March Holidays, Women's Day, Tashkent Marathon, and English Cinema

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Ramadan has begun

What to expect if new to Tashkent:

Many but not all Uzbeks will be fasting for a month but if you’re a non-Muslim in Uzbekistan, you won’t really be affected. As a majority Muslim but secular country, there are no strict rules governing anybody’s lifestyle.

Most restaurants are still open during the day albeit a little quieter than usual. If you’re planning to eat out in the evening, many restaurants will be completely full - especially Uzbek and Turkish restaurants - as they are reserved for iftar each evening around 6pm.

At the end of Ramadan, there is the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. The date is not confirmed yet but 31st March is expected to be a public holiday.

Roads near mosques will be closed from 6pm until midnight.

Tashkent marathon training begins…🏃🏃🏃

Tashkent’s International Marathon will take place on 13th April. There’s a full and half marathon as well as a 10km race.

If you haven’t witnessed it before, a few roads close down for half a day and there are actually quite a few foreigners visiting town to take part.

At the time of writing there are only 5 tickets left for the full marathon and 50 for the half.

There’s also a race for kids at Magic City on 12th April.

Having watched it slumped in a chair at Beanberry Cafe last year I decided to get my fat @rse into shape this year and have signed up for the half marathon.

That gives me 6 weeks to lose about 15kg to be the weight I was last time I did a half marathon in Seoul 😂.

If you’re interested in signing up, you can buy tickets here (mostly in English).

Join me 🏃: If anybody wants to join me in training, I’ll be doing a 10k+ run at least once a week before the race. Reply to this email if you’re interested in starting a group.

In the News this Week…

• Amirsoy Resort in Tashkent region hosted Red Bull’s ‘Jump and Freeze’ on Saturday. A quick summary: 1. Make a vehicle. 2. Ride down a slope. 3. Land in a pool of icy water. Sounds awful.. (2 min video).

• As of 1st March it’s now illegal to ride a scooter without a licence (it was legal before??).

• Ordering from Temu to Uzbekistan? Better hurry up as the Chinese marketplace could soon be blocked.

Restaurant of the Week: Syrovarnya

Tashkent’s cheesiest restaurant?

Syrovarnya, or ‘cheese factory’ in English, is one of the fancier restaurants in Tashkent’s centre. As you might have guessed, it’s the menu is pretty heavy on the cheese!

They make their own mozzarella, burrata, stracciatella, and more, which feature in many of the meals from wood-fired pizzas to ricotta pancakes. The borscht is a standout for non-cheese lovers, and there are plenty of other options too.

It’s priced quite a bit higher than the average Tashkent restaurant, but the quality and service make it worth every penne.

If you’re a cheese fan, this place is a must—it's truly brie-lliant. They also have a cheese counter so you can take some home.

Vegan/Vegetarian Options ✅ Alcohol ✅

English menu ✅ English speaking staff ✅

Syrovarnya Insta

In the Spotlight: New Kids Play Area Opens at High Town Plaza

The new High Town Plaza had its opening ceremony this week so we went to check it out. If you’ve never heard of it, High Town City is a new shopping mall and residential housing complex, North East of Tashkent in Yunusabad.

The mall was a bit of a ghost town when we visited but we’ll give it the benefit of the doubt being Ramadan. One standout feature was the two-storey kids play area which we’d seen on Instagram.

We took our chief editor, Oliver (21 months), to review it.

The verdict? Not quite as fancy as Tashkent City Mall’s Sky Park but a good contender.

The park has plenty to do. There are three large slides, trampolines, bouncy castles, go-karting (extra cost), a ball pool of death, and unlimited free arcade style games like air hockey.

At 150,000 Som it’s certainly cheaper than Sky Park plus an extra adult ticket costs only 10,000 Som (unlimited air hockey remember…).

One extra positive is that it’s nowhere near as busy as some of the alternatives, especially at the moment.

If you have kids in Tashkent, I’d definitely recommend a visit.

Interested in reviews of places to visit with kids? Hit reply and I’ll share more places I’ve found in the future.

Partnered with VisitTashkent.uz

Looking to escape the pollution this spring?

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Tour Highlights

• Scenic drive to Chimgan Mountains (80 km from Tashkent – 1.5-hour drive)

• Visit the stunning Amirsoy Resort & Charvak Reservoir

• See ancient 500-800-year-old Sycamore trees, mountain park, caves, and petroglyphs

• Tashkent pick-up & drop-off with a comfortable ride

8 Ideas for Women’s Day in Tashkent

It’s International Women’s Day on 8th March and since it lands on a Saturday, Monday will be a public holiday. Here are some ideas of how to spend your extended weekend.

1. Women’s Race for Charity on 8th May

🌷Distances: 1 and 8 km.

👉Part of the proceeds from each registration will be directed to support parents raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

🕑Participants gather at 19:00. The race starts at 20:00.

💰 Participation fee: 100,000 soums.

✅ Registration on the prorun.uz website

📍The race starts near the fountain in Tashkent City Park.

2. Ladies Jazz Night @State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, 6th March.

✨ Spend an unforgettable evening in the rhythms of jazz! This concert is a dedication to all the beautiful ladies who inspire the world with their beauty, grace and energy. Tickets (RU).

3. CARMEN Barcelona Flamenco Ballet @Palace of Trade Unions, 7th March.

"Carmen" is a story about pain, passion and the desire for freedom, about the love of the gypsy Carmen and the bullfighter Escamillo. Fans of opera, flamenco, dance, music and theater will be able to discover new aesthetic facets of this legendary work. Tickets (RU).

4. Women’s Stories: From Classics to Modern Times @Eco-cafe, 9th March, 2PM.

“Co-host of the session: Ms. Anastasia Segeyeva - actress of the legendary Ilkhom Theatre”.

Entry free: donations. Only 24 spots available - register via Telegram @RafaelMirovich

5. Perfume Masterclass (in English and Russian), 9th March.

“Join our unique 2 hour masterclass where you will create your own personal aphrodisiac.”

400,000 Som, limited spots available. Telegram @uzbekguide91

6. Make the most of discounts:

• 20-30% off jewelry @Pandora

• Up to 54% off on selected cosmetic gift sets for women @Korzinka.

• Parfum Gallery announces discounts up to 50% on all products.

• L'Occitane store announces discounts up to 50% on gift sets.

• Up to 70% off on multiple purchases at SOKOLOV jewelry.

7. Burlesque Style Party @SteamBar, 8th

💃 Dress code: burlesque style – glitter, feathers and chic are a must!

8. Avoid the crowds at one of Tashkent’s Parks

☀️ Picnic weather might not be here yet but partial sun is expected on Saturday so why not head to one of Tashkent’s many parks which are unlikely to be overcrowded at this time of year.

The secluded Japanese garden is one of our favourites.