We have been very busy since we last talked.In fact you are getting a few days worth because we haven’t had wifi to share the adventure ps,Next stop Karakol. This is a smaller city. Like most of the villages and country cities we pass through, you are not sure if the houses are deserted, under repair or simply unfinished. To me they seem like someone isn’t quite sure what they want and so are working on it. Some houses reflect Russian design as they settled here. Containers are popular here for extra space or to use as shops.

 

In Karakol,is a mosque that was built by Chinese Muslims so it is in the shape of a pagoda. To enter the area all us girls have to put on a hooded ,long sleeved robe. Think Harry Potter in rainbow. What colour are you?The pagoda has sayings to inspire you on the outside entrance walls.

 

    Next stop is an Orthodox Christian church. It had been built without nails but during the Russian period had been used as a sports hall. Despite the risk,people managed to save some of icons. One was considered special as it survived a church fire and then the Russian religious ban.Best thing about the church is the beautiful plants that fill the church.

Up you get. Time to stretch and see the. Rock formations and walk along the gorge.

Don’t you think the rock colour is amazing? The story of the broken heart rock is of a shepherd and his love for a girl. He brought her flowers every day. When winter came she wanted Eidelweiss. He said it was too cold but she insisted. When he didn’t return she looked for him and found him frozen holding her flower. She cried and it caused the rocks to crack….the moral being be satisfied with what you have and don’t want more.

 

Tonight you are staying in a Yurt. Hope you are excited. Roads in Kyrgyzstan are even worse than at home. The one we are on as been under construction for 5 years. It runs along the edge of the Issyk kul lake. 

Find your yurt and then let’s go for a walk before watching them make those puffy bread and having dinner.   

   

 

Will you survive shoes off, shoes on.  Shoes are taken off  going into a yurt. Going to the loo in the middle of the night is going to be an event,isn’t it?

Near the yurt camp is an archeological site. It is the remains of the city of Burana. This was one of the cities created by the Khan family in the during the period of their reign. All that remains is the tower of the mosque. It was 45m originally raised on a platform. Now the restored minaret is 25m. No I am not climbing up it because the stairs are one person wide,no passing s not for me. You go.

They have found money, including shell money, vessels, gravestones from various religions and even a burial casket. People at this time were laid out on a platform and after a period , bones were collected and interned in a wooden or pottery funeral container.

Cemeteries here are like small towns. In fact when we were passing them early this morning , we thought they were deserted mud houses,You are buried in shroud in a sitting position and covered with rocks and dirt. No coffin for you! A fence is then put around and a monument or grave marker in front. This is white if the person is young. Women will have flowers to mark how many children they had. Men get a geometric design, if you have a dome, you have been to Mecca for the Haji.It is rather creepy thinking that all those skeletons are staring out at you.

To the capital Bishkek. This was named for a stick used in stirring the fermented mare’s milk. No I didn’t have any of this…a delicacy I decided to pass on along with the horse meat. Yes I know it is supposed to make you strong because of all the herbs horses eat but not in my comfort food zone. Sorry.The tomatoes are fabulous.

Bishkek is a more modern city. Most of the official buildings were constructed during the Soviet era. Trees line the streets and fill parks. This was part of the requirement to settle in the area…a tax was paid or 11 trees planted.

  

 

   
In the Republic square is the war memorial. It has 3 curved sides like a yurt but the 4th side is missing since many family members are also missing because of the war. A mother stands waiting for menfolk to return. Other statues are scattered showing the history of Kyrgyzstan.

 

Changing of the guards requires much precision and goose stepping. Your uniform must also be precise( one poor guard had his straightened , how embarrassing)

Dinner was an event with the quartet playing traditional instruments. I think we are all dumpling out as so many are left over.

 

OSH is at the southern end of Kyrgyzstan. People here are all  Muslim but are Uzbek and Kyrgios. Uzbek women are more traditionally dressed with a head scarf while Kyrgios women are dressed in a western style.This part of the country is quite poor and the roads are more holes than road. The main tourist attraction is a museum created in the caves. These have been used since the Bronze Age as a refuge.It now holds objects representing the history of OSH.

 

Did you like the women insisting of photographs? We had quite a time sharing photos. White hair and light skin is a novelty here.

People live in compound. There is a main gate and behind is a multigenerational house as the eldest male is expected to care for the parents. If you have a business, this is conducted at the front of the complex. We saw a knife maker and baker. Only the male family members will be taught the trade.  

 
Girls are expected to marry even if they continue their education beyond high school. Knife makers are amazing as they creat knives out of any metal they can find including car parts and handles are boar, ibex, or any other materials they can find.

Dinner was Plov made at an Uzbek compound.

 

Four stamps in your passports today. You leave Kyrgyzstan and go into Uzbekistan. Change buses and guides and travel 350km to Tajikistan. This is because Kyrgyzstan has brought in laws concerning contraband including drugs and this has created unrest between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and borders have been closed.This involves dragging bags,showing passports,walking with bags, more passport showing and bag dragging and then getting on another bus. It is quite a performance,isn’t it. They were a little suspicious of the Australian passport but after some discussion,decided all was okay.