25 May 2014 Khiva

Having warned our guide that we did not fancy another long ride in the scorching desert in a car with inadequate AC, we were met at our hotel by our guide with a new car and driver, with the offer to take us to the West Gate so we could test the AC en route. The car and driver passed the test, so it was agreed he would meet us next day for the trip to several old forts and then to Urgench for dinner prior to the airport drop-off. We then started our guided tour walking the old streets of Khiva, which is surrounded by walls rebuilt in the 1700's after being destroyed by the Persians. Khiva was a branch of the Silk Road starting at least as early as the 8th Century AD, although legend has it that it was founded much earlier by Noah's son Shem when he found a well in the desert. It's 300-year heyday was when it served as capital of the Shaybanid kingdom of Khorezm, when it was the main slave market in Central Asia for the victims of Turkmen or Kazack tribesmen who would bring their captives to sell as slaves here. It includes the following:

 popular Leslie - pay back time for all the pictures we take of people

Muhammad Amin Khan Madressa and Kelte Minor Minaret
The first building on the right inside the west Gate was the Muhammad Amin Khan Madressa, built in the 1850's. Outside stands the fat, turquoise-tiled Kelte Minor Minaret, built at the same time and looking like it was originally meant to be far taller, which would have made it much higher than rival city Bukhara's Kalyan Minaret, and therefore the tallest structure in Asia. Construction was stopped because Khiva's Khan died, but the khan was said to want it so tall that he could see his rival city Bukhara from the top.

Other local tourists

Muhammad Rahim Khan Madressa
Facing the Kuhna Ark, across an open space that was a busy palace square and place of execution, this 19th century madressa is named after Khan Muhammad Rahim II. The Khan was also a poet under the pen name Feruz.

Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
Pahlavan Mahmud was a poet and legendary wrestler and Sufi philosopher who defeated Indias's wrestling champion to gain the "world title" of the day, and he became Khiva's patron saint. His 1326 AD tomb was rebuilt in the 19th century and requisitioned in 1913 by the Khan  as the family mausoleum. The chamber under the dome at the North end of the courtyard holds the tomb of Khan Muhammad Rahim II, who ruled from 1865 to 1910.

Juma Mosque and Minaret

Jumah mosque

The large Juma mosque is interesting for the 218 wooden columns supporting its roof, a structural concept thought to be derived from ancient Arabian mosques. The few finely decorated columns are from the original 10th century mosque, though the present building dates from the 18th century. East of the Juma Mosque, the 1855 Abdulla Khan Madressa holds a missable nature museum. The little Aq Mosque dates from 1657 by the entrance to the long tunnel of the East Gate.

Tash Hauli Palace receiving courtyard

Harem shelf unit

Sitting area for wives

Details of tiles

Roof of harem sitting area

Deap carving on wood columns

Tash Khovli Palace
Tash-Khovlifasig the caravansary, contains Khiva's mast sumptuous interior decoration, ceramic tiles, carved stone and woods. Built by Alloquli Khan between 1832 and 1941 as a more splendid alternative to the Kuhna Ark, it's said to have over 150 rooms off central courtyards. The biggest courtyard, immediately inside the entrance, is the Harem. The rooms off the harem's south west corner hold craft exhibits.The Ishrat Khovli was a ceremonial and banqueting hall, like the Kuhna Ark, with circles for yurts during special occasions.

We enjoyed seeing many of the old sights, but Leslie was determined to buy the distinctive Ikat fabric that was visible everywhere, even on large umbrellas providing shade for shop stalls, but did not seem to be for sale. We asked a shop where they got the material, and it was in a local bazaar just outside the gates, where we escaped the few European tourists that had come to Khiva as it's summer began. Leslie was successful in getting it for a couple dollars per meter, and we went to lunch hot but happy.

Lovely narrow street - no cars

After a rest in our hotels's AC, we ventured out again to see a history museum in an old madrasah that we had missed, but it closed just as we reached it, so we made plans to see it next day. Our designated dinner restaurant was being used by a dozen local men for a drinking party with load shouts and singing, so we were offered seats outside, which we rejected. We were told to come back a half hour later at 7PM, which we did, but found the party had not wound down, so we arranged our dinner back at the same place as the previous night, which, despite protestations to the contrary, served us the exact same standard menu. We retired early although we did use the (very slow) internet in the hotel's lobby to get out a couple of emails.