Uzbekistan - Central Asia - page 159

central location, and you have the most ob-
vious base from which to explore the rest of
the valley.
Fergana is the valley's least ancient and
least Uzbek city. It began in 1877 as Novy
Margelan (New Margilon), a colonial annexe
to nearby Margilon. It became Fergana in
the 1920s. It's a nice enough place to hang
out, and somewhat cosmopolitan with its
relatively high proportion of Russian and
Korean inhabitants.
1 ¨Sights
Bazaar¨ MARKeT
Fergana's most appealing attraction is the
bazaar, filled with good-natured Uzbek
traders, leavened with Korean and Russian
vendors selling homemade specialities. It
sprawls over several blocks north of the cen-
tre, and is a pleasant place to explore and to
soak up local colour.
Museum¨of¨Regional¨Studies¨ MUSeUM
( % 224 31 91; Murabbiylar 26; admission 4000S;
h 9am-5pm Wed-Sun, to 1pm Mon) The sparse
Museum of Regional Studies covers the
Fergana region, including Kokand and Mar-
gilon. Visitors can inspect satellite photos of
a green, lush Fergana Valley nestled amid
snow-capped peaks.
4 ¨Sleeping
Asia Hotel and Club Hotel 777 accept som
converted at official rates; the rest convert
at black-market rates.
Valentina's¨Guesthouse¨ hoMeSTAY $
( % 224 89 05; [e-mail]; Al-Farghoni
11, apt 10; r per person US$15; aW ) This very
Russian homestay has six big, comfortable
rooms with king-sized beds in two neigh-
bouring Soviet apartments. The hulking
apartment block, topped by a huge an-
tenna, sticks out like a sore thumb; take
the left-hand entrance and walk to the
fourth floor (the lift is unreliable). Valen-
tina speaks Russian and is exceptionally
friendly.
Golden¨Valley¨Homestay¨ APARTMeNTS $
( % 215 07 33; [e-mail]; Shakirovoy 10; r per
person US$15; ai ) Golden Valley has three
well-maintained apartments for you to stay
in. Walk east from Hotel Ziyorat for 1km on
Kurbunjon Dodhoh, go left on Shakirovoy,
and immediately turn right. Or call for a
pick-up.

o Taj¨Mahal¨Hotel¨ hoTeL $$
( % 224 45 25; Marifat ko'chasi 38; s/d/lux
US$38/49/57-68; aW ) This brand new place
has no link to India - the owners told us they
simply liked the name - but it's nevertheless
the best choice in town, with a very central
location, sparkling rooms with comfortable
furnishings and friendly staff.
Club¨Hotel¨777¨ ReSoRT $$
( % 224 37 77; Pushkin 7A; s/d from US$50/70;
aWs ) With a few bungalows and a fes-
tive poolside bar, this sprawling number just
south of the centre is about as close as you're
likely to come to Club Med in double-land-
locked Uzbekistan. The tour-group oriented
'Three Sevens' excels in all facets save the
location.
Asia¨Hotel¨ hoTeL $$$
( % 224 52 21; www.asiahotels.uz; Navoi 26; s/d from
US$55/83; aWs ) A comfortable, if pricey
option used by the Marco Polo travel agency,
but also open to individual travellers.
Hotel¨Ziyorat¨ hoTeL
( % 224 77 42; Dekhon 2A) This hotel was under-
going a total refit when we visited. Expect a
step up in price and quality from its former
cheap, unrenovated, unabashedly Soviet self.
5 ¨Eating¨&¨Drinking
Shashlyk stands occupy Al-Farghoni Park
in the warm months; a cluster of them are
along pedestrian Mustaqillik near the TsUM
department store.
o Bravo¨ iNTeRNATioNAL $$
(Khojand 12; mains 8000-12,000S; h 9am-11pm;
vE ) Nowhere is Fergana's liberal bent
more evident than in this bohemian little
cafe. The shabby-chic interior is plastered
with the products of local artists and awash
with the strains of live jazz. In the warmer
months the action moves outside to the pa-
tio where there are tapchan (teabeds) in the
sunshine.
Traktir¨Ostrov¨Sokrovish¨ iNTeRNATioNAL $$
(Treasure island Tavern; Marifat 45; mains 5000-
25,000S; h 10am-midnight; vE ) This centrally
located place hums with locals at all times
of the day, and when it's warm outside the
summer terrace is the place to be. The food
is nothing special, but there is the luxury
(rare in Uzbekistan) of choice, with pizza,
sushi and salads to supplement the usual
offerings of shashky and soup.