STOP PRESS:
A little insight for you on the differences between the national identities of each Stan as explained to me by a Kyrgyz-born university student who was studying in England with excellent English. I met him at Osh airport on my way to Bishkek. This is his perspective. In the ancient past there were 4 pure ethnicities (races): Persian, Turkic, Mongol and Slavic. Due to invasions and conquests, the modern-day 5 Stans are different mixtures of these with the old Russian USSR occupation as common ground. This is very similar to Central America where Aztec and Maya are the pure races and the Spanish occupation was the common element. He described Turkmenistan as the most Turkic (the Turks in Turkey came from here) with a Latin alphabet like Turkey. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan all have Cyrillic Alphabets (like Russia). Uzbekistan is more Persian. Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are more Turkic so they understand each other’s language (but not Uzbekistan) and cuisine is similar. Russia drew up the political border of the 5 Stans just like Spain drew up borders for the 8 Central American nations. More differentiators to come from other guides and I will pull them all together at the end to summarise the characteristics of each in an easy-to-read table.
Welcome to the last post of Kyrgyzstan.
Contrast sleeping in until 11am, then running, then walking city vs truck shopping and riding for the next 8-10hrs to a bush camp. This is one of the main reasons I decided to jump the truck for a second time. The truck was headed to 1 night of bush camping and 3 nights of Yurt sleeping against famous Song-Kul Lake. I was headed to 1 night in Osh then 3 nights in the capital Bishkek with day trips to multiple famous sites including Song-Kul Lake. I get to trade in sitting on truck with more sites while enjoying bed and internet.
I completed my inaugural 10km run at 1pm in a warm but nice 25C at 1,055m. Terrific feeling. Only one more “Stan” to run. After my interview with 19yr old Malika (daughter of hostel owner who now manages the place), she dialled up a GO car (like UBER) for me to travel to my first main attraction of Osh City: Sulayman-Too. This is a Muslim sacred mountain which is the only UNESCO site in Kyrgyzstan. It was once a major place of pre-Muslim pilgrimage and marked the midpoint on the ancient Silk Road. Sulayman (Solomon) is a prophet in the Qur'an, and the mountain contains a shrine that supposedly marks his grave. Women who ascend to the shrine on top and crawl through an opening across the holy rock will, according to legend, give birth to healthy children. The trees and bushes on the mountain are draped with numerous "prayer flags", small pieces of cloth that are tied to them. This place has sweeping views of the city and close to the centre. The centre has very little to offer the tourist. No grand buildings, few statues, no boulevards – in short, very little to photograph or film. The highlight downtown is the Osh Bazaar which claims to be the oldest in the world running for 2000 years. I walked to Alumbek Datka Park which offered an Archaeological Museum, a Statue of the first President of Kyrgyzstan, a giant Yurt restaurant and a giant Yurt Tourist office. That’s it for Osh. The 2nd largest statue of Lenin was too far away so I decided to cab it back to a hot chicken place at 3pm close to my hostel that I had seen running. After running and walking Osh, I concluded that its buildings and statues are heavily influenced by the old USSR. It even has old “trolley buses” (buses with tyres and overhead rods riding along overhead electrical cables). The city is very run-down and in need of repair. Not really a place to come and visit – a rest stop for weary Pamir travellers like us. Back at the hostel it was time for exactly that – a good rest, blogging and a few calls to home under a strong hostel internet. The day ended with plenty of chicken, wine and even ice-cream !!! I may not be able to feed you with food but here are a few photos instead…
Today (Mon 2JUN) was Bishkek day !!! Up at 630am and in a GO car headed 14km to the airport. GO cars are dirt cheap – only $2.25AUD to ride 6km and $6.50AUD to ride 14km. Food is dirt cheap. I think Kyrgyzstan might be the cheapest Stan so far. The flight from Osh to Bishkek took only 1hr and on time. Only thing is Tez Jet used a 30yr old MD-11-83 to fly us there !!! This plane is old and must have belonged to at least 2 American airlines before it found its home in Kyrgyzstan. We flew over snow-covered mountains and landed in ultra-green fertile land near the capital. Landing at the airport revealed where all the world’s older aircraft now flew. First time I have seen 747-200B’s which were built in the 1980s !!! Relax – most carry cargo. The airport is 29km from the hostel so it took 50min to get in with traffic since hostel is near the centre. At 1230pm we walked in and secured a room with 4 bunks for the 3 of us for the next 3 nights until the truck arrives to cover the last 3 nights – 6 nights in all. It took a while to explain to the lady at reception about the 3 of us covering the 4th bed !!! Maths was not her strong point. I spent the rest of the arvo recreating my kitchen (my plastic bag with wine, cheese and olives in it) since I do not carry it on flights. Easy peasy. Found some great wine and returned to hostel to book three days trips for the rest of the time in Bishkek.
