Day 3, Kyrgyzstan Summer 2009

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Day 3, June 26, 2009, Friday, Juma:

I have awaken early again. I woke up quite naturally about 5 am. I thought I would just go back to sleep, but my head is filled with practical matters. So, I got up and took a shower, made some coffee, and realized that I did not bring the other books I wanted to read with me. Luckily, I do have the works of Said Nursi downloaded into this computer. I have been reading and discussing the Nursi with Emil, but it has been slow going. The original works are in Persian, it was translated to Ottoman Turkish, and I think the translation into English I am reading has attempted to maintain the rather poetic and embellished style of the Turkish. But I do have things to read while I have coffee and wait for the household to begin stirring. In general, the day begins around 8 or 9 am for them.

As a result on my visits here, I have established a pattern of reading, followed by some language acquisition and practice, and some writing each morning. The other issue today is that Emil's friend Faruh, Timka and I are heading to Lake Issy-Kul for some time at the beach and we are then traveling on to Naryn to see the sights and the land on the way. So I have to make sure we have camera's, sunglasses, sunblock, extra clothes, Pixar Baseball cap, and some Coms and dollars with us. I packed the carry-on backpack I bought for these short sorties. And just now remembered that I need two more things. The lake is about 4 hours away, as I remember. But of course that depends on who is driving. Naryn is about 10 or 11 hours away from Bishkek. So this is a three or four day adventure.

I am looking forward to it, inshallah.

Well, it is 11:30 am and we have just learned from my friend in America, Emil, that friend Faruh will not be able to take us today because something has come up. Emil has now suggested that I go the to Friday Prayers at the local mosque and is planning to have Faruh come and get me and take me there. I would like to see what sort of crowd goes to the mosque on Friday in Bishkek. The reporter in me wants to see as much of daily life as possible. I also must remember that this is a vacation for me and I am not expected to do very much. One sortie a day is about all that will be expected or allowed, apparently. And Friday's do appear to be slower.

Gulnara's brother Dushen arrived this morning from Kyzylkia bearing fresh fruits, apples, almalar, grapes, jyzum, nectarines, shabdaly and news from the village which is located south of the other major metropolitan area of Kyrgyzstan, Osh. Dushen has a number of children, two of whom I met last summer, Nursultan and Ernist, who are both excellent speakers of English. Nursultan is the youngest, about 15 years old, and he is very bright. Ernist is older, about 17, and also a very smart kid. They go to school at the same school at Timka, Sebat High School, a Turkish high school in the village. The English teacher is very good. Timka says the teacher jokes with them and makes learning fun.

So, today's plans changed and we will perhaps go to Lake Issy-Kul tomorrow with Faruh, and then on to Naryn, inshallah.

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