Day 4, Kyrgystan travel to Lake Issy-Kul

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Day 4, June 27, 2009, Saturday, Ishembi:

Another early morning for me, awaking at a little before 5 am. I forced myself back to sleep and managed to make it to 6 a.m. I am just constitutionally become an old man and waking at the same time each morning. Also, in strange beds, I seem to always wake up and not be able to go back to sleep right away. But, it gives me time to think and read, and usually write some. This morning though, I discovered that Timka had taken the computer to his room upstairs and I did not want to disturb anyone, so I just waited until now. It is about 8:30 a.m., the household has begun to rise. Ainura and Dinara, Asi, Alderit, Timka, Dushen, Timka's father, now his mother and two sisters have arrived.
I will write more later.

So the family came to see Timka off on the journey. Dushen departed to return to Kyzylkia. And we waited until around 11 am for Faruh to fetch us and take us on the trip to Lake Issy-Kul. Finally, he comes and we load our three small bags in the car, a 25 year old Mazda, with natural climate control, and head back to Faruh's apartment to wait for the rest of his family to pull it together. I met his uncle, mother, aunt, two sisters and his wife. We are traveling in a two car caravan to Lake Issy-Kul. The trip takes almost 8 hours, because we often have to stop for the second car to catch up. But the scenery on the trip is magnificent. As we leave Bishkek, we cross a fertile valley area where wheat, barley, maize, and other crops are grown. Faruh points out his small farm where his family grows potatoes, onions and carrots. I ask if he harvests the crops himself and he says yes. He is an interesting fellow. After the fields and farms we moved into the foothills of range of mountains that are really incredible. The hillsides are green and verdant at this time of the year. It is when people take the sheep to the mountain pastures. There are no words adequate to describe the view. Low lying hills are backed by mountain tops covered in glacial ice and snow. Small villages dot the road hanging to the roadside for support and information. We learned briefly by Russian television about the death of Michael Jackson yesterday evening. We continue to be without any internet access. I am hoping that I might find some in one of the areas close to the lake.

Faruh delays our arrival at the motel where we are staying with a short side trip to a Turkish School for young women in the area. It is a former Russian Air Force training camp that Hismet has converted into the school. During the summer, Hismet uses it for programs and retreats. A small number of young men and older men were there today reading and talking, and playing basketball and volleyball. The school has a large campus with a number of buildings. Teachers and their families are also housed on the campus. We were there for about 30 or 40 minutes.

Finally, we arrive at our destination. Faruh and his family are going on to another. So Timka and I wait for someone to come pick us up at the gate to one of the more ritzy resorts. The daughter of our lodge keeper arrives in her taxi and we go about 500 yards up the road to our little motel. Our room is like a little monk's cell with a bathroom. Three single beds which suits us fine. One bed immediately becomes a space for clothes. There is no chair, and there are only two small tables or nightstands, one of which becomes my work surface for these notes. We are on the all expense plan at the motel, they have a small cafe attached that also serves the public. We can eat and drink all we want. Our fees cover the entire bill. To get to the beach we have to walk back to the gates of the fancy place, then walk quite a way through their lovely gardens to the beach. But I am anxious to do so and as soon as Timka wakes, we will have breakfast together and then head to the beach for a day of fun in the sun.

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Photos

New Mosque
One of the many new mosques being built in Kyrgyzstan. This one along the road from Bishkek to Lake Issy-kul

A roadside cafe
A cafe and bustop along the mountain road that includes a mosque.

Mountain view
The landscape on the road

The travelers
Faruh and his family at the beach at the girl's school.