Change to other guest house in the morning. The owner seems like the twin brother of stefan bueschi! Nice place and haggled price to reasonable (cheap!) level. Now sitting in rather disappointing registan. Compared to the mausoleum yesterday this is hardly worthwhile. Plus packed with souvenir shops. It's hot but very pleasant under the trees. Chillax on tea bed in back yard. Dinner with the girls at guest house.

Was told this morning that border crossing to penjikent is closed. Little bit dissappointed. Planning now to use the 5h drive away crossing near ... Just forgot. That one is closer to dushanbe anyway. Walk around town towards afrosiab. Met young girl with mum on their way to holy place for spiritual help. She has to give a talk at college and is nervous. Got invited along. Then back to town and visit zin i ... Awesome! Internet research to check if denau crossing...

Decided to head on with my polish friends to samarkand. Checked out a few more sites but mainly watching the festival now full on. Dancing and singing and music all around. Then bus ride to taxi stand. Got a furiously fast driving guy and made it to samarkand safely, passing nice scenery with lots of agriculture. Guesthouse ok. Had late shashlik and vodka.

Nice breakie, followed by town exploration. Everything is renovated and partially still under construction. Festival tomorrow, all has to be in perfect shape. It's all a tad overdone although looks nice. Living in buxoro centere quite nice though. Festival rehersals already on the way. Visit the disappointing ark. Rather expensive dinner at nice cafe near market. Sitting outside surrounded by dooming sovjet architecture.

Guest house managed to pull two polish girls to share taxi ride to buxoro today. Bloody awesome ride through desert, with lunch stop for fish and vodka in the middle of nowhere. Arrived late in buxoro, found beautiful guesthouse in the centre. Wonderful temperature and nicely lit mosques and squares make it an awesome moment. Really beautiful and happy to be here. I even get sf info channel in my nice and cheap room.