tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24176788958308885232024-03-17T15:49:11.472+08:00Slow Train Comingsal and rich wandering adventures Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-8473708094029353352024-03-02T07:54:00.001+08:002024-03-03T09:27:21.109+08:00HOP TO IT - Kampot and Rabbit Island, Cambodia <p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><i>.........our previous blog post about getting to Koh Rong Sanloem from Phnom Penh......</i></a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJWiBGyrNtVbhWV1MV8BLjzy1hGJEOnbuJDVz_S_RwmOAhEt1MPstEX1X1uG8Vp7gERs7Ta2vNGGOKgMXPVoGT1McHCbGVaEgxqpwuUlNAPKKM5Ly-CivaN01GqJQlIYPWQJqsPExpobXKSUWLBfrqIbwhpmSLC9s6cx1Wsbt8Pwbk2QByVWBl7woVxRb/s3061/20240207_122434_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1759" data-original-width="3061" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJWiBGyrNtVbhWV1MV8BLjzy1hGJEOnbuJDVz_S_RwmOAhEt1MPstEX1X1uG8Vp7gERs7Ta2vNGGOKgMXPVoGT1McHCbGVaEgxqpwuUlNAPKKM5Ly-CivaN01GqJQlIYPWQJqsPExpobXKSUWLBfrqIbwhpmSLC9s6cx1Wsbt8Pwbk2QByVWBl7woVxRb/w640-h368/20240207_122434_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rich in a garden, Kampot, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>Relieved</span><span> to be off the speed boat from Koh Rong Sanloem and not feeling seasick, we made our way to Sihanoukville railway station, an ugly beast of a building in the middle of the industrial port area. Securing a ticket early (we had heard the seats get sold out), we had plenty of time to relax and eat a meal and drink a fresh coconut from the friendly lady at the simple stall on the far side of the tracks. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">More and more tourists showed up in the station, then an announcement was made that the train would be delayed by 30 minutes....and then another 30 minutes. It was hot and people were starting to get fed up. When the train was seen to be pulling in to the platform, everyone rushed to the door in order to board before the thing had even stopped. The train was completely different in style to the previous one we had taken from Phnom Penh to Kep. This one was modern, no open windows, and only two carriages- hence the scrum to get on. After we all waited for the other passengers to disembark, there was yet another announcement that there would be a further 30 minute delay. Finally, we were allowed on, waited in the stifling heat for yet another 30 minutes, then eventually the trip began (and the AC was raised to an artic temperature). </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmbA1BPLOwOKKH1VLFH1vPahbB0b7C0P7RfS0wQiDD0mW8jztSnqZvrpJt4XO7-t9Dm0YmPbfOWG5GcIbE3dwvRhTv7uDQcGZ-d_po-dwlu1DEjMUBX1UNwZkjxwnRuaaHU9jG8TAoXUUup-AIYlP-HqkfZqJSSd7LyZefR-Ezzk79K1iLLOvPVZ-ROxL/s2042/20240205_173648_edited%20train%20sik%20to%20kampot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="2042" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmbA1BPLOwOKKH1VLFH1vPahbB0b7C0P7RfS0wQiDD0mW8jztSnqZvrpJt4XO7-t9Dm0YmPbfOWG5GcIbE3dwvRhTv7uDQcGZ-d_po-dwlu1DEjMUBX1UNwZkjxwnRuaaHU9jG8TAoXUUup-AIYlP-HqkfZqJSSd7LyZefR-Ezzk79K1iLLOvPVZ-ROxL/w640-h412/20240205_173648_edited%20train%20sik%20to%20kampot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Modern (and tiny) train from Sihanoukville to Kampot, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">On arrival at far flung Kampot station, there were not enough <i>tuk tuks</i> to go around, so we walked some way to a main road, and flagged one down. It took us an hour or so to find a good place to stay for a week or so, and in the end, we were happy with our room with a bathroom, fridge, two big beds and a strong fan. The friendly manager also informed us that use of the bicycles were free of charge. What a bonus!</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Tj4VrBij92geUTflLS1l1yFUnyTNtLMD8QKSUQmZ70H9pL0UQae5mIHoEeLHEVelKvrPpeRX6Lk8whrUGJ59gqWoAs89q3aKcaXCtA92W0c_xpSuAGqbCPnRlS-tO63u9mCB1PVxyRW1YjzJLxVMcTeSLUYv70HdyeMhjqDMsslkx2fDWxT0lV9NQ6na/s2560/20240219_085953.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Tj4VrBij92geUTflLS1l1yFUnyTNtLMD8QKSUQmZ70H9pL0UQae5mIHoEeLHEVelKvrPpeRX6Lk8whrUGJ59gqWoAs89q3aKcaXCtA92W0c_xpSuAGqbCPnRlS-tO63u9mCB1PVxyRW1YjzJLxVMcTeSLUYv70HdyeMhjqDMsslkx2fDWxT0lV9NQ6na/w640-h360/20240219_085953.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our Kampot room</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/search/label/Kampot" target="_blank">Having visited Kampot</a> and loved it 13 years ago, we had some recollections of eateries and spots we remembered to be cute and appealing. As we started to explore the town this time, we realized there was basically nothing at all that was was familiar. Traffic was much increased, new roads and guesthouses had been built, there were more buildings in general, and there seemed to be less of the French Colonial historic part of town, but that could have just been the encroachment of the new development. We also didn't recall there being two streets full of girlie bars! The river side now had a paved promenade, and none of our remembered places existed anymore. Although this was slightly disappointing, we adjusted, and still found many aspects of Kampot that were positive and enjoyable. It was also a relief to be back in the "real world" after being on touristy Koh Rong Sanloem. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Agx-_xZAMnhu5qYlMcmf-QgTG1cLiVcEt4IhjzGrKIJ5EMqq9cdUsGekPcIvBwyV6w2x_9YF3DxJJPXPp9H1EwpVpIPzZMFn0IJE1e4i-EaicFr53nCiaI720rPX0xAloyfj4pyM0ikCaWoiznW1S02dq4oEaZMzdEMH6yTMkH3n2EFW5OtgRNgv6oW6/s4023/town%20%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="4023" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Agx-_xZAMnhu5qYlMcmf-QgTG1cLiVcEt4IhjzGrKIJ5EMqq9cdUsGekPcIvBwyV6w2x_9YF3DxJJPXPp9H1EwpVpIPzZMFn0IJE1e4i-EaicFr53nCiaI720rPX0xAloyfj4pyM0ikCaWoiznW1S02dq4oEaZMzdEMH6yTMkH3n2EFW5OtgRNgv6oW6/w640-h338/town%20%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Giant durian roundabout at night, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4Vqn4DSra3YJaYxUCkHDTi33fPYS9iWk-ipyRzbsP4i72No-CMS9p0Sl6tIhKMf2YaEqElfLpLkMWWHHFRmrcslhXVofXCmR3Ye4FfVSvJax6nIry46gQU95Ik4mi0GjUrv0sKo8Nvgtrzpa0DonZBYIOo4XmfKmH-TNvTBJiAOsc8K0dqozqhkhmjjl/s3770/town%20%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3770" data-original-width="2990" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4Vqn4DSra3YJaYxUCkHDTi33fPYS9iWk-ipyRzbsP4i72No-CMS9p0Sl6tIhKMf2YaEqElfLpLkMWWHHFRmrcslhXVofXCmR3Ye4FfVSvJax6nIry46gQU95Ik4mi0GjUrv0sKo8Nvgtrzpa0DonZBYIOo4XmfKmH-TNvTBJiAOsc8K0dqozqhkhmjjl/w508-h640/town%20%20(2).jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bar sign, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIYxt4zG3gywFMXCMseRcw0ESGi_-LuhN1lzu_CsvNKsXF3rdjFF40AJPHLQ7w6MLu9FvjcAN-ULhXm4cpVXlsGRKhnXQWYecIsgN5bDhQ_-5kPiWxPyKzTcAinjeKE3UMjwmcKRmXo3ytmTeTutWUoOVq7XGM-Ln1F7RjRa58oBHHpgm99EjG-tgnSNv/s4016/town%20%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2278" data-original-width="4016" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIYxt4zG3gywFMXCMseRcw0ESGi_-LuhN1lzu_CsvNKsXF3rdjFF40AJPHLQ7w6MLu9FvjcAN-ULhXm4cpVXlsGRKhnXQWYecIsgN5bDhQ_-5kPiWxPyKzTcAinjeKE3UMjwmcKRmXo3ytmTeTutWUoOVq7XGM-Ln1F7RjRa58oBHHpgm99EjG-tgnSNv/w640-h364/town%20%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wonderful remnant of French colonial architecture, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVubz4-snt8QU-brlmhJK_sZ6CBHJsvW2pSEMqZs3Ntn8LxntAjmTimbxT8F13EFSNOnRzp7-J0DLboMPMg68Pu9jApxjMNptKBF27BjOkVyOTrZvgneSGXJ-wC_jqNZ9I4piTQN3Es0MPtIdRvG0JkLD_-EEyH1Qo2Zju7Wg212BM-lRGLk3ltjsB4gSx/s4080/town.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVubz4-snt8QU-brlmhJK_sZ6CBHJsvW2pSEMqZs3Ntn8LxntAjmTimbxT8F13EFSNOnRzp7-J0DLboMPMg68Pu9jApxjMNptKBF27BjOkVyOTrZvgneSGXJ-wC_jqNZ9I4piTQN3Es0MPtIdRvG0JkLD_-EEyH1Qo2Zju7Wg212BM-lRGLk3ltjsB4gSx/w640-h360/town.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Local bakery, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtz9x1srkrmxll6Qep_a1Hwc49G0CLs0ZG-kBlptUVHsh88L29TCft_z9Fbpqt4fRPtQjPWEenf1i_T3nbZ-5mPJFCEePu6OY4KbBusq_DTFv95nuR0-mQLzSgG3lQTV3Xg6YgFczxNo0SLoA9eZF3vw0pSycwW1DnUJwuE0Lz7_smRoWQXXVVI4zrbMz/s5184/IMG_0448_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtz9x1srkrmxll6Qep_a1Hwc49G0CLs0ZG-kBlptUVHsh88L29TCft_z9Fbpqt4fRPtQjPWEenf1i_T3nbZ-5mPJFCEePu6OY4KbBusq_DTFv95nuR0-mQLzSgG3lQTV3Xg6YgFczxNo0SLoA9eZF3vw0pSycwW1DnUJwuE0Lz7_smRoWQXXVVI4zrbMz/w640-h426/IMG_0448_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rich loved this!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymvd5fxYndty3lhpFoeob6Wa_uM1ksoZNG3gwDBuyi7sSP-A_oXS9j8WXyjLjhHBZvHyesttXHZsQD_9Iw1oT31HnJEdoPahElVSHuYo20TUjG-49vPSRuyWn0VX54mbxeS0jJFmOeCCeveHlXmlhat4vLrLMdvsj7LosantVmfAJsxkVEWeRX6eF60oN/s1639/20240211_134116_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1639" data-original-width="1422" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymvd5fxYndty3lhpFoeob6Wa_uM1ksoZNG3gwDBuyi7sSP-A_oXS9j8WXyjLjhHBZvHyesttXHZsQD_9Iw1oT31HnJEdoPahElVSHuYo20TUjG-49vPSRuyWn0VX54mbxeS0jJFmOeCCeveHlXmlhat4vLrLMdvsj7LosantVmfAJsxkVEWeRX6eF60oN/w556-h640/20240211_134116_edited.jpg" width="556" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Having fun in the second hand shop, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The best thing about Kampot was the food. There were so many options for eating, and we ate at a different place almost every night. Apart from the multitude of <i>khmer </i>and Western food restaurants and cafes, there was a night market and endless street stalls selling noodle and rice dishes.</span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdOyhCzYsOu99qWl4c8RDdT8UG7s0M3hG-j5wjDFPFDXGYAnGv_GxSoLopSPVOUh4tgSq-EGXUp1QydUWd0vBayAJ3I_FQEDODvsBwkUByT7zRoVhx0G8twvKwlYCTQo97gJ4KW22iE6xaF3DaHsKN-ssABeshf0B6-oQ2PSnpzRtPvZSyY3hOOAyEX0l/s3264/20240216_103126.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdOyhCzYsOu99qWl4c8RDdT8UG7s0M3hG-j5wjDFPFDXGYAnGv_GxSoLopSPVOUh4tgSq-EGXUp1QydUWd0vBayAJ3I_FQEDODvsBwkUByT7zRoVhx0G8twvKwlYCTQo97gJ4KW22iE6xaF3DaHsKN-ssABeshf0B6-oQ2PSnpzRtPvZSyY3hOOAyEX0l/w640-h360/20240216_103126.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Breakfast of champions, noodle soup</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /></span><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The other distinguishing thing about Kampot was the amount of expats here. Cambodia has always been popular with long term stayers because of the easy and generous visa options, but we couldn't get over the crowd here. Mostly retirees, we presumed, and mostly European men, but there was certainly a mix of all sorts, and it made for quite a cool vibe. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Taking full advantage of the free bikes from our guesthouse, we whizzed around town most days, trying to avoid busy areas and intersections. The bicycles were a great help for Rich, not having to walk painfully about town- he's fine on a bike. Locals were actually very good defensive drivers, slow and careful. They also treated us on our bikes as absolute idiots, wary when we approached, which was probably the best technique all round. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><span>On the most energetic day, we cycled up to some calm and peaceful spots on the Tuek Chhu River, away from the bustle of the town centre. </span></span><span>This area of bumpy backstreets leading to small canals and waterways was charming. Smiley people and kids waved at us, Buddhist temples had monks lazing around the grounds, and a few low-key resorts had rustic bungalows set over the water. Some also had beautiful gardens complete with picturesque bridges, and floating pontoons on the river- one even had an extensive boardwalk over the mangroves.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyu5O_6vt7fdiQk7TyuRolrHnKnlahE4iMxJhL2uQcSgAKdCnoNBLBSb0LOz_-ZJWvp7b6Qv30egv0FM8guoZzuoUtgXDAQ9-VA1gQhUauyEc3PTvt2RJT0uMZiuczQFW_OE2WHidPvMqToQHxD0_aR75IyFDf9-e1-MmuHTLJtSPKLA9WRTcLRyFDrOKw/s5184/cycle%20day%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyu5O_6vt7fdiQk7TyuRolrHnKnlahE4iMxJhL2uQcSgAKdCnoNBLBSb0LOz_-ZJWvp7b6Qv30egv0FM8guoZzuoUtgXDAQ9-VA1gQhUauyEc3PTvt2RJT0uMZiuczQFW_OE2WHidPvMqToQHxD0_aR75IyFDf9-e1-MmuHTLJtSPKLA9WRTcLRyFDrOKw/w640-h426/cycle%20day%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Strange mangrove flower, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEwgM1mjHpEVEFPEUrBiIHpk4fJevAldsMWddgnNUCfpiUrZ0KzrUJjT8U6SrlgGraq-nStwxqIER2p5shyphenhyphenm89Ykx5rrvKgO63MOtIDSffh0y4TFBn4Q8r87UckrRh0vMCiRuE9-uIO0GuCFyfKn59nl0ans92GG_wCjl-NX64d1lXinZk15ULp4ljNYz/s3059/cycle%20day%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1758" data-original-width="3059" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEwgM1mjHpEVEFPEUrBiIHpk4fJevAldsMWddgnNUCfpiUrZ0KzrUJjT8U6SrlgGraq-nStwxqIER2p5shyphenhyphenm89Ykx5rrvKgO63MOtIDSffh0y4TFBn4Q8r87UckrRh0vMCiRuE9-uIO0GuCFyfKn59nl0ans92GG_wCjl-NX64d1lXinZk15ULp4ljNYz/w640-h368/cycle%20day%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tuek Chhu River, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFQ060DQq7n64Ux-B7_8GKZJiA9OTREdr0Cf00ReYCFov13MQVaN2vbLgaq8Mpgxalx7mhaChiZ2ue83tKj7vAJH0mld_d6y9W2etLxk0mWfmnTmZRwV6ew2HMgV8cdZTS9tQr0l49-HFK0mnEuHK7AVP_rqDdEh-UhY1dJaxQskCAA10w6MkAX8ZDjir/s3264/cycle%20day%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFQ060DQq7n64Ux-B7_8GKZJiA9OTREdr0Cf00ReYCFov13MQVaN2vbLgaq8Mpgxalx7mhaChiZ2ue83tKj7vAJH0mld_d6y9W2etLxk0mWfmnTmZRwV6ew2HMgV8cdZTS9tQr0l49-HFK0mnEuHK7AVP_rqDdEh-UhY1dJaxQskCAA10w6MkAX8ZDjir/w640-h360/cycle%20day%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dusty French wine bottles, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0suzK4bUwm9waSf32cuF0aRlqqQZsDEEqzS64iGnN7Uf4Q-4qlsSHZVUaJTBN4p28ASVwTY9_GtGjvxWZXAVpQPtq-xK5BHzxuMUJFCW-sRKP44Fi6nTg4mb2YqhKBNusPVMlb9RN1eF8RyAu2rEunmQMB-Z1SwXb1ZVRDhW8CC-A7gNv1b9o78Rz28m/s4403/cycle%20day%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3229" data-original-width="4403" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0suzK4bUwm9waSf32cuF0aRlqqQZsDEEqzS64iGnN7Uf4Q-4qlsSHZVUaJTBN4p28ASVwTY9_GtGjvxWZXAVpQPtq-xK5BHzxuMUJFCW-sRKP44Fi6nTg4mb2YqhKBNusPVMlb9RN1eF8RyAu2rEunmQMB-Z1SwXb1ZVRDhW8CC-A7gNv1b9o78Rz28m/w640-h470/cycle%20day%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Small temple in resort grounds, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFREMVXyHhBKHSnU_5v06av8ACvm4VaBZRDlgGZj18jJ-h7EJJIf2EqqP4dX3rp_bKp44yLq3CPznVR60bpjFWMfl4otHfCD330WuLSAPmYMaIqJq0vOixG39VEfTvRArs0I65qE56uxsnMk8Z-kC3Q9rCFeSRPyv4re6_W5v-sf7TkxXLbWKIUeL9LUdO/s5184/cycle%20day%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFREMVXyHhBKHSnU_5v06av8ACvm4VaBZRDlgGZj18jJ-h7EJJIf2EqqP4dX3rp_bKp44yLq3CPznVR60bpjFWMfl4otHfCD330WuLSAPmYMaIqJq0vOixG39VEfTvRArs0I65qE56uxsnMk8Z-kC3Q9rCFeSRPyv4re6_W5v-sf7TkxXLbWKIUeL9LUdO/w640-h426/cycle%20day%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mangrove boardwalk, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwo2yFLKpTyfVlO7WUgpEomrqGp68AC3KMVIwesheRB08oh0xJ23WDRTVsHitXEtLgX2vjYq7ESMC65fGqJ6Murkq-voFTQDIbJ3A_OTQFSSdHTUZMCL_akQjize_4NkPgkUwJ_cdtsBS4kMf27AL7VjKaRQqjDFUrf5SzL9O2r1h3hx7I8BIwQB4REVLK/s3737/temple%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2096" data-original-width="3737" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwo2yFLKpTyfVlO7WUgpEomrqGp68AC3KMVIwesheRB08oh0xJ23WDRTVsHitXEtLgX2vjYq7ESMC65fGqJ6Murkq-voFTQDIbJ3A_OTQFSSdHTUZMCL_akQjize_4NkPgkUwJ_cdtsBS4kMf27AL7VjKaRQqjDFUrf5SzL9O2r1h3hx7I8BIwQB4REVLK/w640-h358/temple%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Realistic looking, but fake dollars for Chinese New Year, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6lA-Ltfk7ROZy0teVOZmXe_-6OrWoThBVNzDDCUgXD_2POuEL4d151dYRvFGngH-TkajWznBs3HDlnMMY468LQLL3kJ5OavGFspDmXiW_f96k1-hdAaQ0_tqVigqISKcXT5OWJEV9dNAWIxqzdQ4EiWMXQxowKJza-N192BtRtfUplfNi9Wf_k68sJwwk/s5053/temple%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3372" data-original-width="5053" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6lA-Ltfk7ROZy0teVOZmXe_-6OrWoThBVNzDDCUgXD_2POuEL4d151dYRvFGngH-TkajWznBs3HDlnMMY468LQLL3kJ5OavGFspDmXiW_f96k1-hdAaQ0_tqVigqISKcXT5OWJEV9dNAWIxqzdQ4EiWMXQxowKJza-N192BtRtfUplfNi9Wf_k68sJwwk/w640-h428/temple%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Colourful pillars, Kampot Buddhist temple</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb37W7I4TUPixPpS9CDFyqo2IuUeszRhfh82SvFYPemq1H7Of_MUtlvdruP5tNqtjOw0v134TxacHI0NbeIwRIR32L6Phy7s6EOTi3PpMXpkUyuAaNpb7XC-UXePUJS8gQsqZn2QvdIFv0JpACd3ii1ytx3AeJpC2_PPVlR7oTDGVRHZadugPtu1nk0YpR/s4704/temple%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4704" data-original-width="3138" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb37W7I4TUPixPpS9CDFyqo2IuUeszRhfh82SvFYPemq1H7Of_MUtlvdruP5tNqtjOw0v134TxacHI0NbeIwRIR32L6Phy7s6EOTi3PpMXpkUyuAaNpb7XC-UXePUJS8gQsqZn2QvdIFv0JpACd3ii1ytx3AeJpC2_PPVlR7oTDGVRHZadugPtu1nk0YpR/w426-h640/temple%20(9).jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-EJrynym1E3LHIRkfhcx5wKuXAZJQsWJxHTtm0jYiupvqA3FyysSrJj_qPoOOv9Eqg30yp849v_5Gvd2QhNyhwkOgGaYU2ppj-V6EFzk8pXXcYXXi6ALZSjN3oIYZz4PJZc3ifogziGT6RRbGEvDiIwHtvtATcg2zHRvwOy1uhvRgWNRKLtC2P77u0h-/s4834/temple%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4834" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-EJrynym1E3LHIRkfhcx5wKuXAZJQsWJxHTtm0jYiupvqA3FyysSrJj_qPoOOv9Eqg30yp849v_5Gvd2QhNyhwkOgGaYU2ppj-V6EFzk8pXXcYXXi6ALZSjN3oIYZz4PJZc3ifogziGT6RRbGEvDiIwHtvtATcg2zHRvwOy1uhvRgWNRKLtC2P77u0h-/w458-h640/temple%20(10).jpg" width="458" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipIVSUhcZluqdOW_So28aFhCU2lo9PWqDySLGmPBXrzTRxv_BNmGNvprpqAeylVTb-eQPCgTs8SYxAgDKWnzw7M8O-Nq1YDFuIS5izy62ToVgTf5FWWDyJkOGBej9WL69yeI8YRvyILfhE-AeRkBk0ZBGnTwJvNaa0xzn_eaE20rsVPrCjYIjx2GDWwqT/s3264/temple%20(11).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="1836" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipIVSUhcZluqdOW_So28aFhCU2lo9PWqDySLGmPBXrzTRxv_BNmGNvprpqAeylVTb-eQPCgTs8SYxAgDKWnzw7M8O-Nq1YDFuIS5izy62ToVgTf5FWWDyJkOGBej9WL69yeI8YRvyILfhE-AeRkBk0ZBGnTwJvNaa0xzn_eaE20rsVPrCjYIjx2GDWwqT/w360-h640/temple%20(11).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Grounds of the small Buddhist temple, riverside, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another day we took out a motorbike, in order to travel further afield. The salt fields, although not as impressive as others we've seen (the best were on Diu island in Gujarat, India) made for a compelling yet scorching day out amongst a more rural setting, quiet gravel tracks, and simple wooden houses high up on stilts. Unfortunately, as is often the case in parts of Asia, the experience was slightly marred by the excessive amounts of rubbish randomly thrown into every stream and ditch by locals. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1SAYqiLtSws6ea71pT3jJ6ov0fPvJDtl-21zjA58z6Au25kM1AeQ59EhAP2S-qnJSiqoQ9-5ksWWDxskFN50iQ2xRMEDy_DBEjoxbUvaX7E0lX8tV_JS6QGMt2gayRTnLyyUwFwAz1UBJH_X1Wkx7ZuKHOSswGSHUg_lG84Vi7mzEuPk2qHvncket-Uh/s4017/motorbike%20day%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2765" data-original-width="4017" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1SAYqiLtSws6ea71pT3jJ6ov0fPvJDtl-21zjA58z6Au25kM1AeQ59EhAP2S-qnJSiqoQ9-5ksWWDxskFN50iQ2xRMEDy_DBEjoxbUvaX7E0lX8tV_JS6QGMt2gayRTnLyyUwFwAz1UBJH_X1Wkx7ZuKHOSswGSHUg_lG84Vi7mzEuPk2qHvncket-Uh/w640-h440/motorbike%20day%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Water lily flower, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr4VNqQ9818_TaH65X5TyvjXb2qIHElyjmH3X_yxzQBEEZi91v9Fb78cvRIlxi7KwokoZqG4oug5lFBP3BmNhKdCvVuR9Hy8DTrPowiG8e4tc8z2BUQUuHpADzUq0TnZ0PUCoCcjdVfVf7OCdqOtCCfja5TmftVKUaMFtbWebbBs5n8kT-f3seY843JC_/s5184/motorbike%20day%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr4VNqQ9818_TaH65X5TyvjXb2qIHElyjmH3X_yxzQBEEZi91v9Fb78cvRIlxi7KwokoZqG4oug5lFBP3BmNhKdCvVuR9Hy8DTrPowiG8e4tc8z2BUQUuHpADzUq0TnZ0PUCoCcjdVfVf7OCdqOtCCfja5TmftVKUaMFtbWebbBs5n8kT-f3seY843JC_/w640-h426/motorbike%20day%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Salt piled up ready to be harvested, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHxm_vKps3iovv3c9GacrLrNg7tBZ5QU8fz2xB7iaBTSLrsipj1z4mDo12Yzp0cv5L-OTroPxiYH8YTnpV7haTKqClC5PshfIar4CjPwOp5O19UxUL7eLthkR9aHi_oZwljt-1qikHQVn50S-qNjrcUOTm3gjhq1UbtoKK8pyxVDJfkyXgKpc9xDyzmiG/s4080/cycle%20day%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHxm_vKps3iovv3c9GacrLrNg7tBZ5QU8fz2xB7iaBTSLrsipj1z4mDo12Yzp0cv5L-OTroPxiYH8YTnpV7haTKqClC5PshfIar4CjPwOp5O19UxUL7eLthkR9aHi_oZwljt-1qikHQVn50S-qNjrcUOTm3gjhq1UbtoKK8pyxVDJfkyXgKpc9xDyzmiG/w640-h360/cycle%20day%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Typical house, around Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP40V0Q-w23XYsOupZiYKGgU-S5nUVmftl-wQpAHTdzY-gn7LG3ylPhFKHPn4T3DxA1941k7AKmIKCGIC-2YjTz043gWpNKrg3-21mJOU7nBi_-Pj_cpW54D_lRdW4DwQL-2l4ZeRM6pIFMAu5SkMftgFuKmjAl3TUi-mCdKOfSBdbgmUYoyyDXnu8xwxz/s4814/temple%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4814" data-original-width="3209" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP40V0Q-w23XYsOupZiYKGgU-S5nUVmftl-wQpAHTdzY-gn7LG3ylPhFKHPn4T3DxA1941k7AKmIKCGIC-2YjTz043gWpNKrg3-21mJOU7nBi_-Pj_cpW54D_lRdW4DwQL-2l4ZeRM6pIFMAu5SkMftgFuKmjAl3TUi-mCdKOfSBdbgmUYoyyDXnu8xwxz/w426-h640/temple%20(12).jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJFUtX-G6wszUNmvFpQK2A_YCvqBqrVgEB_GpLrEh-IiOU64IX9u4Vz3eXREKp0xPRRCYno3lGlxwRHbNqYqfM4D43hrbIxAqMGphRabuIv2bSRA5ykoraTrr49a6zXtrpkOpuHW_BroSeXv5XxxUFbaT-i0wFXthgOadeKXgnbNTlDZ3K4_WdWbWcO42/s4857/temple%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4857" data-original-width="3420" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJFUtX-G6wszUNmvFpQK2A_YCvqBqrVgEB_GpLrEh-IiOU64IX9u4Vz3eXREKp0xPRRCYno3lGlxwRHbNqYqfM4D43hrbIxAqMGphRabuIv2bSRA5ykoraTrr49a6zXtrpkOpuHW_BroSeXv5XxxUFbaT-i0wFXthgOadeKXgnbNTlDZ3K4_WdWbWcO42/w450-h640/temple%20(1).jpg" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Small pot, resort grounds, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LWvIhb9WAPb2LQdhcFPW_GrjXFUnDq8xuBUQxSZEimu-a4Qtp777jddGw2P6-3q6mF_quFk2FCpGAzfjtsSFExO9el7lTAXsRlersb0OD4KuvAR04B-9vyGrPr4i_fKf-r3KXvlbsphYJGK-wgNjdA_-JmUxWTUlTUN_JOU9Bgn2HNNe8JFjb4KjBD2t/s5184/motorbike%20day%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LWvIhb9WAPb2LQdhcFPW_GrjXFUnDq8xuBUQxSZEimu-a4Qtp777jddGw2P6-3q6mF_quFk2FCpGAzfjtsSFExO9el7lTAXsRlersb0OD4KuvAR04B-9vyGrPr4i_fKf-r3KXvlbsphYJGK-wgNjdA_-JmUxWTUlTUN_JOU9Bgn2HNNe8JFjb4KjBD2t/w640-h426/motorbike%20day%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunate amount of rubbish, Kampot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Due to our enthusiasm to arrive in Koh Rong Sanloem and see our friend before he started work, we had previously cut our time short in the lovely seaside resort of Kep. We now stopped there on the way back to Phnom Penh to complete a few activities on our list.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Number one on the list was Rabbit Island, or Koh Tonsay in Khmer language. A short ride away from the mainland on a colourful boat, the small island was a world away from the bustling scene on Koh Rong Sanloem. On arrival, which involved climbing down a ladder into the shallow sea, we were greeted by the closest bungalow owner, who showed us an adorable hut a few steps from the water for US$10 a night. We immediately took it, and liked the place. The island had no electricity, only running generators a few hours in the evening, which suited us fine for a few days. About ten small scale resorts lined the beach, all rustic, with wooden huts and sunlounges on the beach, all serving the same basic food. The usual wooden gazebos with hammocks and mats were also present for the locals who descended on the island in groups on the weekends. For a few days, we had an extremely quiet time, enjoying the fabulous sea breeze, lazing around in hammocks and on the beach. Probably the most exciting thing to happen was when a snake fell out of a tree above us and landed on Richard's foot, before slithering away in the sand.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkok1Pl-bzlPLcWqTepjCrv2yxQRwtXbXNeVZ5QIHX59QwAU27kXN5EpREuKlpqQLeJ-K0aTF5MkH5htl4bYDV0GMLzdV9V3TQh1g7scOQSolPDKE6UesKMnQCbKLAOdiO-3AT9fHGKpk_nCnXiqY0XHA6IT1H1_2t8pYhb5UO4tjPD8GgaIMhanLsvVf/s4080/20240221_124351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkok1Pl-bzlPLcWqTepjCrv2yxQRwtXbXNeVZ5QIHX59QwAU27kXN5EpREuKlpqQLeJ-K0aTF5MkH5htl4bYDV0GMLzdV9V3TQh1g7scOQSolPDKE6UesKMnQCbKLAOdiO-3AT9fHGKpk_nCnXiqY0XHA6IT1H1_2t8pYhb5UO4tjPD8GgaIMhanLsvVf/w640-h360/20240221_124351.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Path between resorts, Rabbit island, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HFhu7fx810LCAJ8W7mYbKjojf-ExVTWQ3CLHOn3fi7xrXSVuuse5LG3q3XNMy5HOd0qjZpSOAsaj5CEB9xP83jtgBLT98qGAtIP2WIUYnBwE7wZLAhIDpL1MTKyjKvUwqFxwrImD2Ucwa1MQiBgi2GFaN-9R-hECMNASCE4e2Apc8edVnaG07E8TI0f2/s2560/20240221_174909.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HFhu7fx810LCAJ8W7mYbKjojf-ExVTWQ3CLHOn3fi7xrXSVuuse5LG3q3XNMy5HOd0qjZpSOAsaj5CEB9xP83jtgBLT98qGAtIP2WIUYnBwE7wZLAhIDpL1MTKyjKvUwqFxwrImD2Ucwa1MQiBgi2GFaN-9R-hECMNASCE4e2Apc8edVnaG07E8TI0f2/w640-h360/20240221_174909.