타슈켄트에서 고속철을 타고 실크로드의 사마르칸트로 가는데 공짜 간식도 주네..

I called a taxi using the Yandex app from my hotel in Tashkent and met a driver who spoke Korean well in a Chinese BYD vehicle. This naturally led to a lot of conversation. When my daughter mentioned that Uzbek people have large noses and intimidating appearances, the conversation naturally turned to plastic surgery in Korea, which then led to discussions about traditional Uzbek food. In particular, he recommended Sumalak, a special traditional dish that can only be eaten on Lunar New Year's Day, March 12th. We also talked about the massive 5-kilogram Samsa (traditional dumplings) found in Jizak, near Samarkand, and the driver recommended Beshbarmak, a traditional Kazakh dish. We also discussed many other Uzbek foods, such as Shashlik and Osh. As we chatted so much with him, who spoke Korean well, we eventually arrived at the Tashkent train station. For reference, there are several train stations in Tashkent, so travelers should be careful not to get confused. In particular, travelers heading to Samarkand or Bukhara must use Tashkent Central Station. For reference, my family downloaded an application on our mobile phones and booked our train tickets in advance from Korea. It was incredibly convenient to be able to book train tickets in Uzbekistan via an app right from Korea. Also, there were simple snack corners at the Tashkent station; a cup of coffee cost around 2,000 won, and bread ranged from 1,500 to 2,000 won. We paid a total of 98,593 won for three people on the Afrosoyob (the name of Uzbekistan's high-speed train) from Tashkent to Samarkand, which is 32,864 won per person. Naturally, we paid by card. The total distance is 332 kilometers, and the journey takes about 2 hours and 10 minutes. For reference, Afrosoyob, the name of Uzbekistan's high-speed train, is the name of a king from Central Asian legend. This railway was originally constructed in partnership with Spain to revitalize tourism on the Silk Road, but it is said that its current management and operation are handled in partnership with many Korean companies, including Rotem Korea. The current route connects Tashkent to Bukhara, covering a total distance of 580 kilometers and taking 4 hours and 20 minutes to travel. Afrosoyob, Uzbekistan's high-speed train, is incredibly pleasant and comfortable. While on the train, many vendors sell drinks and snacks; a special feature is the service of distributing sausage bread and drinks to all passengers for free, much like in-flight meals. Other items such as fruit and ice cream are available for a fee, costing around 3,000 won. After about 2 hours and 10 minutes, I arrived at the VIP waiting room of Samarkand Train Station. The unique interior design and indoor garden caught my eye, and unusually, indoor smoking was permitted here. So, our family got off the train and headed to the station square where we could catch a Yandex taxi. For reference, the taxi stand is located to the far left when facing away from the station. It is easy to find as there is a tour information booth right in front. However, we encountered Korean-speaking experts once again here... There really are many people in Uzbekistan who speak Korean well. This time, it was a Starex taxi driver. We ended up being sold on the service in Korean... However, since our family had already made a reservation via Yandex in the waiting room, we were unable to use his Starex taxi. Instead, we got his phone number separately for future reference. As we entered downtown Samarkand in the Yandex taxi, the scenery was quite different from Tashkent, befitting a central city of the Silk Road with a long history of over 2,700 years. Trams were running in the city center, just like in Japan, and the landscape we encountered while heading to the Old Town near Registan Square, where we had made our reservation, was definitely exotic. For reference, the hotel we booked is the Sharam Plus Hotel, which we reserved through Agoda for 40,000 won per night including breakfast. However, the weather just wouldn't cooperate. After arriving in Uzbekistan on the first day, the rain kept coming and going without stopping... After checking in, we went back out and walked through the rain to head to yet another famous restaurant in Samarkand...?