Samarqand , Uzbekistan

One day as I was browsing some rare countries on "postcrossing" hoping to find somebody who is not fed up with swap requests, I came across Vera from Uzbekistan who was not only into swapping but also a fan of everything greek and she also can speak our language. Me on the other hand have always have felt a special attraction for countries in Middle Asia and as you can understand we very easily agreed on swapping :) Two ultra beautiful cards came all way from Uzbekistan thanks to my dearest Vera . First one is from Samarkand , a place that I really really really want to see one day . So here you are the mausoleum of Amir Temur or as we in Europe know him , Tamerlane ! It contains the tomb of Tamerlane , of his sons Shah Rukh and Miran Shah as well as his grandsons' Ulugh Beg & Muhammad Sultan! The constraction begun in 1403 after the sudden death of Muhammad Sultan for whom it was originally intended. Timur had built a small tomb for himself in Shahrisabz near his Ak Saray palace! However when he died in 1405 on his military expendition to China the passes to Shahrisabz were snowed in so he was buried here instead. Mausoleum was finished during the reign of Ulugh Beg. Vera dear I cannot thank you enough :))

Tashkent , Uzbekistan

and the 2nd card from my dear Vera came from the capital city of Tashkent ( Stone city ). It depicts Mustaqillik Meydoni ( Independnce Square ). It is the former Ploshad Lenina which during the Soviet era had the tallest statue of Lenin. In 1991 Uzbekistan declared it's independence , the Lenin satue was of course demolished and was replaced with the Monument of Independence,  a largen golden globe with Uzbekistan map on it . In the collonade storks and crane birds can been seen as they are the birds symols of happiness and prosperity. Tashkent has a long history being an important point on the Silk Road but little can be seen from it as a strong earthquake hit the city in 1966 destroying it . A typical Soviet style city was build then and later after their independence it changed drastically again, remaining nonethe less very beautiful !  Rahmat Vera :)