With semi-nomads in Tash-Rabat
With semi-nomads in Tash-Rabat |
 The big clean-up |
Some semi-nomads live here with their horses and herds of animals. In the summer they trade their houses in the valley for yurts made out of wood and felt. These yurts aren' t simply tents, but a creatively designed housing for the whole family that has been passed down over many generations. Everything has its place and its ritual sequence. We are allowed at our arrival to take the honored place where we „enjoy„ our welcome drink made out of a fermented, slightly alcoholic mare' s milk (kumys). The taste reminds us intensely of fresh vomit. We are polite and drink it all. A yurt is offered as quarters for the night and we are invited to tea by all of the very hospitable families one after the other.
 Hospitality |
Because life mostly takes place on the back of a horse in Kyrgyzstan we allow ourselves to be persuaded to take part in a "1 horse power off road tour." The ride over the wide, green edelweiss flower meadows is a dream. When we hear the next day that two sheep were torn apart by wolves in the herd close by we move from the yurt to our land cruiser roof-top tent. The ladder seems a little bit more secure to us than the thin cloth at the entrance of a yurt.
 1 horsepower off road |
 We' d rather be in the "land cruiser yurt" |
With heavy hearts we take leave from the families in Tash Rabat after two days. Time is short and we have to get to Bishkek quickly to get our papers together for further travel to Iran and Turkmenistan. We cannot forget to register within 72 hours after arrival at the OVIR offices.
We like Bishkek very much with its parks and green streets. With its 100 square meters of green area per resident it counts amongst the four greenest capital cities in the world. A sense of change is in the air and the badness of the past is slowly shaken off.
 Green Bishkek |
We drive from Bishkek back along the huge mountain lake of Issyk Kul. A Kyrgyzstan person recommends a very nice place with a family directly at the southern coast of the lake. We set up camp directly next to the yurts within a canyon. We spend a few beautiful days with turquoise blue water, sun and beach. If the snow-capped mountains weren' t in the background, you would think we are at the sea.
 At Issyk Kul |
 Issyk Kul beach |
Kyrgyzstan word of mouth gets us interested in the yearly national riding games at Song Kul. Again a nomad family warmly takes us in.
 Camping at Song Kul |
 Our neighbors |
A first class showcase of Kyrgyzstan riding tradition awaits us. Located in the mountainous region on a hill that acts as a natural grand stand, thousands of spectators and the best riders of the country gather here for the contests. The parade of riders in traditional clothing on horses and camels is first class theater. Even President Askar Akaev flies in on helicopter and brings with him a bedazzling Boris Yeltsin as „surprise guest.„ The atmosphere is comparable with the last game at world championship football.
 Rider games 1 |
 Rider games 2 |
 Rider games 3 |
 Spectator |
We leave our guest family again with a heavy heart. The grandmother comes with a pail full of „delicious„ mare' s milk to the car and shortly before she pours us a cup she takes the last bits of solid material out of the milk with her bare hands. With so much warmth we naturally have to drink our full cups down.
 Proud Kyrgystan people |
The next 400 kilometers leads us over asphalted tarmac and trails across Kyrgystan in a southwesterly direction. The scenery changes from high mountainous forest and dry canyon and back again until we arrive at the easterly edge of the fruitful Fergana valley. Fields of sunflowers, cotton plantations, grain fields and green meadows as far as the eye can see. Water is plentiful as is most of Kyrgystan. We arrive in Osh, an over 3,000 year old city and one of the oldest in Central Asia. There is no hint of the old important trade and caravan city of the Silk Road today. The very colorful bazaar is the only witness to the hectic goings-on of times past. We will prepare for the border crossing to Uzbekistan here.
 Destination Osh |
 Destination Osh 2 |
 Bazaar in Osh |