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunset, Rabbit island, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjyMJW0R0MKYGuC8gluRfFipJQUTBku9-ZvBm83fF51i4XRwpNnoK2UdooJk-K9V_sBRx1ZR-JKB78PYHN4qKdsfH4wkpl6vTaGoHq_1YTI1YsN8IY5LlcrUuHpNewqfgFtauqK-YLbMs2gLirZz9lhgRz_tUczzA4gVEXB4YrUsqOmB3cnILX0SrR8qW/s3264/20240223_175841.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjyMJW0R0MKYGuC8gluRfFipJQUTBku9-ZvBm83fF51i4XRwpNnoK2UdooJk-K9V_sBRx1ZR-JKB78PYHN4qKdsfH4wkpl6vTaGoHq_1YTI1YsN8IY5LlcrUuHpNewqfgFtauqK-YLbMs2gLirZz9lhgRz_tUczzA4gVEXB4YrUsqOmB3cnILX0SrR8qW/w640-h360/20240223_175841.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOt9zo6fDImVTs4gYrShFyK16mkoB3g8xMSnfiVrtGhfHJE065_p-voLnhRdXKJMQ1sY7PKDuiS6oUTksvp3ERsAsN-o-ao5CeuAEB5yhF1xqiVRyFqM-2qWciSxZnuMbuyf0G1rBXj0D-dCmEFoPGrUexD_FWhvkckDn9ckemTQzgeLRky4CNg_SOMG8/s4080/20240225_103024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOt9zo6fDImVTs4gYrShFyK16mkoB3g8xMSnfiVrtGhfHJE065_p-voLnhRdXKJMQ1sY7PKDuiS6oUTksvp3ERsAsN-o-ao5CeuAEB5yhF1xqiVRyFqM-2qWciSxZnuMbuyf0G1rBXj0D-dCmEFoPGrUexD_FWhvkckDn9ckemTQzgeLRky4CNg_SOMG8/w640-h360/20240225_103024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our cute hut on Rabbit island, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JYmTQcp7tN6uGpEC6Xhujf_CrC0Z9VKjfVVZw4o62GLHaYm-sJGPbpJs84Hgg_-ODMNSnyl8fEUukh3_jJUp3fKAWDhYLUKe21pcUrlxAgm72MJ2DlsI0unfp8kJOEvjpgbD9bPmr2D-S2PNsETjOL9Go8wm7nB-pYylkhaZ8GsTyoX1m9TZKVDik8e8/s4080/20240225_103129.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JYmTQcp7tN6uGpEC6Xhujf_CrC0Z9VKjfVVZw4o62GLHaYm-sJGPbpJs84Hgg_-ODMNSnyl8fEUukh3_jJUp3fKAWDhYLUKe21pcUrlxAgm72MJ2DlsI0unfp8kJOEvjpgbD9bPmr2D-S2PNsETjOL9Go8wm7nB-pYylkhaZ8GsTyoX1m9TZKVDik8e8/w640-h360/20240225_103129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scene outside our bungalows, Rabbit island, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Jt6KuYxVNvA6_7b44G878jqfKDsjDX_1RYbrUjM7HycIkOAIdrlbFDFiZkgbozxGmAgdYGDAQHBF6o7GDVxwfb5KbX2FlpYNb6RgiN_YV8LJOuBBTVEJkOBqjek3QAXYwnyoZnDOHxYBb3xWz59s2jG7O2SnBA623ReDakTqyBTVLHqPY0ROQXR-0Rfn/s4080/20240225_103645.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Jt6KuYxVNvA6_7b44G878jqfKDsjDX_1RYbrUjM7HycIkOAIdrlbFDFiZkgbozxGmAgdYGDAQHBF6o7GDVxwfb5KbX2FlpYNb6RgiN_YV8LJOuBBTVEJkOBqjek3QAXYwnyoZnDOHxYBb3xWz59s2jG7O2SnBA623ReDakTqyBTVLHqPY0ROQXR-0Rfn/w640-h360/20240225_103645.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Shady beach in the morning, Rabbit island, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6SnqpLFvOM" target="_blank">Tour of our bungalow, Rabbit Island</a></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We were happy to return to Kep, and spend a couple more days exploring, including the Kep National Park and surrounds by motorbike, and eating amazing seafood at the famous crab market. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECErCzDXvhDATMCfeyiMeLS4sXLyY-dG5erDKJvxmp_JvjXNZf0b1LVSmXkUgTt-FeK6KNhxvYDKVD0xtP-K1hrvFsmZHibc-RKr7TAoSM23PScG4-rtsHda7bpaQoV2QvXUgZVvSBZODUzizxrzNyQ6e43BawSLMw4DbhBsSdmj8HeIdjGRK3iZKJCo8/s2541/20240227_182331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1679" data-original-width="2541" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECErCzDXvhDATMCfeyiMeLS4sXLyY-dG5erDKJvxmp_JvjXNZf0b1LVSmXkUgTt-FeK6KNhxvYDKVD0xtP-K1hrvFsmZHibc-RKr7TAoSM23PScG4-rtsHda7bpaQoV2QvXUgZVvSBZODUzizxrzNyQ6e43BawSLMw4DbhBsSdmj8HeIdjGRK3iZKJCo8/w640-h422/20240227_182331.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seafood feast, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A few days in Phnom Penh sorting out our immediate travel plans, rounded out our two months</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> Cambodian trip. We had been pleased to explore more of Cambodia's coastline towns and islands, and the laid back </span><span style="font-size: medium;">feeling</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> of simple travel was just what we needed at this time. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixHybJeFGbTDCSz5jQPK8MHXzcRfu-m73gniwY-cmNm3Utinzr_MGTzYwvq8c_hN4irIjF-hw0UrWmDgwvtN65D7sZpNKKNFZWkdywrPhHWRItI7sIJnFf-r3BMR0D1o0uDMYMXE0DjDUJNaXULII2EwPd7K0lrFC2QUZLTy0As7zNLyDshYXzolTUlJ_/s4080/20240226_183353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixHybJeFGbTDCSz5jQPK8MHXzcRfu-m73gniwY-cmNm3Utinzr_MGTzYwvq8c_hN4irIjF-hw0UrWmDgwvtN65D7sZpNKKNFZWkdywrPhHWRItI7sIJnFf-r3BMR0D1o0uDMYMXE0DjDUJNaXULII2EwPd7K0lrFC2QUZLTy0As7zNLyDshYXzolTUlJ_/w640-h360/20240226_183353.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our last sunset, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>Cambodia has a lot going for it, but it is not a foodie destination, at least not in terms of <i>khmer </i>food. They have a few national dishes, but we found them to be a bit bland and uninteresting, especially after spending so much time in neighbouring Thailand.</span><span> </span><i>Amok </i><span>(a mild coconut curry) and</span><span> </span><i>lok lak</i><span> </span><span>(stewed beef on rice with a fried egg) were two local dishes we did enjoy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-ymIDTsj6ByBAAyO7yZxvR2c7BTEYY07xxoEj23GCPgWBXR7Ph_092e4H72Yr0tIPLzc5UXEhGK0pe9WX-FBcWYwJyXUMqyLrxJT4gs8piRtTm1iEuE4Swhj8Q4uKMdR8j0rxIQ5p1Rik5JuPRPEM9abRAUXFULn70RerlmU8Xka4JUxT8WE5777wvJw/s3264/20240219_174923.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-ymIDTsj6ByBAAyO7yZxvR2c7BTEYY07xxoEj23GCPgWBXR7Ph_092e4H72Yr0tIPLzc5UXEhGK0pe9WX-FBcWYwJyXUMqyLrxJT4gs8piRtTm1iEuE4Swhj8Q4uKMdR8j0rxIQ5p1Rik5JuPRPEM9abRAUXFULn70RerlmU8Xka4JUxT8WE5777wvJw/w640-h360/20240219_174923.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Beef <i>lok lak</i>, a <i>khmer </i>dish</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One food aspect we did absolutely love was the baguettes, a remnant from the French era. Found absolutely everywhere, these were most basically served on the street with <i>pate </i>and pork, with pickles on the side, but also different restaurants stuffed them with everything imaginable.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFk7TfnVGoZHmThqRwodnP-UzGZ0j87iLF_8m29Kk1YAdhV6mTufbQJTH0iXLwqhedeKX0jc0nVYAN-zktNTa2mjUbZeQeJGC1hMAbkodqn6p60fpPKPyiZU43OhdRRLbiDRIUJNmCWwf1_x5eRC-AUdrLhEpMTkoKy7QAR3hO17VSkvK9rXxbf_RXYgXd/s4080/20240107_181259_edited%20phnom%20penh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFk7TfnVGoZHmThqRwodnP-UzGZ0j87iLF_8m29Kk1YAdhV6mTufbQJTH0iXLwqhedeKX0jc0nVYAN-zktNTa2mjUbZeQeJGC1hMAbkodqn6p60fpPKPyiZU43OhdRRLbiDRIUJNmCWwf1_x5eRC-AUdrLhEpMTkoKy7QAR3hO17VSkvK9rXxbf_RXYgXd/w640-h360/20240107_181259_edited%20phnom%20penh.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Baguette with pork and pickles</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">In areas of Cambodia catering to long stay foreigners, such as the southern coast, much of the Western style food was amazing and relatively cheap, and made for a favourable change from rice and noodles. This is something unique to Cambodia in South East Asian countries, and we appreciated the contrast in cuisine. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyZfxnMzW5u0oJrcsWuw7aszrxWt4Fed6OHaYGZIqj4yn5XDQL4pV67YCgpZyLAJIt2nhf0QNxOxVwJuOjIaH3zyfIqd8IfWQQG1S8DZpI33PtJ1BcxqFNzOYD9mhA7GD-0ektbHCiMk59uauce3KSpZDOmGGL4GuSNDBbpmRoZZPBnx7FaRHtCUOkfsE/s3264/20240211_120205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="1836" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyZfxnMzW5u0oJrcsWuw7aszrxWt4Fed6OHaYGZIqj4yn5XDQL4pV67YCgpZyLAJIt2nhf0QNxOxVwJuOjIaH3zyfIqd8IfWQQG1S8DZpI33PtJ1BcxqFNzOYD9mhA7GD-0ektbHCiMk59uauce3KSpZDOmGGL4GuSNDBbpmRoZZPBnx7FaRHtCUOkfsE/w360-h640/20240211_120205.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Roast pork Sunday lunch, complete with Yorkshire pudding!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Of course, tropical fruits were in abundance, particularly all varieties of mangoes, bright purple dragon fruit, the ever present juicy and delicious pineapples and a surprising amount of passionfruit. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As previously stated, fruit shakes were our number one delight drinks-wise, and a close second was fresh coconut on the street, often cold and so refreshing. After much indulging of alcohol in Thailand, we didn't drink at all apart from catch up drinks with our friend on Koh Rong Sanloem. That was a shame in a way with beer being so ridiculously cheap. In fact, the prices hadn't changed much from when we were here 13 years ago, starting from 2,400 KHR/US$0.60 for a Happy Hour cold glass of draft Anchor/Angkor/Cambodian beer. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN30YdeLl1EMu-n31dU5DgBUqJQ0cVm5yGfqG3ZewnOiY2uRYrlTipzWpYzt_dEsVfAL2igD6Pb2Cm3o_D5qn_EeIwOgXm4DlGG4ZXeriBXF3XNxbICkJAjRT6RJlIwqvbK_BK4v9m6WPONnM0U6QODQFIenn6dFbP-y4o4zP8nnVR2ZXl-PLFgOOoW1DR/s2646/20240212_130633.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2646" data-original-width="1588" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN30YdeLl1EMu-n31dU5DgBUqJQ0cVm5yGfqG3ZewnOiY2uRYrlTipzWpYzt_dEsVfAL2igD6Pb2Cm3o_D5qn_EeIwOgXm4DlGG4ZXeriBXF3XNxbICkJAjRT6RJlIwqvbK_BK4v9m6WPONnM0U6QODQFIenn6dFbP-y4o4zP8nnVR2ZXl-PLFgOOoW1DR/w384-h640/20240212_130633.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yummo fruit shakes, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqP2Rr8dxyrVc1__F1YDgZZ8nW2q3OfScf4HbCEKhSRl-r3EQTm0_JaZfgNrUtBJmQ-Hg8FKccl8peQk5PwSiK3UPiktZrmaqQgBP4ak1vWhsgmqNn7MS-YJrGn4l3Z00pFx0sBKXmOpNhQgvGRhEZbI9Ri7BktFzK1eLAS-DEgiLkbSW3AG_HSe0vvx6/w640-h360/20240114_174659_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our Phnom Penh obsession, cold fresh coconut</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqP2Rr8dxyrVc1__F1YDgZZ8nW2q3OfScf4HbCEKhSRl-r3EQTm0_JaZfgNrUtBJmQ-Hg8FKccl8peQk5PwSiK3UPiktZrmaqQgBP4ak1vWhsgmqNn7MS-YJrGn4l3Z00pFx0sBKXmOpNhQgvGRhEZbI9Ri7BktFzK1eLAS-DEgiLkbSW3AG_HSe0vvx6/s2560/20240114_174659_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5wvJ3dF14qtWGcoBOngSbugel1uLRa9kkt7BGBxvqg7L4EDlRjiSf1qo04ZpddfH2Z4CvRWe0JQhm_5cBGWe4M3Sm29KfWy_BGzXqYkVhdC94EzXlFqXLWqu9cE2wVEwPsIfsYJSN18bcohgh-SnMd1WPXNLbjA-tHYBI1cm0VqKi4spqoZQirL-JVwt/w640-h360/20240117_124403_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, maybe just one beer......</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5wvJ3dF14qtWGcoBOngSbugel1uLRa9kkt7BGBxvqg7L4EDlRjiSf1qo04ZpddfH2Z4CvRWe0JQhm_5cBGWe4M3Sm29KfWy_BGzXqYkVhdC94EzXlFqXLWqu9cE2wVEwPsIfsYJSN18bcohgh-SnMd1WPXNLbjA-tHYBI1cm0VqKi4spqoZQirL-JVwt/s2560/20240117_124403_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Local transport was plentiful and inventive. Phnom Penh especially was chock a block with different variations of <i>tuk tuk</i>, from the Indian style auto rickshaw to <i>rormork </i>contraptions with a carriage behind a motorbike. Cheap and easy, we used them often, usually paying 4,000KHR/US$1 for a short trip. Amazingly, some of them were attached to Grab, or other payment apps. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="2275" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwW8ay7cVmwX41bpSA6mfXqjF-qmdRgAxsIRcgggHpxODLKR8J9K64GmWBR6F4Jrab1Bu_qbB1yKZqCeO2VPFS62gQoO1mK12Sq7mLLabJQH0SCpnjgd10cGdD2m5RHHr9Xg8bqJe1n-VnzJ9vahFGZrQvojfN58W-FNMBRIn8tj_aAG0RAzg6J2Tw8YP/w640-h400/transport.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Rormork </i>with <i>tuk tuks</i> in background, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwW8ay7cVmwX41bpSA6mfXqjF-qmdRgAxsIRcgggHpxODLKR8J9K64GmWBR6F4Jrab1Bu_qbB1yKZqCeO2VPFS62gQoO1mK12Sq7mLLabJQH0SCpnjgd10cGdD2m5RHHr9Xg8bqJe1n-VnzJ9vahFGZrQvojfN58W-FNMBRIn8tj_aAG0RAzg6J2Tw8YP/s2275/transport.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Phnom Penh city buses were surprisingly modern, clean, regular and air-conditioned, and a great way to travel longer distances around the city, especially at 1500 riel/US$0.36 a trip. There weren't many routes, but we quickly sussed out the ones we could make use of during our stay. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>Travel in between towns for us was a mixture of bus and train. It was so difficult to find out information about train routes and times online before we arrived in Cambodia, due to the terrible Royal Railways website, and travellers just generally not favouring train travel in Cambodia. But once there, we found it easy and cheap to book a ticket at the station. The trains types varied, the best trains being the spacious older types with open windows and bench seats, and the other being more modern with excessively cold AC, tinted closed windows but with more comfortable seats. One downside was the stations were generally not in the centre of town (apart from Phnom Penh), so a<i> tuk tuk</i> was required at each end of the journey. </span><span>There were two railway lines from Phnom Penh, one to Sihanoukville and the other to Battambang. Both left once a day, early in the morning, and took around six hours.</span><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2968" data-original-width="5060" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0EVSdhRUEAE9biaa_dBhMrhQQPx7jeuPfzOls5eCkd-rbmpWiBl5GRWSBQtfzcjyjF_mkx0rMUecSgucnh19vLYCqQwsza-yEYaSYMYGg1a6sdGmfRoqgKZy-J9O_PmnHUn98noPFSNvZs1W1kiY67Thv1CAi2sMV6g8XeSmiJCr7ncdf7TUc2ibrVFt/w640-h376/IMG_0424_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not the most attractive train station, Sihanoukville, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXT5DovGlqU_WpMhl9Mqy5iUbacVjdHl8Lyni3qZIPGX4p7Y3WTFx20bxAgQmeQhtdeOEGo3d4sDAwN2L7RkYQaZeyB_N8xucz2vbXCOeUoySm5p66gDdofURs-kVmGTIIlb45wPFHI8JfLGSA1voyCzXvl3Dhh49oxRA6RqilEKydk7ltdR-kdHzN1ehH/w640-h360/train%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Love the open windows on the old style trains, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXT5DovGlqU_WpMhl9Mqy5iUbacVjdHl8Lyni3qZIPGX4p7Y3WTFx20bxAgQmeQhtdeOEGo3d4sDAwN2L7RkYQaZeyB_N8xucz2vbXCOeUoySm5p66gDdofURs-kVmGTIIlb45wPFHI8JfLGSA1voyCzXvl3Dhh49oxRA6RqilEKydk7ltdR-kdHzN1ehH/s2560/train%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-align: left;">Intercity buses were expensive, and pretty much the only way to get to certain places. We kept wondering how the locals travelled, as they certainly couldn't afford to pay the high bus prices- we supposed there must be a two tiered system for bus prices, as for almost everything else in Cambodia. On the plus side, the buses were generally well organized, on time, air conditioned and picked up from the hotel. </span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Accommodation was generally cheap, simple rooms with fan, bathroom (always with a toothbrush, soap and comb!) and WIFI. We paid between US$8-US$15, the price seemingly dependant on the number of tourists in the vicinity. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNVqEie4dXPmE5vgrNLn58afuJyDkjHWAD-klDOczj6FSfFPxjxJSRYbAXdmfgS9cn_a1XsAjd89okfX3JAjouc4F2zZIVWn0gcKu8C2bxU9CnwfP9Q4bfdO9DZm_phNekavhA3gXrx7UWqkAUBbi8EVN0WXJ8G6nav9t6AqvZLH4Vai6vOwJ4tMNmOO1/s2560/20240116_111846_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNVqEie4dXPmE5vgrNLn58afuJyDkjHWAD-klDOczj6FSfFPxjxJSRYbAXdmfgS9cn_a1XsAjd89okfX3JAjouc4F2zZIVWn0gcKu8C2bxU9CnwfP9Q4bfdO9DZm_phNekavhA3gXrx7UWqkAUBbi8EVN0WXJ8G6nav9t6AqvZLH4Vai6vOwJ4tMNmOO1/w640-h360/20240116_111846_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our simple room in Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnbf8GzEBZU7SbIQeuDGk39HK85mMKvEGCTEyVmQz1Z_7XZANToXNjDjTGXRNG2JH3imERBMf9iB6EWm5YGR9JWwgy7LpDfyIsco_hl2pY8T4Co3KoH5jjUsP47WXSU_1ZF2_atUbOgNlV3Uzel_urf7_XMskooaEBqYVFF3w1w4XfM5vKJO7rlzY719b/s7040/2024-02-10%2012.54.52%20www.mapsales.com%209fd571966460.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4986" data-original-width="7040" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnbf8GzEBZU7SbIQeuDGk39HK85mMKvEGCTEyVmQz1Z_7XZANToXNjDjTGXRNG2JH3imERBMf9iB6EWm5YGR9JWwgy7LpDfyIsco_hl2pY8T4Co3KoH5jjUsP47WXSU_1ZF2_atUbOgNlV3Uzel_urf7_XMskooaEBqYVFF3w1w4XfM5vKJO7rlzY719b/w640-h454/2024-02-10%2012.54.52%20www.mapsales.com%209fd571966460.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cambodian map complete, for George</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xO52tOXm9GnxpjA7zs2Ph0yEx_KsOjs0hyphenhyphenPsgcF3DI4uhsQ-bPJ7TLQpBRpF3ZrbNTVexnTPn8SuE9a_0NZW8m_5YfvF7i5rjUyA6GfMXeQ0DvAchrkRlO7oAqnv_mjeh7i_xwvQLJyhkPMZzDh1F5zU-l8bSFAa51q1I6igKjk2Pn6looQtlf5oR7zb/s1053/2024-02-10%2012.55.13%20www.mapsales.com%204b5689fb03d5.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="1053" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xO52tOXm9GnxpjA7zs2Ph0yEx_KsOjs0hyphenhyphenPsgcF3DI4uhsQ-bPJ7TLQpBRpF3ZrbNTVexnTPn8SuE9a_0NZW8m_5YfvF7i5rjUyA6GfMXeQ0DvAchrkRlO7oAqnv_mjeh7i_xwvQLJyhkPMZzDh1F5zU-l8bSFAa51q1I6igKjk2Pn6looQtlf5oR7zb/w640-h396/2024-02-10%2012.55.13%20www.mapsales.com%204b5689fb03d5.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Close up of our route along the coast, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>......next up, we're back to Malaysia for some medical manoeuvres, we'll keep in touch......</i><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-75602689778814654152024-02-11T10:23:00.001+08:002024-03-03T09:28:17.769+08:00 OLD TRAINS, NEW PLACES, FAMILIAR FACES - Phnom Penh to M'Pai Bay, Cambodia<p><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/10/here-there-and-everywhere-mixing-it-up.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">......we last published a mix of a blog from Abu Dhabi, Serbia, Hungary, Scotland and Malaysia.....</span></i></a></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYl7AgigRJwmrmkevj0BmGNCHNFflrHAtIZxKSOJJeIxYVhxhf-CDf1ELBKuLH9JWMLHjOhw1CdEObBMlsuOM_xKaxNuIjAizb-T4luw3NGwq9impFUN2TX3pjOrtHU936K8Mgm3mc763QMahOfEJP7_EFDXAFjeXXndFdWnUXuiOz0rnSd0_jTVpZoOki/s4080/20240128_133647_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYl7AgigRJwmrmkevj0BmGNCHNFflrHAtIZxKSOJJeIxYVhxhf-CDf1ELBKuLH9JWMLHjOhw1CdEObBMlsuOM_xKaxNuIjAizb-T4luw3NGwq9impFUN2TX3pjOrtHU936K8Mgm3mc763QMahOfEJP7_EFDXAFjeXXndFdWnUXuiOz0rnSd0_jTVpZoOki/w640-h360/20240128_133647_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Peaceful beach on Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Applying for the visa on arrival at Phnom Penh airport was an easy, yet amusing experience. Although there were only a handful of foreigners hanging about waiting for the service, the dozens of immigration staff made the simple process somewhat chaotic and loud- shouting and laughing. It was hilarious and such a contrast with where we'd come from. In Thailand we could never imagine this happening- immigration is such a sombre procedure. Anyway, we were quickly given a 30 day stay along with some big smiles, and were on our way.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We caught a public bus outside the terminal for US$0.36/1500 KHR to the city centre and wandered around for about half an hour until we found a decent guesthouse near the Central Market. It had been a while since we've properly travelled in South East Asia, and we looked forward to this "old style" travelling, with little planning involved and not having to book things in advance. Trying to find out up to date advice about travelling in Cambodia is hit and miss, as things are constantly changing. Much information online is incorrect or out of date, and we found it better to, again, play it old style, and find out what we needed to know directly from the source, or from fellow travellers on the ground. </span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xulAhqY3V82yqUDOqH166g9GDfarsyEu_0AK_YoDQ7rZ4GeeMKfz8z0E8gemVy3CuZ33Xyi4mNPygLVSnaF2Qi3UGoZyelw7d9A3Xz2xvLDnYEBnrzAIHYok_cttGoWeoGq5Q-tzVBxuxpeKJ0y89egYVLG4h91qXQoAl0JCYL494LToSl5E0bOYp5Bg/s4080/hotel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xulAhqY3V82yqUDOqH166g9GDfarsyEu_0AK_YoDQ7rZ4GeeMKfz8z0E8gemVy3CuZ33Xyi4mNPygLVSnaF2Qi3UGoZyelw7d9A3Xz2xvLDnYEBnrzAIHYok_cttGoWeoGq5Q-tzVBxuxpeKJ0y89egYVLG4h91qXQoAl0JCYL494LToSl5E0bOYp5Bg/w640-h360/hotel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our guesthouse entrance in Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We knew we wanted to stay for two months in total in Cambodia, so we got the visa extension process going at the immigration office, which would take one week, and set out to explore the city.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-ZNMgV3h7OfUw0G7xcdwKlwJUhGuJVwE5ECDxVAg7be3dV4Jz8ZbKyn_gKcQF0XAd506-ipxskEeJX8bnHx1SG02k71fjN9JfTZ6SzOArXOGAm9mHv8_7oAiKS8qdH_i6zRZVs2yV1aN8fR2jFXPfteBuT6vwECXF6B9mih4yOgtm21LWbxMM9MS6W21/s4814/street%20scene%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3213" data-original-width="4814" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-ZNMgV3h7OfUw0G7xcdwKlwJUhGuJVwE5ECDxVAg7be3dV4Jz8ZbKyn_gKcQF0XAd506-ipxskEeJX8bnHx1SG02k71fjN9JfTZ6SzOArXOGAm9mHv8_7oAiKS8qdH_i6zRZVs2yV1aN8fR2jFXPfteBuT6vwECXF6B9mih4yOgtm21LWbxMM9MS6W21/w640-h428/street%20scene%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Apartment blocks, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOr9K1BiUOH4KXf9QQgAPcDQMG7wZwwvGigaEVtrC1Tv42twoRM4IgTPP86s7OlAgRJxBt4YVppNlyCPcJxTBQHYJ1crQ68d91lgRKw9R2WDksOHNNckdMfgEVwxspEOhyphenhyphenGFp6XIm9B8tUFmdUVWyU227oV9NT5FU-WtQrGl4FmdwBBCZugaZsPZVvzg1Y/s2369/street%20scene%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2369" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOr9K1BiUOH4KXf9QQgAPcDQMG7wZwwvGigaEVtrC1Tv42twoRM4IgTPP86s7OlAgRJxBt4YVppNlyCPcJxTBQHYJ1crQ68d91lgRKw9R2WDksOHNNckdMfgEVwxspEOhyphenhyphenGFp6XIm9B8tUFmdUVWyU227oV9NT5FU-WtQrGl4FmdwBBCZugaZsPZVvzg1Y/w390-h640/street%20scene%20(3).jpg" width="390" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Array of food, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">First stop was the magnificent French built art deco-style Central Market to sort out some funds. Cambodia still runs on a duel economy- US dollars and their local currency Cambodian riel, or KHR. Apart from our visa and extension, most other things could be paid for with either currency. We preferred paying in KHR, but this did mean carrying around a hefty wad of notes. As well as being home to the money changers, the market also sold masses of gems, ordinary household items, tourist tack, and a food court with basic meals and to-die-for shakes. We became overly fond of the soursop version. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABF3kYB56wd3QLwc7U-8XTxLxVSm4M7Qiesa951w7wmbVYNt6TK6VA21KTa_pMdGXUVW1Gn0e7rHA6yXNdm2OCHt_fntHvpLzcQAisbkvTQhJwO3iARSnfCMvc2kioGQdymIp-QSdTYcmb8sp0HxHh0l0p5SWLhS7PJaOZ76QKMl9gnyTDF7SwkwJ7oyu/s2050/central%20market%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2050" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABF3kYB56wd3QLwc7U-8XTxLxVSm4M7Qiesa951w7wmbVYNt6TK6VA21KTa_pMdGXUVW1Gn0e7rHA6yXNdm2OCHt_fntHvpLzcQAisbkvTQhJwO3iARSnfCMvc2kioGQdymIp-QSdTYcmb8sp0HxHh0l0p5SWLhS7PJaOZ76QKMl9gnyTDF7SwkwJ7oyu/w640-h392/central%20market%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Central market in it's Art Deco glory</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLGdIGsfP1aTaxO4M-nh7l07QZEFvCnu6v5aBJmbgHmh-_ymjK_mACnHMvEFi_i__JLwmzGuOA0Xz-K-6nUfQiiXgC9hKvuPNuj17ItnbTkbPuMNjXaksKdw1BC2uKB3uf_M2eWl_VT747uxbW3PijghRHcGIdJO6xSPRDzn-Ypcb5EiL1DjjVsThnooQ/s2560/central%20market%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLGdIGsfP1aTaxO4M-nh7l07QZEFvCnu6v5aBJmbgHmh-_ymjK_mACnHMvEFi_i__JLwmzGuOA0Xz-K-6nUfQiiXgC9hKvuPNuj17ItnbTkbPuMNjXaksKdw1BC2uKB3uf_M2eWl_VT747uxbW3PijghRHcGIdJO6xSPRDzn-Ypcb5EiL1DjjVsThnooQ/w360-h640/central%20market%20(2).