains (economy class cost $25$, business - $30)

METRO

Serving in the city of Tashkent it is the most ornate in the world. Clean and fast. (Taking photo in the metro is not allowed)

TAXI

Best option and experience (shared taxi) when you travel not only around the city but also to other regions of Uzbekistan (e.g. Andijan) (but don’t get ripped off, negotiate beforehand)

PEOPLE• The majority of citizens are ethnic Uzbeks and

most speak Uzbek as their first language, although many also speak Russian. There are also significant numbers of ethnic Tajiks and Kazakhs in Uzbekistan, primarily speaking their native tongue as a first language. In Samarkand and Bukhara, for instance, one is just as likely to hear Tajik being spoken as Uzbek. Russian is widely spoken especially in the cities. In Tashkent the majority of the population speak Russian and one is just as likely to hear it being spoken on the street as Uzbek.

• In the semi-autonomous region of Karalkalpakstan in western Uzbekistan, the ethnic Karalkalpaks speak their own language, which is related to Kazakh. Many Karalkalpaks also speak Russian.

• In the cities, more and more people speak English, especially those in the hotel and catering trades.

MONEY• ATMs do work with foreign cards, but

operate at the official exchange rate, and are usually empty. Hence it's better to prepare sufficient dollars to avoid such situation. Some cash machines do dispense US dollars - however, be careful of withdrawing a large number of dollars and then leaving Uzbekistan with more money than you declared when you entered. Be aware however changing dollars to Som is technically illegal, however you will be approached by money changers, just be careful of the over zealous policeman. In 2013 not a single ATM was found working in Samarkand and Bukhara.

SHOPPING• In Uzbekistan people traditionally

buy goods at bazaars. Prices are fixed in department stores only. In bazaars, private shops and private souvenir stores haggling is part of the game. Bazaars are the best place to observe the daily life of the locals. The Alayski Bazaar is one of the oldest and most famous bazaars of Central Asia. You will find beautiful rugs, silk, spices, handicrafts and traditional clothes in the Eski Djouva and Chor Su bazaars in the Old City of Tashkent

EATING OUT• When you go to restaurants,

always ask for menu or price if they do not provide one. While some of the well-established restaurants are surprisingly good value by Western standard, some of the random or less popular restaurants try to take advantage of tourists by ripping off up to 5 times of normal price. Tea tips are not given as they are included in the bill already.

CUISINE• Osh (Plov) is the national dish.

It's made of rice, carrots, onions, and mutton, and you will eat it if you go to Uzbekistan. Each region has its own way of cooking plov, so you should taste it in different places. According to the legend plov was invented by the cooks ofAlexander the Great. Plov can also be made with peas, carrots, raisins, dried apricots, pumpkins or quinces. Often spices as peppers, crushed or dried tomatoes are added.

CUISINE

• Chuchvara - similar to ravioli and stuffed with mutton and onions (aka 'pelmeni' in Russian).

• Manti - lamb and onion filled dumpling-like food, often with onions, peppers and mutton fat

CUISINE• Somsas, which are pastry pockets filled with

beef, mutton, pumpkin or potatoes. In spring time "green somsas" are made from so-called "yalpiz" a kind of grass which grows in the mountains and in rural parts of regions. And the amazing thing is people just pick them up for free and make tasty somsas. You can find somsas being cooked and sold on the streets.

• Lagman - thick soup with meat, potatoes, spices, vegetables and pasta. By right, it should include 50 ingredients. Often carrot, red beet, cabbage, radish, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and onions are added. The noodles should be very thin.

• Shashlik - grilled meat. Usually served only with onions. Veal or mutton is marinated in salt, peppers and vinegar and eight to ten pieces of meat are grilled on a spit over the open fire.

CUISINE

• Bread - Uzbeks eat lots of bread (in uzbek its called non). Round bread is called lepioshka. You can buy it anywhere, while in the bazar it costs around 1000 sum. Samarkand is very famous for the bread. The characteristic Samarkand bread obi-non is traditionally baked in clay furnaces. Bread is served to every meal.

DRINK• Tea is served virtually everywhere:

home, office, cafes, etc. Uzbek people drink black tea in winter and green tea in summer, instead of water. If tea is served in the traditional manner, the server will pour tea into a cup from the teapot and then pour the tea back into the teapot. This action is repeated three times. These repetitions symbolize loy (clay) which seals thirst, moy (grease) which isolates from the cold and the danger and tchai (tea or water) which extinguishes the fire. Beer, wine and vodka are available almost in every shop.

• Visitors should consider tap water to be unsafe to drink in regions, while in capital of Uzbekistan the water is safe for drinking. In any case drinking bottled water is advised.

STAY HEALTHY

• Uzbekistan has not implemented a no-smoking policy in bars and restaurants, unlike many Western countries. Consequently, enclosed spaces can be very unpleasant for non-smokers, especially in the cold weather.

• Fruits and vegetables should be peeled before consumption. Avoid drinking Uzbek (locally produced) vodka. Most Uzbek Vodkas are not good even dangerous to your health.

NIGHTLIFE• In Tashkent there are various night

(dance) clubs and restaurants. They usually work till late night/early morning. Take enough cash because drinks and snacks are much more expensive than in daytime restaurants. Also you can find overnight Uzbek "chill-out" restaurants where you enjoy traditional food laying on large wooden sofas (tapchans/suri). It is not recommended to hang out on the street or parks after 11 p.m. Even if you do not face problems with criminals you definitely attract unwanted interest of local police(militsiya) patrolling the area

HOTELS

• There are many hotels in the country. In Tashkent there are various types of hotels you can stay, it can cost you US$60 and more depending on how much you're willing to pay for your pleasure in hotel.

RESPECT

• In Uzbekistan, and in Central Asia in general, elderly people are greatly respected. Always treat the elderly with great respect and be deferent to them in all situations. Also be polite with females. If you are a male and there is an option to address a male with the question instead of female, choose it.

CONNECTION• Mobile connection works in

most parts of Uzbekistan and the services are cheap. There are several popular mobile service providers in Uzbekistan - Ucell , Beeline, Perfectum Mobile. A foreigner can get a SIM card after showing his passport. You can find Internet cafés in most of the cities. Speeds can sometimes be fast but generally speed is relatively slow.