{"id":29530,"date":"2021-03-17T17:11:29","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T17:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/?p=29530"},"modified":"2021-08-02T19:01:29","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T19:01:29","slug":"celebrating-navruz-in-uzbekistan-my-favorite-moments-on-a-festive-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/celebrating-navruz-in-uzbekistan-my-favorite-moments-on-a-festive-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Navruz in Uzbekistan: My Favorite Moments on a Festive Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/DSCF9103-800.jpg\" alt=\"Young girls dressed in their finest outfits for Navruz. Photo credit: Regina Mnatsakanian\" class=\"wp-image-29526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/DSCF9103-800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/DSCF9103-800-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/DSCF9103-800-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/DSCF9103-800-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/DSCF9103-800-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Young girls dressed in their finest outfits for Navruz. Photo credit: Regina Mnatsakanian<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-xd-layout \n  container\n XD-mt--sm XD-mb--sm\n undefined\n XD-h-100--sm XD-h-100--md XD-h-100--lg XD-h-100--xl\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-color:\" uk-scrollspy=\"\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\" col-sm-12 col-md-8 col-lg-6 col-xl-6 offset-sm-0 offset-md-2 offset-lg-3 offset-xl-3\">\n<p><em>Born and raised in&nbsp;Samarkand,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/tour-managers\/abdu-samadov\/\">Abdu Samadov<\/a>&nbsp;is full of inside information about&nbsp;<a href=\"\/country\/uzbekistan\/\">Uzbekistan<\/a>. He has studied in England and the U.S. and is fluent in English, Farsi, and Russian.&nbsp;Abdu guides MIR travelers throughout&nbsp;<a href=\"\/region\/central-asia\/\">Central Asia<\/a>&nbsp;and enjoys sharing his knowledge.&nbsp;Here, Abdu recounts some of the highlights from his travels with MIR\u2019s small group tour&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/trip\/backstreets-bazaars-of-uzbekistan\/\" target=\"_blank\">Backstreets &amp; Bazaars of Uzbekistan<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>One of my favorite trips to lead as a MIR tour manager is MIR\u2019s small group tour&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/trip\/backstreets-bazaars-of-uzbekistan\/\">Backstreets &amp; Bazaars of Uzbekistan<\/a>. <strong>The tour is a unique journey to the heart of the Silk Road \u2013&nbsp;Uzbekistan&nbsp;\u2013 to explore the bazaars, culture, and cuisine during the spring festival of Navruz.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backstreets-.jpg\" alt=\"Dancing is a huge part of the Navruz festivities. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\" class=\"wp-image-29523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backstreets-.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backstreets--300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backstreets--768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backstreets--150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backstreets--600x338.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Dancing is a huge part of the Navruz festivities. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I usually recommend visiting Uzbekistan in September, as the bazaars are vibrant with produce at that time. A variety of fresh fruits like figs, grapes, melons, watermelons, and heaps of fresh vegetables conquer the bazaar stalls and streets as the harvest season reaches its zenith. However,&nbsp;<strong>visiting Uzbekistan in spring, during the national holiday of Navruz, makes the experience very special.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Navruz: A Culinary &amp; Cultural Exploration in Uzbekistan\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G3D4S7sx7jw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignwide has-background-dim-40 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/UZ-2006-JTCA-AF-404-Ana-Filonov-1.jpg);min-height:250px\"><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><strong>Here are some of my favorite moments from the trip.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-xd-layout \n  container\n XD-mt--sm XD-mb--sm\n undefined\n XD-h-100--sm XD-h-100--md XD-h-100--lg XD-h-100--xl\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-color:\" uk-scrollspy=\"\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\" col-sm-12 col-md-8 col-lg-6 col-xl-6 offset-sm-0 offset-md-2 offset-lg-3 offset-xl-3\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Celebrating Navruz in Bukhara<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_102.jpg\" alt=\"Local women in their Navruz finery. Photo credit: Regina Mnatsakanian\" class=\"wp-image-29521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_102.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_102-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_102-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_102-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_102-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Local women in their Navruz finery. Photo credit: Regina Mnatsakanian<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>People of&nbsp;Central Asia&nbsp;celebrate Navruz on the first day of spring, March 21, the spring equinox. In the book of the great 11th&nbsp;century scholar and thinker of Central Asia, Abu Rayhan Al-Beruni, he writes about Navruz, considered the central holiday of Zoroastrians as the day when the sun reaches the sign of Aries and awakens nature. <strong>Navruz is a time when age-old rituals and traditions come alive in the cities of Uzbekistan.