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Published: September 13th 2009
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Gulsara
The owner of the Cafe Chebek and Motel Day 10, July 4, 2009, Saturday, Ishembi: If it were not for this travel diary and my Mac, I would not really know what day it is. I am not even sure how many days I have been in Kyrgyzstan at this point, except that it appears to be day ten according to the diary. One loses all track of time except for sunrise and sunset in places like Lake Issy-Kul. And that, of course, is the point.
Gulnara, Emil's mother, Timurlan's aunt, and my friend, arrived sometime late last night and is sleeping in one of the rooms. Timka waited up for her until after midnight. I fell out about eleven. I awoke at around 5 am thanks to the
it (dog)
couplet (chorus). Something starts them off almost every morning at about the same time, though this morning it seemed earlier than usual. But there are a number of dogs serving as alert machines and guards to property. One poor small dog is located just behind us in the yard of a construction project that has one person working on in on good days. He is chained to a tree and has a small dog house to
Uuluuk
On board the Ala-Too, a power boat tour of the north shore of Lake Issy-Kul allow him to get out of the rain and weather, but he seems so sad to me. I am constantly amazed at what a difference there is in the way animals are treated and cared for here. I also realize that those of us with strong English and German backgrounds have strong attachments to our animals. Here, dogs are considered useful only for the guardian functions. For the most part they do not receive any real training. They are provided food and housing for their guardian and alert qualities.
At any rate, after a quick morning toilette that did not include a shower, because there is still no hot water in our cabinet, but a shave in cold water and a bracing splash, I am settled back at my favorite table at the Cafe Chebek at 8 am. I have to force myself to stay in the room until at least 7:30 am each day because the cafe does not really open until about that time. I know when there will be someone here because the first deliveryman comes around 7:15 and honks his horn, then Gulsara is summoned and the day is underway. There are several bread deliveries
Timurlan
Timka anticipating a swim off the boat. each day. I have not quite figured out why there are more than one, other than a desire on her part to support other businesses. The one constant at the cafe is the music, Russian and Kyrgyz pop, for the most part. While I like some of it, a lot of it has electronic music as its base and seems repetitive. Occasionally, there is American rap thrown in to the mix, but it is not current. It provides a background for everything I write and for every meal. Do I need to tell you that it is getting old after seven days and I am longing for a new program of music?
Yesterday's deteriorating weather held off long enough for us to take a small excursion on a small power boat for about an hour. It was interesting to see the lake from the water and to travel down the shoreline past where we have been swimming and to see it from a different angle. I took photos and movie clips of the adventure. Two employees of the cafe came with us. Uuluuk, the young man who helps with various tasks, and Cholpon, who is the chief cook. It
The Park About Religion
Meeting spaces, sculptures, small buildings with religious symbols on them. was Luuk's first time ever aboard a boat. We had a fun time.
One of the things I saw that I do not understand yet was what appears to be a number of structures related to religion on the shore. There were a number of spaces, including places that looked like area's for gatherings of large groups, plus individual small buildings that had religious markings on the top including a Islamic crescent and an Orthodox Christian cross. I assume that the other small buildings of similar design were for other religions. I took some photos and clips of the place. Hopefully, someone will be able to fill me in about the place if I show them to it.
By the evening, the weather began to change and the rain began. It is still raining this morning and I think it may last all day from the look of the sky. But it is hard to know what will happen. It does not rain torrents here, like it does in Houston or along the US Gulf Coast. The rain is soft and almost like the fog in San Francisco. The rain rolls in from off the sides of the mountains the way the San Francisco fog sometimes rolls down Twin Peaks into the Castro.
I took advantage of the situation in order to put together a short 10 min film of the beach and the boat ride to show people today. But I just reviewed it and realize that I have to re-edit it. The movie took forever to render last night. I started the process around 10 pm and it was still going when I woke up around 1 pm. It was finished when I woke at 5. But I left some things in it that need to be cleaned up.
I need to make another one today about the Cafe Chebek. We have clips of people singing and of my impromptu birthday party that will be fun to show them.
So, another day at Lake Issy-Kul begins. Emil called from Houston last night and told me that if he were here he would be sleeping a lot. I said we have been following his advice. I need more coffee this morning. And I think I will skip the reading of Said Nursi until later today before that afternoon nap.
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