You might not be interested in this church if you only see it from outside without knowing what it is. Gamle Aker Kirke, the Old Aker Church (I’m not sure what Aker means) was built in 1080 by stones. To my amazement, it is free to...
Many people say Saint Petersburg is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. But this is certainly not true anymore since the economic sanction against Russia by the EU because of their attack on Ukraine. Putting recent and old politics aside, I...
This backwater tour is the reason I came to Kochi in India.
My friend and I didn’t make a plan before visiting Bukhara. We were very casual so pretty much we decided what we’d do that day in the morning. So that means we were quite underprepared for the historical sites. And well, it...
I randomly found this B&B in Bukhara. My friend and I took a night train from Samarkand to Bukhara, and we made a new friend. His friend sort of knew how to bargain, so we became their ‘leverage’. And we got this incredible deal, $20...
I’ve always wondered why people host on couchsurfing. It’s a lot of work to take care of other people, especially strangers! And trust issue is another thing to overcome. If I can tell you a thing or two, here’s how I would categorize the types of...
No we weren’t taken there by groups. We were individuals who were just bored in Bukhara and needed to find something to do. Folklore and Fashion Show definitely sounded like a tourist trap. And it costs around $20 for the show and...
Samarkand was the first city in Uzbekistan that I visited. My friend and I were here for 1.5 days, and we felt we saw the most important attractions already. For the rest of the time, we simply walked around although there weren’t many...
You probably saw the pictures of Registan before choosing to visit Uzbekistan. It’s so ancient, unique, and impressive in arts. And just like there are monasteries in Christian countries, Registan was made as a place to study in a...
Uzbekistan is a beautiful country. And I felt I had a lot of fun and I saw a lot of cool architectures in Uzbekistan. 8 Days is pretty perfect for a good time in Uzbekistan.
Back in the days when booking accommodation online wasn’t that popular, I accidentally stayed at Bahodir B&B in March, 2013. It was a very pleasant surprise, like going on a blind date. I didn’t consult with the Lonely Planet...
Uzbekistan is a land of tolerance to religions. This surprised me because I thought all Muslim countries are the same. Did you know there are Jews living in Uzbekistan? Well, why would they want to live there? Funny question. But honestly...
After an overnight train, and a bus ride, I arrived Khiva. According to legend, Khiva was founded about 2 500 years ago when a son of Noah, Shem, discovered a well in the middle of the desert exclaimed “Khi-wa!” (which locals will...
Types of Costs You need to consider your flight to get there ($700 from Istanbul) , and your visa fee ($100 to more). As long as you have these two costs covered, then the travel expenses within Uzbekistan is very cheap. How Much Do...
Just so you know one day I’ll come back to this post and explain Tashkent’s history. I didn’t expect much from Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan. But I heard about it being clean and it is the only ‘stan’...
The impression I got from Bukhara was a very old town, like it was cut from a Hollywood Silk Road movie (suppose there was one). Everything seemed old (and a bit desolated). I mean, Bukhara is a city built in 14th century. It was interesting...
On our second day in Uzbekistan (also the second day in Samarkand), we got a taxi from Samarkand to visit Shahrisabz. It’s only 67km away and at that time hiring a taxi seemed to be the best idea. We left after lunch, and the ride was...
Iceland, a country of fire and ice with a myriad of landscapes. But you’ll notice something more than the amazing nature when you drive around Iceland, well, you have to notice it. “Sorry, the car you were going to rent was damaged, so...
Try to live in a double landlocked country, then you’d have a different definition on water, and probably, eagerness to be near water. I was strongly recommended to visit Lake Charvak, which is a lake surrounded by mountains. But even though I...
If you don’t have money, you can survive in Chorus market. It’s a big market for the locals, and it’s quite fun to look around. Sometimes you get free sampling of food too! I still don’t know what this is...
