Mosaic Class in Samarkand: Learn & Craft Uzbek Tiles

Mosaic Class in Samarkand: Learn & Craft Uzbek Tiles

ByAllison Green

One of the main draws to Uzbekistan for many aesthetically inclined travelers — myself included — is its intricate tilework and mosaics in a monochrome rainbow of blues, ranging from pale turquoise to inky cobalt. All over the country, mosaics and tilework are an important point of national pride and identity. And perhaps nowhere is…

Duston Boutique Hotel Review: A Bukhara Heritage Stay

Duston Boutique Hotel Review: A Bukhara Heritage Stay

ByAllison Green

With its maze of streets interwoven in a compact city center that contains beautiful madrasah façades, artisans in the open-air bazaars (called toqis), and historic Silk Road structures, Bukhara lives up to every bit of hype. And while there are plenty of hotels inside Bukhara’s historic center, I loved staying at Duston Boutique Hotel just…

Visiting Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Summer Palace in Bukhara

Visiting Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Summer Palace in Bukhara

ByAllison Green

While most visitors to Bukhara will easily spend their entire time inside the city’s historic center, some of the city’s most interesting sights are actually outside the old walls. Though I definitely can’t speak ill of the city center of Bukhara, I have to say, the majority of my favorite sights laid outside the walls….

Suzani Embroidery Class in Bukhara: My Experience & Thoughts

Suzani Embroidery Class in Bukhara: My Experience & Thoughts

ByAllison Green

I’ve always been fascinated by textiles from around the world — this universal desire we have as people to tell stories through cloth. You can see it in the huipil of Guatemala, the batik of Indonesia, the saris of India; cloth is a blank canvas that bears the markings of each culture’s tradition. Uzbekistan is…