Joy in the unexpected

We decided Uzbekistan was the place to be about a week and half before arriving. This didn't leave that much time for discovering why exactly Uzbekistan was the place to be and making it all happen. Mostly I did some internet research and read other people blogs to come up with a quick plan. Tashkent was one of the spots that reviewers seemed lukewarm on. Many travellers were of the opinion that it should be skipped completely. Those that enjoyed Tashkent generally seemed to go largely to see the Tashkent metro system. With expectations of the city set fairly low we were all pleasantly surprised. 

Tashkent is a large modern city. We had the good fortune of staying in an apartment right above a pedestrian zone beside the central park. This was an hip area full of cafes, ice cream stands and activity. After the speed of London it was so pleasant to be in an area where the main aim was a casual stroll with family and a leisurely meal. The well manicured city park won our hearts with its various activities, sculptures, greenery and large body of water. In the evening there is a fountain light show in the city park. We have seen many such fountain shows but this was by far our favourite. There is a pedestrian bridge that brings you quite close to the fountain so that the experience becomes immersive and wet. It was an extravagant fountain show with frantic plumes and sweeps and squirts of water and light. 

I worried that our view of Tashkent was rosy for the area we chose to stay in so we made sure to walk everywhere we could. Still, we continued to be impressed by the many parks and the general vibe. Even walking on large busy roads there were plenty of shops and other pedestrians making it an enjoyable experience. The Tashkent market proved an unexpectedly fun adventure. Having mixed up the conversion rate by a factor of 10 (hard to keep track of all those zeros) we ended up with 11 dollars CAD (100,000 SOM) in cash and our journey was transformed into a mission of how much a person can buy in the Tashkent market for 11 dollars. Turns out the answer is a small bottle of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, a bag of roasted unshelled almonds, half a kilo of figs, a pomegranate, two boiled corn cobs, two potato somsas and one marriage proposal. Not bad! Still worried that we werent seeing enough of town to be unimpressed we walked for an hour in the other direction the next day. It was a green walk that passed by many important buildings and more lovely parks. We ended up at a museum that was as grandiose in appearance as its history.

Eighty years ago there was a forced migration of ethnic Koreans near the border of Korea to Tashkent. Carted through the vast expanse of Russia in cattle cars many of those Koreans died. Those who didnt led hard lives of forced labour in their new home. A sad time in history but now there is a large culturally Korean community in Tashkent that shines through in many parts of the city. Seeing Korean writing and eating Gimbap really caught our fancy and we took full advantage of the Korean culture. 

The metro, built by the Soviets in the 60's to be earthquake proof, act as a nuclear bomb shelter, and showcase art, was interesting. Even though we went in the middle of the day it was quite crowded and I felt silly riding around in the throng for the joy of it. The children seemed perplexed by the hype and mostly chatted amongst themselves. So we learned, in a most agreeable way, that travel pleasures differ based on person and expectation.

Pedestrian area life

Market

City park

In case we forget where we are

Night life here was vibrant and full of families

Fountain show

Learning about Timurid history

Metro

Lots of chandeliers in the metro

Magic city -  a place where anything can happen

Luckily, in this meat loving country, there was at least one veggie item on the menu

Walking fast in the West End

 Staying in inner city London seemed like a privilege I should not take for granted. Honestly at first London is a bit of a shock. It is full of noise and movement. Everyone is so incredibly fast and busy. It is an always overbooked running late trying to keep up kind of place. London changes fast and the residents all have to focus entirely on their next step to keep up. In Paris the locals sat in parks reading novels and chatting over their lunch breaks. In London locals grab uninspired grocery store sandwiches and eat while walking. Greatness always comes at a cost. And for all its faults and lack of humanness - London is great. There are more free museums and sights in London than a person could explore in a lifetime. There is history in every brick and scrap of river mud. There is a diversity in the streets and culture of London that is unlike I have seen anywhere else. What a novelty to be in a place where we speak the main language and are unremarkable in our differences. 