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backst2.jpg\" alt=\"Abdu and the group pause for a Navruz photo op. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\" class=\"wp-image-29522\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backst2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backst2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backst2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backst2-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/backst2-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Abdu and the group pause for a Navruz photo op. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\n\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bukhara is where we really experience the festival in all its finery.&nbsp;<\/strong>We started the day with a walk from the historic craftsmen neighborhood in the Old Town towards the Ark Citadel. The largest public square of the city was already crowded with locals dressed up for the occasion. Villages, universities, and school and community members had laid tables of food for the public around the plaza. Artists and performers entertained the visitors.&nbsp;We came across some schoolchildren, who invited us to participate in their impromptu dance and singing session. Their happiness was contagious, and we were surrounded quickly by a large crowd of friendly local people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_101.jpg\" alt=\"Navruz preparations are a multi-generational affair. Photo credit: Regina Mnatsakanian\" class=\"wp-image-29520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_101.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_101-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_101-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_101-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/20140318_101-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Navruz preparations are a multi-generational affair. Photo credit: Regina Mnatsakanian\n\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the day of Navruz, we have festivals and celebrations all around the country. Navruz was restored as a national holiday for Uzbekistan in 1990. During the communist years, this celebration was banned, as it was considered too reminiscent of old history and traditions. <strong>Today all the countries in Central Asia mark this day as a national holiday representing the renewal of nature, youthful celebrations, and colorful customs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIRL.jpg\" alt=\"Families and friends gather for Navruz festivities in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\" class=\"wp-image-29525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIRL.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIRL-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIRL-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIRL-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIRL-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Families and friends gather for Navruz festivities in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-xd-layout \n  container\n XD-mt--sm XD-mb--sm\n undefined\n XD-h-100--sm XD-h-100--md XD-h-100--lg XD-h-100--xl\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-color:\" uk-scrollspy=\"\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\" col-sm-12 col-md-8 col-lg-6 col-xl-6 offset-sm-0 offset-md-2 offset-lg-3 offset-xl-3\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Preparing&nbsp;<em>Sumalak&nbsp;<\/em>in Khiva<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>As the Navruz celebration nears in Central Asian homes, mothers arrange feasts.&nbsp;Festival tables will have fresh breads,&nbsp;<em>plov<\/em>&nbsp;(the savory rice concoction that is Central Asia\u2019s favorite dish),&nbsp;<em>samsas&nbsp;<\/em>(baked stuffed bread pockets),&nbsp;<em>bijak<\/em>&nbsp;(pastry-based pockets with fresh greens), and sweets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Samarkand-En.jpg\" alt=\"Specially-decorated breads grace the bazaars of Uzbekistan at Navruz. Photo credit: Willis Hughes\" class=\"wp-image-29529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Samarkand-En.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Samarkand-En-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Samarkand-En-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Samarkand-En-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Samarkand-En-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Specially-decorated breads grace the bazaars of Uzbekistan at Navruz. Photo credit: Willis Hughes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There is a special dish \u2013&nbsp;<em>sumalak<\/em>&nbsp;\u2013 that communities prepare together for the holiday.<\/strong>&nbsp;It is a much esteemed meal, prepared by groups of women while performing special rituals. The sumptuous sweet dish is prepared from the juice of wheat sprouts and flour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the process of cooking it for 12 hours overnight, people make wishes as they stir the&nbsp;<em>sumalak<\/em>&nbsp;in turns. To stay awake, men and women dance and play music all night. The meal is served in the morning to everyone in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"598\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-navruz-800.jpg\" alt=\"Stirring a pot of sumalak, a traditional holiday sweet, at an Uzbek Navruz celebration. Photo credit: Islom Nizomov\" class=\"wp-image-29518\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-navruz-800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-navruz-800-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-navruz-800-768x574.