abshar

a day trip south, across flat fields and mountain roads, to shahrisabz. everyone told me not to take the shared taxi, but that’s what made it worth it. squeezed in with strangers who quickly stopped being strangers. passing bread, sharing words in languages we didn’t share, laughter that needed no translation. by the end of it, i had a japanese friend and a reminder that uzbekistan is as much about its people as its places. cities of tiled walls and faded grandeur, yes, but also warmth that keeps unfolding in unexpected corners.