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.
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.
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