CULTURE: Applied arts | Theatre | Cuisine

Uzbek people have cherished an interesting rich cultural heritage merged with ancient and modern civilizations. Khorezm, Shosh, Sogds, Ustrushan, Marghinon are considered to be historical places of Uzbekistan. Most of Uzbeks are Muslims, their attitude towards different religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and Judaism is built on respect.

Hospitality is one of the best traditions of Uzbek people. Everyone, regardless his nationality, is always treated in a very respected way and being a 'guest' in this country means a lot of privileges and great attitude. Besides, Uzbeks are a curious nation who likes meeting people and they are fond of communicating with the representatives of other cultures. Another common pastime of Uzbeks is that they like to spend their leisure time in teahouses and bazaars. The social life here in cities resemble to that of European countries.

The Bazaar is a place of interaction apart from its primary sense of buying and selling. And here you will see Uzbeks from all walks of life either trying to make a deal or just kicking it. If you visit Uzbekistan you should surely go to a bazaar. Its noisiness, variety, bright colors, hustle and bustle will leave unforgettable memories for good.

Although there are many supermarkets, department stores and smaller shops in the cities, people still tend to go for shopping to a bazaar, because it is considered to be a good value for money and a chance to get goods directly from the farmers.

There are over one thousand dishes in Uzbek cuisine. Fruits and vegetables grown under the tender Oriental sun are very delicious in taste. There are about 100 varieties of Uzbek pilaf only cooked in its way in every region. Calorie content and ecological purity of the local food is unique. Uzbek cuisine cannot be described, it should be tasted.