My first day in Bishkek (Tue 3JUN) started with a run that went well. After confirming my day trips, I completed my solo walk of the city from 11am to 3pm with 28C the top. Bishkek (Pop 1,165,500, Elev 800m) is the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. It was founded in 1825 with a fortress to control local caravan routes on the Silk Road. In 1860 the Russians invaded, destroyed the fortress and established a settlement in 1868 on the site of the fortress. I visited the following attractions: University of Central Asia, Bay Tash Tower, Victory Square, Theatre Square, National Opera & Ballet, Museum of Fine Arts, Russian Drama Theatre, Red Guard Memorial, Oak Park, Kurmanjan Datka Memorial, Art Gallery, Marx & Engels Memorial, Lenin Memorial, National Historical Museum, Ala-Too Square & Fountain & Huge Flag Pole, Kyrgyz Dramatical Theatre, Kyrgyzstan-Russia Friendship Memorial, National Parliament Building, Panfilov Park Ferris Wheel, Gorky Park. The highlight was the ride in the giant Ferris Wheel with commanding views of the city – I tried to get this view from a tall apartment block but they would not let me but in the end I won with this wheel – all at the last minute. That night William found a local traditional restaurant and we enjoyed the national dish and drink in this country: BESHBARMAK = homemade noodles with horse meat and KUMIS = fermented horse milk !!! The former is delicious, not gamey and tastes like Wagyu Beef Pappardelle. The latter is like a very salty yogurt drink. Here are my Bishkek photos to help your appetite…
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William and I rose 630am on Wed 4JUN to start our two-day, overnight journey to Song Kul Lake where the truck was. Horse riding and an overnight Yurt stay is included in our trip. Not likely that we will see the truck since there are many yurts around the lake. The truck spent 3 nights in yurts but I felt one was enough so I could do other day trips and see more attractions using Bishkek as a base. This trip and tomorrow’s booked through VIATOR and the third via GET-YOUR-GUIDE. Easy. We were picked up at 945am am instead of 720am so not happy Jan !!! The boss texted me that he would compensate us at the lake – we wait in hope. William and I were the last to be picked up and we joined 3 South Korean guys (friends from high school) and 1 Pilipino girl. We arrived at our first stop at noon, 84km from Bishkek. The Burana Tower is a historic Silk Road minaret dating back to the 11th century AD. We climbed to the top for panoramic views of the valley. Next to the tower is a field of many ancient stone balbals (carvings). Another 49km saw us arrive at Globus Supermarket in the town of Kemin where we picked up a portable lunch for the car. Now the scenery started to get interesting slicing our way through narrow valleys rising steadily from 1000m to 2000m. After 74km the large man-made Orto-Tokoy Reservoir emerged, the first artificial lake in Kyrgyzstan. Built in 1956, it is 24 sq km with a maximum depth of 47m. Its waters are surprisingly clear. After another 61km we switched to a dirt road and started to climb. It started to rain – just in time for the start of the best part leading up to the Kalmak Ashuu Mountain Pass at 3,446m only 37km away but with some effort to get there. We were at Pamir heights again but not with the same mesmerising scenery. Nevertheless, the scenery was great with wide valleys and not much vegetation. Only one small agricultural village of Keng-Suu before the lake. The drive up to Kalmak Ashuu Mountain Pass was the highlight with spectacular snow-covered mountains in the distance and a muddy windy dirt road leading to the top. After a quick snap at the top (given it was 10C) we headed down into a vastly different landscape of wide-open fields with short green grass. There were many wild horses grazing and hundreds of farmed cattle and sheep. It was another 21km from the top to our Yurt Camp and Song Kul Lake was just visible dure to the overcast grey and misty conditions. We arrived at the family run MURAS Yurt Camp at 545pm at 2,972m after a total drive of 326km over 8hrs elapsed time. There are 12 Guest Yurts with 4 beds each, 2 Dining Yurts, 1 Cooking Yurt and 3 family yurts for the owners and staff looking after us.