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-navruz-800-150x112.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-navruz-800-600x449.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Stirring a pot of sumalak, a traditional holiday sweet, at an Uzbek Navruz celebration. Photo credit: Islom Nizomov<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The local people of&nbsp;Khiva&nbsp;invited us to a&nbsp;<em>sumalak<\/em>&nbsp;party in a local&nbsp;<em>madrassah<\/em>.<\/strong> Our MIR travelers took turns stirring the boiling&nbsp;<em>sumalak<\/em>&nbsp;in the cauldron and made their wishes. Then, we had a great time dancing with the local Khivans and chatting with our hosts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-xd-layout \n  container\n XD-mt--sm XD-mb--sm\n undefined\n XD-h-100--sm XD-h-100--md XD-h-100--lg XD-h-100--xl\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-color:\" uk-scrollspy=\"\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\" col-sm-12 col-md-8 col-lg-6 col-xl-6 offset-sm-0 offset-md-2 offset-lg-3 offset-xl-3\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Attending a<em>&nbsp;Buzkashi&nbsp;<\/em>Game in Samarkand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>One of the most exciting Navruz festival games of Central Asia is&nbsp;<em>buzkashi<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/strong>It has other names, such as&nbsp;<em>uloktortish<\/em>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<em>kok boru<\/em>, and is played across the region and in Afghanistan on special occasions like holidays and weddings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Navruz is the best time for a group of strong men on horses to indulge in this sport.&nbsp;They fight for the possession of a dead goat using the drills of polo, horse riding, rugby, and wrestling. History suggests the purpose of this competition was initially to train boys into agile, strong, masculine warriors. The horses were observed, and the strongest were then selected for further breeding.<\/p>\n\n\n<section id=\"block_604f7ee1f8178-media-grid\" class=\"wp-block-xdf-standardmediagrid uk-section js-xd-components__media-grid uk-padding-remove\">\n\t<div class=\"uk-container uk-width-expand uk-padding-remove\">\n    <div id=\"media-grid-media-grid\" class=\"xd-component__media-grid  js-xd-components__media-grid-lightbox-open \"  >\n\n      \n\t\t\t          <div class=\"xd-component__media-grid-feature-image  js-xd-components__media-grid-lightbox-open \" data-lightbox=\"block_604f7ee1f8178\" data-slide-target=\"1\">\n\n            \n                          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-150x100.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-2880x1920.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1350x900.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 2880px) 100vw, 2880px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Tia Low\"\n  height=\"1920\"\n  width=\"2880\"\n\/>                      <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t          <div class=\"xd-component__media-grid-1  js-xd-components__media-grid-lightbox-open \" data-lightbox=\"block_604f7ee1f8178\" data-slide-target=\"2\">\n                          \n              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-150x150.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-600x600.jpg 600w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Getting a good look at the buzkashi action. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"640\"\n  width=\"640\"\n\/>            \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                  <div class=\"xd-component__media-grid-2  js-xd-components__media-grid-lightbox-open \" data-lightbox=\"block_604f7ee1f8178\" data-slide-target=\"3\">\n                          \n              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-150x113.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-600x450.jpg 600w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Gearing up for buzkashi: Many riders wear tank helmets left over from Soviet times to protect themselves from the flailing whips of their competitors. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"480\"\n  width=\"640\"\n\/>            \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                  <div class=\"xd-component__media-grid-3  js-xd-components__media-grid-lightbox-open \" data-lightbox=\"block_604f7ee1f8178\" data-slide-target=\"4\">\n                          \n              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-150x100.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-2880x1920.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1350x900.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 2880px) 100vw, 2880px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Tia Low\"\n  height=\"1920\"\n  width=\"2880\"\n\/>            \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                  <div class=\"xd-component__media-grid-4  js-xd-components__media-grid-lightbox-open \" data-lightbox=\"block_604f7ee1f8178\" data-slide-target=\"5\">\n                          \n              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-150x100.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-2880x1920.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1350x900.