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It is 5.30am and the sun has just breached the horizon in the ancient city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan.
Light bleeds between the alcoves and crevices of the three madrasahs in the Registan, bathing the intricate patterned tiles of the public square with a soft illumination.
People have witnessed sunrises here since the 15th century, watching as light strikes the polished teal domes of the Ulugh Beg Madrasah, Samarkand's religious educational institution.
Standing here, surrounded by the gilded inlay and jewel-toned mosaics of these striking monuments of Islamic architecture, it's easy to forget that we're watching the sun rise in the 21st century.
Samarkand has stood since the 7th century BC, serving as a key trade hub between China and the Mediterranean on the historic Silk Road between the five 'Stans; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
The city of Samarkand was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001, partly for its breathtaking architecture but also for its dedication to preserving the traditional art forms of gold embroidery, copper engraving, and silk weaving.
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Today, visitors can take advantage of Samarkand's commitment to heritage crafts, picking up a bargain in the bazaars, where mounds of brightly coloured herbs as fine as gold dust nestle next to stalls selling hand-beaded jewellery, stunning silk rugs, and exquisitely embroidered suzani.
Traditionally made by young women as a part of their dowry, the name 'suzani' is derived from the Persian word for needle; suzan.
Intricate designs of birds, flowers, and fruits - typically pomegranates - weave their way around pieces of cotton or silk fabric, often as large as a metre and a half square.
The bazaars and trading stalls are vibrant with these colourful tapestries, and friendly vendors are eager to unfold the larger offerings and display them in all their glory before you.
Another Uzbek traditional craft - and a unique and inexpensive souvenir - are the delightful puppets.
As far back as the Middle Ages marketplaces and squares would frequently play host to satirical and comedic shows, focusing on traditional folklore, with exquisitely crafted and decorated string puppets enacting mythological love stories to the joy and delight of all.
These days, craftsmen still create these delicate dolls in the traditional manner, sewing their clothing and hand-painting their faces just as their ancestors did.
Wandering around the bazaars, and the breathtaking architecture of the Registan, today's visitors can be seen capturing their memories on smartphones and iPads. Indeed, some of the locals seem to delight in taking selfies with their foreign guests.
However, what seems most interesting is that thousands of years ago men and women walked in this city, and today, treading those same worn paths, we as visitors can feel their presence.
It is in the vividly coloured mosaics, in the elegance of the lush textiles, in the comically carved puppets, and in the legacy of Uzbekistan's greatest mathematicians and its artisans.