Day 60 and patiently waiting in Bukhara

Well, we have confirmation the water pump is on its way, but no specific info as to exactly where it is at the moment. We wait patiently.

Dennis was up at the crack of dawn again, cleaning up the back of the oil pump, where the new water pump has to go. Now that Wimbledon and the World Cup are over, what are we going to do to keep ourselves amused while we wait? Brave the heat and do some more sightseeing.

Armed with the Lonely Planet, a map from our hotel and an umbrella to shade us from the sun, we set off to find the Char Minar. It’s a very pretty building and actually graces the cover of Lonely Planet’s guide to Central Asia. As has happened every time we’ve been sightseeing, we have had problems finding our way, once we get into the alleyways. On the maps some roads appear as major routes, when they are in fact alleyways, or just seem to stop and disappear.  Very confusing. While we were struggling to find our way, we were approached by a barber outside his shop offering to cut Dennis’s hair. Dennis  has been threatening to shave it all off in this heat. (Have told him if he does, I’m on the next plane home!) When asked “what price” the barber replied “35,000.” “I’m not paying that!” said Dennis. I reminded him it was £3.50 (NZ$7). The barber, meanwhile, asked him what he wanted to pay. “20,000 said Dennis. The deal was fixed and he got what he paid for a £2 haircut 😀 A hair cut of sorts, which had to be tidied up when we got back to the hotel.

£2 Hair cut model..:)

Eventually after stopping for a litre of water and a pot of tea, we found the Char Minar. The name means 4 minarets in Tajik. Technically they aren’t minarets  but decorated towers. The building was originally the gatehouse to a Medressa, which has long since disappeared. It does have rather phallic towers, but it is a  pretty building.

Char Minar (Chor Minor)

Of, course on the way back, by not using the maps, we found a very much quicker route.

Hopefully, we will hear some news re the whereabouts of our pump later tonight, or tomorrow morning and the wait won’t go on much longer.

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