Since Greg and I had had such a great day yesterday, we headed off again together to visit the remaining sights of Samarkand. After being here a few days I had still not seen Samarkand’s most famous and awe-inspiring sight – the Registon. This is a phenomenal complex of 3 Medressas with more excellent majolica tile work.. It cost an extoritionate 3,500 sum for he priviliege but was certainly worth it. We wondered around the complex trying to avoid the policemen half-heartedly selling trips to the top of the minaret for a few thousand more sum. It must be the greatest moment in a policeman’s career when he is asked to guard the Registon and can then extort more money from unsuspecting tourists. The registon though hasn’t escaped the usual souvenir hawkers that have now replaced devoted students and they too were vying for our custom. I told one lady in particular that I didn’t want to buy anything, hopeing that she would just go away. But she then came out with the surprising line of “ No, mister. Don’t buy, just looking”. Finding this amusing, and hoping she would shut up I did exactly what she said – looked and didn’t buy. Another guy hanging around though did have a sense of humour. When he suggested I should look at his paintings I said it would cost him 500 sum, whereupon he produced a 500 sum note and we burst out laughing. Our next stop was Amir Timur’s mausoleum and if we thought that we had seen enough beautiful tile work and decoration, then we were wrong. It was the most stunning interior yet, as could only be expected from one of Uzbekistan’s biggest heroes. It has been a few days now that I have been contemplating a trip down south to the Afghan border town of Termiz. It has wonderful relics of Zoroastrian and Buddhist temples as well as clear evidence of Silk Road trade having passed through. Sadly however my enquiries into the possibilities of doing this, met with disappointment. It would cost me $100 plus bribes to the checkpoint police. I required either a permit or an Afghan and Tajik visa. I had neither and couldn’t afford the risk of having to pay another couple of hundred dollars in bribes. Instead, I spent the afternoon drinking tea in the hotel before making my way to the internet where I had made a “date” with some Uzbek girls who wanted to practice their English. They turned up and chatted and then left – I must have been boring to talk to I suppose. Instead a rather charming and talented guy called Surat decided to give me a copy of his CD being released tomorrow. I was honoured to be the first one to have a signed copy! This quote from Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan’s President, however lifted me: “I am convinced that Uzbekistan is facing a great future. Our state has everything required: National resources, fertile lands and big rivers. Industrious and talented people live on this sacred land”.