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 2880px) 100vw, 2880px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Tia Low\"\n  height=\"1920\"\n  width=\"2880\"\n\/>            \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n        \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n      \n  <div id=\"block_604f7ee1f8178-lightbox\" class=\"uk-modal-container xd-components__media-grid-lightbox uk-modal\" uk-modal=\"uk-modal\">\n    <div class=\"uk-modal-dialog uk-modal-body\">\n      <button class=\"uk-modal-close-outside\" type=\"button\" uk-close=\"uk-close\"><\/button>\n      <div id=\"block_604f7ee1f8178-lightbox-slider\" uk-slider=\"uk-slider\">\n        <div class=\"uk-position-relative\">\n          <div class=\"uk-slider-container\">\n            <ul class=\"uk-slider-items uk-child-width-1-1\">\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-150x100.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-2880x1920.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1350x900.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8560-TiaLow-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 2880px) 100vw, 2880px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Tia Low\"\n  height=\"1920\"\n  width=\"2880\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan.<\/span>\n                                                            <span class=\"photo-credit\"> Tia Low<\/span>\n                                  <\/li>\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-150x150.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_9569-600x600.jpg 600w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Getting a good look at the buzkashi action. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"640\"\n  width=\"640\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">Getting a good look at the buzkashi action. <\/span>\n                                                            <span class=\"photo-credit\"> Abdu Samadov<\/span>\n                                  <\/li>\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-150x113.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FullSizeRender-600x450.jpg 600w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Gearing up for buzkashi: Many riders wear tank helmets left over from Soviet times to protect themselves from the flailing whips of their competitors. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"480\"\n  width=\"640\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">Gearing up for buzkashi: Many riders wear tank helmets left over from Soviet times to protect themselves from the flailing whips of their competitors.\nPhoto credit: Abdu Samadov<\/span>\n                                                            <span class=\"photo-credit\"> Abdu Samadov<\/span>\n                                  <\/li>\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-150x100.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-2880x1920.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1350x900.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8555-TiaLow-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 2880px) 100vw, 2880px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Tia Low\"\n  height=\"1920\"\n  width=\"2880\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan.<\/span>\n                                                            <span class=\"photo-credit\"> Tia Low<\/span>\n                                  <\/li>\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-150x100.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-2880x1920.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1350x900.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_8523-TiaLow-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 2880px) 100vw, 2880px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan. Photo credit: Tia Low\"\n  height=\"1920\"\n  width=\"2880\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">Experiencing a game of buzkashi in Uzbekistan.<\/span>\n                                                            <span class=\"photo-credit\"> Tia Low<\/span>\n                                  <\/li>\n                          <\/ul>\n          <\/div>\n          <a class=\"uk-position-center-left uk-position-small uk-hidden-hover uk-icon uk-slidenav-previous uk-slidenav\" href=\"#\" uk-slidenav-previous=\"uk-slidenav-previous\" uk-slider-item=\"previous\"><\/a>\n          <a class=\"uk-position-center-right uk-position-small uk-hidden-hover uk-icon uk-slidenav-next uk-slidenav\"\n            href=\"#\" uk-slidenav-next=\"uk-slidenav-next\" uk-slider-item=\"next\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"uk-slider-nav uk-dotnav\">\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-text-align-center has-grey-color\"><em>(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A specially-bred goat is slaughtered a day before the competition, and the carcass is treated with salt and sand so the final weight will be just about 70lbs. (Sometimes a molded 70-lb model is substituted for the goat carcass.) The goal of the competition is for the participants to lift the carcass from the ground and find a way out of the pack to the designated goal post. Sometimes over 600 horseback riders can compete for this single prize, and the combination of a robust horse and resilient and agile rider can spell victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Our group witnessed the real deal in the foothills of the Hissar Mountain range.&nbsp;<\/strong>The location of the horse game was specially chosen in celebration of Navruz, as this was the place where Alexander the Great faced a fierce uprising from the strong young men of&nbsp;Samarkand&nbsp;under the leadership of&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spitamenes\" target=\"_blank\">Spitamenes<\/a>, the 4th century Sogdian warlord. The distant descendants of the general gave our group the feeling of how strong and fearsome the riders are, and how agile the horses are in the region.