and they stop to bukhara to buy bukhara carpets, yes? when they say bukhara carpets, it would be geometrical and red. bukhara was a trading place, not weaving place. the best quality of sheep wool carpets always made in turkmenistan, sold in bukhara saying it's bukhara carpet, yeah? the best quality of camel wool carpets always made in afghanistan, again, sold them in bukhara saying its bukhara carpets. now, i can show you some silk carpets, which are made here by our girls. silk on silk. [sound of machinery] >> the carpet weavers in sabine's shop are all young, since they've still got agile fingers and good eyesight. by the age of 25 they retire from weaving, and take up easier embroidery. with hundreds of tiny knots to be made on each line, it can take a year or even two to make just one carpet. >> it changes color as you see. it's 100% silk on silk. one of the old designs of bukhara from the 8th century design, yeah? >> i'm scared to ask, but... >> the price you mean? oh, two girls-- >> because i always fall in love with the most expe

i just love my bukhara. [laughs] it is good, isn't it? didn't you like it? >> yes, it's been great. i've seen the sights, i've tried to buy a carpet. >> you see but you didn't. >> i watched the sunset behind the minaret. it's been amazing. the next morning is my last in uzbekistan. hello, salam alaikum. >> salam alaikam. >> can you take me to the turkmenistan border? yeah, okay, great. i'm heading to the highly dictatorial country of turkmenistan, to see the ancient archaeological ruins of merv. to get to the border is just over half an hour's drive. filming in uzbekistan has been no picnic, lots of restrictions on what we can do, but turkmenistan should be even worse. it's been difficult to get permission to go in, and i've been told in no uncertain terms that we cannot film until we get to the actual ruins at merv. so, we're going, we're doing it, should be worth it, it's supposed to be an amazing place. but we can't film until we get there. from bukhara across the turkmenistan border, it's a journey of around 200 miles or so to the ancient ruins of merv. today, merv is marooned c