旅の思い出・番外編ーウズベキスタンの旅(1) Memories of trips-extra edition-No1. Trip to Uzbekistan-with an old Japanese song

旅の思い出・番外編ーウズベキスタンの旅(1)　Memories of trips-extra edition-No1.　Trip to Uzbekistan-with an nostalgic Japanese song

When everyone grows old, one's memories is gradually getting foggy. But we shouldn't be sad, because everyone can record one's happy memories forever and share them with many people all over the world. So I will record some mementos of my trips in this blog.

I went to Uzbek on Oct. 3rd, 2014, and stayed there for eight days. It was impressive and memorable days for me, though it was a group tour of 26 members of Japanese people.

Why Uzbek? I have been interested in Timurid Empire founded by Timur（1370- 1405), and his character, which I had learned in the class of world history in my high school. I'd also have liked to know Islamic World. And that was why there was the Japanese pop song I had heard at that time, which song's title was "Ihojin" ("Foreigner") made by Kubota Saki, a young woman of Japanese singer songwriter. The song gave me something very strange and exotic. One part of the words of the song were as follows.

The place where the sky and earth meet is the road that has called out to travelers since. To you, I’m just a person passing by a foreigner just looking back for a moment. (-an omission of a middle part-)  I follow the flow of people in the market. The stone road of the street shakes and shakes. Prayers and hoof beats sing like buzzing. The passing bright morning abandons me. Why bury the scars in my heart of time-traveling in this mysterious road?

So I left Japan from Tokyo International Airport of Narita to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Anyway this song fit the impressions of people's lives, landscapes of towns or villages and so on of Uzbek. 

 I got on the air plane of Uzbek Airline at Tokyo International Airport at 10a.m., and arrived at Tashkent International Airport in the name of I. Karimov at about 3:30p.m. I saw  huge mountain ranges (Karakorum Mountains? which is called the roof of the world) on the way. It was just the breath taking spectacle. The crew of Uzbek Airline were all Russians, the chief pilot was handsome and skillful, and CAs were all kind and had nice figures. 

Tashkent, the room of LE GRANDE PLAZA hotel - wide enough, this hotel was the Soviet Union style?

a typical mosque in Tashkent

streets and houses in Tashkent. About 80% cars are said to be Chevrolet brand made by Daewoo(Korean company). 　

a large market in Tashkent. Fruits were very cheap, but we were said not to have these fruits because we might have diarrhea.  But most members of this group tour ate these with enjoyment.

a government office in Tashkent. This was the Soviet Union style?

the House of Parliamant in Tashkent. This was the Soviet Union style, too?