Dinner Uzbek style - in Bokhara

today is the last day in Bokhara, eight days was a long time in one place.......faces start to become familiar..........

Mr. Fayzov Mumin and his wife Auliya and their young grandson Mirjon invited us for dinner. We arrived with a box of chocolates and wine and were greeted and led into the dining room............the table was laid with local dry and fresh fruit, a salad made of finely sliced beetroots, and another of chopped cucumbers and tomatoes..........we were offered fresh rose water to drink, along with some other fruit juices  Soon the warm somsas were brought, and a bottle of  local Bokhara red wine was opened.........the wine was sweet and was served in small bowls, a little smaller than the ones set aside for the green tea......... As part of their hospitality, we were soon watching an Uzbek action movie of kidnapping and murder. This movie was produced and acted by the sufi leader and his group..........midway through the conversation, and the many toastings, the movie was changed and soon we were watching the video of Uzbek and some Indian songs........by now we were into our next course of pilaf, sprinkled with carrots and topped with a layer of meat......the host mentioned once that the custom is to use your fork and eat out of the main platter, but no offence was taken when we took the serving in our plates.........as we sat back satisfied with our meal, listening to the music and discussing the history of the region, the last course of grilled meat (shashlik) was brought...........I was reminded of the tradition of sit down dinners, whereby one has to remember to only taste every course, less you offend the host/hostess by being unable to eat the last course...........the evening ended with the host sharing the family photographs.............Auliya, his wife does not speak english, joined in the conversation as it was translated for her..........she smiled all through, as she enjoyed her wine and offered us more food,  encouraging us to eat more..........as the evening ended and we got up from the dining table to leave, we were given a bag of home grown, dried mulberries............ with appreciation and gratitude as we said our goodbyes.