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Interior, Central Market, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHqQaP5adZD4orYEVci_62UAZObp3yGyncuVPw5GGcLuBKjTuOOq3V3mwCqOGlD9vO7_0iWY5AoYgxvI5VsH-qNIhNUlpGqjiki6WeHkSe91_DNFHWb3HLEDHIojyizsj97KCkD9a3JZhS67uD4_76zY1ND1aP9gU2SENVQDImprwlGrFNZq-IU3v-m2U/s3819/central%20market%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2253" data-original-width="3819" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHqQaP5adZD4orYEVci_62UAZObp3yGyncuVPw5GGcLuBKjTuOOq3V3mwCqOGlD9vO7_0iWY5AoYgxvI5VsH-qNIhNUlpGqjiki6WeHkSe91_DNFHWb3HLEDHIojyizsj97KCkD9a3JZhS67uD4_76zY1ND1aP9gU2SENVQDImprwlGrFNZq-IU3v-m2U/w640-h378/central%20market%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Produce stall, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x49p-llZ8gXBIeJJxCwGoByyQGKaQevx6VXnCqKOysFAw8BbtWwDiHGsT_MirmCowLcbO5o7NblhOfuIRnjiyV9Rorw0kT9OoGwvi0harnrsuhXQxo_y883ddkiT0bOTwikdYnlEuWeBs7fC5zF6ejogD83DEv2lKlhqJ2gfvWkYj-ZhJVOw7-0YnLCp/s5184/central%20market%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x49p-llZ8gXBIeJJxCwGoByyQGKaQevx6VXnCqKOysFAw8BbtWwDiHGsT_MirmCowLcbO5o7NblhOfuIRnjiyV9Rorw0kT9OoGwvi0harnrsuhXQxo_y883ddkiT0bOTwikdYnlEuWeBs7fC5zF6ejogD83DEv2lKlhqJ2gfvWkYj-ZhJVOw7-0YnLCp/w640-h426/central%20market%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jewellery setter, Central Market, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A4bLmIs3gpz9dL8RIFXLjUqd1nSvwQ4y_k3NaglOoyUfnuMse-4CaBlze_CcCu_BzPjPrbWl76d3gvtXWXIChbxdRD4IHqe_F9-SOA5W7_rhZNSX35A3lO3MF63Kj8fsZ7xnQFZqX-lUYi0PxOyRU6PpX4WJsG3ft76cE2YPe45YgU8Cxx5X9kBOi_dl/s4080/seafood%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A4bLmIs3gpz9dL8RIFXLjUqd1nSvwQ4y_k3NaglOoyUfnuMse-4CaBlze_CcCu_BzPjPrbWl76d3gvtXWXIChbxdRD4IHqe_F9-SOA5W7_rhZNSX35A3lO3MF63Kj8fsZ7xnQFZqX-lUYi0PxOyRU6PpX4WJsG3ft76cE2YPe45YgU8Cxx5X9kBOi_dl/w640-h360/seafood%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Such a seafood selection, Central Market, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrL2lqcDJqqlHxDL1XyAhzxTXULhTZD_B7d0aQd0XOmJg7dbi-dYpnoN2WcN_HJ7J9Jds9yh9CJ9YaHjdJRBgJo1dRydseucBHav0Pna-V2OVxtR7BqHmaGB6dgLzkdchEhN-220Enn64t5l7mf1SAfpJnITUfFy73ts6G2DsD0aXYp1Xo1BcEuO_gwnI/s2560/seafood%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrL2lqcDJqqlHxDL1XyAhzxTXULhTZD_B7d0aQd0XOmJg7dbi-dYpnoN2WcN_HJ7J9Jds9yh9CJ9YaHjdJRBgJo1dRydseucBHav0Pna-V2OVxtR7BqHmaGB6dgLzkdchEhN-220Enn64t5l7mf1SAfpJnITUfFy73ts6G2DsD0aXYp1Xo1BcEuO_gwnI/w640-h360/seafood%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gigantic crayfish, Central Market, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Cashed up, we hit the river side. To say this area has changed since our first visit is an understatement. When we arrived in 1999 in what was then a wild west-type town, we stayed in a brothel over looking the Mekong River, and were besieged with beggars wherever we went. Although down and outs and hookers still ply their trade down near the river, the entire waterfront has been concreted to within an inch of its life and is now used as a promenade, exercise area and boat launch. We were lucky enough to see a pair of massive Giant Hornbills in the palm trees there, apparently very rare. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoN-rmJ37bnPm6pwNYoF2q5ziOE-_3N6L9G0XOrQ93J8f5U8egn3tcT_ujENKBb-JEwgiPDLA2hTatmROFS2iGrdJX2GXwwTS_guEkpeCvwVWgw7r7l6HNb-Oy0-YdfRSKnALefW5ACSoe8RnM1-Xt2GfeHDmkVSn-RboRwdFulceb7l5AMjC3yHJ94Pod/s4471/riverside.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2811" data-original-width="4471" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoN-rmJ37bnPm6pwNYoF2q5ziOE-_3N6L9G0XOrQ93J8f5U8egn3tcT_ujENKBb-JEwgiPDLA2hTatmROFS2iGrdJX2GXwwTS_guEkpeCvwVWgw7r7l6HNb-Oy0-YdfRSKnALefW5ACSoe8RnM1-Xt2GfeHDmkVSn-RboRwdFulceb7l5AMjC3yHJ94Pod/w640-h402/riverside.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Giant hornbill, riverside, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>The street side was wall to wall tourist restaurants, cafes, hotels and massage joints. Avoiding the many girlie bars, we tried a few western-style restaurants where one could sit with a beer, or some bacon and eggs and partake in some people-watching action, with an array of weird and wonderful folk plying the streets. In one afternoon alone we witnessed a "western" guy in rags and </span><span>carrying a pink handbag, </span><span>covered in blood, begging from travellers in restaurants, and a blonde girl brazenly walking down the street in a tiny bikini. Then there was the local guy black with filth from head to foot, dressed in an mix of army/police uniforms with a high viz vest and wellie boots, standing at a street corner saluting and singing loudly what we imagined might be the national anthem. Next to us in a restaurant a solo young woman sat, obviously local, but cashed up, and ordering beer after beer. She was already happy when she entered, singing away to herself in a dream world, but the more she drank, the more she laughed to herself, and by the time we left she was near hysterical. From what we saw, most foreigners in Phnom Penh seemed to be middle aged to old Caucasian men, either alone or with young Cambodian pick ups. A few younger travellers filled in the gaps. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We dragged ourselves out of bed for an early morning visit to Wat Phnom. The main temple was calm and sombre, dark and quite beautiful inside. As usual at a Buddhist temple, there was plenty of cash floating around- Buddha sitting with dollars strapped to his chest, glass cabinets filled with Buddha statues and wads of cash, and temple staff counting money. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1y1beMo0dFSvoPkeV2ouDy6LgfbsW7gED1d2IVK0lPbukudN1p6FKwxy_5U_8idZViwdqD4DbZIk6VIFlQg7xW0h2_HEVCKgXQyLNf4mNVLzJrO9e4JgLd6xZ_8HbyF83fWtaGf5mRWCcaKQq9HpN56CXoW-W3bsxexRD-x03zqmiaj6wPBYq1JXqm3c/s4080/temple%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1y1beMo0dFSvoPkeV2ouDy6LgfbsW7gED1d2IVK0lPbukudN1p6FKwxy_5U_8idZViwdqD4DbZIk6VIFlQg7xW0h2_HEVCKgXQyLNf4mNVLzJrO9e4JgLd6xZ_8HbyF83fWtaGf5mRWCcaKQq9HpN56CXoW-W3bsxexRD-x03zqmiaj6wPBYq1JXqm3c/w640-h360/temple%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Money talks, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6k8_8hEw6Ri_GXnjwhApRs9fLopLx-LlQLiHsNXb_AdKJXpq7ltIC8j-kekQpU32oTboTwNEfcMbgqsf4kzAuacwigolxb-Bmy8nOyAjZYs451zaGmRK0SLkmSUTGt_OHJKopYK51_ynOB51XyMyV9egub15Q9wo-OpqWlGbPV_1hb_8QYnnWJfJwuel/s5184/temple%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6k8_8hEw6Ri_GXnjwhApRs9fLopLx-LlQLiHsNXb_AdKJXpq7ltIC8j-kekQpU32oTboTwNEfcMbgqsf4kzAuacwigolxb-Bmy8nOyAjZYs451zaGmRK0SLkmSUTGt_OHJKopYK51_ynOB51XyMyV9egub15Q9wo-OpqWlGbPV_1hb_8QYnnWJfJwuel/w640-h426/temple%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Serene morning light, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Far more interesting was the hectic shrine halfway up the hill, which was full of activity and food, including whole suckling pigs, cooked chooks and fruits. This fascinating place was mobbed, and we spent some time just observing. An alter in the back had people praying (and giving money) to unusual statues of Gods, or figures unknown to us. The strangest thing was the offerings of raw pork and eggs that were being placed into the mouths of lion statues. We sat for ages to try to snap a sneaky picture, but there were so many worshippers and it was impossible to see through the crowd. Eventually the intense aroma of incense in the air gave us a headache and we retreated down to the adjoining park for some fresh air.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tt1XvDIzAw4l2zhx0E6VpPZfskhsu-HHS-junQppVOTqoxWM1hPQHYYvfM_MXThKWIwCh7NSVDdR9G01qw4PSx0Dbs371vm53AuFsQhrKhx3ktqF5qKStGOyfedRLZcGpGijV_QhgPJ30k_M7euYMSanB_NhDThjZPoHXMcnmmmW2EUYF_GEzdcJblfE/s4526/temple%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4526" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tt1XvDIzAw4l2zhx0E6VpPZfskhsu-HHS-junQppVOTqoxWM1hPQHYYvfM_MXThKWIwCh7NSVDdR9G01qw4PSx0Dbs371vm53AuFsQhrKhx3ktqF5qKStGOyfedRLZcGpGijV_QhgPJ30k_M7euYMSanB_NhDThjZPoHXMcnmmmW2EUYF_GEzdcJblfE/w640-h488/temple%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Only snap we could get, lions with bacon, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pC-GrqvC0JaHVFGnIh-M_h-AaxObnb7josMbheiLdTXdXS-0mlV2rRJWTC1-cxq1tBm0iip1PtGUIMhBD14c58vkqebCyl2DdGcvMcvqK23IjYOyOtJhXtqweS-RLKOWtUX53DJcKBMJ85O6yEY2jI2nmHpjVPkxhUZzzgV_bTlONUGEcIqzcpJ3HQNr/s4080/temple%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pC-GrqvC0JaHVFGnIh-M_h-AaxObnb7josMbheiLdTXdXS-0mlV2rRJWTC1-cxq1tBm0iip1PtGUIMhBD14c58vkqebCyl2DdGcvMcvqK23IjYOyOtJhXtqweS-RLKOWtUX53DJcKBMJ85O6yEY2jI2nmHpjVPkxhUZzzgV_bTlONUGEcIqzcpJ3HQNr/w360-h640/temple%20(3).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Worshipping a fierce looking fellow, Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cucShzWga9p9p3Lhm1RMEkQ6-jYWEtbCnPhWcSJ2MG0S4J0tmUUtDkxlcST312DarhisTmf0uM-0q07ULTDag3TKp71dvPNzM6xZX8rTpmnYr6vYK1QEoijnrftllKQ8nODveciabUgfWyoMURm8ecDJ1tbQcUDRXmGgQpKiC7eNgKhYLbHdaHmdpXTR/s4080/temple%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="4080" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cucShzWga9p9p3Lhm1RMEkQ6-jYWEtbCnPhWcSJ2MG0S4J0tmUUtDkxlcST312DarhisTmf0uM-0q07ULTDag3TKp71dvPNzM6xZX8rTpmnYr6vYK1QEoijnrftllKQ8nODveciabUgfWyoMURm8ecDJ1tbQcUDRXmGgQpKiC7eNgKhYLbHdaHmdpXTR/w640-h292/temple%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Suckling pig at Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Other sights were the touristy night market, which was a mix of souvenirs and food. All the different food vendors had exactly the same menu- it was just a matter of choosing the cleanest looking place. The atmosphere was actually quite nice with rattan mats set out with little tables so people could congregate sitting down and eat the food they had bought. Rich lost the ability to sit cross legged a long time ago, so we happily sat at a table and watched the activity eating a fried rice. More about Rich's knee to come- we'll keep you posted........</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfqJLzsvPoFv_gBMlGNoAt_iNwA0hyQHZF_1W6blXRi_Qm_ltObqWu6TXm5dAAEPBIsNpRXcEwbXRvoMYKxh5-fUBtsa1dVmYJzmCjTD9bgyaSWtv-bJpjjpFgJTr6vfvHUWNNldprAF6lnapled-fQRScCbS_Exvi-DI4nBQVKdgfM0CUj93iJFxVKly/s3873/night%20market.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="3873" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfqJLzsvPoFv_gBMlGNoAt_iNwA0hyQHZF_1W6blXRi_Qm_ltObqWu6TXm5dAAEPBIsNpRXcEwbXRvoMYKxh5-fUBtsa1dVmYJzmCjTD9bgyaSWtv-bJpjjpFgJTr6vfvHUWNNldprAF6lnapled-fQRScCbS_Exvi-DI4nBQVKdgfM0CUj93iJFxVKly/w640-h324/night%20market.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">People enjoying the vibe and the food at the Night Market, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A quick peek into the foyer of the exclusive Raffles Hotel, patronized by royalty and diplomats, turned into a photo shoot, tour around the ground floor and a free drink from the extremely friendly door man and manager. We worked out the price of staying one night there would be the equivalent to staying one month in our comparatively shabby guesthouse!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSQOXxfkVFuuYVsqGazC9_uuZJFq303D-3wcrF3oZNr4rei2w2okGte_8lMtacUOPcOJVvd8v8jcwzYkgi-mc6fgylzlfz1ClJXlKEFun_3ucSsa_Z266q4w9WT761xg1zQI01VVW3tuxTIWYUinjpjwVlmfCLh5zpNkYjO3wm9ZJLFF4M9xpkoYbHCuv/s3383/raffles.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3383" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSQOXxfkVFuuYVsqGazC9_uuZJFq303D-3wcrF3oZNr4rei2w2okGte_8lMtacUOPcOJVvd8v8jcwzYkgi-mc6fgylzlfz1ClJXlKEFun_3ucSsa_Z266q4w9WT761xg1zQI01VVW3tuxTIWYUinjpjwVlmfCLh5zpNkYjO3wm9ZJLFF4M9xpkoYbHCuv/w434-h640/raffles.jpg" width="434" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two utter dags with fancy doorman, Raffles Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JVowvQ_kuUc9nR1DU5ac8HsszxsvRXMQ0pX8WqTqDDrsHwxr2VMbDWixKw28oEaE-SNONqhBbcsVqUz8dmcyA0R45A_tem7UpaUkk0OpNefNdYditkYi3gHYxhX0NzfSRNIljfHXhDRIjt4Duv6b6G9Aq5PXJfaQItvNvLnUgqqrdba7SfUcXAYU2-Vc/s2345/20240110_095400_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2345" data-original-width="1422" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JVowvQ_kuUc9nR1DU5ac8HsszxsvRXMQ0pX8WqTqDDrsHwxr2VMbDWixKw28oEaE-SNONqhBbcsVqUz8dmcyA0R45A_tem7UpaUkk0OpNefNdYditkYi3gHYxhX0NzfSRNIljfHXhDRIjt4Duv6b6G9Aq5PXJfaQItvNvLnUgqqrdba7SfUcXAYU2-Vc/w388-h640/20240110_095400_edited.jpg" width="388" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lording it up at raffles with our free drink!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A wander around the old backpacker's haunt of Lakeside was a bit depressing. Once a popular and lively place for those on a budget, overlooking a lake, now the lake is gone, as have most of the accommodation options and cafes, with a pathetic few still holding out for customers and in a right state. There was a definite feeling of a faded ghost village.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Overall, we hadn't know what to expect from Phnom Penh, and once we got used to the noise (beeping horns, people constantly on their phones at full volume, loud talking, tinny music playing in the streets), we found the city to be low key and easy, if a bit undistinctive. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IVFwW8N92_IZ8m0JGFUVUnZb8nSTNrwe87iljtH4heRkblHoO8i8j6NYes6PcCvXkLJT-LXCPslw0qQ_5UwtgvaNhfGVJb0Nx8NP0gY07xrs3loO_o6kvCQC9DZTH6_wKCROQwiStcPElGyNj5Ij0B5Z4yeYEdqTcwOkpHs1llULr0D7UsP12J_6OjSf/s3202/street%20scene%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3202" data-original-width="2184" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IVFwW8N92_IZ8m0JGFUVUnZb8nSTNrwe87iljtH4heRkblHoO8i8j6NYes6PcCvXkLJT-LXCPslw0qQ_5UwtgvaNhfGVJb0Nx8NP0gY07xrs3loO_o6kvCQC9DZTH6_wKCROQwiStcPElGyNj5Ij0B5Z4yeYEdqTcwOkpHs1llULr0D7UsP12J_6OjSf/w436-h640/street%20scene%20(2).jpg" width="436" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Funky old tower block, Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL81a-pM3SjjwEiHCjAVuxf7I61iRd6ygdT4DhzSQtKtRXIdxzb9V2NCai_WcYEuvVsVOZf9sx6jTlNlrZ7RtImNE0nrT-UwX7KP1vGMe7qlKsLaBoOuARhNdsnxXAq3npGlI9ghvVKXkyFv4M-17RjKkDJYNXp1sbqzKJNfz-gf5sggid8C65PBo9MIlG/s5053/street%20scene.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3372" data-original-width="5053" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL81a-pM3SjjwEiHCjAVuxf7I61iRd6ygdT4DhzSQtKtRXIdxzb9V2NCai_WcYEuvVsVOZf9sx6jTlNlrZ7RtImNE0nrT-UwX7KP1vGMe7qlKsLaBoOuARhNdsnxXAq3npGlI9ghvVKXkyFv4M-17RjKkDJYNXp1sbqzKJNfz-gf5sggid8C65PBo9MIlG/w640-h428/street%20scene.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Back lanes of Phnom Penh, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>The </span><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2011/03/baguettes-beaches-and-bicycles-cambodia.html" target="_blank">last time we visited Cambodia</a><span> in 2011, there was no option for travelling by rail. Being the train nerds that we are, we were delighted to discover a line heading from Phnom Penh towards our next destination, Kep. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The train was very cute, basic, with padded bench seats and open windows- just the style we like. There was even a group of monks down one end of the carriage enjoying the ride. The train was not at all busy, so we were able to spread out and enjoy the scenery. Coming out of the city, people lived by the tracks in makeshift shelters, similar to India. Once in the countryside, the landscape was mainly rice fields and lotus ponds, Brahmin cattle, water buffalo and rustic clusters of rural dwellings. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGiBM3RuxEuHte846pRxeN8yyDcgPAHFVhhg5IZwkw3oyj8vylvYfembZslBK5CZmkxm81GqjbfBQTUA3uZ-K9Me29I2WLE3Snbkxzr-yGUJwkiQ0llxsvFseJwZMMv89xE9aZQoY2TEABGHApa6jkpKwrjX8xKwSdjMgmP8sohPak5-_4W9YVgcZ_-zt/s4080/train%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGiBM3RuxEuHte846pRxeN8yyDcgPAHFVhhg5IZwkw3oyj8vylvYfembZslBK5CZmkxm81GqjbfBQTUA3uZ-K9Me29I2WLE3Snbkxzr-yGUJwkiQ0llxsvFseJwZMMv89xE9aZQoY2TEABGHApa6jkpKwrjX8xKwSdjMgmP8sohPak5-_4W9YVgcZ_-zt/w640-h360/train%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy on the train, Phnom Penh to Kep</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFa8OuVy6qtin61oQNepa3cOR7Qbp0Du3RhtJuKdFe8OM8-vHh8_tegANPpny91Y5_8-icOkjbVPm4vGlWDQxTnVjxAhyphenhyphenvHhoQ8Da1T6T5KQpyJZQyH6nIJ26NNdKs-LO35vPuHdAFNNtR417MhTbewru0_Ev9RzJjmbW3fqqKoKH4lmt4YHsewfFdK8eZ/s2560/train%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFa8OuVy6qtin61oQNepa3cOR7Qbp0Du3RhtJuKdFe8OM8-vHh8_tegANPpny91Y5_8-icOkjbVPm4vGlWDQxTnVjxAhyphenhyphenvHhoQ8Da1T6T5KQpyJZQyH6nIJ26NNdKs-LO35vPuHdAFNNtR417MhTbewru0_Ev9RzJjmbW3fqqKoKH4lmt4YHsewfFdK8eZ/w640-h360/train%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Old style train, Phnom Penh to Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MxmSXy86u-8JRRbL3U4bvPzK745SyTORzMHxyHRKdkTYbEJQANZhu9BKH4j7iM6VFoTcaZtZ0GK6qGBY3r_bh2tO6kffqDw-kZZ60jyxsOcm6gfoKU2vOvCIYiDYXmkNo8j9E9sZa_UE1_VAnv3TUGF_F_u3oM_f6WmZHCi9qDxA0pMllxXniLWqASxe/s3633/train.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="3633" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MxmSXy86u-8JRRbL3U4bvPzK745SyTORzMHxyHRKdkTYbEJQANZhu9BKH4j7iM6VFoTcaZtZ0GK6qGBY3r_bh2tO6kffqDw-kZZ60jyxsOcm6gfoKU2vOvCIYiDYXmkNo8j9E9sZa_UE1_VAnv3TUGF_F_u3oM_f6WmZHCi9qDxA0pMllxXniLWqASxe/w640-h360/train.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our arrival <i>rormork</i>, as they are called, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Kep was new destination for us, and we enjoyed the laid back and extremely quiet vibes. Spread out over several kilometres, Kep's attractions were best seen by motorbike, and hiring one for a few days was a fabulous idea. Years ago, visiting nearby Kampot, we regularly patronised the good value restaurant Captain Chim's. Now the entire friendly Chim family had moved to Kep, and luckily for us ran a great basic but cheap guesthouse. At a nearby pier was their restaurant, a copy of the Kampot location, and we indulged in fantastic local and Western food every day. Passionfruit shakes became the new favourite</span><span>. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YvQlrrJWYhunsTYOfuk6tc1AsOa7FtG1IDV6LnPPDd-OpAVLlLWM-BlUOWlcvFzka2CsSxN2ttCTSkQKhcxuhr4WRrdRZDsH1OQNZJTQSknIzBgc8u6FZcl0mqWOUMW_CtUl1ebv3d_B6H5kIeV0_SDtlRTNa4Wx1PK5Iq9NmqAH2A6kXCjtsWYJ7vJo/s4080/20240120_100602_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YvQlrrJWYhunsTYOfuk6tc1AsOa7FtG1IDV6LnPPDd-OpAVLlLWM-BlUOWlcvFzka2CsSxN2ttCTSkQKhcxuhr4WRrdRZDsH1OQNZJTQSknIzBgc8u6FZcl0mqWOUMW_CtUl1ebv3d_B6H5kIeV0_SDtlRTNa4Wx1PK5Iq9NmqAH2A6kXCjtsWYJ7vJo/w640-h360/20240120_100602_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fresh fish in a baguette, what could be better?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusfGs_Bv8gy0q0iIKs7aT7SGRzqMJgbRMzAPa2-59yTSB-7fH4v_wKAv_VYN1IG4N-tfqqrzeOIk5RIukYPaJR5P8YPaalOzaTqZrJDWuqfqEGAXkErtxNHXdifJsts_fBZnPwfANn3PxlEzzOIGf1dqXb0Y6O3gev-kKtZFXV5HjK1mnqSRI70MWkgyX/s4716/IMG_0356_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2920" data-original-width="4716" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusfGs_Bv8gy0q0iIKs7aT7SGRzqMJgbRMzAPa2-59yTSB-7fH4v_wKAv_VYN1IG4N-tfqqrzeOIk5RIukYPaJR5P8YPaalOzaTqZrJDWuqfqEGAXkErtxNHXdifJsts_fBZnPwfANn3PxlEzzOIGf1dqXb0Y6O3gev-kKtZFXV5HjK1mnqSRI70MWkgyX/w640-h396/IMG_0356_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Colourful collection of boats at Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the streets around the guesthouse were some ghostly remnants of times gone by. Dozens of villas from the late 19th and early 20th century remained in various states of disrepair. This area was a hub of summer homes for French colonialists wanting a respite from Phnom Penh in the heat, and later Cambodia's rich elite and royalty, who would travel to this particularly posh part of the coast to swim, socialize and gamble at casinos. In the 1970s, the Khmer Rouge put a stop to that life style with their supposed hatred for decadence, and the town never recovered. Nowadays, a few villas have been cared for and even renovated into homes or hotels, some remain in a dilapidated state, but most have been removed completely, only a stone wall and beautiful garden left. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70G2TsCrHnX2FBuHgTv4vNwzHXTV9d1bREI5cRJGYQvT-jr2uKUHHkLcU01_Jtp2auvOSiHf7n4ydiw3PAdIBWYbrPLr2cK59Dfg2NsRhlk0zbZPh3H04hDORwSQSdAzNQpqTK88OGMg0GUm4AuFkZlqJ71SSQBmQDv_LXPdTjbbjGrh-VM-C18PeOx93/s5184/old%20houses%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70G2TsCrHnX2FBuHgTv4vNwzHXTV9d1bREI5cRJGYQvT-jr2uKUHHkLcU01_Jtp2auvOSiHf7n4ydiw3PAdIBWYbrPLr2cK59Dfg2NsRhlk0zbZPh3H04hDORwSQSdAzNQpqTK88OGMg0GUm4AuFkZlqJ71SSQBmQDv_LXPdTjbbjGrh-VM-C18PeOx93/w640-h426/old%20houses%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Decrepit ......</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHDH6dP1KkGu5B-Ce_Q0PELPqRJKMEWPG0ORMOIUNx33tHgenBQyGm-wWrBdDcYAbp4SeyMcPpDebWQSHMl2FKzHDlYsZU1_YvRklTN7cjW17ajiovR7ITCnyat4NmNaSZUjC8hFLRrT7LkiSToYz8g4l-6isiZA_HLXM30i3UTa0CySd7YI2p3CKbgoY/s4080/old%20houses%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHDH6dP1KkGu5B-Ce_Q0PELPqRJKMEWPG0ORMOIUNx33tHgenBQyGm-wWrBdDcYAbp4SeyMcPpDebWQSHMl2FKzHDlYsZU1_YvRklTN7cjW17ajiovR7ITCnyat4NmNaSZUjC8hFLRrT7LkiSToYz8g4l-6isiZA_HLXM30i3UTa0CySd7YI2p3CKbgoY/w640-h360/old%20houses%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">.....and unloved, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2PK5Jh20XPt5cufycJw8soS9B62bycAx9tu29N_NxHry-g4KEy3IPacKEF57BXo-ixPLdU_Qt38gHCpLjmY9K14_CiVh0iHZL5_V7LjGeZyKHZVi4ZjrM8HkgzElt1z0zD906cW4JVihcyKfJew_aYm6fiWHiMIXOCOIZuuzXOGSOiBxE13UTw-XwER-/s4080/old%20houses%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2PK5Jh20XPt5cufycJw8soS9B62bycAx9tu29N_NxHry-g4KEy3IPacKEF57BXo-ixPLdU_Qt38gHCpLjmY9K14_CiVh0iHZL5_V7LjGeZyKHZVi4ZjrM8HkgzElt1z0zD906cW4JVihcyKfJew_aYm6fiWHiMIXOCOIZuuzXOGSOiBxE13UTw-XwER-/w640-h360/old%20houses%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This restored mansion was for sale, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We loved whizzing up and down the coast on our motorbike, checking out the various sights. Most of the beaches were either more aimed at locals, with raised covered platforms in the shade with hammocks for picnics and relaxing, or home to fishing villages. *It has to be said- Cambodians love a hammock more than any other country we have visited. It's kind of a national obsession. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZEG22aQztdppVHQr0DcdtbzIH-ChO9hxZrWOrXOS7xwe5hmf4OPopPvzFgKj6GW6Qgw8Foj2nuoNlgaafuK0zVBvXXqJi_Sd6geY8wPHPx-bVsNDNF3UkJ58dWTyCMuGtkm0ktnDhe9uUuqeR5FziyC0X1Kta5WTpmrrK-tl3kVUyXVObN4vGGXwwJAr/s3408/20240117_114455%20kep_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1982" data-original-width="3408" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZEG22aQztdppVHQr0DcdtbzIH-ChO9hxZrWOrXOS7xwe5hmf4OPopPvzFgKj6GW6Qgw8Foj2nuoNlgaafuK0zVBvXXqJi_Sd6geY8wPHPx-bVsNDNF3UkJ58dWTyCMuGtkm0ktnDhe9uUuqeR5FziyC0X1Kta5WTpmrrK-tl3kVUyXVObN4vGGXwwJAr/w640-h372/20240117_114455%20kep_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sitting near the local market, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-ceRd4uSPl0WFKWu3bFP2Zw9yQv3SebwBlKdUkeYkb7TbS1tHNJ0pIE1PEev5Cn1vUyEZG88BiUCNjSmjbRl6tPRFquU2BQYl76fx0WADRcbueT6KRGrPSAdqYEc0tPsrgZpQmU1y7Ygtei9FrwLLzM1dzQifBHqI7QCNClnLJuJUfsVEtWOCAjT9edc/s2317/20240119_084558_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="2317" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-ceRd4uSPl0WFKWu3bFP2Zw9yQv3SebwBlKdUkeYkb7TbS1tHNJ0pIE1PEev5Cn1vUyEZG88BiUCNjSmjbRl6tPRFquU2BQYl76fx0WADRcbueT6KRGrPSAdqYEc0tPsrgZpQmU1y7Ygtei9FrwLLzM1dzQifBHqI7QCNClnLJuJUfsVEtWOCAjT9edc/w640-h352/20240119_084558_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fishing boats, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue7rTas6xIfbMuR9ySAfTuj3h5Q1puqoNVpHdhSpJZDdoQeqF0l0R2jv-gVrP9zY5slifdY3HLmG20UfdnsknmjumXNJaqGrjfkyHlisJqxzUjku_kZO3g_wsDSNtR2BfIr06JNq0rmTbSIRdzkx5nVlCBCDV-gqOO3TNwvnnJD-cM0x3tjccnAht9WqX/s3605/20240119_163050_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2010" data-original-width="3605" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue7rTas6xIfbMuR9ySAfTuj3h5Q1puqoNVpHdhSpJZDdoQeqF0l0R2jv-gVrP9zY5slifdY3HLmG20UfdnsknmjumXNJaqGrjfkyHlisJqxzUjku_kZO3g_wsDSNtR2BfIr06JNq0rmTbSIRdzkx5nVlCBCDV-gqOO3TNwvnnJD-cM0x3tjccnAht9WqX/w640-h356/20240119_163050_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mobile shop on wheels, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSMrVAm9_VTA48KdecGwBjFZcyx-BsYDMgIc77SheNsSc5_Ol6tlEKScQN3fsmqH_QsEhupgMmxPsg2OgqHllCBrT3StTAqiGrQI4Vre9kAnSHygQwgZNp2IcnIewg6LOl_uxVo36p_d0TVC97WA7UjLEdZgo6E0QQYLVH8Q4o4-kauWaQTRMo3eE3DDw/s4080/20240121_113051_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSMrVAm9_VTA48KdecGwBjFZcyx-BsYDMgIc77SheNsSc5_Ol6tlEKScQN3fsmqH_QsEhupgMmxPsg2OgqHllCBrT3StTAqiGrQI4Vre9kAnSHygQwgZNp2IcnIewg6LOl_uxVo36p_d0TVC97WA7UjLEdZgo6E0QQYLVH8Q4o4-kauWaQTRMo3eE3DDw/w640-h360/20240121_113051_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hammocks lined up waiting for the hordes, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6TX4gem0f2D_yHb_k7j5DC_BF0ce75xlkJDAI4Un6gCm-I53t3nFIe2ubxyr-5oVFue5W1sBtG_lcmtn6cF1TKt_WmbtHg5XDKcMKQjyntt3IqcAB1PyoZdzJ1t3hsZSYpo1CRlpRMFfolP9T39fE56B9bdWvx05ik6HLZfV6XLm7YAv_vsoXxfnpaww/s5184/IMG_0336_edited.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6TX4gem0f2D_yHb_k7j5DC_BF0ce75xlkJDAI4Un6gCm-I53t3nFIe2ubxyr-5oVFue5W1sBtG_lcmtn6cF1TKt_WmbtHg5XDKcMKQjyntt3IqcAB1PyoZdzJ1t3hsZSYpo1CRlpRMFfolP9T39fE56B9bdWvx05ik6HLZfV6XLm7YAv_vsoXxfnpaww/w640-h426/IMG_0336_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCg3_3zgZMUz0qC6sPpeV2sPJZ4C3d00jc9fii0IOfEXx2eL9ASBOPL8e266b9kieUkOEaZudmyTBNV-TEsW6NvlAgls2RKKXgHNaD5rX7gtLi8Mthksgp_vRxqPtnQqJIW-9h4eTnIVNw-D5YeIFB-BAnrbpEpA9Uf153CRtFNYmLaMeR3I4IJvRsc0Y4/s4927/IMG_0360_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3285" data-original-width="4927" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCg3_3zgZMUz0qC6sPpeV2sPJZ4C3d00jc9fii0IOfEXx2eL9ASBOPL8e266b9kieUkOEaZudmyTBNV-TEsW6NvlAgls2RKKXgHNaD5rX7gtLi8Mthksgp_vRxqPtnQqJIW-9h4eTnIVNw-D5YeIFB-BAnrbpEpA9Uf153CRtFNYmLaMeR3I4IJvRsc0Y4/w640-h426/IMG_0360_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fisherman and marker flags, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHQv3KJkd0o" style="outline-width: 0px; user-select: auto;" target="_blank">A short clip of Kep fishermen</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A bit of effort had been put into Kep Beach to make it nice for tourists- apparently the sand came from Otres Beach along the coast. It was pleasant for soaking up a few rays and a paddle in the shallow water, but the lack of shade in the heat of the day limited our time there. