Supara

Look who I've found here in Kyrgyzstan: my girlfriend Lilia, my daughter Milena and my cousin Eliane!

After one month in Bishkek I have completed the first stage of my trip, as I am now done with school. My family joined me here for two weeks of holidays... within what actually already is holidays for me.

For the current week, we have booked an organized tour in the countryside with a guide and a driver. Afterwards Eliane flies back to Switzerland while Lilia, Milena and I spend a few more days together in the capital. I will then stay again on my own one more month in Karakol, a town in the Tian Shan mountains on the east shore of Issyk-Kul.

 

We've been all together to Supara, an ethno-complex (as they call it) near Bishkek.

 It is a restaurant that serves typical Kyrgyz food in a traditional setting. 

 The (beautiful) complex is mostly built with stones and wood.

Each yurt is decorated with a different theme.

Sokuluk and Issyk-Ata

Last week-end I went again in the mountains around Bishkek. I booked two excursions with TUK - the Trekking Union of Kyrgyzstan. They organize tours in groups that cost next to nothing: about 6€ for a one day trip, including transport and a guide. It is a good way to meet local people as well as expats or tourists while discovering beautiful landscapes.

On Saturday we've been to Sokuluk Canyon, in the south-west of Bishkek. Its main attraction is an impressive waterfall, the 60 meter high Belogorka Waterfall.

Starting the hike with the whole group, about 30 persons.

 Following the Sokuluk River up to the waterfall.

The Belogorka Waterfall.

On Sunday we visited Issyk-Ata, an old Soviet Sanatorium built in 1891 with hot water springs and baths. Unfortunately the guide didn't spoke well English and only gave explanations about the Sanatorium in Russian. We then walked along the valley until a small waterfall, and to a view-point over the Issyk-Ata River.

The entrance of the Issyk-Ata sanatorium.

Walking through the Issyk-Ata Valley.

The waterfall, not as impressive as the one in Sokuluk.

 Overlooking the Issyk-Ata River.

Kyrgyz food

Beside the Shashlik that we already met in a previous post, the Kyrgyz Republic has numerous other tasty dishes to offer - well, at least if you like meat and dough. Most of them also exist in a similar or slightly different form in either Russia or other countries of Central Asia.

Below a short summary of the local food I ate in Bishkek. There is one traditional drink, however, that I haven't encountered yet: the famous Kumis, made of fermented mare's milk. Several people told me that it doesn't taste like anything you already had. And they did not meant it in a positive way... I'll let you know as soon as I will have the burden pleasure to try it, which will for sure happen in the countryside.

The national dish of Kyrgystan Besh Barmak, which literally means Five Fingers, as nomads used to eat it with their hands. In the top left corner, a basket of Baursaki, a sweet and fat - and therefore very good - fried bread.

Tip of the day: knife are not used during meals; the food can easily be eaten with a fork and a spoon.

My all time favorite, Blini, a thin pancake found in most of the former soviet republics. 

Tip of the day: in Russian, you can say Blin! (the singular form of Blini) as a polite way for Damn!

Manti, dumplings made of lamb, beef, potatoes, onions, etc. 

Tip of the day: it also exists with pumpkins, but I haven't tasted that version yet.

Laghman, thick noodles served with meat and vegetables.

Tip of the day: do mix the noodles and the garnish together.

 Golubtsi, which are peppers stuffed with rice and meat.

Tip of the day: you will feel at home when you will notice that your home family prepare it in the exact same way as your girlfriend.

Pelmeni, an other Russian dish that I'm used to eat in Switzerland. It is some meat filled in thin dough, served with Smetana (sour cream) and dill. 

Tip of the day: put as much Smetana as you want on Russian dishes; don't do it with Central Asian ones!

 Khachapuri is a typical Georgian dish consisting of cheese and eggs baked within dough.

Tip of the day: after that, you will feel exactly the same as after eating a fondue moitié-moitié.

Skazka canyon

I have yet to explain what we did on Sunday during our trip to Issyk-Kul. Before swimming again in the lake, we had a walk in the absolutely stunning Skazka canyon. It is a national park near Tamga with rock formations of incredible shapes and colors.

As much as Ala-Archa looked relatively similar to the alpine landscape of Switzerland, Skazka has a completely different scenery to propose.

Leaving the main road for Skazka canyon.

Overlooking Issyk-Kul and the park entrance. 

 Because of the shapes of its eroded rocks...

...and their magical colors...

...the park is called Fairy Tale canyon in English.

