Uzbekistan, a land-locked country on the Silk Route, is inspiring for its architecture and  textiles. The beautiful city of Samarkand, central to trade between China and Baghdad, is known for its Bibi Khanym Mosque that is fashioned with a turquoise dome and blue tiles. The hand embroidered textiles known as Suzani, found in in Samarkand and Bukhara, are exquisite, and the markets filled with  fruits, sweets and a variety of dried fruits should not be missed!