After Tashkent, I took a train to reach the second largest city of Uzbekistan, Samarkand (means Stone City, same meaning as Tashkent). Trains are a great way to travel in this country and the local people are super friendly, always trying to feed you and enquiring where you from. Samarkand, a city ruled by Alexander, Genghis Khan, Timur and traveled to by Marco Polo and Ibn Batuta, remains one of those mythical places on the Silk Route. The most famous spot in Samarkand is the Registan Ensemble. Framed by 3 large Madrasas (Islamic Schools), the square was the pinnacle of Timurid period. Ulug Beg Madrasa is the oldest, but fastest built (only 3 years), Sher Dor Madrasa was built in early 17th century (it's rare to see Leopards on top of an Islamic architecture) and the
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