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Published: September 29th 2009
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Ala-Too Square at Night
New lights, fountains and flowers greeted me on my return to Bishkek. Day 25, July 20, 2009, Monday, Duishombu: I awoke this morning at 6 am, thinking that I was going to grab a shower, but for some reason, there is no hot water in the bathroom this morning. It is not uncommon for there to be either only cold or only hot water in Bishkek. It has something to do with the infrastructure problems created by the growth of the capital over the last few years. Extending services to everyone is a challenge for a country whose annual per capita income is probably about $150 a month. But it is not a problem, I will wait for awhile to see what develops and after I write this note this morning, I will take a cold shower if necessary.
It is hot in Bishkek. And it may be a little hotter than it was in Osh. I would estimate the temperature at around 96 degrees yesterday with a humidity level of about 80%!,(MISSING) so it is much like my hometown of Houston in the United States. But there is often a light breeze that helps to break the intensity of the heat in July which comes off the mountains that surround
Doves pose with you
Photographers had doves as props for pictures the city. In the kitchen at the table that is the center of all activity for this family, I am actually fairly cool this morning without a fan or air conditioner running. In the room where I sleep, there is a fan that I bought last summer while I was here that provides the only cooling needed for me to sleep. I did not have one in Osh and thought maybe I should buy one as a gift, which is essentially what I did here. Of course, the gift was mostly a benefit for me. But it is really nice to have to sleep under at night and to have the white noise it produces. The morning chorus here is less rustic than Osh, there is no one selling milk and iran, there are few bird sounds, there is the morning dog chorus as things get moving, and there is the sound of the babies when they wake up. Asi has become a little less fussy, probably because she is no longer teething at the moment, and is learning to express herself in other ways than crying for attention. I just heard her babbling her own name. In the kitchen,
the sound of the refrigerator and the water cooler turning off and on provide a background noise.
At the Osh airport yesterday, I met a couple of young men from a Russian soccer club for youngsters who are touring the country playing matches and doing cultural things. They were very interested in my Ipod nano. Also at the airport were a trio of musical performers, the girl singer apparently is quite famous since Timka recognized her. The two boys were playing the
hormuz and another deeper voiced traditional instrument as they waited for the plane. I listened to them while also listening to an interview by Terry Gross of Woody Allen on an Fresh Air podcast I recorded before coming to Kyrgyzstan. Those podcasts of This American Life and Fresh Air have sometimes been just the tonic I needed to feel still connected to the US.
When I got off the plane, I thanked the crew, as I always do, and they seemed a bit taken aback that anyone would thank them. I deplaned, followed the crowd, found my bag quickly and went outside and there were Timka and Gulnara waiting for me. We loaded up in her
car and headed quickly back from Manas Airport to Bishkek. There was also something comforting to see the USAF KC-135's still lined up at the airport. The US and Kyrgyzstan have managed to resign a base lease agreement to keep these supply aircraft in Kyrgyzstan and to allow US military and civilians working in Afghanistan to transit through the base. Kyrgyzstan is extremely well positioned for the base and after a rough negotiation, which at one point had the US leaving, the current Kyrgyz government has resigned a lease with the US at a considerable increase in payments.
The national elections for president are about to occur. I have different dates from everybody. I thought I read that it would be the 26th of July, now I am told it will be the 23rd. The conclusion is probably forgone. Bakiev, the current president, would seem to be the only candidate from the TV ads, signage on the streets and other forms of advertising. But there are actually three other candidates. A woman, about whom I have heard very little, a fellow whose last name is Atambiev, and a fellow named Nazariliev. The most interesting thing I have heard is
that Nazariliev has promised that if elected he will give 100,000 Soms to each family, that would be about $2,356 per family. I keep asking where the money will come from, no one can answer, except to say that Nazariliev is very rich from the pharmaceutical company he owns. There was some confusion in the explanations at first since my interpreters kept saying it was drug money.
Last night we had a meal of rice, beef, onions in a Chinoiserie style around 6 pm. Then about 9 pm I was invited back to the table for fruits. Cherries, nectarines, two different melons. Then we loaded up in Boris' Honda Oddessy and went down to Bishkek's Ala-Too Square where the have installed new fountains that dance with the music, and new lighting and huge photographs displaying the most important tourist sites in the country hanging from two of the public buildings. It was quite spectacular. The square also has been filled with flower beds and beautiful flowers. The place was teeming with people. Commercial photographers were taking pictures of family groups in front of every fountain. Hawkers were selling light sticks and balls that glowed and lit up.
Music was blaring over the square and I appeared to be the only one who was moved to dance. That, of course, always draws interest when the fat man dances. Timka becomes embarrassed for me, Gulnara laughs, Boris thinks I am the freest spirit he has ever seen, and I have a really good time. I kept getting separated from everyone because I would become fascinated by something or someone and head in that direction. Only to be called back like a 5 year old and told to watch out for the
urrus because they were everywhere. Actually, what was every where were families, young and old, sophisticated young people in snappy casual clothing with designer names on them, families who had clearly come in from the farm to see this new sight in the city, and probably if you stood there long enough you would meet everyone you knew in Bishkek before the night was over. It is quite stunning. I took some photos but I really needed the Nikon D40 or better to capture the fountains. I will process the digital images later this morning to see what really came out that might be usable.
It's Monday, Duishombu, and I am anxious to see what the day will bring. I don't really have much of an agenda today. So we will see what comes up.
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