Uzbekistan, at first glance, appears lifeless as a doubly landlocked nation, surrounded by inhospitable deserts in three directions and vast mountains to the east. However, it is anything but lifeless - rather, a land filled with ancient oases of color, testaments of past rulers, and bazaars of every trinket imaginable. This is in thanks to the Silk Roads, the vast stretch of routes stretching from Europe to China, with Uzbekistan, both literally and figuratively, its very heart. Any wanderings today along the bazaars of Bukhara, the walled-city of Khiva, or the city of wonders that is Samarkand, is evidence that these ancient routes are still very much alive. Step into this nation and discover the people, legends, and monuments that make up this beautiful land.