Tashkent

Tashkent is the capital city of Uzbekistan. Tashkent is waiting for a boom. The infrastructure, hotels and shops are there but the influx of people and business has failed to materialise. This is caused in part by a combination of government policy and bad publicity.

Tashkent has a semi-arid continental climate with long, hot and dry summers from June to September and short but cold winters from December to February. The temperatures in Tashkent can be extremely hot during July and August. With the average annual rainfall ranging from 100 to 200 mm, the country is largely arid and dry. Most precipitation occurs in the months of winter and spring, while the period between July and September is dry.

There are hundreds of small cafes in Tashkent offering these and other local dishes at very inexpensive prices. A meal of salad, bread, tea, soup and shashlik at around 2-3 USD isn't difficult to find. Bear in mind that sanitation standards leave a lot to be desired in many of these cafes. Especially on warm days, look to see if the meat is kept refrigerated before it is cooked. Often, it is not.