Tried swimming yesterday but knees didn't allow descending the ladder.
There are steps everywhere and no handrails at all so glad I brought stick which makes me feel old and infirm which others would probably say I am. Someone here told me that if I was Uzbek I would be lying down at home not travelling.
The white chevvies.
The silk shed.
Some handembroidered silk.
Thousands of cocoons the thread of 25 goes into one strand.
A master designer marks out the silk. One colour at a time.
Mulberry trees.
Making tie dyed fabric with natural dyes fixed with alum.
The finished products.
They are not woven like a carpet as pattern is already on.
The old fort.
The perception of Central Asia is probably wrong. While there are of course many agricultural workers living in what look like not much more than shacks they are resourceful and essential to the economy. The towns are well kept and there are millions of trees with new plantings ubiquitiously.
As the country only gained independence in 1991 it has forged ahead after a few years of learning about the new status. The first President was an economist so understood the importance of building on the country's strengths, natural resources, agriculture and most crucially its people. If course with China doing some of the mining the environment has taken a hit as you can see in the photos.
Today though it was visiting silk fabric producers in Margilon.
On to Kokrund an historic centre on the old trading route.
Passed extensive vineyards silver roofed houses for miles.
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