Kyrgystan Day 2 and 3 (and a bit of 4)

 September 17 (written on the 18th)

It was our first full day.  We had buffet breakfast in the hotel and into the two vans by 8am.  We are 16 so we don't quite fit into one van yet.  I think a couple of people are leaving after Kazakhstan so we switch to one van then.  I have made more friends already this time so I not annoyed by this like I was in Borneo.  

We drove a short distance to start our walking city tour (a three hour tour...).  We lucked out, the rain had stopped or else I would have gotten to say 'the weather started getting rough' but alas...  

We had a local guide called Manis I think.  We started at the White House.  This is parliment, and also white.  

Isela and I had been here the day before, we just didn't know what it was.  

There was a protest in 2010 where the government
opened fire on the crowd, killing dozens.
But no worries, there is a better president now
who wisely just banned protests.  So much easier 
on the bullet budget. this is the memorial

Near the White House is the president's home?  I think, you know I was only half paying attention.  Anyway, in front of this next white building, there are two national guards.  We were there for the changing of the guards. It was a study in precision and long legs. 

Then lots of statues, so many statues.  Islam forbids the image of people (or something like that) but this city,  sort of muslim, is just chock o' block of images of people.  Discuss.

Lenin says 'the pharmacy is just on that corner'. 

Marx and Engles discussing the betterment or distruction 
of human society, depending on your politics.

We had just talked about LGBT rights in
Kyrgygstan (not good, but not outright illegal)
when we passed this light footed fellow

Squirrel!

We stopped for some traditional Kyrgyk beverages.  I had some of the chunky sour stuff and then some of the milky salty stuff and then the two mixed.  If given the option, take the chunky sour one.  I did not get to try the one made of bread and sugar.

The mix

We stopped at a store.  We found our missing little blonde boy from the G Transport van from the airport, the one that got out mid-way, never to be seen again.  Turns out there is a second G tour running along side of us, the 18-39 tour.  Which also explains why our group is all over 40.

I bought new socks at the store.  I massively unestimated my sock needs! 

I only took this one picture at the store of the 
bulk spice because I want one of these baskets

War 

Then we went for a traditional lunch from a Durgan family.  The Durgan are Muslim Chinese who were expelled from China 130 years ago.  They keep their traditions.  Of which I remember none because there was the FRIENDLIEST cat there. 

My noodles and fixings

These are all of the fixings to add to a bowl of noodles.  All grown on their farm out back.

Our hostess

The new love of my life! Relationship twarted by a tight timeline.  And his fickle heart.  He let us pass him around like a new baby at his baby shower. 

Isela loved him the mostest of us all

Next stop Burana Tower.  From the 9th to 11th century.  This tower was a beacon from travellers on the silk road.  Burana was a major waypoint, until the 13th century until Gengis Khan laid waste to the entire area.  I can't wait until we get some Gengis Khan stuff!

Absolutely stunning view from a nearly hill

There was a light at the top so camel drivers 
could see if from far and wide.

Burana Tower, less than half still standing
Imagine when it was almost three times higher!

You can climb up the inside but when I saw those stairs, completely unlit I was a hard 'nope'.  

The entrance, you can see the blackness 
as it goes up. 

The best part of this Unesco Heritage site, for me at least, was the collection of grave stones they have dug up over the years of archeaological digs. They depict an image of the deceased. Three thousand year of faces!  And petroglyphs on rocks with intesting colours to add to their photographic interest 

And a random swing?

A quick stop for some pictures of the Chong-Kemin Gorge/Valley

Before we finally reached our destination of a guest house in the karal Dobo village.  I still get my own room.  Which I immediately disasterized by hanging laundry everywhere. 

I have a stunning view from my deck. Where I can spy on the neighbours!

I can see a graveyard up the hill

It's almost time to get up.  We have breakfast at 7 and then a hike (it is supposed to rain so let's see how involved I get)

Another giant dinner.  Lunch and dinner were not buffets and both were multi-course.  I have eaten a lot over the last two days! 

I ended the night with a glass of wine with my new crew.  

time to get up and put away that barely dry laundry.  One pair of socks, not the new ones, is still soaking.  I might leave them behind, I don't have the space for a non-team player.  

September 18 (written on the 19th)

It's been a jam packed two days since I last wrote.  Just in case you are wondering, my wet socks heard the threat and pulled themselves together to dry in time to continue on the trip,

Before we left the guesthouse, we went for a hike up a mountain.  Or some of us did, I did not.  It was raining and I knew there would be zero view from up top.  

I went part way and then turned around to walk around the village instead.  Isela came with me.

The weather was not cooperating for the hike but it did give some nice moodiness for photos. Isela loves to take pictures too so we are a good pair.  

The trail before I abandoned it

We were walking along when this old man stopped and started talking to us in Russian.  We had no idea what he was asking us.  We asked if he could take his photo.  Niet!  But he wrote a phone number is the dirt.  So, did he want us to send him our photos.  So, Isela put the number in her phone.  Neither of us have a sim card.  But he got very excited and took the phone and started talking into it.  We have no idea who he wanted to call.  We apologized profusely which he may or may not have gotten the gist of?  

But by now, we were fast friends and he told us many things which we could not understand.  He took his little shot glass out and his vodka.  I thought he was going to offer it to us.  I even offered him a pack of trail mix as trade.  But alas, no 9am vodka that day.  

Talking into the dead phone. 

His shot glass

Getting ready for his photo shoot

Eventually we had to leave our new best friend.  We wandered around and took photos of the 'town'.  We didn't really know where we were but we came around a corner, from a completely different direction and there was our guest house.  

Here are village photos in no particular order:

We left the guesthouse around 11 and stopped at some weird roadside cafeteria.  The line up to get food was so long.   And there was a cool view tower there.  So, I skipped the queue for food and grabbed a corn on the cob from a vendor outside and headed up the stairs to the view tower. It was VERY windy up there.

The view tower

The view

Corn vendor

Then off to our next location, a yurt camp!!  In the most beautiful location.  Although we could really tell that on the first night.  The weather was still not nice.  In fact, it was so bad, we had to have a change of itinerary since the pass we were supposed to take was closed due to snow.  We went to Issyk Kol Lake area instead.  

We got our yurts.  This is one of the nights where even the single supplement people have to share.  Isela and I lucked into the same yurt, sharing with Madonna (AU).  

Madonna and Isela in our yurt

Our yurt camp.  

I have a thousand pictures of this cow and her calf

We got assigned our roomies and our yurts and then it was time for a walk to the lake, in the rain.  There was thunder as we walked back.  

Isela and Jo (Can) were the only ones brave 
enough to swim

We got back, had dinner and then everyone just crashed.  I finally managed to read a chapter of my book but barely. 

The next moring I woke up at 5:30.  But in a shared tent, I just lay there in the dark and silence until someone else quietly got up and went out.  I threw on my shoes and went out.  The light was so amazing, I just kept walking, out of the camp and up the road. Fortunately, I had grabbed my phone. 

This!!!

and this...

By the way, I just learned out how to shorten a video on my phone.  I am not regretting my new phone. 

I meant to end this post when I went to bed but I lost track.  So, I will end here.  It is almost time for dinner and I am being very unsocial. Plus, I hear the our hosts make their own raspberry wine and there was talk of sharing a bottle.  Until next time.