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SDM1KhKpVL9g-wijDbJZG7FTcPLtT04QAdITerS_vcAQo2cilExVmbM9NXsLZweUq_Z4iZdh_gdhGJOrFXW_ef-AanRoZhcDSa89tUOKZ0_-5a3xw2uKasVfRf3kcXNjroa46baZ-WTV3ADTUjGkSWVl2QfTxpoENRD2N3NaryL8jBpmfE1fJwkyKDdP/s2914/20240118_110017_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1644" data-original-width="2914" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SDM1KhKpVL9g-wijDbJZG7FTcPLtT04QAdITerS_vcAQo2cilExVmbM9NXsLZweUq_Z4iZdh_gdhGJOrFXW_ef-AanRoZhcDSa89tUOKZ0_-5a3xw2uKasVfRf3kcXNjroa46baZ-WTV3ADTUjGkSWVl2QfTxpoENRD2N3NaryL8jBpmfE1fJwkyKDdP/w640-h362/20240118_110017_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunny and hot! Kep main Beach, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Kep is known for it's low key fishing industry, especially for crabs, and we found it interesting watching the fishermen landing their catches. Every type of seafood was in the markets and a large majority must be transported to Phnom Penh, where we had seen the most incredible array. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qL5JwDZ37zydkt1rcJUirUs1CEs-wS5K9_VykaGyEvJ-ySMCVvi8TdokKlEDeGMXJXYS438jQOoea-zpIM-htXO4uHfb6q3Vi14ptkhqxvuKk-ba-hZgmNiwLj9m01spZH1jf2iHMU9rQ4Tu8fG_Wqj29mhmO2Vm90tXvssw_i4ucW0qrp8ysJqsNP-E/s5116/crab%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3034" data-original-width="5116" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qL5JwDZ37zydkt1rcJUirUs1CEs-wS5K9_VykaGyEvJ-ySMCVvi8TdokKlEDeGMXJXYS438jQOoea-zpIM-htXO4uHfb6q3Vi14ptkhqxvuKk-ba-hZgmNiwLj9m01spZH1jf2iHMU9rQ4Tu8fG_Wqj29mhmO2Vm90tXvssw_i4ucW0qrp8ysJqsNP-E/w640-h380/crab%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Crab traps drying in the sun, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYLmZQgEEGr2lEFx39_vRYagM-EPaOMGQ9kbEnFh7WzXLGhwiAI6w-cGu-q2Eew6PHlT-4uoJcg6zYhaD0YumOfyCUXNaegn59LRoN5J1LMV8VE_8AK_Bg4dazjQ_J6q8G9A1rCo023VFXjlaJTAFihUONySeGGVWCk5Un99kNOQZo54EnQ5TsXlE72fB/s5184/crab%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYLmZQgEEGr2lEFx39_vRYagM-EPaOMGQ9kbEnFh7WzXLGhwiAI6w-cGu-q2Eew6PHlT-4uoJcg6zYhaD0YumOfyCUXNaegn59LRoN5J1LMV8VE_8AK_Bg4dazjQ_J6q8G9A1rCo023VFXjlaJTAFihUONySeGGVWCk5Un99kNOQZo54EnQ5TsXlE72fB/w426-h640/crab%20(2).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bringing in the catch, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUEc9Em79P1HfY22VI5HB0M1LhpIXHpTREN56t7MAhPU-QTj8o4wJdZcrrWxOxipTGxmpIOKgxCSWpsYVacDz2kD1GrqruORfM8L75Z7WfAcJB8yWhw8DWUiYMsdnQQQadS_6aUPWNnKZYeSa4Em-1aJUyrRr9KHfFQN1djf20q2cOtvePWCxyrQgl2fg/s5184/crab%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUEc9Em79P1HfY22VI5HB0M1LhpIXHpTREN56t7MAhPU-QTj8o4wJdZcrrWxOxipTGxmpIOKgxCSWpsYVacDz2kD1GrqruORfM8L75Z7WfAcJB8yWhw8DWUiYMsdnQQQadS_6aUPWNnKZYeSa4Em-1aJUyrRr9KHfFQN1djf20q2cOtvePWCxyrQgl2fg/w640-h426/crab%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Weighing the crabs, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNnojB9x-WRmpcTsJxmgMxj1WpKRilrl6s_cqeMug3AD2JqUrik6fzSSw_uPaH_yHRM4yHUGWIGQvVZ8eXLekxAQtxmVu28su5OxSUTCSBV0rMDk6AdzXc8X8jytYGAJVFK-oG1oIWsQ1JRYgA2wFWy6tUHA9n9Tx1xneooZVrvDaw2BiGQv1uUyGZqZ6/s5184/crab%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNnojB9x-WRmpcTsJxmgMxj1WpKRilrl6s_cqeMug3AD2JqUrik6fzSSw_uPaH_yHRM4yHUGWIGQvVZ8eXLekxAQtxmVu28su5OxSUTCSBV0rMDk6AdzXc8X8jytYGAJVFK-oG1oIWsQ1JRYgA2wFWy6tUHA9n9Tx1xneooZVrvDaw2BiGQv1uUyGZqZ6/w640-h426/crab%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Weird horseshoe crabs, Kep, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiptPpWVDB2g25Tg4pZWTMoAZi8pG85FIkiXN3Cwmzioxeyy86oJfoHKfdlQ_FzNVehGl-bUn4H0CG8zQcy0ut03i9idkeZkjgPnysNfL0BVc07y6vpIuNTjmHQ9xMfWNoUCK5iPYcWF_3AUK2pwMZahQpQjVHtTAghtxXjVpWzosV7hsxnZVZHG5g44HP/s1879/seafood%20(1).jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="1879" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiptPpWVDB2g25Tg4pZWTMoAZi8pG85FIkiXN3Cwmzioxeyy86oJfoHKfdlQ_FzNVehGl-bUn4H0CG8zQcy0ut03i9idkeZkjgPnysNfL0BVc07y6vpIuNTjmHQ9xMfWNoUCK5iPYcWF_3AUK2pwMZahQpQjVHtTAghtxXjVpWzosV7hsxnZVZHG5g44HP/w640-h380/seafood%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A giant crab at Phnom Penh market, Cambodia<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A long time mate of ours had been living on a tropical island off the Cambodian coast for some time, and it had been a few years since we had caught up. A past regular of Ko Fruitopia, he had been seduced by Cambodia post Covid BS, and had made a life working with tourists on Koh Rong Samleom. This had partly influenced our decision to visit Cambodia, and we couldn't wait to see him. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To arrive at the island, we first had to get ourselves to Sihanoukville, (otherwise known as Satanicville- thanks to Liverpool Mike!). This meant we had to take the bus from Kep over the train in order to hook up with the slow ferry to Koh Rong Sanloem. What we hadn't realized was the road between Kampot and Sihanoukville was hideously bumpy and dusty, and we spent three hours being thrown around in a most uncomfortable bus journey. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>We enjoyed our stay in Sihanoukville years ago, but the stories going around about how developed and busy the town had become put us off a stay there this time. Our decision was justified when we saw the skyline of high rises and the humongous new ferry port.</span><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>That was only the start, though. Once arriving in </span>Sihanoukville with all the other tourists, they were shepherded off to their speedboats to various islands, while we jumped in a tuk tuk to a nearby pier where supply boats going out to assorted destinations were rumoured to be leaving from. Again, this information was hard to confirm online, so we were relieved when a little man standing on the pier confirmed we would be able to take a boat to M'Pai Bay on Koh Rong Sanloem at two o'clock. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Although we were early to the pier, it was enjoyable to sit in the shade and watch the various boats being loaded up with essential goods. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7i7Fh3GHlF37R-TOVIfgaMj5fIdYOFlaqaYMmXsctGkpW7tm-j6e5nYb9ZOfItlfsqbwZtUEHf7DQR4YN8amSJMJFl0NEbs42c-a_XmRTNghuMtndqZoZEfwrg0NycQcEPzH9d4YlaEE2Ne9yIPuTTCbl_sJiGQt1UafSGf9t1vwKc9DKZOPSvKPWxq_/s3162/pier%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1889" data-original-width="3162" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7i7Fh3GHlF37R-TOVIfgaMj5fIdYOFlaqaYMmXsctGkpW7tm-j6e5nYb9ZOfItlfsqbwZtUEHf7DQR4YN8amSJMJFl0NEbs42c-a_XmRTNghuMtndqZoZEfwrg0NycQcEPzH9d4YlaEE2Ne9yIPuTTCbl_sJiGQt1UafSGf9t1vwKc9DKZOPSvKPWxq_/w640-h382/pier%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Neat old bike at the pier, Sihanoukville</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8c4C8AqWQ1u1fynjQboOrWhWkf-bFuWRGgeJrTWXkpLLmOoYXjuevh_cBVoeN75kpkDll07BGtFwhOFIgmILy5Zb-By513neRQ0pWBfs3YFc9SbNDnjjFUns1QnmbFnYRtg18t4rOjedKIXSZIzoV9ej1U5B_GzKRX4nOAWAnQuVmPuZjo4G1gyYu856b/s4080/pier%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8c4C8AqWQ1u1fynjQboOrWhWkf-bFuWRGgeJrTWXkpLLmOoYXjuevh_cBVoeN75kpkDll07BGtFwhOFIgmILy5Zb-By513neRQ0pWBfs3YFc9SbNDnjjFUns1QnmbFnYRtg18t4rOjedKIXSZIzoV9ej1U5B_GzKRX4nOAWAnQuVmPuZjo4G1gyYu856b/w640-h360/pier%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Loading up the boats, Sihanoukville pier</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Ymcrc72q2AeJEJy6q_GtyV2-9i6K30IZ5F8aiVVtyOVnvTFNgdhl9manfKc5vLlEiqAJqxnW8GjoFX5knfVqFcpTRXJZ-jjuXi6d-473GLi-blFCUBJxYJZMyueQbyTW1Ol4p0oOj2HTC4Psz0SgIgYGjxQXQWcGEfx28OWZrE6dyfJ3vSDuxDmkwwve/s5098/pier%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3184" data-original-width="5098" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Ymcrc72q2AeJEJy6q_GtyV2-9i6K30IZ5F8aiVVtyOVnvTFNgdhl9manfKc5vLlEiqAJqxnW8GjoFX5knfVqFcpTRXJZ-jjuXi6d-473GLi-blFCUBJxYJZMyueQbyTW1Ol4p0oOj2HTC4Psz0SgIgYGjxQXQWcGEfx28OWZrE6dyfJ3vSDuxDmkwwve/w640-h400/pier%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Boats preparing to leave, Sihanoukville pier</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>We were called over to board a boat carrying fuel containers and gas bottles to M'Pai Bay, which left at exactly two o'clock. The first hour of sailing was fine, leaving Sihanoukville and navigating around several </span>scenic islands. However, after this time the captain went for a nap, and an inexperienced youngster took over just when the sea became very rough. Not knowing the correct way to steer the boat, he hit every wave at the wrong angle, causing the boat to sway back and forth, and Sal to become sicker and sicker until we reached the island three hours later. It was something of a nightmare. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEief0Po6-fRoY9u3CyWn9Vm3VQyBsvlhJJn9ungOUNJkwuBzxrW1_jJ0MyjKBMmE1aCvOGuGFDp_qzRWgGVOS0ZkvkEGXW8PO3BvnVlwDeC-VnMAEqsGC8xsd4-X48VQELbDjlc-Q-J21t1j8KYol8ws_ho3Hb6C8DGVS7BhaFLkjAdK_MyKy4UqZq5JDCB/s5053/pier%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3372" data-original-width="5053" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEief0Po6-fRoY9u3CyWn9Vm3VQyBsvlhJJn9ungOUNJkwuBzxrW1_jJ0MyjKBMmE1aCvOGuGFDp_qzRWgGVOS0ZkvkEGXW8PO3BvnVlwDeC-VnMAEqsGC8xsd4-X48VQELbDjlc-Q-J21t1j8KYol8ws_ho3Hb6C8DGVS7BhaFLkjAdK_MyKy4UqZq5JDCB/w640-h428/pier%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Leaving the pier at Sihanoukville, Cambodia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5gZrHIudHjzxTQzKWjjCKIybPQnpy100ctl0bDecmW7E_KesY5VwN-eRhiqd8Ww-uAPG5Wd2Qk4NQQwyxhGEP1lrQ62atha-U-cIYdKLWVUs77nDsQAUWFiILX5kkfc2tFFFqVWzQiNRUksLKDOwoQhpKzvRjuanswgLIm8A3fTFYpZivFlIhtIUWcw-u/s2560/pier%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5gZrHIudHjzxTQzKWjjCKIybPQnpy100ctl0bDecmW7E_KesY5VwN-eRhiqd8Ww-uAPG5Wd2Qk4NQQwyxhGEP1lrQ62atha-U-cIYdKLWVUs77nDsQAUWFiILX5kkfc2tFFFqVWzQiNRUksLKDOwoQhpKzvRjuanswgLIm8A3fTFYpZivFlIhtIUWcw-u/w640-h360/pier%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Captain and fuel onboard</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5Hi1UhLZh16U2U9pOYwshM5bgDgYnjCfN1TU8XrzumCp1PcRnoryhUhWN2eUiHu04kuOSquDX3SjbuX2SccbmXokoEV-HboEdOaIPl2BuNS_jkbH1gz-OswuVRL8FcDkXxPL-Jz1TxFxqvEEt08ayygqutFKNr8VVoQ4aZPE6oWwL0JfJjHvNJJQ7OX2/s2560/pier%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5Hi1UhLZh16U2U9pOYwshM5bgDgYnjCfN1TU8XrzumCp1PcRnoryhUhWN2eUiHu04kuOSquDX3SjbuX2SccbmXokoEV-HboEdOaIPl2BuNS_jkbH1gz-OswuVRL8FcDkXxPL-Jz1TxFxqvEEt08ayygqutFKNr8VVoQ4aZPE6oWwL0JfJjHvNJJQ7OX2/w640-h360/pier%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rich not feeling at all sick, slow boat to M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We had purposely done little research about Koh Rong Sanloem, and arriving on the pier, a bit worse for wear, we didn't really know what to make of the place. As we asked around for a reasonably priced room (it was high season), we realized that most of the businesses were owned/run by foreigners, which we weren't expecting. Many of these places also had foreign volunteers, making the entire village population seem heavily skewed towards outsiders. To be honest, when travelling in Asia, we normally don't patronize businesses run by foreigners, but here there wasn't a lot of choice!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6aMblKRQqqIc0okfqLN39rW6v6nohiAHX3cpb2FD6Kj6Vus_B-tFTPszxueEZUuYW_9r2vJbUvTPw9RlT_k_cvtZs15bpJ9zOQh5rOLJVNKpTRHhyphenhyphengYhU8embpuZLQXm4zGieyILNuhTp358b6jRDcvzZjWMFZeRlceTD6dLF9Axo96EE4qBBvYVCaTe/s5002/IMG_0413_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3020" data-original-width="5002" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6aMblKRQqqIc0okfqLN39rW6v6nohiAHX3cpb2FD6Kj6Vus_B-tFTPszxueEZUuYW_9r2vJbUvTPw9RlT_k_cvtZs15bpJ9zOQh5rOLJVNKpTRHhyphenhyphengYhU8embpuZLQXm4zGieyILNuhTp358b6jRDcvzZjWMFZeRlceTD6dLF9Axo96EE4qBBvYVCaTe/w640-h386/IMG_0413_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our first glimpse of M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaAo5p5oviOUTnhRDjZFNJ-RwOLLNY9p8Raq7qev9Kp7k_Ce2GgiZ39E-DGuf3HLvpd5PyYqWRrEsUeuy4rOu-eXhGw0a3wWymenSRaYHQ_dTyjMOkoK96v06-sqEj1rFI5QhCFCoJUC70xbwVgTWMp2ugFidDQ965WprATCd7x0xNC0TwiZlj6MJFsmy/s5184/IMG_0416_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaAo5p5oviOUTnhRDjZFNJ-RwOLLNY9p8Raq7qev9Kp7k_Ce2GgiZ39E-DGuf3HLvpd5PyYqWRrEsUeuy4rOu-eXhGw0a3wWymenSRaYHQ_dTyjMOkoK96v06-sqEj1rFI5QhCFCoJUC70xbwVgTWMp2ugFidDQ965WprATCd7x0xNC0TwiZlj6MJFsmy/w640-h426/IMG_0416_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Group of tourists arriving, M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufEewqMmRQ1wxR_pp2gykNXdP7XhRK1LNnoTXNfR1TcRPgP2N0t6OIanFYy4Blb8e3jbdcPKIctMUCDc7Oo2lcq6FnfabEYhVwUuZ2wSOdk9q8VB4ZbZaMjYXvMqfPb18XpM0_C_IA28L5R5iFto8uSdUVPrbeCzrzTZMrrsyCVz2FURV6TRpY0TGI_RT/s5184/IMG_0408_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufEewqMmRQ1wxR_pp2gykNXdP7XhRK1LNnoTXNfR1TcRPgP2N0t6OIanFYy4Blb8e3jbdcPKIctMUCDc7Oo2lcq6FnfabEYhVwUuZ2wSOdk9q8VB4ZbZaMjYXvMqfPb18XpM0_C_IA28L5R5iFto8uSdUVPrbeCzrzTZMrrsyCVz2FURV6TRpY0TGI_RT/w640-h426/IMG_0408_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Main street, M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We found the cheapest room we could, a good deal in a newly built place run by an Aussie guy, and started the search for our mate, James to surprise him. He's not hard to spot, sporting a bright pink mohican, and soon we had found each other, and were catching up on news and old stories as though no time had past at all. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3s38smgfcI9t_0Y2gW4FbNKES57rBy68gQ60AWbv4lC00sewsFzH6lv2lQgDRzgjEyVDEh5WKP1LcjBwAQDRpU5gvoqQDwcO76giEZ7vz7K58e-yi7eTt7-cSotB0cg4Nd2eMxIbjzpXcoHHGy71TSJtZA8gDKCK5-mcdgl38tltREx-i7DvqJtrK9pwb/s4080/james%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3s38smgfcI9t_0Y2gW4FbNKES57rBy68gQ60AWbv4lC00sewsFzH6lv2lQgDRzgjEyVDEh5WKP1LcjBwAQDRpU5gvoqQDwcO76giEZ7vz7K58e-yi7eTt7-cSotB0cg4Nd2eMxIbjzpXcoHHGy71TSJtZA8gDKCK5-mcdgl38tltREx-i7DvqJtrK9pwb/w640-h360/james%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fantastic meet up with James</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">M'Pai Bay village is the administrative capital for the neighbouring group of islands, and was absolutely tiny. The condensed area packed with eateries and accommodation for tourists could be walked around in less than an hour- the outskirts of the village leading off into the jungle. There was also a school, police station and clinic for emergencies. </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb3HYJtgs9A" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>A quick scan around the main beach at </span><span style="text-align: center;">M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We spent a couple of laid back weeks on the island, slightly worried we would be bored, as we were somewhat hampered by Rich's knee. But apart from hanging out with James on his amazing veranda, or in the local pub, we found enough to occupy our time. We visited the few close by beaches for a swim and lie in the soft sand, sat under shady trees on the main beach indulging in fruit shakes, and ate BBQ fish on the beach. Some abandoned resorts on a neighbouring beach made for a good afternoon's adventure, although sad to think of all the work that went into construction only for the owners to have to discard them. Watching the dozens of boats constantly coming and going from the main pier was quite riveting. As well as the many speedboats from the mainland daily, there were also boats from the big island, Koh Rong, and a multitude of day trip boats tooing and froing, not to mention the fishermen bringing in their catch. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6VauVZPytv5CQPmUcN708gZv7K0951ACLU930U9whEYKRp6UJiOETY8YU6koCtLApJ4qmc_4sy5Qq17cNyH0QPTrkDHyXu1z_CvIhveymqpPKv_LXVj1bB3EEgCaIBKvUpDFbrd5yeiLT2UsYIqzHoJt8NnxtBifRlsk0O_FFFo92vNB-T1Ygg2rdQLv/s5184/abandoned%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6VauVZPytv5CQPmUcN708gZv7K0951ACLU930U9whEYKRp6UJiOETY8YU6koCtLApJ4qmc_4sy5Qq17cNyH0QPTrkDHyXu1z_CvIhveymqpPKv_LXVj1bB3EEgCaIBKvUpDFbrd5yeiLT2UsYIqzHoJt8NnxtBifRlsk0O_FFFo92vNB-T1Ygg2rdQLv/w640-h426/abandoned%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Left behind in an abandoned resort, M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04vhi3H10Hhha8jqt134uKRSkqaOmftM00ueTlghKrZecdmWOyEKRdnxpJsU1QN9Q1a6K8nuyCNHpj27i_zMVp1JiECWuR-yfYRHbjzN_j4W4haOWtm60LsZbY27Dv-TCi_YpjUt1IH5vGifY5il8jfRkk_AG8_VBeioc2PdUV6IVdvCT29JL0gorrVm8/s4927/abandoned%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3285" data-original-width="4927" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04vhi3H10Hhha8jqt134uKRSkqaOmftM00ueTlghKrZecdmWOyEKRdnxpJsU1QN9Q1a6K8nuyCNHpj27i_zMVp1JiECWuR-yfYRHbjzN_j4W4haOWtm60LsZbY27Dv-TCi_YpjUt1IH5vGifY5il8jfRkk_AG8_VBeioc2PdUV6IVdvCT29JL0gorrVm8/w640-h426/abandoned%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Poking about in decrepit old rooms, M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRw5DmFdNQyCUxTxSjkmPo2ndiT9vJq-BephO3ZYyUJJCwlG2BwffSXP5GGz13ToXJp8nAbAAkGxIENWDqQ3xdbvWDY58FQr2pjIGeErxdqxzKHyM1o-voJ4rpghp3cJd9gWyPCoxozCQq-QN3gA0PrfAbMXinv-5lWBcrVQTE1hfhgSg-7B10u690yq1t/s5184/beach%20(1).jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRw5DmFdNQyCUxTxSjkmPo2ndiT9vJq-BephO3ZYyUJJCwlG2BwffSXP5GGz13ToXJp8nAbAAkGxIENWDqQ3xdbvWDY58FQr2pjIGeErxdqxzKHyM1o-voJ4rpghp3cJd9gWyPCoxozCQq-QN3gA0PrfAbMXinv-5lWBcrVQTE1hfhgSg-7B10u690yq1t/w426-h640/beach%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN3qJCAFyCgtG20J8ls31PgUcOBvize9gwhj3FseQAfgekjK7133icliFSSBpO-pwMPc0HN1syWK0A_FGvUi41xfDZyxf5QRBfT2bwaCo7FDqaqckLky4ZWLjh8TkUrpq3F9FykOjpm0dMpHeFKmOklwZ52oLY_vAS-FoNPNMKeIBMVJ9kpLaT0jWYTN_/s5184/beach%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN3qJCAFyCgtG20J8ls31PgUcOBvize9gwhj3FseQAfgekjK7133icliFSSBpO-pwMPc0HN1syWK0A_FGvUi41xfDZyxf5QRBfT2bwaCo7FDqaqckLky4ZWLjh8TkUrpq3F9FykOjpm0dMpHeFKmOklwZ52oLY_vAS-FoNPNMKeIBMVJ9kpLaT0jWYTN_/w640-h426/beach%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Village beach, M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZH7OHrNtrd9TpxXhEJ4xydZSwzGuqNnVzX19YMJqv3f6lWsAyMprPBqVONcoAr6KUGIYEV_pYA46f8eqmScZtE-fSL_-zb7nbASJS6XkzrDzh68TncRN7_cTUKtGH5HghcoT8Er0Wx1N6ssEd1qTd-KOuFjVnrHJ0CyHo2QV1NCYZFL0aAGqkbv3ohUr/s5157/IMG_0399_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3284" data-original-width="5157" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZH7OHrNtrd9TpxXhEJ4xydZSwzGuqNnVzX19YMJqv3f6lWsAyMprPBqVONcoAr6KUGIYEV_pYA46f8eqmScZtE-fSL_-zb7nbASJS6XkzrDzh68TncRN7_cTUKtGH5HghcoT8Er0Wx1N6ssEd1qTd-KOuFjVnrHJ0CyHo2QV1NCYZFL0aAGqkbv3ohUr/w640-h408/IMG_0399_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fishing boats, M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxJpIL9XnSwb49JRaCIcObpiH5k7yc1NA9fGpxKQ9FQWz6BKssREqg0jVU3fYtcTBqvZIBNMcZNtsWysgI3EcqBl0k76Po14PGUpI3Oa9clD17MiR7YFdR-7Jj6AOY2zrV_dypxet_L9dRxiQEy3SU45FK1iWfeeuCTBt7fVYqwdZhYRI-DrNZVkY6LDR/s5184/IMG_0418_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxJpIL9XnSwb49JRaCIcObpiH5k7yc1NA9fGpxKQ9FQWz6BKssREqg0jVU3fYtcTBqvZIBNMcZNtsWysgI3EcqBl0k76Po14PGUpI3Oa9clD17MiR7YFdR-7Jj6AOY2zrV_dypxet_L9dRxiQEy3SU45FK1iWfeeuCTBt7fVYqwdZhYRI-DrNZVkY6LDR/w640-h426/IMG_0418_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUy8AxT0_8FncBZRNyEcEdM4hQLipCw2d-_oqqVfrEpxyLCvkOzh_GNEiDT_Y_aQkqoAD0PEpHcvIXlDP6VFghJi1f9rBaCLV5Od22WyZWl3_WNoBqN417zzASBv1-OAmSubL8ZQKS2C9mrFnDX5jKMQ5A89XyhSWvHLwxGIdQAgZ9YpbyBb3yLjbPj1A/s4080/20240122_192732%20Ko%20Rong%20Sanloem_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUy8AxT0_8FncBZRNyEcEdM4hQLipCw2d-_oqqVfrEpxyLCvkOzh_GNEiDT_Y_aQkqoAD0PEpHcvIXlDP6VFghJi1f9rBaCLV5Od22WyZWl3_WNoBqN417zzASBv1-OAmSubL8ZQKS2C9mrFnDX5jKMQ5A89XyhSWvHLwxGIdQAgZ9YpbyBb3yLjbPj1A/w640-h360/20240122_192732%20Ko%20Rong%20Sanloem_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">BBQ fish on the beach US$4.00/16,000KHR</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A quick note about the weather during our visit to M'Pai Bay in late January- it could not have been better. The days were hot, but not too stinking to be out and about, and the humidity was low, so not super sweaty. Cool nights for sleeping soundly, and even a couple of downpours overnight. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCqz0iH5QRCAp_1-GoYDHYZB0UWXWQO6aaAip52-FagP-yAmW2Vb5xGxH8HIRVJqoUx6vI0GTiXQ_dRm-1-iMZyfIxHMwDR9y-58JFlQ9GgxTGHJU0gWZQyGlDi4M3ETgLQedWSK7YJkuq1pc7nqUzNjwk-QSdeb60qiEbbK1yQ4Mdag6didxUCJzWrRQ/s2560/20240128_133112_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCqz0iH5QRCAp_1-GoYDHYZB0UWXWQO6aaAip52-FagP-yAmW2Vb5xGxH8HIRVJqoUx6vI0GTiXQ_dRm-1-iMZyfIxHMwDR9y-58JFlQ9GgxTGHJU0gWZQyGlDi4M3ETgLQedWSK7YJkuq1pc7nqUzNjwk-QSdeb60qiEbbK1yQ4Mdag6didxUCJzWrRQ/w640-h360/20240128_133112_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Quiet Long Beach, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">Eventually James started his tour guide work, and the time for us to leave had arrived. Sal simply couldn't face the slow boat again, so we bit the bullet and forked out a fortune (US$12/48,000KHR each ) for a half hour speed boat ride back to Sihanoukville. </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCLzXoI-3zNmwrFjTKO_yNxnmV7y1lyJxIzy1I6CkKCp6sX06_rqgg_KKCfAUT7SE0ON9Tud4EL89c0kN4ocGExQInUE52UBnaj7yqmk3hGld29G2B0gapMPhyUfLTUcmCTPxh8W3SdrFEaBLOcA793k5lHtD_T55ppb9Oz3ZA_49kyUtFKghI45CE1VL/s5184/IMG_0420_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCLzXoI-3zNmwrFjTKO_yNxnmV7y1lyJxIzy1I6CkKCp6sX06_rqgg_KKCfAUT7SE0ON9Tud4EL89c0kN4ocGExQInUE52UBnaj7yqmk3hGld29G2B0gapMPhyUfLTUcmCTPxh8W3SdrFEaBLOcA793k5lHtD_T55ppb9Oz3ZA_49kyUtFKghI45CE1VL/w640-h426/IMG_0420_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Kids fishing off dodgy pier, M'Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2024/03/hop-to-it-kampot-and-rabbit-island.html" target="_blank">........part two of Cambodia, as we further continue our journey.........</a></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuxx3Np4C86pMJhlVidqqhvrj4MgWgT__valbHGooc7Ei0vnw0IEYKedYPDCwkcgTimYymWzID7ZULfxp7aAiW5vZqwxBqR1s4kxwBnU5taJNNAqvRPz4ORIk3qBoViymNoswTticVoyTkbCWyW78CRSB6B2BsoXWxNqgr_c0xE_84GQ-Tdwhno2rFEF2/s4096/20240201_153231_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuxx3Np4C86pMJhlVidqqhvrj4MgWgT__valbHGooc7Ei0vnw0IEYKedYPDCwkcgTimYymWzID7ZULfxp7aAiW5vZqwxBqR1s4kxwBnU5taJNNAqvRPz4ORIk3qBoViymNoswTticVoyTkbCWyW78CRSB6B2BsoXWxNqgr_c0xE_84GQ-Tdwhno2rFEF2/w640-h480/20240201_153231_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-34220458864589956852023-10-09T11:40:00.003+08:002024-02-11T10:24:55.075+08:00HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE- Mixing it up in Abu Dhabi, Serbia, Hungary, Scotland and Kuala Lumpur!<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-heat-is-on-andijon-and-kokand.html" target="_blank"><i>.......previously, the last blog of our amazing latest Central Asia trip- Andijon and Kokand........</i></a></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Leaving
Central Asia is always slightly bittersweet for us, but we had a busy schedule
ahead for the year, and plenty to keep us occupied.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Abu
Dhabi airport can be a bit of a hub when travelling between Asia and
Europe, and never having visited the city before, we opted for an
extra night at the surprisingly cheap airport hotel. When we visited
<a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2014/04/wealth-wadis-and-warm-welcomes-one-week.html" target="_blank">Dubai </a>years ago on the way to Iran, we had hoped to visit the Sheikh
Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi for a day trip, but never quite got
around to it. Having crossed our minds now and again since, we thought this would
be the perfect opportunity to see the huge complex. </span>
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3yI1NrnjnhaduIPkbShfeCGERglh5f3nMnsAjBDVQsrE4DVqGcz7V8lqQLe8F1qtSOMGqX3KwlG7IoftW05JNyg8CbVaY1ZmXYgFtrb7eWWt37RY26mrpBVGi8CS35BCmqsT_4ND9hyXfbINwo-NYPeUuF-j18VM0hkMc5LDECIqdrcPKkqKeXdM_AW1/s5184/IMG_0109_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3yI1NrnjnhaduIPkbShfeCGERglh5f3nMnsAjBDVQsrE4DVqGcz7V8lqQLe8F1qtSOMGqX3KwlG7IoftW05JNyg8CbVaY1ZmXYgFtrb7eWWt37RY26mrpBVGi8CS35BCmqsT_4ND9hyXfbINwo-NYPeUuF-j18VM0hkMc5LDECIqdrcPKkqKeXdM_AW1/w640-h426/IMG_0109_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunset over Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>Conveniently,
the airport hotel offered a free shuttle there and back with an hour
of so for looking around. Upon arrival at the mosque, we jumped off the bus and
immediately headed to the main entrance, determined to make the most
of our limited time there. The security guard quickly informed us we
were not allowed to access that area- it was only for worshippers.
