Blogs from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Asia - page 7

Day 14, July 8, 2009, Wednesday, Sharshembi: A little hard to believe that I have been in Kyrgyzstan for two weeks, but the diary does not lie. I awoke early this morning with the rising sun pouring into the room where I sleep. It is on the front of the house on the lower level. And that is apparently the East, though when we pray we face the other direction. All of which runs counter to my native sense of direction. But it is going to be a bright sunshiny day with the attendant heat. Of course, since everyone sleeps late, it is hard to judge when the adventures for today will begin. One adventure has already begun. The coffee is not out where I can find it and has been put up somewhere. I have ... read more

Day 2, June 25, 2009, Thursday, Beishembi: I was up early this morning after sleeping most of yesterday. Five o'clock and I could not really return to sleep. I had some coffee, read for awhile, then went back to bed until about 7 a.m. I am the first one to rise in the household. The others seems to sleep later. I brought Reza Aslan's new book, Cosmic War, God, Globalization and The End of the War on Terror, with me for the trip. I read more in that this morning and I have finished the book this afternoon. Now I realize that I should have brought a couple of other things to get me through. I do have a couple of things in text form in the computer and I will be able to read them ... read more

Well it has been a long time that I have not updated my blog but hopefully my memory will not be too poor at remembering the twist in the various stages that have gone by one my trip. After Karakol with the french family with whom I was traveling for that week we went to Chopon-Ata, a hub of Russian-Khazak holiday makers. The difference is tremendous going from quiet streets and rather useless boulevards to a dis-organized but booming little town with nightclubs, beaches and countless rather fine restaurants. At the same time was a summit of 8 "presidents" composed essentially of the local administrators and some Kazakh representatives. For this event they had hundreds of policemen line the streets and control every access route at just under 20 kilometers in diameter. Tremendous. They also decorated ... read more

I have arrived in Bishkek after 23 hours of travel from Houston to Newark, Newark to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and a 2 hour car ride from Almaty to Bishkek. I was met at the Almaty airport by my friend's Father and two of his best friends, Sapar and Faruh, who were quite sleepy. The ride from Almaty was beautiful once the sun began to come up. Through the steppes and the foothills toward Bishkek. I am staying with the family of my good friend and spent the entire day after arrival either sleeping or eating. My young friend Timurlan has joined me to help me negotiate the language and to get the things I need. I will soon have a Kyrgys phone number and other things that will help us to get along. Friday, ... read more

Preparing For Kyrgys Republic Trip I am preparing to travel to Bishkek, Kyrgystan, in about two weeks. I have traveled to Kyrgystan last summer and got to see a number of places. This trip will be a longer stay that will allow me to explore other areas and to learn more about this "Switzerland" or "Colorado" of Central Asia. I decided to blog on Travel blog about the trip to this small former Soviet Republic, because there a number of people who have had unpleasant experiences who have reported them here recently. My experiences have been different. My travels have been quite pleasant and enjoyable. So, just a couple of preparatory comments seem in order. I have met and developed friendships with a number of young Kyrgys friends in Houston and also in Bishkek. Those relationships ... read more