TRAVEL
amethysts, and rounds of saffron- stained bread stacked in fragrant towers. Vendors call out invitations to taste, offering slices of melon or handfuls of cherries with the generosity of hosts at a family feast. Meals in Fergana are never hurried and rarely solitary. They are acts of sharing — dishes passed from hand to hand, stories exchanged, and traditions reaffirmed. Plov arrives at the table glistening and amber-toned, somsa crackles with herbal freshness, and Kokand halva closes the meal with a sweetness so airy it seems to vanish into memory. To eat here is to understand the valley’s spirit: open-hearted, abundant, and deeply anchored in its land. Kokand, once the proud capital of a powerful khanate, carries its past with a quiet and unmistakable dignity. Its crown jewel, the Khudoyar Khan Palace, rises in celestial blues and greens — a sprawling complex of tiled facades, ornate woodwork, and ceremonial halls that hint at a time when diplomacy, artistry, and courtly life intertwined. Even from a distance, the palace feels like a conversation between earth and sky. Yet Kokand’s grandeur extends beyond its monuments. Mosques and madrasas continue to gather the faithful, their courtyards dappled in morning light, their calligraphy tracing stories that stretch back centuries. These are not relics but living spaces, breathing in rhythm with the city’s daily prayers, celebrations, and silences. But some of Fergana’s most stirring experiences lie beyond the craft workshops, palaces, and bazaars. Nature here unfolds with unforced, cinematic beauty. In Shakhimardan — a pocket of land surrounded by Kyrgyz mountains but spiritually tied to Uzbekistan — alpine meadows and glacial streams wind through a valley believed to be touched by sacred history. Blue Lake, nestled beneath sheer rock faces, lies so still and translucent it reflects the sky with startling clarity. And in Kandiyon, orchards stretch
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EC Magazines | Busan Edition 2025
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