Fair enough, but where were we to enter? Over there he said, pointing
to a gigantic glass structure on the far side of the enormous car
park. (By the way, although it was late afternoon, it was still over
40 degrees). We trudged over to the entrance and made our way by escalator underground only to be faced with a gigantic luxury shopping mall packed full of
visitors and shoppers. Briefly noticing the surroundings and being surprised at how
commercial this religious place was, we continued to hurry to the
entrance, having read we would be given robes to cover ourselves with
(very common in major mosques around the world, especially when they
are heavily visited by non-Muslim tourists). One of the frontline staff told us that “because of Covid” no robes were available to
borrow anymore, and we had the choice of buying an outfit for Richard's bare
legs and arms, or not going in. We then noticed plenty of
other men entering in shorts and decided to go for it, and see if the next security stop would let us in. After waiting
in line with the hundreds of other visitors and finally reaching the front, we were then told we
needed to go back and obtain a ticket, and produce the accompanying
QR code. By this point we couldn't believe the rigmarole involved
with visiting a religious monument, and were so pissed off. We
wouldn't have had enough time to properly see the mosque anyway by
this stage, so we legged it back to the outside area for the
beautiful sight of the sun setting over the grand building, and
satisfied ourselves with that and a few glimpses into the interior. </span>
</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJMRujYDApivd7_EqowkkjAHsTJ1s9OWtVXnH_glAaJRET5DmJKCdWGs_IUhokI2p7WGCMDcm6ZbeQIAtyyk83lkw0_8yU-cs8Hu5dnYaZwLjqmbKkgLxMoyxngDPV5KR56qx2IXPpbim9DAlVPTrVouvh0r6HKZVHKXXHsJH-UjHBmjFabOBeXO54fQi/s5184/IMG_0108_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJMRujYDApivd7_EqowkkjAHsTJ1s9OWtVXnH_glAaJRET5DmJKCdWGs_IUhokI2p7WGCMDcm6ZbeQIAtyyk83lkw0_8yU-cs8Hu5dnYaZwLjqmbKkgLxMoyxngDPV5KR56qx2IXPpbim9DAlVPTrVouvh0r6HKZVHKXXHsJH-UjHBmjFabOBeXO54fQi/w640-h426/IMG_0108_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A peep into Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigwPww0q9EK-ZWA6Ey_1zfF4_Plp2HHTaQqcrCuA_Z_d9J3cE4DFYFycD7dlghDEgDBSc0R13dlK65L24W26rFNwQDuRuVNqaoYvIj_Uz3l0hc4dZtEaDBwLLk_wXALeohXI5m2ZMweNA0Dq6MBDPlM07oWXPCdnmIcS_WncL-teDIlo7J4r4BuQxO08d/s5184/abu%20(3).jpg" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigwPww0q9EK-ZWA6Ey_1zfF4_Plp2HHTaQqcrCuA_Z_d9J3cE4DFYFycD7dlghDEgDBSc0R13dlK65L24W26rFNwQDuRuVNqaoYvIj_Uz3l0hc4dZtEaDBwLLk_wXALeohXI5m2ZMweNA0Dq6MBDPlM07oWXPCdnmIcS_WncL-teDIlo7J4r4BuQxO08d/w426-h640/abu%20(3).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But it was still a beauty</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">In
the end, the saving grace of the stay turned out to be the amazing
hotel with a cheap price, incredible buffet breakfast and swimming
pool to boot!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">August
is always awkward for budget travel in Europe, so what better compromise for us than to stay put for a month at our old favourite, the Sun Hostel in
Belgrade. After four months in Central Asia, we were well and truly
looking forward to a relax with friends, some great food and alcohol, and of course, talking rubbish with fellow travellers. It wasn't really a stay
to further explore the city as we had done extensively on our<a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2020/08/hot-time-summer-in-city-belgrade-in-july.html" target="_blank"> previous visits</a>, we mostly stayed around the hostel enjoying the vibe.
Although some of our old friends from the past few years had moved
on, we still loved catching up with all the latest goss, and meeting
loads of new and lovely people who always seem to appear at that
hostel.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI45GQLDWRYIwTSzw7UKdZir8LMXRJ29_ZVy3m3rlURkXS-IaTvlyqN8codJy0AfSFURM7v9YvxERG3XtKJ8XkHqmX3PLPyftuQ65nDH4gorbj3Ah3l4wrQ7h0BWiwumQTrW71WJZpSzKXcp6IU9Z9mo06lrioYAU1oiOiv5ZcYNSJlFzQE_qm2ZPuC2K/s2560/belgrad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI45GQLDWRYIwTSzw7UKdZir8LMXRJ29_ZVy3m3rlURkXS-IaTvlyqN8codJy0AfSFURM7v9YvxERG3XtKJ8XkHqmX3PLPyftuQ65nDH4gorbj3Ah3l4wrQ7h0BWiwumQTrW71WJZpSzKXcp6IU9Z9mo06lrioYAU1oiOiv5ZcYNSJlFzQE_qm2ZPuC2K/w640-h360/belgrad.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The gang at Sun Hostel, Belgrade, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We'd
always been keen to do some sort of train trip in Northern Serbia,
and now, being on our way to Hungary, we decided on a few stops on
the way, starting with a rail journey from Belgrade to Sombor. A scruffy little
town with an old world charm, Sombor was an extremely pleasant place
to spend our last week in Serbia. The town was small enough to walk
around, which was just as well as there seemed to be no public buses there,
with most locals riding bicycles. The beautiful tree lined streets
were perfect for strolling in the shade, which was welcome in the
late summer heat. There was obligatory visits to the contrasting
moody Orthodox and bright Catholic churches- quite different in
style, and of course much cafe sitting in the warmth.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAZPH_ne6huZjOQXXDWNNZWlJqcVcgSF9TFgefDpRDkNAu6QljT8KnqrhnMfqsezZiwmWMlWdGdXHeFW9nw3CjQyErcgSnWMgm4plpq75Q6Y-KIPy_WTghwipVKw9OI0hlpRXBZ1z8kq87u8-Fgejs0wE2szTA9UJO5q-dYuu7DpZ6YXgyWq_GioPBT-q/s4080/sombor%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAZPH_ne6huZjOQXXDWNNZWlJqcVcgSF9TFgefDpRDkNAu6QljT8KnqrhnMfqsezZiwmWMlWdGdXHeFW9nw3CjQyErcgSnWMgm4plpq75Q6Y-KIPy_WTghwipVKw9OI0hlpRXBZ1z8kq87u8-Fgejs0wE2szTA9UJO5q-dYuu7DpZ6YXgyWq_GioPBT-q/w640-h360/sombor%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Atmospheric Orthodox church, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnNI_BqRvKkza_Lobo3yC0mm6cJJYvc3OBzwX3Dnp5xxr5QicZz0mHUDVj1DZ8MhftVenQHqOFFGWYQWi-lHtrDYNNHBp-OSqe0Om8jye4NaNK8pRLsWJ6wN1m0oAIIlodXdJpn3hbVVxyi33m2o0dxhaFwsiQPDa63XcN6Uq2AzIt84Cp-I5qZjKnS0v/s4929/sombor%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3286" data-original-width="4929" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnNI_BqRvKkza_Lobo3yC0mm6cJJYvc3OBzwX3Dnp5xxr5QicZz0mHUDVj1DZ8MhftVenQHqOFFGWYQWi-lHtrDYNNHBp-OSqe0Om8jye4NaNK8pRLsWJ6wN1m0oAIIlodXdJpn3hbVVxyi33m2o0dxhaFwsiQPDa63XcN6Uq2AzIt84Cp-I5qZjKnS0v/w640-h426/sombor%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Peeking into a ceremony, Orthodox church, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jNsaHnag6HaP_MN1TkM8XVdIAxdrFMRKd8Xbhi0MpqNWOJ9MgEAKPE9YIBipcjKviI54nwgKlp4-nMwT7-lNT6JiXxWt5g8EqWcULsQ1Yj_tXMcRjlUnPGAlwZWpNZXTJKYqCuKY_yPNA0Img1WsftWz2UbTqmFbVbDvkBXEIQ1n6l3xkeQD0Sh04z12/s4080/sombor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jNsaHnag6HaP_MN1TkM8XVdIAxdrFMRKd8Xbhi0MpqNWOJ9MgEAKPE9YIBipcjKviI54nwgKlp4-nMwT7-lNT6JiXxWt5g8EqWcULsQ1Yj_tXMcRjlUnPGAlwZWpNZXTJKYqCuKY_yPNA0Img1WsftWz2UbTqmFbVbDvkBXEIQ1n6l3xkeQD0Sh04z12/w360-h640/sombor.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bright and light Catholic church, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKZ2_M76IIE2SdO2UscMxnQLthP4KtJpdHV_6b2hcs3mkFeMF-m5m3HmfXtd0Uvg78wBtYl_iRGoG5WNWzeQXWlepVW_OBa04k30hdkWnaPpn4hn8QMdgaX6K2VflivOEHSL03hhEmQdxoEH3WppXurnABzNXx2-DsW1tjOpMXwtzgTlireZcRUtf8vF2/s2908/sombor%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2908" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKZ2_M76IIE2SdO2UscMxnQLthP4KtJpdHV_6b2hcs3mkFeMF-m5m3HmfXtd0Uvg78wBtYl_iRGoG5WNWzeQXWlepVW_OBa04k30hdkWnaPpn4hn8QMdgaX6K2VflivOEHSL03hhEmQdxoEH3WppXurnABzNXx2-DsW1tjOpMXwtzgTlireZcRUtf8vF2/w506-h640/sombor%20(3).jpg" width="506" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lovely treelined track, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W0vb5sMOXDX4TUN7gwXM4WHXODPkMHNqDALU8CnNUeDPJ-BPnQSAUziU3yv42rf2vbRO70U3wNSJF5y9w4dPivW4QAJUoN_w_58Gi8r6US6LUkGni6_8ny2N-R65-O57kB52fcTTJM9TIWS0gjPQGAuDvc_tW9Y04NDUsaQnCkekj_lXycMI9FHiZX68/s5184/sombor%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-W0vb5sMOXDX4TUN7gwXM4WHXODPkMHNqDALU8CnNUeDPJ-BPnQSAUziU3yv42rf2vbRO70U3wNSJF5y9w4dPivW4QAJUoN_w_58Gi8r6US6LUkGni6_8ny2N-R65-O57kB52fcTTJM9TIWS0gjPQGAuDvc_tW9Y04NDUsaQnCkekj_lXycMI9FHiZX68/w640-h426/sombor%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Monastery on the edge of town, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrlG5eWdHZVc8qvui8uzRNfuGAVGMnamYI6pAro8Y89HN9Qo0BpPodqIOKv60RL4z8J3ZSWT_GLTxB-MV1-jMBEfraoGLKGEXd92DcQwCQSZtc2mQrEPHJOE5iOtl0KEb0M5tgwUUhn818aiaFjDaAyeKR_CmNeBwvi3_w1WQVQng95kaX3VU4ShlUxXS/s5184/sombor%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrlG5eWdHZVc8qvui8uzRNfuGAVGMnamYI6pAro8Y89HN9Qo0BpPodqIOKv60RL4z8J3ZSWT_GLTxB-MV1-jMBEfraoGLKGEXd92DcQwCQSZtc2mQrEPHJOE5iOtl0KEb0M5tgwUUhn818aiaFjDaAyeKR_CmNeBwvi3_w1WQVQng95kaX3VU4ShlUxXS/w426-h640/sombor%20(7).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A rest in the shade, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTepqEevt3ckl2jqEBDscEfnsGuRGGqnVZ6MZg8j5Wa66kua40ukdq4RKozcqx7Jv13FOqc5MCrDRyFp1ymCgAS9JuMfuUTtJ4DkYuxvp6AT3giSGqMZ-7cPOGYpWG-OKquJOkp8M2ggxF01rR2J3mhalwuHHZJ4smOCHHlShjJOxrOrQdDCDokod-JM1P/s5184/sombor%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTepqEevt3ckl2jqEBDscEfnsGuRGGqnVZ6MZg8j5Wa66kua40ukdq4RKozcqx7Jv13FOqc5MCrDRyFp1ymCgAS9JuMfuUTtJ4DkYuxvp6AT3giSGqMZ-7cPOGYpWG-OKquJOkp8M2ggxF01rR2J3mhalwuHHZJ4smOCHHlShjJOxrOrQdDCDokod-JM1P/w426-h640/sombor%20(8).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Old fashioned transport modes, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The
scenery on the next train from Sombor to Subotica was indicative of the whole region-
wide open fields full of mostly sunflower and corn (both
ready to harvest), and onion domed-topped churches popping up in
distant villages.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYu6RheAJD2ACdxl0jvShAioTfFdKXPYNQy2IBV-2XDotNT7kXJBvDeFHMq61wB-to9CgJmAp3hvyHLgQO8Zo__uJmcCmcg5J1CmE0W_hcIJmJGtApK4WHUIiSqLW1iE8m0TCW-Uesyj49PrE6yi4jrIMwFOI6nhIcBNw19zwvowFaYO0bmicKc4qoi9y3/s5184/sombor%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYu6RheAJD2ACdxl0jvShAioTfFdKXPYNQy2IBV-2XDotNT7kXJBvDeFHMq61wB-to9CgJmAp3hvyHLgQO8Zo__uJmcCmcg5J1CmE0W_hcIJmJGtApK4WHUIiSqLW1iE8m0TCW-Uesyj49PrE6yi4jrIMwFOI6nhIcBNw19zwvowFaYO0bmicKc4qoi9y3/w640-h426/sombor%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Decaying old train at Sombor train station, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKV2d5ttlJZdV6b-UeVexd4dO0hzw6Zytq3YkdrYNeNGBrKYR9r1K42JASk4zOQNF8LZvLjU6VXFu8WA7HsILUcblCwQ5O_E0hiK4KOPZTEFCcMiEKfFK6bOVwb4t5M6YjE4GUcO0GRIr6ALJ4lUTIrUbUbUfY4k2eaIWD3C4IksssyAspyATdElqXMe8Q/s4080/sombor%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKV2d5ttlJZdV6b-UeVexd4dO0hzw6Zytq3YkdrYNeNGBrKYR9r1K42JASk4zOQNF8LZvLjU6VXFu8WA7HsILUcblCwQ5O_E0hiK4KOPZTEFCcMiEKfFK6bOVwb4t5M6YjE4GUcO0GRIr6ALJ4lUTIrUbUbUfY4k2eaIWD3C4IksssyAspyATdElqXMe8Q/w360-h640/sombor%20(4).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unused door, Sombor train station, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3MPsBu6TZUpeOj5zB_6XOZFTQL5ZX25ufYzNu6ULWs0-hLaZxEkj7o0-iimhyphenhyphenii1MUhonPyfU3XLjrRSVv0qviM4S2d6qzFeCT3Of0S9gdEdaTc8W4WLQpuUdacJdO3PrhVXhrfKDiQQJ6bi7ERAyvTVmhOirSjL3L-EJI6renaw6FLVkHRjAYbsgMt-/s5184/sombor%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3MPsBu6TZUpeOj5zB_6XOZFTQL5ZX25ufYzNu6ULWs0-hLaZxEkj7o0-iimhyphenhyphenii1MUhonPyfU3XLjrRSVv0qviM4S2d6qzFeCT3Of0S9gdEdaTc8W4WLQpuUdacJdO3PrhVXhrfKDiQQJ6bi7ERAyvTVmhOirSjL3L-EJI6renaw6FLVkHRjAYbsgMt-/w426-h640/sombor%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Deserted train station, Sombor, Serbia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>Having
been to gorgeous </span><span><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/08/a-little-bit-of-art-and-history-in.html" target="_blank">Subotica only last year</a></span><span>,
(and loved it),</span><span> we moved on swiftly across the border to Szeged in Hungary, this
time by bus. Serbia presently has terrible international railway
connections with most of it's seven bordering countries (as in,
non-existent), with the only current train option being Montenegro. So bus it was, and being a Hungarian company, everything was very
orderly and straightforward, as was the actual border crossing- one of our easiest yet.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>Our
first glimpses of Hungary were how tidy and ship-shape the roads
were. Everything signposted, bike lanes following the highway and
manicured lawns. The theme continued when we reached Szeged, a large
university town not too far from the Serbian border. We checked into
our central characterful apartment, and set out to explore the lovely
town. We had to quickly get used to the tram lines on every road, and
many cyclists on the roads and bike paths. Everyone stayed strictly in the lanes, and people waited patiently at crossings. The city was set
out in a very orderly manner, and everything was incredibly clean and well-kept,
with no graffiti or rubbish to be seen. We kind of missed the
scruffiness of our usual destinations - it was almost a bit too
perfect! A park along the Tizsa River was a pleasurable way to avoid
the midday heat and the centre of town was full of oak and plane
trees, cafes and grand buildings- Austro-Hungarian style with a few
atmospheric Art Nouveau thrown in. The mix worked very well, and gave
the town a very graceful look and we both liked it tremendously. Particularly
dramatic and imposing was the Roman Catholic Votive Cathedral. Built
in the early part of the 20</span><sup>th</sup><span> century, it is the fourth
largest church in Hungary, and the scope of the interior was
breath-taking. There was no entry fee and we were free to wander, gape and snap away with the camera. All in all, Szeged was a great introduction to
Hungary.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiofyjh-S5kyIO-7zwKzMV1wQXSJ0JvpSDig-iL7vJsYwYzkFLOB8kwamwvbZjWlgAjNE4Iv-9vz2swlNlVrwzmfWS1wM8-ZK1dkL2W4WshXbsHHblcb9ssQ0fwHkakV8jKpoiTDMLVgqbwPRJQ7UUw6NPQCFOWuzOWCwHDruUpiqgFESza8TxKHBGI8tX/s2319/szeged%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="2319" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiofyjh-S5kyIO-7zwKzMV1wQXSJ0JvpSDig-iL7vJsYwYzkFLOB8kwamwvbZjWlgAjNE4Iv-9vz2swlNlVrwzmfWS1wM8-ZK1dkL2W4WshXbsHHblcb9ssQ0fwHkakV8jKpoiTDMLVgqbwPRJQ7UUw6NPQCFOWuzOWCwHDruUpiqgFESza8TxKHBGI8tX/w640-h372/szeged%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of many gorgeous art-nouveau stunners, Szeged, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQG8mLZHK0Thk57O9EjnHHlLY81HeHNfE_SmR6lHPoszsQ8mfE1N-oXKBaj3Y9-_CchB34TS2n9Lr7uw_3BCimbUVuO7ed8cvplu2z5WVKr7VWCpz74zVopD48lFbw3LaFBiz9E1PxSjLDyJbjfo2Q9oX5cSeO_AdkHp-MDIQG7rs-OHye3dsNWlFd9Ge/s4080/szeged%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQG8mLZHK0Thk57O9EjnHHlLY81HeHNfE_SmR6lHPoszsQ8mfE1N-oXKBaj3Y9-_CchB34TS2n9Lr7uw_3BCimbUVuO7ed8cvplu2z5WVKr7VWCpz74zVopD48lFbw3LaFBiz9E1PxSjLDyJbjfo2Q9oX5cSeO_AdkHp-MDIQG7rs-OHye3dsNWlFd9Ge/w360-h640/szeged%20(4).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Parks in full summer bloom, Szeged, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uPWuHl0SQHEQz4X3crzER6JpTyvzCXBz_TDhVKnVB6VI_c1VAs2BJWzgDoKO775RfPu3xyqjmXo1_NNGa3YH2vtAgAMrgUZqPDZiJ13391Io11lvllNiLqyd7kQWOKSwtc4IZr7_na_b_0lce1LO1qh1a9-o9ANMkhF4b1plt-9nM_zUV0I7s8FRGO3_/s4080/szeged%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uPWuHl0SQHEQz4X3crzER6JpTyvzCXBz_TDhVKnVB6VI_c1VAs2BJWzgDoKO775RfPu3xyqjmXo1_NNGa3YH2vtAgAMrgUZqPDZiJ13391Io11lvllNiLqyd7kQWOKSwtc4IZr7_na_b_0lce1LO1qh1a9-o9ANMkhF4b1plt-9nM_zUV0I7s8FRGO3_/w360-h640/szeged%20(5).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cute cafe entrance, Szeged, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQLPsII09w7ex2HvX_CssrC7RftvObP932XV9JUD3vkbCHhKGPN-hzvOtFGjsLLbST86ldvdaiMNPozEKexy6vLEVV95He08_-QOPIPixDD_93QJfFInYc6MNX5cnRZUuz43LcCmI8-Y34Mq2jxSRWCyby3BeoJBn10V_le33caQKbuebjNE4fQhyX9a_/s5184/szeged%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQLPsII09w7ex2HvX_CssrC7RftvObP932XV9JUD3vkbCHhKGPN-hzvOtFGjsLLbST86ldvdaiMNPozEKexy6vLEVV95He08_-QOPIPixDD_93QJfFInYc6MNX5cnRZUuz43LcCmI8-Y34Mq2jxSRWCyby3BeoJBn10V_le33caQKbuebjNE4fQhyX9a_/w640-h426/szeged%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ornate synagogue, Szeged, Hungary</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5_w0PXaP9bq4NUdicsACNSh1wGXtQnSpXPCjlynynmsXC-gmSrmvChfhubiXuSWu5MYM8rUroKYF5arHfcbMcmARr2ErK_PffxIMjYrtKHqzyMo42i4mY3jLgNqdhM3H6AixhMnmKCA8JSZzQKcy79AKr5F6kTLFO0Y7ENinDN3cnwsULBt2Q2AKszU6/s3843/szeged%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3843" data-original-width="2160" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5_w0PXaP9bq4NUdicsACNSh1wGXtQnSpXPCjlynynmsXC-gmSrmvChfhubiXuSWu5MYM8rUroKYF5arHfcbMcmARr2ErK_PffxIMjYrtKHqzyMo42i4mY3jLgNqdhM3H6AixhMnmKCA8JSZzQKcy79AKr5F6kTLFO0Y7ENinDN3cnwsULBt2Q2AKszU6/w360-h640/szeged%20(3).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Abstract statue and colourful Austro-Hungarian building in Szeged park, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKoa9IdduQ7fWS_yX5wn-lak_M-_65JgI5tdu0RbRrxOr8MqWTs4QmVAtJTa7phs_inHvX-qCp7pH8K2BmhNU_UUzEQye_aIhM47eQX3JWTOUUsE9kFQEH_U0ua-SkYfWCu8cujQGxMlxtUs53B0RaB22rOETwKdsgmOYX7urJcVGe-qBETowP5eqZtIL/s5184/szeged%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKoa9IdduQ7fWS_yX5wn-lak_M-_65JgI5tdu0RbRrxOr8MqWTs4QmVAtJTa7phs_inHvX-qCp7pH8K2BmhNU_UUzEQye_aIhM47eQX3JWTOUUsE9kFQEH_U0ua-SkYfWCu8cujQGxMlxtUs53B0RaB22rOETwKdsgmOYX7urJcVGe-qBETowP5eqZtIL/w640-h426/szeged%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Brutalist statue, Szeged, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7R2vdzU_1My46OaS2MIYfBBWunKRLKqumztYam7SwU4FnlqJaTHY3IkIVkKSfdXz1ogsMuY-ENpLzUNeDkl8fa0-VQCsHHFYk3lgnKCo-_rc_mmr3GobtDtKbB6XwNRxZwWLuIJcjddkYDKmOU5N5ey5L4Ftlgms4OpPkvbrIwGx73tgr_ktzzApH2QwE/s5184/szeged%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7R2vdzU_1My46OaS2MIYfBBWunKRLKqumztYam7SwU4FnlqJaTHY3IkIVkKSfdXz1ogsMuY-ENpLzUNeDkl8fa0-VQCsHHFYk3lgnKCo-_rc_mmr3GobtDtKbB6XwNRxZwWLuIJcjddkYDKmOU5N5ey5L4Ftlgms4OpPkvbrIwGx73tgr_ktzzApH2QwE/w640-h426/szeged%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unusual water fountain, Szeged, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-OOXNZpNbGG7pWPd_wQ9f71mJq-AQ76KC560JbMifNC022wfKZKQwNn_wTNk12bCAlNfzjLBJXWePucTAYsWlwVeKtkDtCOpIUOobda4Hyyx9CaLQOwcXXkemTDV4_8jVJRs9xrmVyK31eH0Rpq9Bnh9VXBo1saPhcSlDevstJyKPHn9ICG74_tcjUdn/s4927/szeged%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4927" data-original-width="3285" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-OOXNZpNbGG7pWPd_wQ9f71mJq-AQ76KC560JbMifNC022wfKZKQwNn_wTNk12bCAlNfzjLBJXWePucTAYsWlwVeKtkDtCOpIUOobda4Hyyx9CaLQOwcXXkemTDV4_8jVJRs9xrmVyK31eH0Rpq9Bnh9VXBo1saPhcSlDevstJyKPHn9ICG74_tcjUdn/w426-h640/szeged%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Spectacular colours in Szeged Cathedral, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzfblPhN-GM6aLVlLmxp-Gv5YzdTznGp2yTiupA1mp-_omyTv6xZzCOetw-suR4HCbzYxWUnalhSdqrNH0GyETsfYBgT1Zf4XuFig3K7Gl_AhkmTqJx-xQkNtQC1TJmb5q3O185LRQZy8DvM_bB-2IOeqksvCmMNZdE2H0qCgg0LqwEHSbtZ9LWRnAqsO/s4080/szeged%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzfblPhN-GM6aLVlLmxp-Gv5YzdTznGp2yTiupA1mp-_omyTv6xZzCOetw-suR4HCbzYxWUnalhSdqrNH0GyETsfYBgT1Zf4XuFig3K7Gl_AhkmTqJx-xQkNtQC1TJmb5q3O185LRQZy8DvM_bB-2IOeqksvCmMNZdE2H0qCgg0LqwEHSbtZ9LWRnAqsO/w360-h640/szeged%20(6).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mosaics, gold and colour, just beautiful, Szeged Cathedral, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Thrilled to take a Hungarian train from Szeged to Budapest, we were even more
delighted to board an older style carriage, with separate
compartments and windows that opened for masses of fresh air. It's
one of the best style trains we have travelled on for a short trip.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3XUJZuvMUscCnVnljZGwJe8ZJBZsrkwVaD-sChnjeQw3M4eGu8KuQQj2sdoFB8enFUG6kGbDljFWSeKC-bgVrbtxnN3xbk7JthGn-OKP61llLJnXYo4YiF6Ji4tTsnlXDjNytE6qU29R8ANsztBcrFm_gCyay7q3nLS-1OhsaJvR-v23va2HVxqDxwxb/s2560/train%20to%20budapest%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3XUJZuvMUscCnVnljZGwJe8ZJBZsrkwVaD-sChnjeQw3M4eGu8KuQQj2sdoFB8enFUG6kGbDljFWSeKC-bgVrbtxnN3xbk7JthGn-OKP61llLJnXYo4YiF6Ji4tTsnlXDjNytE6qU29R8ANsztBcrFm_gCyay7q3nLS-1OhsaJvR-v23va2HVxqDxwxb/w640-h360/train%20to%20budapest%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fantastic old style train Szeged to Budapest, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_U9SkRKkdRxjcCQqT3YcTEmAJ3WxZliUDkXFnO8GMBP4t5kaI8O0yJrQ52FgOcMP-ke24plfrpXGsYYgoW_1frhkTpxxMCzxZUmvaJB4ZEEHLNrtwT_BtEV4kzxgQB42UjDsOHt1AeYwke3lnC0NdgQioP2xPl1oC1bIMNU9RjR_m9flcs_Zy7P2zjM8/s2560/train%20to%20budapest%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_U9SkRKkdRxjcCQqT3YcTEmAJ3WxZliUDkXFnO8GMBP4t5kaI8O0yJrQ52FgOcMP-ke24plfrpXGsYYgoW_1frhkTpxxMCzxZUmvaJB4ZEEHLNrtwT_BtEV4kzxgQB42UjDsOHt1AeYwke3lnC0NdgQioP2xPl1oC1bIMNU9RjR_m9flcs_Zy7P2zjM8/w640-h360/train%20to%20budapest%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Before the other passengers arrived!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Somehow
we had imagined central Budapest would be something like Bucharest or
Belgrade, both of which we loved. Instead, we found ourselves smack
bang in the middle of tourist central. Usually, a clean and central
hostel room at a bargain price would be a fantastic find. But this
time, we wished we had booked something in a different part of the
city. The streets and whole area surrounding the city centre were jam
packed with tour groups, and every sight we attempted to see was
mobbed.
