Silk Road

What does the famous Silk Road look like in the 21st century?

That was the question my friend Lukáš and I kept asking ourselves – so we decided to find out in person (or at least a small but honest slice of it).

Our journey began in Uzbekistan, in the legendary city of Samarkand, set on the edge of the desert that covers much of the country. Islamic culture, arriving here centuries ago from the East, is deeply rooted in everyday life. The city’s most iconic landmark is the Registan. From there, we continued to Tashkent, where we explored the metro system – a true Soviet-era time capsule, with several surprisingly beautiful and architecturally distinctive stations.

The route then led us to Osh in Kyrgyzstan and across the Tien Shan mountains into China, to the city of Kashgar. Along the way, we met many Uyghurs, easily recognizable by their traditional caps. They form a distinct Muslim cultural community and were, in our experience, open, welcoming, and friendly.

The trip took place in 2024.