One is not bereft of things to do or see in Samarkand.

After leaving the mausoleum complex we made our way to Bibi-Khanym Mosque, dedicated to Timur’s favorite wife.

Once again, we got to see exquisite tile work. Interestingly enough, the tile is fragile and gets replaced every thirty years or so.

Next door is the Siyob Bazaar where you can find everything from shoelaces to eggs to hand painted ceramics – but I was particularly drawn to the decorative breads.

We got caught in our only rain storm for the entire trip (a predecessor of some VERY HOT weather), and changed our itinerary to go to the Afrasiab Museum. Afrasiab was the original core of Samarkand. The museum houses artifacts of Afrasiab destroyed by Mongols in the 13th century.