With the mind-boggling inflation and bureaucracy, everything about money in Uzbekistan was complicated. Cashing traveler's checks was no exception, even though it was through the US Embassy. Security was very tight, and we had to wait on the sidewalk until we were each individually invited via loudspeaker to enter the building. It was a little intimidating! Thank goodness for Heather and Nuria, who took good care of us once we were inside.
(performance at the Ilkhom Theater in Tashkent, Uzbekistan)
We arrived at the large auditorium of the Uspensky Musical College and were met with an impressive demonstration of the talent in Tashkent. There was a children's violin ensemble which played Shostakovich, a piano trio which played Piazolla, and a chamber orchestra which played everything from a Baroque harp solo to Gershwin to fiddle music! But the performance which made our jaws drop was of Sarasate's Navarra, a virtuosic violin duet, played flawlessly and with a smile by Tanya and Dinara. These two girls were to become our friends before we left Tashkent.
For lunch, Nuria took us to a Turkish fast food chain. She compared it to McDonald's, but it was so much better than McDonald's! It was huge and clean and had different counters where one could order different types of food, including a lot of fresh salads.
(with Yuri and Nuria at the Caravan Café in Tashkent)
The evening's concert was at the Ilkhom Theater, where Nuria's husband Yuri teaches. Ilkhom means "inspiration," and this theater was very avant-garde—the direct opposite of your stereotypical stuffy concert hall. We began with a press conference in the lobby, which was full of funky, modern art. Tashkent is lucky to have an independent theater like the Ilkhom, in which both the performing and visual arts are living media, not just something to preserve or see in a museum. The theater itself was simple and black—very nice except that it was so hot! It was no surprise in a venue of this character that the audience was fantastic. We really enjoyed the concert.
After the concert we headed to Caravan Café for the first—but certainly not the last—time. Nuria and Yuri told us that Caravan is the best place to eat in Tashkent, and I believe her. My favorite dishes were the rich and creamy onion and pumpkin soups, the pumpkin manty (which I ordered every night) and Lavash Caravan, a warm flatbread filled with cheese and vegetables. To complement the food the whole place is filled with Uzbek decorations and dishes, and there is live jazz. It was a delicious and colorful place to end the evening!
- Michelle
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