Aside from a relaxed pace and inner peace, London has everything. As travelers our children often have to make certain social and life style sacrifices - London was a chance for them to pursue some harder to find hobbies. Tova got to take a few flying trapeze classes. These classes inspired rather than satiated her flying trapeze passion. Tova got to join tumbling classes that focused entirely on flips. There seems to be a definite flying propensity in her hobbies. Sophia and Tova joined the local gymnastics squad. And all of us got a one month climbing gym membership. We also took advantage of the West end performance offerings. Even Jakob got to see a Shakespeare play at the Globe as the standing area was the perfect fit for him. 

We will be happy to move back to a slower pace of life and cost of living but it was a very lovely month in London. 

The basin

This sculpture really says a lot

This is a lost art that should be revived. Also I wonder if his unbuttoned shirt is part of his image?

Photo and experience courtesy of Jaylynn

Gosh we got great weather all month

Making all the right friends

Our little foundling

How to do yoga in the inner city

Museum faces

Her natural element

This is how we roll

West enders

We felt so 16th century even though the building was build in the 90s.

Climbing in the arches

Finally some cold windy autumn weather for evensong at Westminster Abbey

Off to the races

On arrival in the UK we spent a few days in Windsor before entering city life. Windsor was everything I would have imagined if I had ever really thought much about Windsor. Right across the river from Eton college with the royal family’s palace dominating the centre of town you can imagine that Windsor is a well tended to spot. Tidy and quaint and cute with most buildings created in an era where there seemed to be an excess of bricks (late 1800’s). Our old brick abode felt like full on luxury with a small garden, dedicated dining room and attic loft awash with sunlight. Windsor is a very walkable place with plenty of green spaces from river walks to the long straight walk through the palace estate. 

Not far from Windsor is another place I never really thought much about even if I’d hear the name - Ascot. Turns out horse racing is a big thing in England and a very big thing in Windsor where the Royal Ascot, one of the biggest horse racing events in the country, takes place. When I found out there would be a horse race on the weekend we were in Windsor I immediately decided that going to a horse race was something that would welcome me to England in the way one wants to be welcomed. Also, Id never been to a horse race so was curious to see what it was all about. Except the thing about horse racing at Ascot is that it is very much a society event and as a society event there are strict dress code rules. During the Royal ascot event the dress code is strict and involves mandatory millinery or fascinators. At the less important events they are more relaxed for those in the cheapest area. Still even the more relaxed events have a strict ban against all sports wear and sneakers and a request to ‘dress smart.’ Not knowing what smart implied I did my own research and quickly found out that summer dresses or skirt suits in muted colours are smart. What is not smart is my entire wardrobe. The girls and I decided to go on a tour of the Windsor op shops in the hopes of some cheap items to get us in the door. After the first shop Tova started to become despondent - ‘This isn’t worth it at all’ came out of her mouth over and over again. After trying on a few dresses that looked alright but felt awful I finally bought some burgundy velvet pants on a whim. Surely velvet is smart? As I left the shop and looked at my meagre effort at presentable I felt a bit down trodden by my utter inability to enter upper crust British society. Red velvet pants are definitely not a ‘smart’ item. But hey they at least aren’t quick dry or jeans. It was surprisingly difficult to find any cheap shoes that didn’t involve heels. The final outcome was respectable looking but too small. But hey I thought I am used to wearing climbing shoes so this should be not that different. If you are reading this and you are feeling a sense of dread for me then I don’t blame you. Id read that a stylist stands at the entrance to asses each spectators acceptability. A small curious part of me was hoping the stylist might stop me just so I could hear what advice exactly she might provide to me. Though, I also feared she would just look me up and down with that expression of disbelief and pity and futility. When I tried to buy non sneakers and pants for Tova she repeated her mantra and than took an actual stand in declaring that she was not coming to the horse races because it just wasn’t worth having to buy shoes. 