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-xd-layout \n  container\n XD-mt--sm XD-mb--sm\n undefined\n XD-h-100--sm XD-h-100--md XD-h-100--lg XD-h-100--xl\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-color:\" uk-scrollspy=\"\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\" col-sm-12 col-md-8 col-lg-6 col-xl-6 offset-sm-0 offset-md-2 offset-lg-3 offset-xl-3\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Cooking, Eating, and Celebrating All Over the Country<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHAR1.jpg\" alt=\"It\u2019s hard to go hungry at a Navruz celebration. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\" class=\"wp-image-29524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHAR1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHAR1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHAR1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHAR1-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHAR1-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>It\u2019s hard to go hungry at a Navruz celebration. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>During our travels in Uzbekistan, we were completely surrounded by food. As a group with gigantic gastronomic interest, we took every opportunity to indulge in it.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-xd-standardcarousel js-xd-components__carousel\">\n  <div class=\"js-xd-components__carousel\">\n    <div uk-slider  >\n      <div class=\"uk-position-relative\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n        <ul\n          id=\"block_5fcf56cefb6ea-carousel\"\n          class=\"uk-slider-items uk-child-width-1-1 uk-child-width-1-2@s uk-child-width-1-3@m uk-grid uk-grid-small  js-xd-components__carousel-lightbox-open\">\n                      <li>\n                              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-113x150.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-450x600.jpg 450w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"A bread baking demonstration. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"800\"\n  width=\"600\"\n\/>                          <\/li>\n                      <li>\n                              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--150x113.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35-.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--600x450.jpg 600w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"A master cooking class in Samarkand. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"600\"\n  width=\"800\"\n\/>                          <\/li>\n                      <li>\n                              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22--150x150.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22-.jpg 552w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22--300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22--150x150.jpg 150w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 552px) 100vw, 552px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"A feast of fresh foods created during a master cooking class in Samarkand. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"552\"\n  width=\"552\"\n\/>                          <\/li>\n          \n        <\/ul>\n        <a\n          class=\"uk-position-center-left uk-position-small uk-hidden-hover\"\n          href=\"#\"\n          uk-slidenav-previous=\"uk-slidenav-previous\"\n          uk-slider-item=\"previous\"\n          ><\/a>\n        <a\n          class=\"uk-position-center-right uk-position-small uk-hidden-hover\"\n          href=\"#\"\n          uk-slidenav-next=\"uk-slidenav-next\"\n          uk-slider-item=\"next\"\n        ><\/a>\n        <ul class=\"uk-slider-nav uk-dotnav uk-flex-center uk-margin\" ><\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n      \n  <div id=\"block_5fcf56cefb6ea-lightbox\" class=\"uk-modal-container xd-components__media-grid-lightbox uk-modal\" uk-modal=\"uk-modal\">\n    <div class=\"uk-modal-dialog uk-modal-body\">\n      <button class=\"uk-modal-close-outside\" type=\"button\" uk-close=\"uk-close\"><\/button>\n      <div id=\"block_5fcf56cefb6ea-lightbox-slider\" uk-slider=\"uk-slider\">\n        <div class=\"uk-position-relative\">\n          <div class=\"uk-slider-container\">\n            <ul class=\"uk-slider-items uk-child-width-1-1\">\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-113x150.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BUKHARA-GIJDUVAN-BREAD-09-05-2015-11-29-39-450x600.jpg 450w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"A bread baking demonstration. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"800\"\n  width=\"600\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">A bread baking demonstration. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov<\/span>\n                                                        <\/li>\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--150x113.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35-.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-35--600x450.jpg 600w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"A master cooking class in Samarkand. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"600\"\n  width=\"800\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">A master cooking class in Samarkand. