Uzbekistan

"Culture Smart! Uzbekistan will take you beyond the standard descriptions of minarets, kebabs with vodka, embroidered skullcaps, and Soviet-style bureaucracy. It will make you aware of the value systems, attitudes, and behaviors of the different cultural groups in the country, and offer an insider's view of Uzbekistan's fascinating history, national traditions, various cuisines, and cultural scene. It will tell you what the peoples of Uzbekistan are like at home, at play, and in business, and give practical advice on how to behave in different situations so as to make the most out of your visit. Uzbekistan is a land of paradoxes, both enjoyable and surprising for foreign visitors. One of the ex-Soviet Asian republics, it is located in the center of what the British writer Colin Thubron called "the Lost Heart of Asia," a country of deserts, mountains, picturesque oases, green and clean cities, and hospitable people. One of the least-traveled-to tourist destinations in the world, Uzbekistan is famous for its fabulous architectural monuments and the exotic spirit of the Great Silk Road, the ancient trade route connecting East and West, which has left its stamp almost everywhere. At the same time, it is a country of tight government control--a legacy of the Soviet Union and the response to a difficult political context. The Uzbek variety of a post-socialist society combines traditional, Soviet, and modern cultures in a unique and exciting mix. Uzbekistan is a multicultural society where old and revived traditions coexist with modernity. Medieval mosques stand opposite restaurants offering both food and popular music; narrow lanes with adobe houses are now hidden behind wide streets flanked by trees and concrete apartment blocks"--Publisher.