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Tashkent @Nov/'90 Uzbekistan |
Bukhara, once bustling commercial city in the hub of Silk Road
On 18th November 1990, I was on the flight JAL 441 heading for Moscow.
The final destination of that time was Tashkent in Uzbekistan. This was
my first visit to the central Asian country. On looking the world amp,
Uzbekistan locates just beyond Tenchian Mountains in western China,
but we fly far beyond it to Moscow and back to east bound almost half way.
It is far shorter if we could fly directly to this country over China,
but at that time and till now (Nov. 2004), there was no direct commercial
flight between Uzbekistan and Japan. Therefore, we have to make a long
detour via Moscow in order to travel to Uzbekistan. At Moscow, we had a
short meeting on the project with representative of the trading company.
We supposed to stay at International Hotel, a huge hotel complex for foreigners,
but with some arrangement error, we were put into floating hotel "Flamingo" in Moscow River.
It was unique experience to stay one night in the flating hotel. There was even
public telephone on the ship deck by which I could call home in Japan by
credit card.
After having a short meeting at Moscow office, we got into the domestic
flight that headed to Tashkent Uzbekistan. I was rather relieved seeing that the Russian made plane looks
strong enough to fly over the Siberia tough having a few elegancies in it.
Tashkent is a big city in central Asia of its population over million.
We touched down on huge spacious air field. It seems that the air plane
is an essential transportation means in this vast stretching country same
like United States and Australia. Without airplane transaction of goods
and people’s traveling would be in chaos. There are several runways in
the air field and the capacity of air traffic seems much larger than present
demand. Instead, the terminal facilities would not match to that capacity.
Process in immigration and customs are typically bureaucratic and usually
very slow. A long queue of people carrying large bags is extremely crowded
before the officer in charge.
We finally managed get cleared the immigration and
customs paying rather expensive temporal visa. There is an office of Japanese
trade company in this land far end of the world. I really respect of their
strenuous efforts developing the markets in the remote places despite of every
inconveniences and difficulties in both business and living.
Hotel Uzbekistan" where we stayed
We stayed the first class hotel in Tashkent, a state managed "Uzbekistan". Service attendants are in the service booth on every floor round the clock that I experienced in China when I stayed in Beijing a long time ago. These service attendants could not been seen in the current hotel of China any more. Mr. Aziz is my interpreter arranged by the local agent. He is a talented Russian-English interpreter and aggressive young man on his private business as well. Beside his current job as interpreter, he suggested me to establish acompany of international carpet transaction between Uzbekistan and Japan. I examined merchandises that he wanted to deal. To my little disappointment, I haveto confess that these are under our quality requirement for Japanese home use. These are certainly exotic enough for souvenir, but no one would not buy these for actual use. If these have good enough quality, I am sure that Japanese trading company had already developed its transaction logistics route in this country without losing time.
With Interpreter Mr. Aziz at the lobby in the Hotel Uzbekistan
Communism is the ideal social system that gives equal share of the fortune
and opportunities to the people if the system works in order. The system
sometime or often fails to operate properly according to its theory when
it is operated by imperfect creature, the human being. Shelves in the super-market
seems extremely scanty to our standards in which large selection of commodities
are abundantly available at all time. Some shelves, no merchandise is on
it. Looking back our daily life in Japan, I was reminded to have warning
of excessive consumerism where people do not respect to the single work
made for creating these goods. In this town, quality goods are not available,
but people do not claim of their disadvantage given to them in remote area
from modern civilization but work hard day after day. Small quantities
of quality goods are only available in the expensive black market. There
seems uncountable people’s power dynamically moving under the dry central Asian land.
You would find many people in the town look like we, their looks are of eastern tribes.
It might be natural because in geographical location, it is next to China.
There are tea house called "Chaihana", where usually invite important guest.
I hardly recall the sound of "Chaihana", when I was in Iran,
where I assume that it was used in the similar meaning.
The customer invited us to "Chaihana" and an address was made by the host.
A doughnut-like shaped large bread was in the center of the table.
This bread had special meaning when guests were invited.
When something important is about to start among the people, a doughnut like
bread was placed in the center and shared by picking a part of it by hand for
all people involved. After the address of the host, he torn the bread by his
hand and distributed to everyone on table. Tea was served in the tea house. In
western habit, they sip tea without sound at all, but it is totally different
here. They sip tea with big sound, which is typical habit in eastern countries
like China, Japan and etc. This was the moment I felt that I am in same Oriental country.
There are several spacious parks in the city. You would find opera houses
among these parks. One of the opera house is extra large and in good construction.
They told me that the building had been built by Japanese soldiers who
lost their way back to their home land after the war in this remote land
in central Asia. Thanks to the careful works they had made, the finish
of the building was so fine. A very few people in Japan know that this
fine works made in far remote place from their home land.
Uzbekistan was en route of the Silk Road between Persia, Byzantine, Rome
and Far East. When the west-east transaction was on its full flourish,
cities along the road like Bukhara, were enjoying their prosperity.
Today, the signa of that highly prospered city flames are still seen on its exotic beauty of the ancient town.
In the short visit to Tashkent of this time,
to my regret, I could not have a chance to travel to Bukhara.
I instantly purchased the small oil painting of Bukhara when I found it in the shelf of souvenir shop of the hotel.
Payment was accepted only in foreign cash currencies.
I paid in US Dollar notes.
Even the small amount of foreign currencies paid like this souvenir shop would be valued foreign revenue for them.
A painting was flamed by cheap plain wood pieces, but it become one of my favorites hanging in my study at home.
Opera House built by war time Japanese soldiers, Toll weight meter on the street
18/Nov/'90 Rinzo@Tashkent Uzbekistan (Updated on 28/Aug/'05)
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