Uzbekistan - The heartland of the ancient Silk Route - Tak- i -Telpak Furushon, Market arcade of hat sellers, Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Silk from China and spices and precious stones from India were traded through Central Asia, on a regular basis, from about 200 B.C. Names such as Samarkand, Bukhara conjure up images of fairy tales that start with 'Once upon a time...'