The observatory hill at low sun
A curved brick trench on a dry hill, mulberry trees below and almost no one else.
October 24, 2026 · 9 min
Samarkand courtyards before the crowds
Which madrasa to enter first, which to leave for evening and where the best light falls.
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The Caravan Letter
A free letter every Thursday: one stop on the old road, one thing to look at and one thing to know before you go.
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11 min read
Getting between the towns by train and car
The fast train, the shared car and the long road, with what each one is like.