A YURT (from the Turkic languages) or GER (Mongolian) is a portable, round tent covered and insulated with skins or felt and traditionally used as a dwelling by several distinct nomadic groups in the steppes and mountains of Northern Central Asia. The structure consists of a flexible angled assembly of wood or bamboo for walls, a door frame, ribs (poles, rafters), and a wheel (crown, compression ring) possibly steam-bent as a roof. The roof structure is sometimes self-supporting, but large yurts may have interior posts or columns supporting the crown. Yurts take between 30 minutes and three hours to set up or take down, and are generally used by between five and 15 people. Nomadic farming with yurts as housing has been the primary way of life in Central Asia, particularly Mongolia, for thousands of years. Kyrgyz yurts differ from others due to a higher roof, a dome-shaped structure, and the use of birch poles and felt for insulation, which allows for easier adjustment of lighting and ventilation.
Our yurt was very cosy with beds covered in many layers of thick woven colourful patterned blankets. We had power and even a pot belly stove which was to be lit after dinner. The air in the unheated yurt was cool and not icy like outside. Under the many woven blankets, it is bliss. I started on wine, olives and cheese in my yurt and broke new records of cultural indulgence in very basic environs !!! At 7pm we sat in a heated “dining yurt” with 5 long tables and enjoyed a local nomadic dinner. A salad of tomato, shredded carrot and lettuce followed by a soup of beef, carrots and potato. Main was stewed chicken with broad noodles wrapped around cooked cucumbers. Delicious. I ended this terrific day watching The Royle Family and sipping Chardonnay in my yurt no 9 heated by hot coals in the pot belly stove next to the front door. Amazing that I could be doing this so far from civilisation with a lake and horses in 4C outside at 3,000m.
One of the best sleeps of the trip. Complete and utter silence all night. Cosy all night. Got up for a wee at 2am under a magic clear night with neighbouring yurts under a crescent moon. I shall never forget this seen. So surreal. So magical. Thank goodness for a blue-sky morning that revealed the Song Kul Lake and huge snow-covered mountains on the distant opposite bank.
Song Kul Lake lies at an altitude of 3,016m and has an area of 270km2, being 29 m long by 18km wide. Deepest point is 13.2m. It is the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan after Issyk Kul, and the largest fresh water lake in the country. It is officially classified a wetland with large numbers of waterfowl on passage migration. There are breeding colonies of demoiselle cranes, bar-headed geese and black-headed gulls.
After an 8am brekkie of omelette and pancakes it was time to burn them off with a 1.5hr horse ride. Great experience riding on a wide open plain with nothing but a lake and mountains around you. Even managed to complete my first interview on horseback !!! Our lakeside yurt stay would not be the same without a dip in the icy waters of Song Kul Lake !!! 10C and totally invigorating. I bad farewell to this terrific lakeside yurt experience at 1030am and we headed back the same way to Bishkek. The scenery just came to life in the sun – I will leave it to the photos.
We made a quick stop at the same Kalmak Ashuu Mountain Pass but this time under brilliant colour and sunshine. Our only main stop was at the town of Kochkor (Pop 15,101, Elev 1,767m) where we enjoyed an included traditional Kyrgyz lunch comprising 6 typical dishes: Beshbarmak (Noodles, Horse), Lagman Soup (Noodles, Beef, Broth), Lagman Stir Fry (Noodles, Beef, Veggies), Kurdak (Roast Beef & Potatoes), Fried Manti (Fried Beef Dumplings) and Steamed Manti (Steamed Beef Dumplings). This very tasty and satisfying lunch was washed down by Kyrgyz Pilsener 5.4% which ensured a smooth 3hr, 186km drive back to Bishkek. One stop only for pee and we pulled in at 530pm. Quick stock up and a nice movie and chips only tonight due to the sumptuous lunch !!!
