Trip to Istanbul and Uzbekistan. Istanbul was fascinating, a city divided by the Bosporos Strait. There is a European side and an Asian side. History is evident in the ruins and standing structures--Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman. Attaturk was the modern hero and founder of the republic.Uzbekistan is in Central Asia, bordered by Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan,  Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The country is on the Silk Road and has been influenced by Asian, European, and Russian practices, religion, and language. Russia colonized Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. The communists ruled the area until 1989. Uzbekistan is known for its monuments, both ancient and refurbished,