Monday, October 8, 2007
Let's go to the videotape
Part 1 - Saint Petersburg and Moscow
Part 2 - Bishkek and Lake Issyk-Kul
Part 3 - At-Bashy through the end of the trip:
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Looking back

There's a great 360 degree view of the square here.




One of the things I noticed about Russia is the contrast between public and private spaces. The public spaces are elaborate and ornate, while most of the apartment buildings we visited were pretty run-down and poorly maintained. The apartments inside were nice, but the common spaces (hallways, elevators, etc.) were very poorly maintained by American standards.


But I have to say... one of the things I was craving most by the end of the trip, was a large coke with ice in a paper cup. You can't get a really cold drink over there... anywhere.





The building across the square you see reflected is actually an upscale shopping mall, and was during Soviet times as well. Strange that such an obvious symbol of capitalism has such a prominent place on Red Square.





This place could be Lake Tahoe East, no problem.






That's it for now... check back in a few weeks (or months) and I'll have the video done.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Back home & At-Bashy pics














At-Bashy was definitely a fun adventure. There were some downsides...the ride there and back, the bathroom facilities (don't ask), the smells you might imagine with all the horses and sheep around... but overall I'm glad I went. I met a ton of really friendly people and saw some sights I never would have gotten to see otherwise. Definitely a highlight of the trip, for me.
More pics from the rest of the trip later...
Sunday, August 26, 2007
At-Bashy
Lena wanted to spend some QT with her mom, and a friend of hers had invited us to this festival, so I went solo. At-Bashy is a gorgeous place. There are wide open rolling hills, framed by tall, snow capped mountains with China on the other side. It was a looong 6-hour drive over bad roads to get there, but I'm glad I went.
As promised, I slept in a yurt with 3 other guys, but one of them spoke English so I was able to make at leat some conversation. I was the only American there, so the local Kyrgyz people were all very friendly and welcoming. Random people would come up to me and say "hello" in English and shake my hand. A few kids who were studying English in school sought me out and wanted to practice with me.
The festival was to dedicate a new museum of Kyrgyz culture, and it's the site of the ruin of a 100 year-old fort that was really cool.
I took a side trip one day to a really beautiful, and even more remote spot called Tash Rabat. It's one of those places where pictures just don't even come close to showing how beautiful it is.
I ate a lot, including fantastic fresh lamb... and drank vodka with the locals. They're very into making toasts, and for some reason I had to down a full shot every time, while they were just sipping. Hmmmm...
Anyway, I'm back in Bishkek now, and I'll try to post some pics later on. We leave for home early tomorrow morning, and I'll post a whole mess o' pics when I get back.
I hope everyone's doing well. See you soon!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Issyk-Kul
Lake Issyk-Kul is the 2nd largest high altitude lake in the world. It's very beautiful... deep blue color with crystal-clear water, surrounded by high, snow-capped mountains. It's just now starting to attract foreign investment, so it's still pretty dumpy by western standards, but the place we're in is quite nice.
We took a ride up into the mountains today, to a tourist-y national park, but it was beautiful. Classic 3rd world experience when we got there... we were immediately surrounded by 10 or 12 people trying to get us to ride their horses, eat their food, take pictures with their hawks (?!) or whatever... thank god for Lena. She did a great job holding them at bay and negotiating. We ended up taking a 1 hour horseback ride, followed by a very tasty lunch of a salmon-like fish they call "flounder", bread with fresh honey and jam, and the local delicacy: horse milk. Very pungent and strong but I liked it.
Then we stopped at a market in Cholpon-Ata on the way back and did a little bargain hunting. I got a pretty nice pair of leather sandals for 300 som (about $8) and a nice lined windbreaker that I'll need next week for 400 som. (around $10) I let Lena do the bargaining, as the price immediately goes up if they think you're American.
Tomorrow I think we just lie on the beach.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Pics!


View from a balcony in downtown Bishkek. The mountains are amazing.
Lena and her Mom... Zinaida.
On the hiking trip to the mountains: L to R Lena's nephew Losha, me, Lena's son David, Lena's Step-Dad Anatoly.
Anatoly. Check out the eyebrows. He's a major character.
Brother-in-law Igor. Work in TV here, so we've been trying to talk shop, but it's not going to well, because he doesn't speak any English, and Lena and Gilana, who translate, don't understand the tech stuff. Oh well...
Sister Natasha, Lena, daughter Gilana, niece Stasia
Off to Lake Issy-Kul tomorrow, so may not post again, but I'll try.
Blind Yak: The food is awesome, not much music and zero golf. I'm not even sure there's a golf course in Kyrgyzstan. We've been eating mostly here at Natasha's apt., and they're cooking up great local dishes that I have no idea how to describe, but it's all great.
Oh, and lots of Vodka, hehe.