It was frivolous but it was worth it. Sophia and I went to the races and it was a cultural experience. The venue was so much more posh and extensive than I ever imagined. The grass was such a brilliant green and the building so shiny and swarming with staff. Women wore the most useless head contraptions you could ever imagine. Men lounged in chairs pouring over newspapers. Horses were paraded around for spectators to inspect. There was such stratification of class. Guards guarded escalators and roads and enclosures where only the chosen could enter. The royal family has their own large private box that sits empty when they are not there. According to one of the staff I interrogated the royal family were regulars while Queen Elizabeth was alive but attendance has since dwindled. This was the kind of England from novels. There were seven races that day and Sophia and I prepared for the first with glee. It quickly became apparent that much of horse racing is about rubbing shoulders with the right people, drinking, and betting. I got a staff member to divulge every detail she knew about betting and then I placed two bets. One for horse to win and one for a horse to place in top three. Each bet was for an astounding two pound (the minimum). I held my small slips of paper eagerly feeling very posh in my tight shoes. And then the first race happened and Sophia and I looked at each other in surprise because it lasted about two minutes. Bit anticlimactic but then again my horse won and I made a whopping three pound sixty - nearly doubling my initial generous investment. Bolstered by the win I placed another bet of two pound. Sophia and I milled around and rubbed shoulders and inspected horses in the sunshine. We noticed that as the races progressed and blood alcohol levels rose the crowd became a little genteel. Sophia was also intrigued but the large amounts people bet and the fact that they watched other horse races at the same time as attending the one we were at. It was a fascinating outing. I lost 2 pound sixty and have some shoes I don't know what to do with but it was well worth it for the experience. 

We could tell we were headed the right way

The opulence

A girl with a retired race horse

Inside the building

First and maybe last time I have placed a bet

Parading the horses before the race

Milling

Here we are looking smart

Two minutes of glory

Culinary trends in Belgrade

Sometimes the quest for cheaper flights leads to pleasant itineraries. Our visit to Belgrade came about as the cheapest flight to Cyprus involved an overnight layover in Serbia. Once you are taking a bus into town you may as well stay a few days. Due to volatile plans, we didn't even end up going to Cyprus - still we enjoyed our days in Belgrade. Our apartment looked over the large Kalemegdan fortress grounds and the river beyond. We got a lot of enjoyment out of living right near a great historically happening park. 

One thing we found interesting in Belgrade were two noticeable food trends. There seemed to be a trend towards soft health foods. This was the ideal situation for Tova who has lost a few too many teeth this month. There were ads and stands for the newest energy booster item - pouches with various smoothies and conconctions. I got Tova a pouch and we were surprised that it was essentially a bad version of kids apple sauce pouches. Guess this trend is targeting the recent adults who grew up on apple sauce pouches. Most bakeries and cafes had sections of plastic cups filled with various fancy looking pudding type things. We didn't try this but probably should have. Also hip were various yogurt and oatmeal bowls. We tried this at two seperate cafes. One felt overpriced whereas the other overnight oats bowl Tova loved dearly. Why the trend toward soft foods? Are they really healthier? 

Another odd food trend in Belgrade was the large number of dumpling shops. It is not a city with a big Asian vibe or influence so the large number of dumpling shops seemed unexpected. Still, we like dumplings so it seemed like an opportunity. The dumpling shop we chose was run by a young Serbian who was as friendly as he was chatty. It was the middle of the day and it was just us and him in the restaurant so it was a convivial experience. I learned a lot about the difficulties of making it as a small restaurant and navigating the delivery apps and systems. His vision of owning a restaurant did not include all the digital navigation that is required of him. His shop was the second dumpling shop to open in town and he had no idea why all of a sudden in the span of a year the number went from two to many. He had a large table filled with wooden logic puzzles. This was a personal passion and a push to get people off their phones. The girls and I had so much fun with the puzzles we stayed long after our food was done. The dumplings were great. 

