Fortressed city

  Khiva, Uzbekistan
Friday, June 2, 2006

Despite being somewhat out of the way for me to get to, I had heard so many good reports about Khiva that I couldn't resist the 6 hour drive up to check it out. Armed with only a daypack, I found a bus to the outskirts of town and bargained myself a good deal for a share-taxi - 15,000 sum (USD$12) for the 6 hour journey :)

Khiva didn't disappoint. Its a very small fortressed city, with so many amazing buildings inside the walls that for the first hour I just stood and stared with my tongue hanging out. The only draw-back is that not many people live inside the walls so it can feel slightly lifeless compared to the very 'living' Bukhara. But man, its an amazing place!


I was only here for 2 nights so not much to say. The locals around town are all involved in the tourist trade and so not quite so innocently friendly as those in Bukhara, but I did get involved in a good many conversations. Oh, and for any people heading to Uzbekistan, the shopping in Khiva is a bit cheaper than in Bukhara - bargain hard! :)