Uzbekistan

Despite the best efforts of the authorities to undermine the entrepreneurial tendencies of the Uzbeks, the country’s bazaars remain vibrant trading centres. Restricted now to locally grown produce and locally manufactured goods, along with some cheap Chinese imports, the sellers still indulge in the national pastime of haggling. On spotting a foreigner the stallholders will start calling out bratan, bratan (brother, brother) or sestra, sestra (sister, sister) to get your attention. This usually signals a significant price hike.

When haggling keep your top price in mind – the seller usually starts high so you should start lower than your final price. The haggling is usually good-natured and remember not to get too stressed out as at the end of the day you are probably only quibbling over a few cents. Don’t lose your temper or be rude; in Uzbek culture this is a major faux pas.

The same rules apply to carpets and the embroidered dowry cloths known as suzanis. Haggling is again the order of the day. If you can, take along someone who knows what they’re doing – this may save you making a costly mistake.

When buying works of art and carpets another problem arises. Officially you cannot take articles deemed to be important cultural artefacts out of the country without permission from the ministry of culture. Cultural artefacts are whatever the guys at the border decide – I’ve had friends who had to leave scarves with Marks and Spencer’s labels behind as they were considered to be traditional Uzbek items.

As with most things in Uzbekistan these problems can be overcome by offering the officials bribes. If flying out of the country then it is possible to leave small carpets or suzanis in your hold luggage as this is not often checked.

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