Bright sunshine and winter cold: ideal conditions for strolling around Registan Square in Samarkand. The stream of tourists, cameras, and colorful flags of organized tours has dissipated, giving way to the silence of ancient stones. Winter marks the return of the low season and bitter cold: the wind sweeps across the historic sites of Samarkand, emptied of the crowds that flock here in the milder months. While they may have to contend with icy roads, the few winter visitors can admire the shades of blue of the mosques and madrasas in the January light.

Credits : Hélène Garnier (France, @suneclat)

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