Sally, in particular, did not enjoy this scene. It was extremely
disappointing, as many of the highlights we had anticipated visiting were just too overrun with activity to be enjoyable, and we left most sites unseen. We just didn't have the energy to cope with
the crowds, and the intense vibe and action overwhelmed our brains!</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU50j4SiiQssJ6iQlkOxuUF1Sq2_EdD6AhHNFlYaGG-Ih6t0MI38oqlvIItivEwKOu1eSadAP_i3BMEQKGP_bv1YVdhQegE5YT0iWRwnCl4Ulcs7QJMg-s-bYlt0-oaJdZkN_pEVQYLTcoJW948oBdE1qi94xSRThssQepl_2fkUpkeep1FoWenfEmXHDc/s4889/IMG_0179_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4889" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU50j4SiiQssJ6iQlkOxuUF1Sq2_EdD6AhHNFlYaGG-Ih6t0MI38oqlvIItivEwKOu1eSadAP_i3BMEQKGP_bv1YVdhQegE5YT0iWRwnCl4Ulcs7QJMg-s-bYlt0-oaJdZkN_pEVQYLTcoJW948oBdE1qi94xSRThssQepl_2fkUpkeep1FoWenfEmXHDc/w452-h640/IMG_0179_edited.jpg" width="452" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Busy streets of Budapest, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><span>As well as the jam-packed crowds, </span></span><span>tanning salons, strip clubs, bustling bars, </span><span>many beggars and homeless people, there was a surprisingly diverse cultural and ethnic mix, which was something we weren't expecting. </span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiK6Z5mBJ2TOR2WDz69bApry1D6uilSwWGQ_LFtcghvvScsiwVAQo5p4-3SwJ1TmSjKaiWlxz5hIBSTOrcwyrpgodzQGTt2EWx5RO57uUBre1O1XaLALEX_OmjxIU2mDWUL5y9qHUh2Cn-VaHiAuXMhPdWZlPiRm-9SHWTeQai5rXgA5d0daaiOsrgLLOK/s2872/budapest%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2872" data-original-width="2256" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiK6Z5mBJ2TOR2WDz69bApry1D6uilSwWGQ_LFtcghvvScsiwVAQo5p4-3SwJ1TmSjKaiWlxz5hIBSTOrcwyrpgodzQGTt2EWx5RO57uUBre1O1XaLALEX_OmjxIU2mDWUL5y9qHUh2Cn-VaHiAuXMhPdWZlPiRm-9SHWTeQai5rXgA5d0daaiOsrgLLOK/w502-h640/budapest%20(2).jpg" width="502" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unusual statue dedicated to Liszt, Budapest</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLUeyW-_tZc8HWQr51dKiNURvFt408MrlSzJzEyUvxQqpHYWYm9S4BlqJW2zM_CjpoQIcu1uiJ-c9jvJQmvfApuH5U8g_48wLH6Nb2V_1xmovgT7s5RO29O-MOiTNC4uslqFONPgR7jmdotjvxXQe9GzKym4vwQWopptd_Lu9M-y00it5OhGV5qpIZ0Sd/s3269/budapest%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3269" data-original-width="2085" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLUeyW-_tZc8HWQr51dKiNURvFt408MrlSzJzEyUvxQqpHYWYm9S4BlqJW2zM_CjpoQIcu1uiJ-c9jvJQmvfApuH5U8g_48wLH6Nb2V_1xmovgT7s5RO29O-MOiTNC4uslqFONPgR7jmdotjvxXQe9GzKym4vwQWopptd_Lu9M-y00it5OhGV5qpIZ0Sd/w408-h640/budapest%20(5).jpg" width="408" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Random statue of Peter Falk as Columbo</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMud7-vNr28YnDhE5qvQ55b2X9lroaZk-FlJypSbvqwqskuLs4xRL1j70jMuxrCYbxWDj3Av6iE_TXOIs-ETIBTA-TCvdLwCpjtty42P9hSkKgULKKXYLTqxsCrOsdzOhXTyyJ3KW1UVgmGFQrRKcGfaGDp2wyMxdHv2VNrYE7ItcYXG-uQHMTBgwSjPE/s4080/budapest%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMud7-vNr28YnDhE5qvQ55b2X9lroaZk-FlJypSbvqwqskuLs4xRL1j70jMuxrCYbxWDj3Av6iE_TXOIs-ETIBTA-TCvdLwCpjtty42P9hSkKgULKKXYLTqxsCrOsdzOhXTyyJ3KW1UVgmGFQrRKcGfaGDp2wyMxdHv2VNrYE7ItcYXG-uQHMTBgwSjPE/w640-h360/budapest%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hungarian language was quite strange looking for us!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7uVZsBwPJTHrn6s8jwolMh15vpmu0qTeqQtCWdiRRFFCD5PoNI-NV2iyzV3r41c6YP5phd5IAEVWyDEt3EaaC-9vOjnpVU2OwQZB5dBl1KqyJZQDzPzLVpvDl0VvQc_JBL_7nxhsLzmiWQCEEGw0e3y3laRhC3cESV4AqCXZU_GTPfDaYVS_eidtNMWz/s5184/budapest%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7uVZsBwPJTHrn6s8jwolMh15vpmu0qTeqQtCWdiRRFFCD5PoNI-NV2iyzV3r41c6YP5phd5IAEVWyDEt3EaaC-9vOjnpVU2OwQZB5dBl1KqyJZQDzPzLVpvDl0VvQc_JBL_7nxhsLzmiWQCEEGw0e3y3laRhC3cESV4AqCXZU_GTPfDaYVS_eidtNMWz/w640-h426/budapest%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">View over the Danube River, Budapest- still think Belgrade's is better!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Central Budapest was literally wall
to wall with gigantic, over the top, ornate buildings, a mix of Baroque, Neoclassical and Romanesque styles, and practically every
lane was a fancy cafe strip. We struggled to find our usual cheap and/or dodgy
places to eat, but they didn't seem to exist in central Budapest. Beer wasn't too
outrageously priced, but we have just been so spoilt in the Balkans with
the best and cheapest beer, wine and <i>rakia</i>, that nowhere else can compare. </span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5oJN_t43RD4NmwNQC2pYWLvzex1haUsqOweGHpX96RXi_TzphYwnQBQk3erx9gsw3rtYwF70N0pZ-YBW4ptm_3x6kgXt8IHNgJVT4GnZoO-Qja4hG2_m8k7S5CNy0NpxmpP4UUBRBmEWGTkbTRELiJmsx3b37aAKYrI69rQfPB93il8fx-7g3oW91AqD/s4080/budapest%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5oJN_t43RD4NmwNQC2pYWLvzex1haUsqOweGHpX96RXi_TzphYwnQBQk3erx9gsw3rtYwF70N0pZ-YBW4ptm_3x6kgXt8IHNgJVT4GnZoO-Qja4hG2_m8k7S5CNy0NpxmpP4UUBRBmEWGTkbTRELiJmsx3b37aAKYrI69rQfPB93il8fx-7g3oW91AqD/w640-h360/budapest%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Magnificent opera house exterior, Budapest</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz519GkI3XPo2TLMQ3JpofAx0BEKlZDuD84ZC3rZSFCjx4TQchGBlz0IhK3xRODlnu0GdVawnaOI8kGb7Kn1uhumHCxtdMSpgzq5ffTwJ6Mq2NyTtx91xYdnP3zRG1Rtc_QSp6xAXFWl1_1wmMgtwuBnz54MZWNccaaT2S2HHBwttk2ybb1fzyUq5gFUye/s4814/budapest%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4814" data-original-width="3213" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz519GkI3XPo2TLMQ3JpofAx0BEKlZDuD84ZC3rZSFCjx4TQchGBlz0IhK3xRODlnu0GdVawnaOI8kGb7Kn1uhumHCxtdMSpgzq5ffTwJ6Mq2NyTtx91xYdnP3zRG1Rtc_QSp6xAXFWl1_1wmMgtwuBnz54MZWNccaaT2S2HHBwttk2ybb1fzyUq5gFUye/w428-h640/budapest%20(8).jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Number one local hero, Liszt, Budapest, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5RrKBxzny8f0E17Up7_hcvtyLSWY2XpqaQnBlxN4Oi5rEqSWz3EmKAClTJHk8pd3wLvbD_fIiXsP9lV8M_qiuKv9KpAKudvYlU-zQf5NDJ3DzEcXDJgR5lD0X5vKVKHlslxF4vmi6tuXsbgcm_NZYB1LCTJGinkpctabAUMmDloLql-DMgjtIcyFyZQI/s5184/budapest%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5RrKBxzny8f0E17Up7_hcvtyLSWY2XpqaQnBlxN4Oi5rEqSWz3EmKAClTJHk8pd3wLvbD_fIiXsP9lV8M_qiuKv9KpAKudvYlU-zQf5NDJ3DzEcXDJgR5lD0X5vKVKHlslxF4vmi6tuXsbgcm_NZYB1LCTJGinkpctabAUMmDloLql-DMgjtIcyFyZQI/w426-h640/budapest%20(9).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ornate interior of Budapest Opera House</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Basically, we didn't have enough time to see Budapest properly, we unknowingly chose an upmarket area to stay in, and visiting in the height of the summer tourist season was a bad idea. We simply couldn't get into it. All in all, we were pleased
that we had only planned a couple of days in Budapest, and probably
won't be rushing back anytime soon. Having said that, on the bus to
the airport we passed many areas of the city that looked perfectly
nice and not at all crowded.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0GFsY5xHKF29ayU30Q4PsXz5ka3eQWtWkWxRGFCSdrxyubV-eRDFbjzBIGNBlLQ2eSK-fF_egJ67ZvcBoJ0PlVmLy29PgiPgDvR8qyYlBlcBeyx66253k3yCOfVkUeHe-mpzpA0m3VJLPvknAi2AjKIk4k8Cj1I0StuqO53Lu4o2jCRzr7iSAdMhep6Q/s3843/budapest%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3843" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0GFsY5xHKF29ayU30Q4PsXz5ka3eQWtWkWxRGFCSdrxyubV-eRDFbjzBIGNBlLQ2eSK-fF_egJ67ZvcBoJ0PlVmLy29PgiPgDvR8qyYlBlcBeyx66253k3yCOfVkUeHe-mpzpA0m3VJLPvknAi2AjKIk4k8Cj1I0StuqO53Lu4o2jCRzr7iSAdMhep6Q/w640-h360/budapest%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yet another Liszt statue- this one in motion, Budapest</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFh1Ah1wWc5hRn9JhFEC-g-gPpVf5vb6M3TkIh8aiLUagQHzDc_KHkEZgfnR1G6vlHFswiEh6aATn_Gc1_lBtqbmmjS8arzQcRRwVR59wdkZylXWfUb_m9HVhnn8P12pSuuzdMkxvY-rEbxUdmGYGYfFj0XP9LvHQ11BzHugjuye5_7TE5fQT3Y7y2fj8j/s5184/budapest%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFh1Ah1wWc5hRn9JhFEC-g-gPpVf5vb6M3TkIh8aiLUagQHzDc_KHkEZgfnR1G6vlHFswiEh6aATn_Gc1_lBtqbmmjS8arzQcRRwVR59wdkZylXWfUb_m9HVhnn8P12pSuuzdMkxvY-rEbxUdmGYGYfFj0XP9LvHQ11BzHugjuye5_7TE5fQT3Y7y2fj8j/w640-h426/budapest%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cobwebs on his face, Budapest, Hungary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; text-align: left;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Contrasting our hectic, hot time in Budapest was our stay in bonnie Scotland.
We had to quickly get used to the cooler temperatures and sky-high
prices, but it was lovely to be in a green countryside setting and
several quaint small towns and villages for most of our time there.
As we were there to visit relatives, our priority wasn't so much
sightseeing, but we did enjoy some rambles to some new destinations in between the family time. </span>
</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOd_cB5Swhyd0tnhKsEwRd2bFRMS7AbJUSsEnJBYuoH7QTWZ6hDzr7NVSDKMUo1ErwuOpvBwTNhFspTx9cmekKb2OTGoNhYAGSirfOAEv9umfaQx9-Fs0ZFK2mDL2UEhyphenhyphenKmL6kh-Ug1iB4xybN3yaz3dhBx3id7f2D1ktFg75ykN6svT4GV2Ju0-F0V1s/s5184/aberdeenshire%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOd_cB5Swhyd0tnhKsEwRd2bFRMS7AbJUSsEnJBYuoH7QTWZ6hDzr7NVSDKMUo1ErwuOpvBwTNhFspTx9cmekKb2OTGoNhYAGSirfOAEv9umfaQx9-Fs0ZFK2mDL2UEhyphenhyphenKmL6kh-Ug1iB4xybN3yaz3dhBx3id7f2D1ktFg75ykN6svT4GV2Ju0-F0V1s/w640-h426/aberdeenshire%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Enjoying beautiful gardens, Aberdeenshire</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The rural, farming region of Aberdeenshire is an underrated part of Scotland in our opinion. The eastern part of the country doesn't have the wild dramatics of the west coast, but the rolling green hills, ancient treelined village roads and stone walled farms with their straw bailed up ready for collection were extremely engaging, and perfect for walks. We did fit in a couple of countryside strolls during our stay, in between hanging out and helping out with family. </span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELVGQ_Ahi8hIu87pBJuzReM5B_SsFEj2lKPYMN6Azn7m__9oCYEGgy-cnG-_B-2S0Yq35JUiUtDHQR4vfxgCK2OzQB70BnvTHqh26RpRSAsmG55To4iwGLrKkKRemE7B4qptaTlzSP9AXfWWqrpjfJXD76aJN8GGJTViREMU1_44f7kk4nW799wWOjYla/s4080/20230912_093147%20Inverhomery_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELVGQ_Ahi8hIu87pBJuzReM5B_SsFEj2lKPYMN6Azn7m__9oCYEGgy-cnG-_B-2S0Yq35JUiUtDHQR4vfxgCK2OzQB70BnvTHqh26RpRSAsmG55To4iwGLrKkKRemE7B4qptaTlzSP9AXfWWqrpjfJXD76aJN8GGJTViREMU1_44f7kk4nW799wWOjYla/w640-h360/20230912_093147%20Inverhomery_edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pastural scenes in Aberdeenshire</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8zY-D8KtRuQGjyEdDoZmhEy_OCXXsTxfYkcqZO28JN-X9dPpv5gnMpX09-j20aNUmhehdDazja86zr-y6OPl3MGN-ziUVb8jZsUm5zSu75WXHUrsSkVr-RrXMHKFM5pGeix4aRRRBG9RwksOrZvP4lGm65j0TaNdfVcefTt28FsJCh3EJCWuZBXrM9Oj/s5184/aberdeenshire%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8zY-D8KtRuQGjyEdDoZmhEy_OCXXsTxfYkcqZO28JN-X9dPpv5gnMpX09-j20aNUmhehdDazja86zr-y6OPl3MGN-ziUVb8jZsUm5zSu75WXHUrsSkVr-RrXMHKFM5pGeix4aRRRBG9RwksOrZvP4lGm65j0TaNdfVcefTt28FsJCh3EJCWuZBXrM9Oj/w640-h426/aberdeenshire%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ancient forests, Aberdeenshire</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE7VcTCXrwKC-tOZzJKDJuezpk-NCGqHQryHRIBYv7YJt6YD7UNiiyH5fg0pqeAcXxwmyJ83oe_EC4DvYchi32AdmjC96dgtu06d2U6i7E54mPrxo2rmS1q3NQJSUCXklwOQNgvx6orLgqmNZHCaV9c5RRWYeTq0CGUjHSQ15Mn021U-yffxCexivxc9Q/s4054/aberdeenshire%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="4054" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE7VcTCXrwKC-tOZzJKDJuezpk-NCGqHQryHRIBYv7YJt6YD7UNiiyH5fg0pqeAcXxwmyJ83oe_EC4DvYchi32AdmjC96dgtu06d2U6i7E54mPrxo2rmS1q3NQJSUCXklwOQNgvx6orLgqmNZHCaV9c5RRWYeTq0CGUjHSQ15Mn021U-yffxCexivxc9Q/w640-h440/aberdeenshire%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Butterflies enjoying the end of summer flowers, Aberdeenshire</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>It was the big city of Aberdeen, though, that was a particular favourite, never having properly visited the city
before, only flying through on a bus on-route to elsewhere. A
fabulous city in the sun and warmth (which amazingly greeted us on
our arrival), it is still brilliant even in the dreich Scottish
weather (which, of course, we also had a taste of). Called the
granite city for it's grandiose and splendid city centre structures,
it had a vibrancy and lively spirit about it, with busy shopping
precincts, theatres, pubs, gardens and churches. The central hub with it's
many small hidden stone laneways, and buildings topped with towers
and turrets was a delight. Add to that fantastic transport links (including ferries to the windswept Orkney and Shetland islands- long been on our travel list), and it's a pretty convenient and </span><span>marvellous</span><span> place to be. Aberdeen is a huge port city, with a massive gas
and oil industry. But it was the areas from the old days as a fishing
port and ship building centre that were the most evocative.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-WQpDr5P5nxWQfMLK136JbjKV7ez3brpcrVLnM92x2PQ3UgPEzK95SsuvPovprVyxCSXHPkaYoXDCGRKjfa4_uEzx6ukLK3ARG-hlqgoiGHCZxhsQavLLOIN4AJXFkDfsoxak80aPmESEGr6O0RC4JN2aAX_IzUvg97WQlM2a5UIuUxQ-Uy8mawiwxk8/s3919/aberdeen%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3919" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-WQpDr5P5nxWQfMLK136JbjKV7ez3brpcrVLnM92x2PQ3UgPEzK95SsuvPovprVyxCSXHPkaYoXDCGRKjfa4_uEzx6ukLK3ARG-hlqgoiGHCZxhsQavLLOIN4AJXFkDfsoxak80aPmESEGr6O0RC4JN2aAX_IzUvg97WQlM2a5UIuUxQ-Uy8mawiwxk8/w374-h640/aberdeen%20(1).jpg" width="374" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Robert the Bruce doing something heroic</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGkzd3HGqabFBxLEagQKfiKyus0YpBO3-whReIO0vJ1R3yJCnJO7X3OFzur_5-Da-nqsnzTOy52smg_sx4BVe73AOAt4zcEuMQFeZKgj8olL0b5W9MKfxzIJy0KBEJdl530xTgrkcnekU-ot4Q3hBw96wWufqFkl5xpmD0-8M8ISZWMs4tim7So48ajSt/s2560/aberdeen%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGkzd3HGqabFBxLEagQKfiKyus0YpBO3-whReIO0vJ1R3yJCnJO7X3OFzur_5-Da-nqsnzTOy52smg_sx4BVe73AOAt4zcEuMQFeZKgj8olL0b5W9MKfxzIJy0KBEJdl530xTgrkcnekU-ot4Q3hBw96wWufqFkl5xpmD0-8M8ISZWMs4tim7So48ajSt/w640-h360/aberdeen%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Grand granite buildings Aberdeen city centre</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Such a special place we literally stumbled upon was Footdee (pronounced
“Fittee”), a wonderfully charming former fishing village,
miraculously left intact by modern encroachments, and with an old
fashioned charm thanks to it's colourful wee cottages and communal
garden areas. We were lucky enough to get chatting with a resident
artist whose family had lived there for five generations, who told us some
background. An added bonus for the residents of Footdee, and Aberdeen
as a whole, was the quite glorious miles long Aberdeen beach, with a
delightful walk way and summery feel, even with the clouds and wind. </span>
</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAWNLM5EbzOLblzeTfvvVy917jrSBcPn9A4715rg3XDEsKkvYjyOrI9HEWNETET-SveeMZWk5R9hUU19ariAR-nlQZX-QkIK6p_1piOKT3pxipXVr5elus7Jiamc0kuW1oqtcXY0kI-LPtLffdziHMNTwnNR9syfPjRZo9Tq8buMJD4skzzq9HdtdGJGa/s3580/footdee%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="3580" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAWNLM5EbzOLblzeTfvvVy917jrSBcPn9A4715rg3XDEsKkvYjyOrI9HEWNETET-SveeMZWk5R9hUU19ariAR-nlQZX-QkIK6p_1piOKT3pxipXVr5elus7Jiamc0kuW1oqtcXY0kI-LPtLffdziHMNTwnNR9syfPjRZo9Tq8buMJD4skzzq9HdtdGJGa/w640-h352/footdee%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cute little cottage, Footdee, Aberdeen</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeHuofPZXSpkFiHxk-LOeUCtxLGnrzk1fzWo8gk9SjBUis9YcdYLwuBljthKOZDVhTJxIi_ubGiPiZyB5o1VFB7fpAvKqutQhIoH2UdDKXqje4vaW772HfuT5QZBQsEI1Ik7PE0aYVXJmgCaKMo80VEGHitzygLRfuy-UEYtSWt1woLP9NUdu2J9J9jYn/s5184/footdee%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeHuofPZXSpkFiHxk-LOeUCtxLGnrzk1fzWo8gk9SjBUis9YcdYLwuBljthKOZDVhTJxIi_ubGiPiZyB5o1VFB7fpAvKqutQhIoH2UdDKXqje4vaW772HfuT5QZBQsEI1Ik7PE0aYVXJmgCaKMo80VEGHitzygLRfuy-UEYtSWt1woLP9NUdu2J9J9jYn/w640-h426/footdee%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Colourful lane, Footdee, Aberdeen</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xF1Ddlc7kuPoiBbLGC7kUO4SxcqbatoMdSLZCdCOOaWNzMhj1dmtrJUoRIdZkBTb0ugBvN1BM7QrjEn0nHf6ze9BBhDsZPckP8xaPULfuT0KMIdRlHn00T2BKANJXSJlD4CZnPjhJZOWk8q-bmYnY8WVRi8ketcnmrah41iJrFiXbQ-7ATQS8-wa1fHk/s5184/footdee%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xF1Ddlc7kuPoiBbLGC7kUO4SxcqbatoMdSLZCdCOOaWNzMhj1dmtrJUoRIdZkBTb0ugBvN1BM7QrjEn0nHf6ze9BBhDsZPckP8xaPULfuT0KMIdRlHn00T2BKANJXSJlD4CZnPjhJZOWk8q-bmYnY8WVRi8ketcnmrah41iJrFiXbQ-7ATQS8-wa1fHk/w640-h426/footdee%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Creative resident's arty decoration, Footdee, Aberdeen</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYsVqBmYpPFoHB5G7s4dn9XYKJhrnJ_zN7PEUAsZX8BplBL1DhYV8OIpzUBlt6W4HYWE3xHWbgcD_yEOSCmbxwAYXwgzG0X1L78NT3y6sQyCYHfaqiQNZAxcB8QmB-z69mz1FlKJ3VattSoDFykFsKN5BL4cvOuDGDb6RhvHYl-_Bc2a9wGbx-2-gz_gm/s4598/footdee%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2947" data-original-width="4598" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYsVqBmYpPFoHB5G7s4dn9XYKJhrnJ_zN7PEUAsZX8BplBL1DhYV8OIpzUBlt6W4HYWE3xHWbgcD_yEOSCmbxwAYXwgzG0X1L78NT3y6sQyCYHfaqiQNZAxcB8QmB-z69mz1FlKJ3VattSoDFykFsKN5BL4cvOuDGDb6RhvHYl-_Bc2a9wGbx-2-gz_gm/w640-h410/footdee%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking out to the off short wind farm from Aberdeen Beach</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We
didn't have nearly enough time to give the city the time it deserved,
and we will certainly try and return to explore in and around
Aberdeen further (bank balance allowing!)</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><span>Thumbing a lift with a sweet old couple who went out of their way to make sure we got to our </span>exact<span> </span></span><span>destination in Ullapool</span><span>, we were welcomed to the west coast by the usual wet and windy climate of the area. This time, however, we were spending most of our time inside with family, so it
didn't particularly matter. After a wonderful long weekend full of playing games with grandkids and catching up with family, we were on our way again. </span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>A few short rainy and cold days in
Strathpeffer and Dingwall rounded out our time in Scotland. Despite the weather we were able to get out and about and enjoy some short wanders in the
fresh country </span>environment<span>, the </span>exercise<span> hopefully balancing out the huge B and B </span>breakfasts. We<span> were ready to fly off again after our
whirlwind stay in Scotland. The pleasure of catching up with family
offset the mostly dismal weather and slightly rushed feel to the visit.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2fS3lEDiPnGqSmOegzPv3H4lalplPvpySmI1ymyEBw0RCj1qDNOGxJeiqV_xeP-dUy0sUAvks3VunanyaNKyuUcNU42rzocIKbBPzhVyaLJu7TBlPulhIjJ0SpH_KwrUjO1vGk8c-HhcwVhhf0vx2jewWOab04TQnMQQne1BME1M8hX7_k_U6jpUhA_Z/s4080/strathpeffer%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2fS3lEDiPnGqSmOegzPv3H4lalplPvpySmI1ymyEBw0RCj1qDNOGxJeiqV_xeP-dUy0sUAvks3VunanyaNKyuUcNU42rzocIKbBPzhVyaLJu7TBlPulhIjJ0SpH_KwrUjO1vGk8c-HhcwVhhf0vx2jewWOab04TQnMQQne1BME1M8hX7_k_U6jpUhA_Z/w640-h360/strathpeffer%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rural scenery, Strathpeffer</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUt5lDYjl3dB5QjGz3JysLkLmSMl1yd_HZ-tJrsFU8mwvg5TOE0P_K1sBnHmo0eNW9ZsAMeoyDE9UdaMk7KJcLk-27kTY9DhwVnA-m1lbU3kxE2zb8I2INIDBg15THYWRr30iJYR0mafYiVEYStVRWRpip-a08YARUQbnGgJ0opzeuTtX7BBuWF6NC_SF/s4080/strathpeffer%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUt5lDYjl3dB5QjGz3JysLkLmSMl1yd_HZ-tJrsFU8mwvg5TOE0P_K1sBnHmo0eNW9ZsAMeoyDE9UdaMk7KJcLk-27kTY9DhwVnA-m1lbU3kxE2zb8I2INIDBg15THYWRr30iJYR0mafYiVEYStVRWRpip-a08YARUQbnGgJ0opzeuTtX7BBuWF6NC_SF/w640-h360/strathpeffer%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Old railway station turned cafe, Strathpeffer</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8ujD16lRE6aQAw7ptcaCS9uFSGwt0xC7fbgaVsl4oMdc4RSKhoVO3PRkYOQ8pPOqnoWVPkAFC85IFFEgaXV1qzelpSLe_WB_m_x8pZB57QEoi3ZWrfLj0wmh3rd0sNLbry8yaPVVCQ-mTQ546-tw7ApzCc4Q_96pejDRFcznDjj9rzu1TXfcjmiuSE-X/s4080/strathpeffer%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8ujD16lRE6aQAw7ptcaCS9uFSGwt0xC7fbgaVsl4oMdc4RSKhoVO3PRkYOQ8pPOqnoWVPkAFC85IFFEgaXV1qzelpSLe_WB_m_x8pZB57QEoi3ZWrfLj0wmh3rd0sNLbry8yaPVVCQ-mTQ546-tw7ApzCc4Q_96pejDRFcznDjj9rzu1TXfcjmiuSE-X/w360-h640/strathpeffer%20(3).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Cheers to Robbie Burns, Strathpeffer, Scotland</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span>After
an intensive month or so moving about, we were ready for the slower
pace of South East Asia, and were somewhat relieved to arrive back in
the familiar surroundings of Malaysia. Normally staying in our
