The dense, low-rise Uzbek neighbourhoods west of the river — Cheremushki, On Adyr, and several smaller mahallas — are the oldest residential parts of Osh, with mud-walled compounds, vine-shaded courtyards, and a network of narrow lanes. Half of Osh's population is ethnically Uzbek, and these are the streets they call home.
Walk here in the early evening when the sun has dropped behind the mountain. Children play in the lanes, old men sit on benches at the gates, smoke from the evening tandoor rises over the walls. Be respectful — these are residential areas, not a sightseeing district — but visitors are welcome and the atmosphere is friendly.