An overview of the canyon.

The Chinese Wall of Skazka.

 With Asel, Arstan and Nuriza.

Issyk-Kul

Last week-end I had another opportunity to escape the heat of Bishkek. I joined Asel and two of her friends - Arstan and Nuriza - for a ride to Issyk-Kul. Surrounded by the Tian-Shan mountain range, it is by far the biggest and most famous lake of the country.

We left Bishkek by car on Friday evening. As we were approaching our destination a few hours later in the dark, I could perceive the shadows of the mountains around me illuminated by the moon, but I will have to wait for Saturday to actually see them.

We slept in a basic guesthouse in Tamga, a small town that is judiciously described in another blog as a 'village in the middle of nowhere, in a country that is already quite in the middle of nowhere as a whole'. It is said that Yuri Gagarin - the first human in space ever - once stayed here during holidays.

Saturday, we drove a few kilometers towards the mountain and hiked to one of the Barskoon Waterfall. Arstan cooked some tasty chicken Shashlik (skewered meat), and we then headed to Issyk-Kul. We alternated between swimming in the lake and laying down on the beach... until Arstan prepared the second barbecue of the day.

The XS guesthouse in Tamga.

Tamga in front of the Tian-Shan mountains. 

 First views of the 180 km long Issyk-Kul.

 Barskoön valley. The road leads to Kumtor, an open-pit gold mine at 4000 meters.

One of the Barkskoön Waterfall. 

 Near the waterfall with Arstan and Asel.

A portrait of Yuri Gagarin sculpted in the rock. 

 Arstan and his barbecue...

...cooking some chicken Shashlik.

The beach near Tamga.

Arstan trying to make us believe that it is not ready yet.

Kadzhi-Say, where we had lunch on Sunday.

The colorful landscapes of the Tian-Shan mountains. 

Some spots like Ton are rather crowded. 

On the other side of the road.

Eating in a yurt on Ton beach.

My first time in a yurt ever.

Daily routine

As you can imagine, I'm actually not hiking everyday in Ala-Archa or in some other magnificent national park. I'm primarily here to learn to speak Russian, so I go to school - the London School Of Languages and Cultures - where I get 5 hours of private lessons per day.

The London School Of Languages And Cultures.

The school is only 15 minutes away by foot from where I live. I start at 8:30 AM with 2 hours and 40 minutes of grammar, followed by a reading lesson of one hour twenty, a long break, and another one hour of conversation. With such schedule, I'm doing some solid progress!

 Baitik Baatyr, also known as Sovetskaya street. I walk everyday from here up to the school, in front of the tower.

Afterwards I have lunch either at school or at home, where I sometimes play board games with the kids - Ildar and Sanjar. I brought them as gifts Carcassonne and Pyramide d'Animaux, which they enjoy to play. Explaining the rules and playing with them in Russian is also a very good practice for me.

Playing Pyramide d'Animaux with the kids.

During the afternoon I usually go for a walk in the city during one or two hours. Now that I have seen the main sights, I just walk randomly where I haven't been yet. When coming back home, I do my homework or write this blog, and eat with my host family.

Random walk in Bishkek.

On Wednesday there is no school, but there are some optional workshops in groups about grammar and conversion during the afternoon. I regularly visit them, but unfortunately they are not very popular, so most of the time I end up alone or only with another student. Anyway I'm starting to know more and more people at school with whom I can go have a drink.

My room in the apartment.

Ala-Archa canyon

As previously said, there is not much to see in Bishkek. However the real attractions of Kyrgyzstan are not the cities, but the wonderful mountains around, including three peaks over 7000 meters.

About 40 km south of the capital, there is the Ala-Too range and its national park, the Ala Archa canyon. I have been hiking there last week-end, which also allowed me to temporarily escape the heat of Bishkek.

 Heading to Ala-Archa.

The entry of the park.

Kyrgyzstan is sometimes called the "Switzerland of Central Asia".

 On the way to the Ratsek hut.

My guide Artem and the Peak Korona behind him. With an elevation of 4860 meters, it is already more than what the Alps have to offer.

 The Ratsek hut at about 3350 meters. It serves as a base camp for the mountaineers climbing the peaks around.

 Saturday afternoon it starts to rain in Ala-Archa. In Bishkek the sun is still shining.

Sunday, again in the park, with another guide, on another route. 

The bridges are rather rudimentary. 

 I had to come in Kyrgyzstan to see my first edelweiss in the wild...

... and my first yaks!