Anvar, our driver and guide was on-time at 720am for our day trip to Issyk Lake. After picking up a Pilipino lady called Pretty we headed to our first stop, being the Burana Tower, 84km away, which I had already visited on my way to Song Kul Lake two days ago. From here we drove 207km directly to the town of Cholpon Ata, the cultural and historical heart of Issyk Kul Lake. The centrepiece is the Rukh Ordo Cultural Complex built in 2007. I have never seen anything like this. An outdoor area with decorated buildings paying homage to famous Kyrgyz people (poets, writers, warriors) and every major religion in the world to demonstrate Kyrgyzstan’s tolerance of the same. It was very well put together and a pleasure to visit. From here a lunch stop for Anvar, Pretty, Tyne, William while I went for 10km run !!! Excellent timing. I planned it given I would not have time in the next 2 days. I ran directly to the next stop being a Yacht Club for our 1hr cruise on Issyk Kul Lake itself.
Issyk Kul is a saline lake 180km from Bishkek. It is the 8th deepest lake in the world. It is 182km long and 60km wide giving a surface area of 6,236 square kilometres. It is the 2nd largest mountain lake in the world behind Lake Titicaca in South America. It is at an altitude of 1,607m and reaches 668m metres in depth. 118 rivers and streams flow into Issyk Kul making it no 11 in the world for volume.
We cruised out to a spot 5km from shore with a fabulous view of Cholpon Ata and the huge snow-covered ranges behind it just 30km from the Kazakhstan border. We dropped anchor and invited to swim. In I went with a group of lads from Uzbekistan into 15C water. Found it refreshing after my run and stayed in longer than expected – enough to explain the lake to my camera. Our next stop was a nearby wide field of boulders, many of which had petroglyphs (stone carvings) on them dating back to the 7th Century BC. Most were of antelopes with huge curly horns pursued by hunters. This boulder and stone field was left-over from a huge river system emptying into the lake. Our last stop was the Hot Springs of Cholpon Ata, which we declined to use since they looked like 3 hotel swimming pools with swarms of locals in them – no thanks !!! I equipped myself with an 11% 0.5L beer for the 262km beeline back to Bishkek through the picturesque Chu River Gorge making one stop along the river to appreciate its roaring reality. On our way back I realised that drivers are on their mobiles constantly, so much so, that I reckon they are fined for NOT using them while driving !!! I say this because we passed a police car and the police woman driver WAS ON HER MOBILE PHONE !!!
Arrival was at 815pm so it was quick action to walk around the corner to the local food place and BINGO – lovely roast chicken and potatoes for $14AUD. Celebration of a great day with wine and Fawlty Towers. There is nothing faulty about the photos you are about to see… after 574km and 13hrs of Kyrgyz wonders…
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Today was hiking day. One National Park, One Canyon and One Gorge. Set off at 730am with Anan the driver and Azat the guide. The Ala-Archa National Park is only 29km from our hostel. You then need to get on a shuttle bus to take you a further 11km through a winding green valley to the start of the trails. We hiked 3.5km along the river bed and up to the top of the western bank for glorious views. The hike was dead easy: 6.9km over 106min trek time and 150min elapsed time return, giving a 3.9km/h average. Hiked up from 2,187m to 2,382m and down again. Easy. I will let the photos describe what we saw – brilliant.
By 1130am we were off again back towards Bishkek in order to drive to the canyon and gorge. While driving back, we just asked Azat by chance, how long it would take to drive to the canyon and gorge. The answer hit us in the jaw – 2hrs !!! That meant 2hrs there ad 2hrs back plus 3hrs of hiking = 7hrs + 1130am = 630pm back !!! No good. We had to pack and post and this return would leave no time. Azat explained that this trip is a FULL DAY but it was advertised as a half-day (4hrs) on GET YOUR GUIDE. Given this, we opted to return to the hostel and forego the canyons and gorge. Pity. I was looking forward to them but satisfied with the mountain hike as you will see.
Back at the hostel it took a good 2.5hrs to prepare for Kazakhstan tomorrow. I enjoyed a sumptuous early dinner and full movie and ice cream before laying my head down for my last sleep in Kracking Kyrgyzstan…
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END OF KYRGYZSTAN
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