Uzbekistan and Central Asia in extension used to be the centre of commerce and cultural exchange. It was an area where peoples and empires fought desperately to gain a foothold in. For much of history, dominance of Central Asia was on crucial to unlocking the wealth of the silk road. But that was a time before steam powered ships, before oil, before memes, before Fortnite.
Uzbekistan according to an outsider:
Empty deserts. Or barren deserts if you want to be more dramatic. The occasional yurt. Monuments of Lenin, Stalin, and straight faced communists posing with their square jaws. Suspicious glances from locals in long overcoats. They all claim to be descendants of Genghis Khan (they very well might). They all have beards. The country isn’t rich but they are well educated, just dealt a bad hand by their environment. Apparently they are also all very friendly.
And sand? Horses? Muslims? More sand? And doesn’t it sound dangerous with a “stan” in its name? Also, when was the last time we’ve heard of Uzbekistan in the news? Seems like a boring place, all things considered.
But in its own right, Uzbekistan is a truly important region, located strategically between Russia, China, and the Middle East. It has been largely ignored on the geopolitical arena, as its location in Central Asia holds little to no significant importance among the political tensions today. Even when tourists visit, Uzbekistan is reduced to a desert-land theme park pit stop on their world tour.
But I would venture to say that it is a good thing, as Uzbekistan has still been able to retain its local culture and traditions. It is never subjected to global trends, and the experience one gets in Uzbekistan is always the same. The people are as in control of their destinies here as anywhere else on earth. They have survived conquerors, they survived brutal regimes, and they survived dictators. They might not have recognition. They might be misrepresented. But to the people here, that is okay. Because they understood what they got in the trade. Serenity.
For Fox Sake 