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov<\/span>\n                                                        <\/li>\n                              <li>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n  src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/mir\/build\/images\/png\/lazy-loading.png\"\n  data-src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22--150x150.jpg\"\n  data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22-.jpg 552w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22--300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SAMARKAND-MASTER-CLASS-OF-PLOV-22--150x150.jpg 150w\"\n  sizes=\"(max-width: 552px) 100vw, 552px\"\n  class=\"lazyload \"\n  alt=\"A feast of fresh foods created during a master cooking class in Samarkand. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\"\n  height=\"552\"\n  width=\"552\"\n\/>                    <span class=\"photo-caption\">A feast of fresh foods created during a master cooking class in Samarkand. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov<\/span>\n                                                        <\/li>\n                          <\/ul>\n          <\/div>\n          <a class=\"uk-position-center-left uk-position-small uk-hidden-hover uk-icon uk-slidenav-previous uk-slidenav\" href=\"#\" uk-slidenav-previous=\"uk-slidenav-previous\" uk-slider-item=\"previous\"><\/a>\n          <a class=\"uk-position-center-right uk-position-small uk-hidden-hover uk-icon uk-slidenav-next uk-slidenav\"\n            href=\"#\" uk-slidenav-next=\"uk-slidenav-next\" uk-slider-item=\"next\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"uk-slider-nav uk-dotnav\">\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-text-align-center has-grey-color\"><em>(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We baked world-famous&nbsp;<em>galaosiyo non<\/em>&nbsp;bread at a Samarkand home, cooked&nbsp;<em>plov<\/em>&nbsp;in the home of another Samarkand family, made green dill pasta&nbsp;<em>(shivit ashi)<\/em>&nbsp;in a&nbsp;<em>madrassah<\/em>&nbsp;restaurant in Khiva, and prepared hand-pulled noodles,&nbsp;<em>lagman<\/em>, with a master chef in Tashkent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"962\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-1024x962.jpg\" alt=\"Abdu doing his part to help with the sumalak preparation. Photo credit: Abdu Samadov\" class=\"wp-image-29519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-1024x962.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-300x282.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-768x721.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-150x141.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-600x564.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-958x900.jpg 958w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P-1150x1080.jpg 1150w, https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2015_KHIVA_P.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Abdu doing his part to help with the sumalak preparation. \nPhoto credit: Abdu Samadov<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>On this tasty tour, we definitely succeeded in plumbing the depths of the brilliant bazaars, the celebratory culture, and the abundant and delicious cuisine on offer during the joyous spring festival of Navruz.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignwide has-background-dim-30 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/7700-Tia-Low.jpg);min-height:250px\"><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><strong>Travel to Uzbekistan with MIR<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-xd-layout \n  container\n XD-mt--sm XD-mb--sm\n undefined\n XD-h-100--sm XD-h-100--md XD-h-100--lg XD-h-100--xl\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-color:\" uk-scrollspy=\"\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\" col-sm-12 col-md-8 col-lg-6 col-xl-6 offset-sm-0 offset-md-2 offset-lg-3 offset-xl-3\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MIR has more than&nbsp;30 years of travel experience in&nbsp;<a href=\"\/region\/central-asia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Central Asia<\/a>&nbsp;and has an affiliate office in&nbsp;<a href=\"\/country\/uzbekistan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Uzbekistan<\/a>, with&nbsp;a roster of contacts that can take you to places that you didn\u2019t even know you wanted to go. Our&nbsp;full&nbsp;service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have&nbsp;twice&nbsp;earned us&nbsp;a place on&nbsp;<em>National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em>list of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/awards-memberships-affiliations\/\">\u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><strong>Chat with one of our destination specialists today!<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/contact\/\">CONTACT US!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Abdu guides MIR travelers throughout Central Asia and enjoys sharing his knowledge. Here, Abdu recounts some of the highlights from his travels with MIR\u2019s small group tour Backstreets &#038; Bazaars of Uzbekistan. The tour is a unique journey to the heart of the Silk Road \u2013 Uzbekistan \u2013 to explore the bazaars, culture, and cuisine during the spring festival of Navruz.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":10606,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Celebrating Navruz in Uzbekistan: My Favorite Moments on a Festive Journey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"MIR Tour Manager Abdu Samadov recounts some of the highlights from MIR\u2019s small group tour Backstreets &amp; Bazaars of Uzbekistan.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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