Uzbekistan

Faces

In Uzbekistan the elderly are greatly respected. They are known by the name aksakal, which means "white beard".

Little Dancer

This little guy was a dancer at a tourist show in Khiva. He really knew how to play to the camera.

Bukhara Beauty

I found this little girl playing in her mother's carpet shop in Bukhara.

Ship of the Desert

This is the resident camel, who is kept in Khiva to pose for pictures with tourists.

Shop Helper

This girl was helping her mother in the souvenir shop.

My Boy

If this little boy's eyes were any bigger, they would pop out of his head.

Show for Tourists

Tourism is big business. Every city has a dinner show with traditional dance for the tourists.

In the Marketplace

This young Uzbek is dressed in a traditional pattern.

Nostalgia

They are certainly in the minority, but there are a large number of Uzbeks who say they would prefer to have the Soviet system over the independence they gained 1991. One man told me that during the Soviet Era everyone had a job, there was no crime and the old people received a pension. Now the unemployment is 30%, young people have to leave the country to get a job, and people have no respect for others. Under international socialism they did not fight with their neighbors, he said. Now they have border disputes with everyone.

The Boss

This guy in the market at Samarkand was proud of his Hugo Boss shirt.

California Look

These kids on school excursion in Bukhara show their California look. Fashion at this age is getting pretty universal.

Puppet

Traditional puppet shows are are popular with the tourists.

Esthetic Dentistry

Gold front teeth are all the rage in Uzbekistan, both with the men and the women. I was told that one crown costs about $40.