On to Khiva.... a museum city!

 To get to Khiva .......... also known as Ichan Q'ala.....

we had to take a very early morning flight to Urgench in the north west of Uzbekistan.

Departure was on the domestic side of the airport.....buses to the plane! Only one flight per day at the moment...I kept an eye on the baggage.... 

It is quite a small airport!

Urgench airport was however even smaller.....  when we picked up baggage from the only carousel we saw a poster of the madrassah we were headed to.... the building on the right!

Then a car ride for around an hour to get to Khiva where we were still in time for breakfast!

We were staying in a madrassah which had been turned into a hotel!  The Orient Star hotel, formerly the Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah........basic cell rooms but charming!

Great courtyard on one side.....

And a view over the city with its minarets from the bedroom!.

Then out to see the sights!

First the Ark... the old citadel.... one enters through massive doors!

Then the Ayvan.... covered area of a courtyard.........

with its beautiful tilework......

A quick look at the throne room.....

Another covered area....

...again with amazing tilework....

Of course I had to climb up on the bastion as high as possible to get this view!

Then the Juma (Friday) mosque.......

Then on to the Tash Hauli Palace.... and the Khan's harem! Not exclusively for the concubines.... it was for all women! However the Yurt was for the Khan!

The harem area.....

again beautiful tilework......

Happy to see a little less blue and turquoise at the Islam Khoja minaret...

and at the Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum... our eyes needed to re-adjust!