favourite city Penang, this time we decided that since we had less than
two weeks, we would try a stay in Kuala Lumpur. Our long time regular hostel in KL was nowadays closed, and as we pored over
alternative options, it dawned on us that we could rent a quite posh
Air B and B for not that much more than a double hostel room. And what a wise decision that was! The apartment on the 27th floor was fabulous, with all mod cons (it's been a long time since we had access to a fridge in our </span><span>Malaysian accommodation</span><span><span>, and it was a real treat), including a gym and pool. It was the perfect place to recover from the jetlag that seems to get worse every time we fly between Europe and Asia. Our time in the city was mostly spent </span>visiting<span> old favourites places, eating delish </span>Malaysian<span> food and catching up on sleep.</span></span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcG64FOS8FBYC4iaLQBY8D9uB2_KDJumMa2mCfQl0UyBX_eeXqpM7GR_59ocOx2RlHOZeS8QhgxZhTOdHSBCLXz1PuLY3Qorli0B8YOkOyH3rsSBmEUBZvAKUvbMwgYG5d-ndgBuzfeGAAaub7uLjuJ6OrCdg6RWYDB0NHfOTzeM_fBojbhTFGUouGnlX/s2560/kl%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcG64FOS8FBYC4iaLQBY8D9uB2_KDJumMa2mCfQl0UyBX_eeXqpM7GR_59ocOx2RlHOZeS8QhgxZhTOdHSBCLXz1PuLY3Qorli0B8YOkOyH3rsSBmEUBZvAKUvbMwgYG5d-ndgBuzfeGAAaub7uLjuJ6OrCdg6RWYDB0NHfOTzeM_fBojbhTFGUouGnlX/w640-h360/kl%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our daily hang out in between the rain, KL</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFOfmp_7a6B2EAZuIUi7mh9XaCuria9Fdc4Wrr6bbnp65R-8FP_djD-olJCKPwgLv0GXSWvEdY1vkW2qpr-3-uj4gHhs_zW1u9m-RJ4F1-Rpy9UAS_B_yTGD0JnFxu5BzdxtU_qtgGivLKuI6cJZbeyziTTd-VzfnrozjmxTc1ImJvCKXw_SloMe5XJLi/s2560/kl%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFOfmp_7a6B2EAZuIUi7mh9XaCuria9Fdc4Wrr6bbnp65R-8FP_djD-olJCKPwgLv0GXSWvEdY1vkW2qpr-3-uj4gHhs_zW1u9m-RJ4F1-Rpy9UAS_B_yTGD0JnFxu5BzdxtU_qtgGivLKuI6cJZbeyziTTd-VzfnrozjmxTc1ImJvCKXw_SloMe5XJLi/w640-h360/kl%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We're not used to such luxury in Kuala Lumpur!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Hoping for a quieter pace this coming year, we began by heading for our December time sanctuary at Ko Fruitopia for some relaxation. </span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2024/02/old-trains-new-places-familiar-faces.html" target="_blank">.......and the next blog skips ahead to our time on the Cambodian coast.....</a></i></span></p><br />Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-82076099327711788192023-08-11T01:54:00.003+08:002024-02-10T14:10:25.060+08:00 THE HEAT IS ON - Andijon and Kokand, Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/07/slow-odyssey-across-wild-mountain.html" target="_blank"> ...........our previous adventures crossing Kyrgyzstan through some remote mountains......</a></i></p><p>Border crossings between Central Asian countries have always been a breeze for us, and our experience moving between Kyrgyzstan into Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley was no exception. A pedestrian only post, both guards and fellow travellers were extremely helpful and generous, letting us through first on both sides. We were thankful for this, as the alternative was waiting for hours in the baking sun. Negotiations with the taxi sharks on the Uzbek side saw us in a shared taxi and whizzing our way to our next destination. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhTnP-Gld9uuYQh64TihUbndq3su02WeBZgWcTVxcSc1VqijB_EH_20qIAZBJx1R4mmkF9Hj-zFox1s1VMNyuSSbnTkgz7xjONYjokbKPKBmWXHGbv31jEf-6EG3jW8Ci3W7IZPX_A-31r_0MLtTF4Q11sXTXX9YokGNnd7cY-cZxKXEJ5PEoz8aLR2Py/s4640/old%20andijon%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3094" data-original-width="4640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhTnP-Gld9uuYQh64TihUbndq3su02WeBZgWcTVxcSc1VqijB_EH_20qIAZBJx1R4mmkF9Hj-zFox1s1VMNyuSSbnTkgz7xjONYjokbKPKBmWXHGbv31jEf-6EG3jW8Ci3W7IZPX_A-31r_0MLtTF4Q11sXTXX9YokGNnd7cY-cZxKXEJ5PEoz8aLR2Py/w640-h426/old%20andijon%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal in a shadowy corner, Old Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The city of Andijon was quite simply a delight. We found a hostel smack bang in the middle of the main market in the old town, with the all important AC (they don't go in for fans in Central Asia, it's generally AC or nothing). Literally next door was a fantastic basic restaurant with meat sizzling out the front, and plenty of national dishes inside (the prices were incredible, with the maximum a meal costing us being 60,000 som/£4). A few more steps brought us into the market, ladies in their cool Uzbek pyjamas sitting on the ground with fresh tomatoes, peaches, grapes and raspberries. Further inside the market, all our culinary needs were met. A dairy house kept us happy with local <i>kaymak </i>(cream), bread sellers with amazingly aromatic round breads lined the paths, and the guys in the nut section offered a range of Uzbek grown yummies, including the delicious roasted apricot kernels (tasted like almonds). We didn't need the meat section, but it was interesting to see the fatty bums of the sheep lined up on the counters. And of course, the best ice cream - Uzbekistan definitely has that honour. The range and quality of the produce was quite overwhelming after the less than great offerings in the remoter parts of Kyrgyzstan we had just come from. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpm1rUGU_a1WUzUQ5IltPYGmeaQ6QmqZE9Vww-fsgBnHlpty-w9yw-IJnh3iDxEtN4ATmX5ScNjczDt32o40G6r9ypk3tFVB7i6EdVWid-dUtTNXfUNIrP8MOwaDz-LuwKSUIdJlqD2-T2OeG1dmJmOCSz9syMoZirtavyLUk0XkpuvCAjsvTSzfFN1tM/s4080/20230711_090411.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpm1rUGU_a1WUzUQ5IltPYGmeaQ6QmqZE9Vww-fsgBnHlpty-w9yw-IJnh3iDxEtN4ATmX5ScNjczDt32o40G6r9ypk3tFVB7i6EdVWid-dUtTNXfUNIrP8MOwaDz-LuwKSUIdJlqD2-T2OeG1dmJmOCSz9syMoZirtavyLUk0XkpuvCAjsvTSzfFN1tM/w640-h360/20230711_090411.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Samsa </i>cooking, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSFMRGeCuSnEXiu5CFS4rmvzMCDWDF6UJBDsNqxg76wyi6P-psYsPTAUluXwZ4R93UVSTSLWG9fpQIHcAhs0SgNfFS4rP-P8vNJt8sstfsWEw_5_8VuGDyjzgxSELSBTHBQLD-Z9dxTepYN0ICHehfSQNxrWZR2AIxjkedvEhxlD2-u3oLWldJsiGuY9h/s5137/market%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="5137" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSFMRGeCuSnEXiu5CFS4rmvzMCDWDF6UJBDsNqxg76wyi6P-psYsPTAUluXwZ4R93UVSTSLWG9fpQIHcAhs0SgNfFS4rP-P8vNJt8sstfsWEw_5_8VuGDyjzgxSELSBTHBQLD-Z9dxTepYN0ICHehfSQNxrWZR2AIxjkedvEhxlD2-u3oLWldJsiGuY9h/w640-h354/market%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young vegetable sellers, Andijon Bazaar, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8yt6f2_GXXcLa9Loie8PmRuobrajkEjuLGPALH2MwHZDxS5K_mbY03VAvI6h45ctp6TbOc1rO3kAklXsPz4_b6HiU3F0WJEv9BBNzGouuLUO_zvJuw_lcN6XVRLChLRcdT1znw488HuNjv7HtSjjhHfQ71tuSvFR7c7BzC9S9CbSc0tYsNLDZKY0TFjv/s5184/market%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8yt6f2_GXXcLa9Loie8PmRuobrajkEjuLGPALH2MwHZDxS5K_mbY03VAvI6h45ctp6TbOc1rO3kAklXsPz4_b6HiU3F0WJEv9BBNzGouuLUO_zvJuw_lcN6XVRLChLRcdT1znw488HuNjv7HtSjjhHfQ71tuSvFR7c7BzC9S9CbSc0tYsNLDZKY0TFjv/w640-h426/market%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Array of spices, Andijon Bazaar, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJ276P9SUEndAW4bvKZR4vxfsOt9RAsj1trJgIMN1LVPIBlCEt3eu9vy20j2cBhO0ICa-8rOsVsgQZ8PVrWefsXh4-woSbDVVTYIQ5ofFKUP-i8HX8Flpg8JEKfug8duBmbMjoa_bgUT5U3QIRfdNaLUSyaleBDnK1M2JJQyGMhAaN4HKiqoobEEkU6r9/s4779/market%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2781" data-original-width="4779" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJ276P9SUEndAW4bvKZR4vxfsOt9RAsj1trJgIMN1LVPIBlCEt3eu9vy20j2cBhO0ICa-8rOsVsgQZ8PVrWefsXh4-woSbDVVTYIQ5ofFKUP-i8HX8Flpg8JEKfug8duBmbMjoa_bgUT5U3QIRfdNaLUSyaleBDnK1M2JJQyGMhAaN4HKiqoobEEkU6r9/w640-h372/market%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old boys on a bench, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVO3FCX7QqCk31kISOFAkD5jq6WWZkKlD9UHNMLjjA6B6-B0j4zLpBWBbIJidNGTyjU9gVgUrQH0dxmJtoL4C7BnXTS96q7PphfPwI51M2E_n2u2vNvNo7uKyj9xHQ45Vzay8SHzTmdCBsj_cJ0MUNxnRvWhIwCahArnw30nVfWaSwhfgYB4wP_jgA4i0/s4080/20230713_074421%20andijon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVO3FCX7QqCk31kISOFAkD5jq6WWZkKlD9UHNMLjjA6B6-B0j4zLpBWBbIJidNGTyjU9gVgUrQH0dxmJtoL4C7BnXTS96q7PphfPwI51M2E_n2u2vNvNo7uKyj9xHQ45Vzay8SHzTmdCBsj_cJ0MUNxnRvWhIwCahArnw30nVfWaSwhfgYB4wP_jgA4i0/w640-h360/20230713_074421%20andijon.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Plov </i>ready to be served up, Andijon Bazaar, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WtaFasLpNrYIGe_mSgs-rUbkk4lIzTGPknf7KtYwQPsBUP_WGuMiixCjeuitsOV3Th_d55cVymxfcXaTBSREIwy4Fwy6QQ2DS_Zn0x44ls8SrI0MRx6H3y8g8dYucTNYDhbjgnWXO69nohJ1oI7MrNQDppsQJU8eBbCejd-vhhRovmjwA0dKxGvUW9lA/s5184/market%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WtaFasLpNrYIGe_mSgs-rUbkk4lIzTGPknf7KtYwQPsBUP_WGuMiixCjeuitsOV3Th_d55cVymxfcXaTBSREIwy4Fwy6QQ2DS_Zn0x44ls8SrI0MRx6H3y8g8dYucTNYDhbjgnWXO69nohJ1oI7MrNQDppsQJU8eBbCejd-vhhRovmjwA0dKxGvUW9lA/w640-h426/market%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melon man, Andijon Bazaar, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Another interesting part of the market was the metal working guys, with their wares for sale out the front of their workshops. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-66JVvBQrALMc5jQokW__HblwfwqXTu_UlDjQ0IM1eH_Ojb2FW7gkPcI4ptuVfLH1ySU1FStsTk-rHuHfqGJ2wDrIWk6w0QPMr_pBdFYqo2plqycoUs3LYiM8CJ3cU8WDe6iUPbf9w2Or46aMMyeraqsp3aqAzXcHW_ZtfABb8XQ7TPU0kuW3bDQkx2hs/s2560/metal%20workers%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-66JVvBQrALMc5jQokW__HblwfwqXTu_UlDjQ0IM1eH_Ojb2FW7gkPcI4ptuVfLH1ySU1FStsTk-rHuHfqGJ2wDrIWk6w0QPMr_pBdFYqo2plqycoUs3LYiM8CJ3cU8WDe6iUPbf9w2Or46aMMyeraqsp3aqAzXcHW_ZtfABb8XQ7TPU0kuW3bDQkx2hs/w640-h360/metal%20workers%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metal workshops housed in old buildings, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEtWv9kQhNKwAKyNWWFQWvM26trAv5VBtzbfZhUH8aShpXyCzJLFwLHl0bgY6JSSQtR_t5ueiuwFbpf50e76U4M8FLrFHHLXseGWqbe_tmDozNtU5i_vfh_CvjWUppf5D4MNCa8hAOjxp-C2L3MhOMXVpyLtdeaaOitzkqFVwc3_YFfs0ogxq3fyjfjlJ/s5184/metal%20workers%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEtWv9kQhNKwAKyNWWFQWvM26trAv5VBtzbfZhUH8aShpXyCzJLFwLHl0bgY6JSSQtR_t5ueiuwFbpf50e76U4M8FLrFHHLXseGWqbe_tmDozNtU5i_vfh_CvjWUppf5D4MNCa8hAOjxp-C2L3MhOMXVpyLtdeaaOitzkqFVwc3_YFfs0ogxq3fyjfjlJ/w640-h426/metal%20workers%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blacksmith hard at work, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwh51B5No8FyK7_SUmSXqmY2utMn-ffgKnvPS8lZGBkoQ3VFyXorRpfd8rJ1-_cC8BNsWRIIkt8aIY23w1HCSNr8j_pKQIdoN02YWMIELsC8xcIciQhW0uLqbZ4xUv5b4OZVSdL9bo-1ebVQ7XJjWHSZhp2mruC3IohBE4fMAE8gcWGvEgBLlJBQTsuJ_/s4922/metal%20workers%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2882" data-original-width="4922" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwh51B5No8FyK7_SUmSXqmY2utMn-ffgKnvPS8lZGBkoQ3VFyXorRpfd8rJ1-_cC8BNsWRIIkt8aIY23w1HCSNr8j_pKQIdoN02YWMIELsC8xcIciQhW0uLqbZ4xUv5b4OZVSdL9bo-1ebVQ7XJjWHSZhp2mruC3IohBE4fMAE8gcWGvEgBLlJBQTsuJ_/w640-h374/metal%20workers%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood stoves are very popular, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hrIs3jG0sFwZJZjhs_4Pi8mZjTUFHFfudQwfeX13Onbi99odFe0dTxFECpED_CtDESLVw4J5m7siNDBizRtODPHH5liWgcWytqHUqOtFGotNIQd9zIltCzPWX_ym-dApKjNLI1m8DfrEOhkxkDrmD4PETN0us9oySrSuBCOr_YAavJ--gGQk1iZNNC95/s5184/metal%20workers%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hrIs3jG0sFwZJZjhs_4Pi8mZjTUFHFfudQwfeX13Onbi99odFe0dTxFECpED_CtDESLVw4J5m7siNDBizRtODPHH5liWgcWytqHUqOtFGotNIQd9zIltCzPWX_ym-dApKjNLI1m8DfrEOhkxkDrmD4PETN0us9oySrSuBCOr_YAavJ--gGQk1iZNNC95/w640-h426/metal%20workers%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grinding away, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>But it was the local people who were the most wonderful. They had to be the most generous and hospitable we have come across in Central Asia, and that's really saying something. As we wondered around, people turned and stared wide eyed, with huge grins, seemingly very happy to simply see us in their midst. Guys loved to shake Rich's hand, and most men and a few brave ladies enthusiastically called out some kind of greeting. We guessed what they were asking most of the time and yelled back "Australia", only for them to look astonished and tell all their friends in the vicinity. Sometimes, a "Kangaroo" or "Crocodile Dundee" was called back, or a further "conversation" ensued, with all of us nodding and smiling, with not much idea of what the other was saying. Usually they gave it a good attempt with what little English they knew, very much wanting to communicate with us. One man wanted to know if Sal's teeth were real- first time she'd been asked that! Most people were not shy, and every smile offered by us was returned, making us feel very happy to be in the city. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg68C397H24KM1gMUlCKsTwqbFYcduVukDiFG-RtI0KFZ9XhOUORzlI7yxZrP_imq1T4ylP0JRHJj-NAB4b3iOPihLiYxw_TX3d2neYoM80LbwAAhxg2Ur-tuoCyINyRmEfIDll8u3MY2rgpKIsU3zrIISAtyzQEJex38XzkDyNqNIq2483cAxC3mo2CvG/s4080/20230711_085556.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg68C397H24KM1gMUlCKsTwqbFYcduVukDiFG-RtI0KFZ9XhOUORzlI7yxZrP_imq1T4ylP0JRHJj-NAB4b3iOPihLiYxw_TX3d2neYoM80LbwAAhxg2Ur-tuoCyINyRmEfIDll8u3MY2rgpKIsU3zrIISAtyzQEJex38XzkDyNqNIq2483cAxC3mo2CvG/w640-h360/20230711_085556.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich with new friends at cafe, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOcY8bFm1O17tJ2t-WI8fc4SWYHmRgFfW6-_-P4TnCJHPUComSTb6k__ag25YDaJBSUhco0hjCFDP7Ln-pcMzeHoZjNaCCb1QCHecbHfNAe7-UmycvL0HTYtMKbe_bGVN-LRnFQ78vlX0z3iuKw1kl7pQClnPy-8p3DkwasUDrZLNPeuCBdwels33nhRS/s5184/market%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOcY8bFm1O17tJ2t-WI8fc4SWYHmRgFfW6-_-P4TnCJHPUComSTb6k__ag25YDaJBSUhco0hjCFDP7Ln-pcMzeHoZjNaCCb1QCHecbHfNAe7-UmycvL0HTYtMKbe_bGVN-LRnFQ78vlX0z3iuKw1kl7pQClnPy-8p3DkwasUDrZLNPeuCBdwels33nhRS/w640-h426/market%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dignified market man, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aogt3_ZN09D1qAbsObyFfFBj7w1UKFJo5QJaxqqBu22cPtjMMm6VHaRsRiOsCbh8wdvQ2m0C9mM6T2cePXb_ZIRpoPIfZidaZeEpp5PGrclAT4oJLx7VIRlbfLRkLppjzx8kLbHM6fBPtL1mrsKvcSSXo3AT65739QPQqqtZ_TyQ55oeDNA39PPbLzRX/s1971/20230711_092143.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1971" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aogt3_ZN09D1qAbsObyFfFBj7w1UKFJo5QJaxqqBu22cPtjMMm6VHaRsRiOsCbh8wdvQ2m0C9mM6T2cePXb_ZIRpoPIfZidaZeEpp5PGrclAT4oJLx7VIRlbfLRkLppjzx8kLbHM6fBPtL1mrsKvcSSXo3AT65739QPQqqtZ_TyQ55oeDNA39PPbLzRX/w640-h356/20230711_092143.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little boy who delivered bread around the bazaar, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>When Rich requested a sharpening of our Swiss Army knife in the metal workshop area, payment for the perfectly done job was firmly refused. This also happened when Sal had a dress altered at a seamstress. At a cafe, not only was our <i>chay </i>on the house, but an anonymous kind person bought us juice also. An old woman on the bus paid our fare and gave us a bag full of bread and goodies before continuing on her way. Examples of this generosity towards us were numerous and often in Andijan. All the stalls in the markets gave us little titbits to nibble on while we decided on our purchase- sometimes a very good marketing ploy! People were happy to help us, and no payment was required. </p><p>Our sight-seeing was kept on a strict timetable of early mornings and evenings. Days were over 40 degrees in this part of Fergana Valley in summertime, and there was no way we were going to slog ourselves around in the heat. We had plenty of work organizing the rest of the year's travel to occupy ourselves in the middle of the day within the haven of our AC room. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80OuTgGo48hIPnmFsLxBa5eI9DNXoqpOAdzPCRmNgp-Nvyk_6b4nyJQY1bB2OWLtfZYt_zimu9_ToySx44q_5oa0LtNosDn6iDhPHSuhJ-MA1aprxBDyYok3Szf7yDC_VhdlaNsZIeDt698-OJK9xM9EaZ38eJnciuhUgn1W9w0MIVHXvnWnFIMq9nWfk/s4590/new%20andijon%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4590" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80OuTgGo48hIPnmFsLxBa5eI9DNXoqpOAdzPCRmNgp-Nvyk_6b4nyJQY1bB2OWLtfZYt_zimu9_ToySx44q_5oa0LtNosDn6iDhPHSuhJ-MA1aprxBDyYok3Szf7yDC_VhdlaNsZIeDt698-OJK9xM9EaZ38eJnciuhUgn1W9w0MIVHXvnWnFIMq9nWfk/w640-h426/new%20andijon%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soviet-era artwork on exterior of museum, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEjTFr-4vEHkTT5vnDZhozYVEQanAYKwq4UpkPHFUofqMhJEZuW6RYEAQcqokl4OjHAvKrfAihjx9ueKN4hkjyL7MZClGe04I6c_RpUlzFzeiWX6sqLsp2JsVgMg4VhjKiN5YmZG5Rgtxnu_x9vjJrh-2jNr59JCJ2A1YA05aP1gYXKmyAPd2Qv0kv0my/s4080/new%20andijon%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEjTFr-4vEHkTT5vnDZhozYVEQanAYKwq4UpkPHFUofqMhJEZuW6RYEAQcqokl4OjHAvKrfAihjx9ueKN4hkjyL7MZClGe04I6c_RpUlzFzeiWX6sqLsp2JsVgMg4VhjKiN5YmZG5Rgtxnu_x9vjJrh-2jNr59JCJ2A1YA05aP1gYXKmyAPd2Qv0kv0my/w640-h360/new%20andijon%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intriguing concert area complete with lake, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKRQMB8DjNPyjq9b9hjh3V35H3mfvis25NHiXmiyUvkl8LILXf_XgKU7EVw-X4XcYGdVuHo1eFOJ_jk5PdxB_O39VLJZBEkbzljx4uoJwT4Q1Vb8Z2asTEMcGmt7uyw0nB6IA1-uMESvrXIENAn-LDyPz4tFRFdApFmQTjPqWv-0n6JytBTNh1ydiPpEx/s3931/new%20andijon%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2010" data-original-width="3931" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKRQMB8DjNPyjq9b9hjh3V35H3mfvis25NHiXmiyUvkl8LILXf_XgKU7EVw-X4XcYGdVuHo1eFOJ_jk5PdxB_O39VLJZBEkbzljx4uoJwT4Q1Vb8Z2asTEMcGmt7uyw0nB6IA1-uMESvrXIENAn-LDyPz4tFRFdApFmQTjPqWv-0n6JytBTNh1ydiPpEx/w640-h328/new%20andijon%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random giant eagle cafe, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A small historic district was close by, and wandering around the lovely collection of domed mosques, carved wooden outdoor areas of buildings with brightly coloured ceilings and blue and green tiled exteriors was a pleasure. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPDhJ1lmFnxcTPdGLySNrR3SWRaEvuO0v8pgUXWuoOPn2fKpG8V_yIyIPMJDlKVw1eGnFfYgG0lu18kIQ0HdEF-0zJ-al6Mw1VjLHMROudTlJExFzwVHJ4wJSXWW-5T0ruSwoagWsHo71J9oTUYxCz3oRmQxiMKWaM5UDbF5tcwwyrCVmI15l8VNYXrBF/s5014/old%20andijon%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3344" data-original-width="5014" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPDhJ1lmFnxcTPdGLySNrR3SWRaEvuO0v8pgUXWuoOPn2fKpG8V_yIyIPMJDlKVw1eGnFfYgG0lu18kIQ0HdEF-0zJ-al6Mw1VjLHMROudTlJExFzwVHJ4wJSXWW-5T0ruSwoagWsHo71J9oTUYxCz3oRmQxiMKWaM5UDbF5tcwwyrCVmI15l8VNYXrBF/w640-h426/old%20andijon%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devonaboy Mosque through the trees, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxg4XV6NQ4uQ3g_Vy5Bm1ioyJn72BUCN8ewCn55mv3m-c7Se5xmUWSyJkIiY_19L51i7Bg0JwGccQKwWT6wcIv1oQ04l4nVtU839SLJCFpdybUlS4AGNOI0M9gFML8BQZvslAfff2KvWjRpLDhzc3HqBEBcw00Jj5kUXxOTvoUXUSZIevVVN66QgHE-aLa/s2560/old%20andijon%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxg4XV6NQ4uQ3g_Vy5Bm1ioyJn72BUCN8ewCn55mv3m-c7Se5xmUWSyJkIiY_19L51i7Bg0JwGccQKwWT6wcIv1oQ04l4nVtU839SLJCFpdybUlS4AGNOI0M9gFML8BQZvslAfff2KvWjRpLDhzc3HqBEBcw00Jj5kUXxOTvoUXUSZIevVVN66QgHE-aLa/w640-h360/old%20andijon%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Splendid front side of Devonaboy Mosque, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7r9HfNDhTIeePG88bcPfthtwX0ode7LLckHOle4x6r_jsloSnmFkGT4-KJthZfbZQkxiW_9bVM2Y0z4eLo-xo9vw8-4bC_7lS4o5JGqWJrYro6p3ZjfLvSoGQHrN-FohpblbncsEykuf57Vb6rdnN6he46vUcHJ-jmHU7D_s6NC0llR8CUJhw9EFB4OHm/s4080/old%20andijon%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7r9HfNDhTIeePG88bcPfthtwX0ode7LLckHOle4x6r_jsloSnmFkGT4-KJthZfbZQkxiW_9bVM2Y0z4eLo-xo9vw8-4bC_7lS4o5JGqWJrYro6p3ZjfLvSoGQHrN-FohpblbncsEykuf57Vb6rdnN6he46vUcHJ-jmHU7D_s6NC0llR8CUJhw9EFB4OHm/w640-h360/old%20andijon%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minaret and colourful ceiling in the grounds of Jami Madrassa, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48fi088I7FYxZ-8RYPny1gP9MJfKMOz3f-sI2OVGGyZ99PCAeMpNDU98g3QIFqlzfDewrrxLsMn2cL__NDUpZqoSErHbtZRLXBc9UUeA5NJtAY111vs9noeMg4DkV9V_zqFG_jjHD9s0t1su-Ntwtjh5HqFcvPqIt0b4LnQHkV9BtISwQV5d_xCyyN8YW/s4080/old%20andijon%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48fi088I7FYxZ-8RYPny1gP9MJfKMOz3f-sI2OVGGyZ99PCAeMpNDU98g3QIFqlzfDewrrxLsMn2cL__NDUpZqoSErHbtZRLXBc9UUeA5NJtAY111vs9noeMg4DkV9V_zqFG_jjHD9s0t1su-Ntwtjh5HqFcvPqIt0b4LnQHkV9BtISwQV5d_xCyyN8YW/w360-h640/old%20andijon%20(5).