The website of the popular German metropolitan newspaper "Berliner Zeitung" published an article dedicated to Uzbekistan named "45 degrees in the shade – Uzbeks give advice on how to cope with the heat".
The author of the article, Nicholas Butylin, gives useful advice to the newspaper's readers on what clothes to choose for summer trips to hot countries, in particular, a trip to Uzbekistan. Based on his experience, the journalist notes that before traveling to Uzbekistan he checked the weather forecast in the city of Samarkand and saw 39 degrees on the first day, 42 degrees on the second and on the third day - up to 44 degrees. He was warned about high temperatures even at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Berlin.
“We arrived in the oasis city of Samarkand. Among the famous madrasahs, mosques and mausoleums located in Samarkand, early in the morning, it is already 37 degrees. Scorching heat presses on the pearl city of the ancient Silk Road. I noticed that tourists in the small streets of Samarkand always walk on the shady side to avoid the scorching sun. But the people of Uzbekistan have better ways to cope with the intense heat” – the author describes his trip to Samarkand.
As the journalist notes, drinking should be the number one rule on days with the temperature above 40 degrees: “On days when the thermometer shows more than 40 degrees, the motto should be drink, drink, and drink. But not just any drink. The body absorbs alcohol worse when it is very hot: blood vessels dilate, blood pressure drops, which can lead to problems with blood circulation”.
Describing what Uzbek people drink during the heat, the journalist notes that Uzbek people drink a lot of still water or slightly warm green tea, highlighting that at least 3 liters of fluids should be consumed at high temperatures.
Defining the food bazaars of Samarkand and the restaurants in the city, the author lists the whole bunch of fragrant smells of curry, paprika, cumin, and turmeric that attract those traveling to Samarkand. The smell of Uzbek pilaf, a traditional rice dish with meat, and barbecue, and specifically Samarkand pilaf attracts guests and inhabitants of the city easily. However, regardless of the temptation of Uzbek delicacies, one should try to avoid fatty food during the summer, as noted by the author of the article. Local fruits, especially watermelons and melons are recommended by the author to consume instead of meat under high temperatures since these delicious fruits consist 95% of water.
“As everyone knows, white reflects sunlight, and black absorbs it. Therefore, on sunny days, light-colored clothing should always be preferred. In Uzbekistan, this physical fact is taken seriously. More than 90 percent of the cars driving on the roads of the country are white, most men wear white shirts, T-shirts and baseball caps, women wear white or light-colored dresses…” sums up the correspondent of the Berliner Zeitung.
