The plan for our second day in Samarkand had been to grab a car and make it to Shakrisabz – Timur’s hometown – and get to see the ruins up there.

I decided to not join in for that excursion and save me from a total of four hours in a car and have an easy day in Samarkand – now in sunny conditions – instead. – – In fact for me this day was probably the most relaxing – a bit of sightseeing, enough time for tea in a chaikhana (tea house) and relaxation next to the hotel pool.

I started the day with a walk back to the Registan ensemble (about half an hour from the hotel) to the view in good weather and before the masses.

From the Registan, I walked over to the Bibi Khanym Mosque – the remains of what once was the biggest mosque in Central Asia … though only used for a short time due to its structural collapse.

After the visit to the mosque (or what is left of it), we went for a well-deserved tea break in a chaikhana – and then made it back to the hotel for a pool-side break.

In the late afternoon, I made my way to the Registan again … this time entering the site again and taking the time to explore on myself – and see it all with blue skies.

I even managed to get on top of one of the minarets of the Ulugbek Medressa – getting some unusual views of the ensemble and from inside.