Finally, unrelated to trends we went to another interesting spot that is worth mentioning because it was run by a former engineer from India with a strong belief that food should never be put in a refrigerator. He rented a small shop front and set it up to look like a well loved living room. From the small kitchen he makes Indian foods and curries and juices in small batches. He says his initiative is not so much a restaurant as a community initiative to bring healthy fresh food for cheap to the community while also serving as a community hub. He has no refrigerator in his kitchen but rather a wall full of spices and a lot of enthusiasm and love for anyone who walks in his door. It was nice to meet someone going counter the money making trends. We enjoyed his meals and his company. Some people exude a certain energy and enthusiasm which is inspiring. 

                                                             

One of many statues in fort grounds

                 

Learning about electricity

Tesla's reamins are in this orb. We couldnt figure out how they got ashes into the sphere. 

So much gold leaf!

Sisters

Trying not to cry in the sunset 

Serbian orthodox church 

Spiritual or a good actress?

Yogurt bowl at a three story cafe

Sunset walk

Coffee and Cigarettes

The culture of Bosnia is intricately linked with coffee and cigarettes. Coffee came to Bosnia via the Ottomans over 500 years ago. Bosnians has a distinct way of making and serving coffee and many rituals surrounding it. It is served in traditional copper coffee making and serving dishes. There is a cultural idea of cejf which involves taking pleasure and time in your coffee. Bosnians appear to live true to this concept as they sit with their coffee for a long time. Cafes have a lot of seating as it would be unthinkable to hurry up a customer. It is normal to socialize with others while drinking their coffee. Rarely did I see anyone looking at a cell phone while at a cafe. It is a rare thing in todays world to have people spend so much time just sitting enjoying each others company or just sitting on their own enjoying the quiet and flavour. 

Hand in hand with drinking coffee is smoking cigarettes. No cup of coffee is complete without cigarettes to accompany. Actually, people smoke even when not having coffee. They seem to smoke all the time. Rules made to ban smoking indoors have been largely unsuccessful as they are ignored. The cafe in the Mostar mall would lose a lot of business if they disallowed smoking - so they don't. The dentist smelled like cigarette smoke, the grocer smelled like cigarette smoke, the blood testing centre smelled like cigarette smoke, the airport smelled like cigarette smoke. We went to get Tova a haircut - the hair dresser and her partner were sitting outside having coffee and cigarettes. They looked longingly at their cups of coffee and cigarettes before finally caving and agreeing to cut her hair. Bosnia has one of the highest smoking rates in the world. We have been to other countries with a high prevalence of smoking but Bosnia is a level up in commitment. I really am not that indulgent of smokers. Still, in Bosnia I felt it made sense. During the siege of Sarajevo there was a shortage of food. Cigarettes were manufactured in the city and they managed to keep up production throughout the four year siege. Cigarettes became currency and many people were paid in cigarettes. With little food and water and a daily risk of being shot cigarettes were the ideal available solution to calm nerves and suppress appetites. Maybe I also would have taken up smoking? 

Bosnia has been a lot of fun. The people are kind and low stress. It is a country with a difficult past and a strenuous political system but manages to put on a smile and enjoy life anyways. I wont take up coffee and cigarettes but hopefully some of the culture of cejf will wear off on us. We can all learn to sit a little longer with life's people and pleasures.

Doing our best to enjoy cafe life. Really is a shame that I don't like coffee.

In a museum courtyard - a statement or just negligence?

She was excited for her first dentist appointment. Cheapest check up ever too as all general check-up were free

Looking good Sarajevo!

A Sarajevo rose with the sunlight aptly illuminating. These are mortar spots where someone lost their life.

From city to peak and back again in a day by foot 

Mountain views

Old bobsled track from 1984 Olympics

If you zoom in you can see the flag is torn in half. Kids were more interested in blackberries

Sarajevo Haggadah. I probably won the competition of most questions asked of attendant. 

Tova's body language when we finally left the Haggadah room

Tova picking blackberries at old Jewish cemetery - literally the most neglected and abused cemetery I have ever seen.