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lofty minaret, Jami Madrassa, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD6111rvp6tZtuGVRnq5ljXG8wKZNHlHowuP2yLio2bsskdfIcOenTjRTzj-nfT0rN-H9ieYbauYlG6z330QaMTTYrn3gfEieiTHTTvk7p962T3IWN7C_dI2VGK3vmdaHjW5ciCZ6eop62SZiNwcVqY4IdJLzN6mhgiaXl_rYbog30ZKjfnrXIj3LD3Sn/s4080/old%20andijon%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD6111rvp6tZtuGVRnq5ljXG8wKZNHlHowuP2yLio2bsskdfIcOenTjRTzj-nfT0rN-H9ieYbauYlG6z330QaMTTYrn3gfEieiTHTTvk7p962T3IWN7C_dI2VGK3vmdaHjW5ciCZ6eop62SZiNwcVqY4IdJLzN6mhgiaXl_rYbog30ZKjfnrXIj3LD3Sn/w640-h360/old%20andijon%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such wonderful detail, Jami Madrassa grounds, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The best day was spent at Bogishamol Park, on the outskirts of Andijon. The park was dedicated to Babur, who was born in Andijon, and as a descendent of both Timur and Genghis Khan, had quite a pedigree. He founded the Mogul Empire in India in the 1500s, and locals seem very proud of their famous son, going by the many museums and memorials devoted to his life and feats. </p><p>We had fun checking out all the shady food options, complete with <i>topchans </i>(platforms designed for eating and lazing around on), some typical carnival rides and a giant teapot (of course). We then braved the rickety and decrepit chairlift up to a view point about half an hour away, where we stopped for a drink and to admire the outlook over Andijon and then trundled back down again. One had to be bloody quick jumping on and off of the thing- Sal fell out into the arms of the staff, whilst Rich of course stepped out easily and suavely. By midday on the Saturday we were there, things had not only heated up to almost unbearable temperatures, but the locals were setting up in the shade with their piles of food and loud music, and we felt it time to head home on the bus. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYzUrx7VJp1YTVA6Pv1KsP-H6iFsJoR_4o2S5p9pVthsVoR0GbCHKdbQw7phEBT5h2nqZB6ZredfmbfUt7PfK8f4O1ltkR7GDPRW9NDFC7nVoM0DMMxCVM9cbaDS54rP2UWPPOZd24IMIlrzxbAXp28ZG_RABSRI30cY3grQXL5gcEItv8A67KsRjHb7k/s2338/park%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2338" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYzUrx7VJp1YTVA6Pv1KsP-H6iFsJoR_4o2S5p9pVthsVoR0GbCHKdbQw7phEBT5h2nqZB6ZredfmbfUt7PfK8f4O1ltkR7GDPRW9NDFC7nVoM0DMMxCVM9cbaDS54rP2UWPPOZd24IMIlrzxbAXp28ZG_RABSRI30cY3grQXL5gcEItv8A67KsRjHb7k/w640-h410/park%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to their famous son, Babur, Bogishamol Park, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxjWTuiUtFvQkgM40SM480B2drkT3tTC5M7JLxeTpSJf3IMNgS1A-v8VyNKSb13nAZLY0urNb_vT_JzlZziQ4WASR1wpSlpJkaP2t9UHLQBLv5YtVwotjXIToFc_9sy7GqL8N9tCFYnI8cqif9gpShnCt7zjEzP49AYHIUO227VnSivH748yNibZGkIwv/s5184/park%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxjWTuiUtFvQkgM40SM480B2drkT3tTC5M7JLxeTpSJf3IMNgS1A-v8VyNKSb13nAZLY0urNb_vT_JzlZziQ4WASR1wpSlpJkaP2t9UHLQBLv5YtVwotjXIToFc_9sy7GqL8N9tCFYnI8cqif9gpShnCt7zjEzP49AYHIUO227VnSivH748yNibZGkIwv/w640-h426/park%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The greatest giant teapot we have ever seen, Bogishamol Park, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagx-IVB6IQtcLZ3VHjhLN96SZmi5fXcWqFsJgxYPTDqAPEh698XI-El-jz5jsPW8VJT0aGOLesB38FBzIMu-EOlfiwXtgZirszCyrCUOmC6zMqepSqk8HmT9Y-7aeClGsBu6OmTMo-e3JklijpE65_D76za7_l9JP7d05tQ_3NHY_7KNl_R9GRdhI6BTo/s5184/park%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagx-IVB6IQtcLZ3VHjhLN96SZmi5fXcWqFsJgxYPTDqAPEh698XI-El-jz5jsPW8VJT0aGOLesB38FBzIMu-EOlfiwXtgZirszCyrCUOmC6zMqepSqk8HmT9Y-7aeClGsBu6OmTMo-e3JklijpE65_D76za7_l9JP7d05tQ_3NHY_7KNl_R9GRdhI6BTo/w640-h426/park%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncared for snooker table, Bogishamol Park, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQENucJiSNEVGfRwqaKBmLYdCElQy4ECj5ApI4G4iOzOVNDo79oG58iZkAuYJlavxLDy6Qsw0C3vuF9Krgm-rA380Eh-oWyrK_0sSyyr6PjeLvVRTMf48Ip50OX-sgaFriTmvPqpF_s6MPQSPlblfYbCGKNOkCQaU6xfr4gmJFVLHe-mD4EoEZNh8qZe9q/s4080/park%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQENucJiSNEVGfRwqaKBmLYdCElQy4ECj5ApI4G4iOzOVNDo79oG58iZkAuYJlavxLDy6Qsw0C3vuF9Krgm-rA380Eh-oWyrK_0sSyyr6PjeLvVRTMf48Ip50OX-sgaFriTmvPqpF_s6MPQSPlblfYbCGKNOkCQaU6xfr4gmJFVLHe-mD4EoEZNh8qZe9q/w640-h360/park%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top of the hill, Bogishamol Park, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmURoFHpzXDP2RTvrk1cBkIKm4cEzynapyLdSzblTdqQVJOlQb3u2iMWjbYYJEV1P2PUZ7_s5hOraZ-2Y2YIRc5gDwnOhfVziUjIUYZ5s9AcMsvseCI2HyKyuwP68LP7bTQldCjzMs-YINk0KDsca83DM1ytl-xct-LQrs1IV5UUdZjmFLGhzZsV9qrOc/s5184/park%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmURoFHpzXDP2RTvrk1cBkIKm4cEzynapyLdSzblTdqQVJOlQb3u2iMWjbYYJEV1P2PUZ7_s5hOraZ-2Y2YIRc5gDwnOhfVziUjIUYZ5s9AcMsvseCI2HyKyuwP68LP7bTQldCjzMs-YINk0KDsca83DM1ytl-xct-LQrs1IV5UUdZjmFLGhzZsV9qrOc/w640-h426/park%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal excited to be riding on the chairlift, Bogishamol Park, Andijon, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um5WF7kx1As" target="_blank">Short video on the chairlift</a></p><p>Public transport in Andijon was effortless, with an assortment of buses a three minute walk from our door. Most convenient were the Damas minibuses, apparently produced right here in Andijon. There were hundreds of them going to all parts of the city, and we never had to wait more than a couple of minutes for one to come along. And at 3,000 som/£0.19, the price was only beaten by the large buses which charged 1500 som/£0.09 for a journey across town. </p><p>Evenings were generally spent strolling in a nearby park, usually consisting of fountains, coloured lights, kids in remote controlled cars, sometimes carnival rides, very loud music and ice cream. It was a fun and wholesome vibe. We didn't drink any booze for our entire stay in Andijon, partly because it's a conservative city and alcohol is not exactly easy to come by, and partly just because we didn't feel like it.</p><p>We made a bit of a mistake by taking a midday train to our next destination, instead of going for the 5am option. We hadn't thought about the temperature of the inside of the carriage, with the only windows opening being very high, small and not very effective. It was basically four hours of being in a giant hairdryer, stopping tediously often at small stations along the way. We didn't really even have the energy to interact with the families and kids sharing our carriage, or even the conductor who was desperate to chat with us. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxDXYUfUE_1I-Pxnxm-jOHOAoumsc9zcp_REu9aJA3VdqDwIjZ7ejBUN9JpH_3sfJ_8hp_8C4AyjaHmVX7oZwaMsf9Pp0KEowLozmbcruHSwh3xZFHrScWql6HgxAua21VVUR9TOTrS1WPVRWm25_IsB5Nn0d-M-WMsPWpD2RG8IuTWrBRAWDGRMcAjKO/s4080/20230717_102403.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxDXYUfUE_1I-Pxnxm-jOHOAoumsc9zcp_REu9aJA3VdqDwIjZ7ejBUN9JpH_3sfJ_8hp_8C4AyjaHmVX7oZwaMsf9Pp0KEowLozmbcruHSwh3xZFHrScWql6HgxAua21VVUR9TOTrS1WPVRWm25_IsB5Nn0d-M-WMsPWpD2RG8IuTWrBRAWDGRMcAjKO/w360-h640/20230717_102403.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train from Andijon to Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Stepping off the train at Kokand was like arriving in a ghost town. The fact that it was midday and hotter than Hell probably had something to do with it, and by the time we flagged down a taxi and arrived at our hostel, we were beat. We could be posh and take taxis in Central Asia, where the average fare is under £0.80! We tended to take a taxi to and from a train or long distance bus, when we had our backpacks, otherwise we went local on small <i>marshrutkas </i>or bigger buses for trips within towns, as it's more stimulating.</p><p>After such an amazing stay in Andijon, Kokand was never going to completely live up to it's neighbour. It was a lovely city, with some buildings of historical interest, and <i>bazaars </i>galore, and the people were welcoming, but it still couldn't quite compare to Andijon's very high standards. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-jZ8HzlP6zKvn1UpgczFFSztqSf6NhGqbYroavAz_mrJor6XTg2-RiGvpMU6FxVf30tizlL8aC3r0H8WceESoicKZRlP0Hstq9cWp3gYH8J78bgbKUrQkr4XX12vTGcn6RD7qi3wsqaQcypj7L5E9dSFrQq5Kspwj9FUBoID1z3FEokdDGislezSBeV5/s4080/20230724_120100.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-jZ8HzlP6zKvn1UpgczFFSztqSf6NhGqbYroavAz_mrJor6XTg2-RiGvpMU6FxVf30tizlL8aC3r0H8WceESoicKZRlP0Hstq9cWp3gYH8J78bgbKUrQkr4XX12vTGcn6RD7qi3wsqaQcypj7L5E9dSFrQq5Kspwj9FUBoID1z3FEokdDGislezSBeV5/w640-h360/20230724_120100.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ornate bazaar entrance, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8mHBBtXMHUKSvogtcnJtsCONZCtqV1IP83iSE7sdUvoQ5ApMTPVUJwMMLMHEbkUxE7KQNiYu-5wbpSkmDYBPOq5JWQKogHekQ6mxp7mHwmVWdKxG41yNnhqnBujf9fIZXRaj6sWw1d3FFS1IK5jcQfQdQpuOOgna6JmKV0ITMle3sj8tcdhp-z_dgkJZ/s3428/20230721_104350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3428" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8mHBBtXMHUKSvogtcnJtsCONZCtqV1IP83iSE7sdUvoQ5ApMTPVUJwMMLMHEbkUxE7KQNiYu-5wbpSkmDYBPOq5JWQKogHekQ6mxp7mHwmVWdKxG41yNnhqnBujf9fIZXRaj6sWw1d3FFS1IK5jcQfQdQpuOOgna6JmKV0ITMle3sj8tcdhp-z_dgkJZ/w428-h640/20230721_104350.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The marmot theme continues, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>One huge bonus was that the smart, but quirky hostel where we stayed, not only had the all important AC in our room, but unusually had a full gym on the level below the accommodation. As our friends know, Rich has had trouble with a bad knee for many years, and recently it has effected his ability to walk too far or too strenuously. One thing that helps greatly is exercise, with the equipment at a gym being particularly beneficial. Tentatively poking his head around the gym door on our first day, Rich was warmly welcomed into the place by the many big muscly toughguy Uzbeks- they surrounded him to say hi and shake his hand. Any talk of a fee was swept away by the owner's hand, and Rich spent most of his mornings in there. </p><p>Ancient Kokand was extremely well placed on the Silk Road, being on a crossroads of two major routes- one leading to Tashkent, and the other to what is now Tajikistan. Historically, the city has had it's ups and downs- two of the high points being the Kokand Khanate in the 1800s, and financially after the Russians moved in and many became extremely wealthy from the cotton trade. It is considered one of the oldest towns in Uzbekistan, although these days the long standing sights have a rather polished and renovated feel to them. </p><p>The most visited sight in Kokand was the former palace of the Khudaya Khan, built originally in the late 1800s. Most of the palace was destroyed by the Soviets, but what remained was quite lovely. The exterior was covered in stately blue and green mosaics, while the calming interior featured detailed painting and decorations in the traditional colourful custom. We walked through a series of grand rooms and shady courtyards, with many relics such as old style costumes, furniture and ornaments displayed (as usual without much English explanation, or enough light). The best part was the old photos showing people and the palace in it's heyday.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy8FPHm5O1HoM_pWne9dv1uEN75jXFPLYpya_7qzJ3g-C2fuzB5IoGweHd2iCQN_LC1WlewaHY6161avXFgfs0SZ56LxFYaGX_Y5sLez1CJHE-fCfSgSKO2WZoRGmlKu3xc_IPwkKzog8LapXaYhQ69WGt2JdY68KOLwnma2-ayZrLe_HbUQ2XjJgMVv6/s2560/20230721_100304.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy8FPHm5O1HoM_pWne9dv1uEN75jXFPLYpya_7qzJ3g-C2fuzB5IoGweHd2iCQN_LC1WlewaHY6161avXFgfs0SZ56LxFYaGX_Y5sLez1CJHE-fCfSgSKO2WZoRGmlKu3xc_IPwkKzog8LapXaYhQ69WGt2JdY68KOLwnma2-ayZrLe_HbUQ2XjJgMVv6/w640-h360/20230721_100304.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Expansive view of the front of Khudayar Khan Palace, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNX6Q5Hbe7nXysb_6VPJPRuVkmTbIEnP5XB_Z43esyy_l-ikfxAAVLpZQM0H_1KosFHqWsOwA7b18l76Zlh6HEZzK0XY1iGhCwBk3GaQcDEDoWscTTqcj4c8F7VxG0i89FioncB5FdrAbkL-OlZ_MSMrCmTUbSAbqUsAUyO96o43ynt23--A9PSANiUBe/s2560/20230721_101158.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNX6Q5Hbe7nXysb_6VPJPRuVkmTbIEnP5XB_Z43esyy_l-ikfxAAVLpZQM0H_1KosFHqWsOwA7b18l76Zlh6HEZzK0XY1iGhCwBk3GaQcDEDoWscTTqcj4c8F7VxG0i89FioncB5FdrAbkL-OlZ_MSMrCmTUbSAbqUsAUyO96o43ynt23--A9PSANiUBe/w360-h640/20230721_101158.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Renovated rooms at Khudayar Khan Palace, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYat0nWJiqWOeeR04-1K7DLdxxhqHg1B5God6viokEHTwvCkJjZzwv6imG8vQRXDwSSj3PBeRWEhMKFEN4yXkO0lNgnWn667bR5N66p6cn6FDPKf1RhC9-GokW5fR03QCKV7mKHjNrxFE29HIdZKNBlr2CBQxofn7N3pXwAjCSzS7mgV7ya7VkGLpq7R0M/s2560/20230721_101440.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYat0nWJiqWOeeR04-1K7DLdxxhqHg1B5God6viokEHTwvCkJjZzwv6imG8vQRXDwSSj3PBeRWEhMKFEN4yXkO0lNgnWn667bR5N66p6cn6FDPKf1RhC9-GokW5fR03QCKV7mKHjNrxFE29HIdZKNBlr2CBQxofn7N3pXwAjCSzS7mgV7ya7VkGLpq7R0M/w640-h360/20230721_101440.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful courtyard, Khudayar Khan Palace, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYcdKyj4XSqgOdHqhYMk56VYYRh4vfQrklnG8xnLyuxCwUnK6_Yy1QZTeZLugaFmDbGjVjOMgzDP5rSfXkCxkr1mjZ7klMrOSyObBmC2ymuatx27mu7qFKSI8wlMivx4irTE_1uJA818LouXEFKWjZZoW37oW-cfZo2GtqQo_Es-YIYxDA6G8bIFhJImg/s2560/20230721_105723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYcdKyj4XSqgOdHqhYMk56VYYRh4vfQrklnG8xnLyuxCwUnK6_Yy1QZTeZLugaFmDbGjVjOMgzDP5rSfXkCxkr1mjZ7klMrOSyObBmC2ymuatx27mu7qFKSI8wlMivx4irTE_1uJA818LouXEFKWjZZoW37oW-cfZo2GtqQo_Es-YIYxDA6G8bIFhJImg/w640-h360/20230721_105723.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretending to be regal, Khudayar Khan Palace, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Eo8JkgDpVpJlEHb5Q91rD564GI2iwt2YEamdjsn3KZNzTiCt8iZu5gZdSXIh9qSbO0s6EHatCU9C85Vqqqne9JR1Fzmy0_dthCu1K1fE7j3dkGDlANZuFbMHbW9TOB8-NnudVky4qeojGeC1moEQ91UWQbY7I7_RU23eDRJglT1MUQUZFLO5fDHg77t3/s4882/IMG_0086.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3254" data-original-width="4882" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Eo8JkgDpVpJlEHb5Q91rD564GI2iwt2YEamdjsn3KZNzTiCt8iZu5gZdSXIh9qSbO0s6EHatCU9C85Vqqqne9JR1Fzmy0_dthCu1K1fE7j3dkGDlANZuFbMHbW9TOB8-NnudVky4qeojGeC1moEQ91UWQbY7I7_RU23eDRJglT1MUQUZFLO5fDHg77t3/w640-h426/IMG_0086.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand entrance to Khudayar Khan Palace, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Two charming parts of Kokand were the peaceful area around a well kept manicured cemetery, where two calm and cool mausoleums of the past royal family sat, complete with small gardens and benches for contemplation. The other was the upmarket area where Europeans keen to cash in on the cotton trade built opulent homes for themselves in the 1800s. Thankfully, most of them were currently in use as public buildings and adequately preserved.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BsMal9fkgcloyygen_VPQVqWtm0MwczLW40NKRbxuerpBn52xXsMGa3G9jzP4hdjJciCrzgcHI32rreE_mJRT0pfGGCbNKZo4YxT8nSeer96nE_gZe0EfDhMET6eDP98HfGURw4Q7Fh38YP5rXSJZCtR4rFFnxPGlqczyNDhSYzhxTYhaGQROLAzs2Uj/s2079/20230723_190743.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2079" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BsMal9fkgcloyygen_VPQVqWtm0MwczLW40NKRbxuerpBn52xXsMGa3G9jzP4hdjJciCrzgcHI32rreE_mJRT0pfGGCbNKZo4YxT8nSeer96nE_gZe0EfDhMET6eDP98HfGURw4Q7Fh38YP5rXSJZCtR4rFFnxPGlqczyNDhSYzhxTYhaGQROLAzs2Uj/w444-h640/20230723_190743.jpg" width="444" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting sun at Modari Khan Mausoleum, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZRnsjo0T7vbgGXMtUTk7LsAwwLxjnwchNukpWkbqQgVoor9rj25zk0aOQLZn7Rwf8FJ2YwlO5Ay7b4WX0FzcEzxLVd8eTs47oyadE0GtoOchhjyhb_rfxBApuBoGQbDpRhrwH6YFE1RwDgGPCvQlhUX22motxH17Xh-aOyXegVE4jZ2OR4tqCrm91Uy2/s1938/20230723_190850.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1938" data-original-width="1228" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZRnsjo0T7vbgGXMtUTk7LsAwwLxjnwchNukpWkbqQgVoor9rj25zk0aOQLZn7Rwf8FJ2YwlO5Ay7b4WX0FzcEzxLVd8eTs47oyadE0GtoOchhjyhb_rfxBApuBoGQbDpRhrwH6YFE1RwDgGPCvQlhUX22motxH17Xh-aOyXegVE4jZ2OR4tqCrm91Uy2/w406-h640/20230723_190850.jpg" width="406" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking through beautiful doors, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcWAtMqbNPqJkIhTHl0tpMQJ7-kGxzCj2JDrSYpzA0gz8XS_7XqKCYa3xQSF9_6Q9oioWeKJe-qJr9IOogduo6CztbOfvWDDIvxF2qOVKg_grkYl802tS2DgepIgkI1T546YZsSh-SA9s0EFK6m2VVSk_TsAN79f1AT0QBvU_KM-EEYki1DC5l8_YJgvl/s2560/20230723_191242.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcWAtMqbNPqJkIhTHl0tpMQJ7-kGxzCj2JDrSYpzA0gz8XS_7XqKCYa3xQSF9_6Q9oioWeKJe-qJr9IOogduo6CztbOfvWDDIvxF2qOVKg_grkYl802tS2DgepIgkI1T546YZsSh-SA9s0EFK6m2VVSk_TsAN79f1AT0QBvU_KM-EEYki1DC5l8_YJgvl/w640-h360/20230723_191242.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falling stars on the ceiling, Modari Khan Mausoleum, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXJFVHrt0Ear0_02jYoX_6q-velr9tS1CZp1P5ko2gTqwAEt2O3CShLU2xBlu6sRw8iWvUFfStgCnylQDyGdsj5mt0_3lOKpzQ5MXQfLZewbdScevYu2D0JesKZa9lytUik85X23ZAmBVn3K75Ph_PELjxDnJlWP8Xe4_Ie1XtcfFdpJE-4HFsCeFR2sJ/s2560/20230726_085510.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXJFVHrt0Ear0_02jYoX_6q-velr9tS1CZp1P5ko2gTqwAEt2O3CShLU2xBlu6sRw8iWvUFfStgCnylQDyGdsj5mt0_3lOKpzQ5MXQfLZewbdScevYu2D0JesKZa9lytUik85X23ZAmBVn3K75Ph_PELjxDnJlWP8Xe4_Ie1XtcfFdpJE-4HFsCeFR2sJ/w360-h640/20230726_085510.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1800s cotton merchants house, turned university, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVgF7FkFckTg9D4OOAXoQqpGomQOlSaN5oLuut0SXNjzA0PUQUYPQXd0HLFo5jN32F3i0dH0fZwgyCoQandNivhyAV35JQttdDEUVpKltF0MoirtPQn_uYkym0l0HOwkbWv3MdEqnQEZW6h5r6-9C4bLdWU8QxpsCTEnRdUy-_uLR7dKDI2flGy-Mf-iu/s5184/IMG_0095(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVgF7FkFckTg9D4OOAXoQqpGomQOlSaN5oLuut0SXNjzA0PUQUYPQXd0HLFo5jN32F3i0dH0fZwgyCoQandNivhyAV35JQttdDEUVpKltF0MoirtPQn_uYkym0l0HOwkbWv3MdEqnQEZW6h5r6-9C4bLdWU8QxpsCTEnRdUy-_uLR7dKDI2flGy-Mf-iu/w640-h426/IMG_0095(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uni students, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdrdfwIM4_xizZo6E3ZkMfY398e6Ee_jtcW_5mVq6wAz6MzmVeW8QUc2_dzAa0lsQ4rqeB4VYM0W8lJR3RdUdKnntANQNzvBB9NycI7L1tZ-nZEQ5x8XlIK-s8tQzkFdPazj1FG4hIOw8CWSKP_xOrRupJUUurlLNJOQ3YI92Y5Yq7GI9HlGYku7X_PEO/s5184/IMG_0090.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdrdfwIM4_xizZo6E3ZkMfY398e6Ee_jtcW_5mVq6wAz6MzmVeW8QUc2_dzAa0lsQ4rqeB4VYM0W8lJR3RdUdKnntANQNzvBB9NycI7L1tZ-nZEQ5x8XlIK-s8tQzkFdPazj1FG4hIOw8CWSKP_xOrRupJUUurlLNJOQ3YI92Y5Yq7GI9HlGYku7X_PEO/w640-h426/IMG_0090.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glamour on the streets of Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Other points of interest in Kokand were the most unusually unfriendly Juma Mosque, a funky Soviet-era theatre, peeking into an Orthodox church service complete with melodic choir, and admiring gardens with oncoming pomegranates, figs and bunches of juicy grapes.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NDlSDZWJ4ewjJrz4qcEnTeZ-t6OmKEhCa8Li_wmIbGNaVzD3EjdgJiKablvXjORemfcETJI4FU8mrZ31xNfJZEYj0HZqTwMTMaitk-3FzZCtFo69phxz62vNz5XYFl-HoRw6rsOCehawgOP4yIFhb2S5gybDUuu6g4xmfmeatpTPnBSBGSRluHGdTbFU/s4080/20230719_181952.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NDlSDZWJ4ewjJrz4qcEnTeZ-t6OmKEhCa8Li_wmIbGNaVzD3EjdgJiKablvXjORemfcETJI4FU8mrZ31xNfJZEYj0HZqTwMTMaitk-3FzZCtFo69phxz62vNz5XYFl-HoRw6rsOCehawgOP4yIFhb2S5gybDUuu6g4xmfmeatpTPnBSBGSRluHGdTbFU/w640-h360/20230719_181952.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the 99 pillars at Juma Mosque, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ-kqBhMh7w_2-vjFy2m-x6K-x4b9_nNiERl6CrpMmz0NgOSi24vLJ7c2CcZNmdyL7i24fayT0xPkzj9_H85eQ2ibvlrOdZ0ysyLnFklZorS0GU67A_EHsdaD1rnjD3V76kpD3OjO0KFm1AuYyUKOTlfRUnDNEHRy9nf39eYPB-yvIVr1s-emgtbyyTDj/s4080/20230719_183742.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ-kqBhMh7w_2-vjFy2m-x6K-x4b9_nNiERl6CrpMmz0NgOSi24vLJ7c2CcZNmdyL7i24fayT0xPkzj9_H85eQ2ibvlrOdZ0ysyLnFklZorS0GU67A_EHsdaD1rnjD3V76kpD3OjO0KFm1AuYyUKOTlfRUnDNEHRy9nf39eYPB-yvIVr1s-emgtbyyTDj/w640-h360/20230719_183742.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved this window, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dkE57GHwM4geZpBrmVHjdJ8OZlO1LPkmcSqputvS_NOev8I-6nVmeckMTFLO4SqzenOdyRn7aQmqRvQ8fXlnyID6_xdbHamvuo4cJE3AO_a4VsnKnAjJLoLu5W3yPZ32nDzRJooFLLBi29GQ1ySDdkiWcwGtLD_0b0u58vmuzp7O3dRLFVUa8FGmoU6Z/s2560/20230719_183957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dkE57GHwM4geZpBrmVHjdJ8OZlO1LPkmcSqputvS_NOev8I-6nVmeckMTFLO4SqzenOdyRn7aQmqRvQ8fXlnyID6_xdbHamvuo4cJE3AO_a4VsnKnAjJLoLu5W3yPZ32nDzRJooFLLBi29GQ1ySDdkiWcwGtLD_0b0u58vmuzp7O3dRLFVUa8FGmoU6Z/w640-h360/20230719_183957.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soviet designs, Khamza Theatre, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav2yGlBrxeI9QityYd9j1wKlJjoyYNEjZgDybVkLrob_KLYevTXk4bkKT_Mwac49RbcGc6jB2VH8BU9F7S7fUw4FQJbXkSqgAPfkrfKQ_6HOrQCATHOnVqj_QBvM-5IFpcSjE_ZL92japutvieJm0fE_WmxPr3dN_JOa07Lw3i9Dndimz7fydBUt5Ulku/s3741/20230721_092353.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3741" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav2yGlBrxeI9QityYd9j1wKlJjoyYNEjZgDybVkLrob_KLYevTXk4bkKT_Mwac49RbcGc6jB2VH8BU9F7S7fUw4FQJbXkSqgAPfkrfKQ_6HOrQCATHOnVqj_QBvM-5IFpcSjE_ZL92japutvieJm0fE_WmxPr3dN_JOa07Lw3i9Dndimz7fydBUt5Ulku/w392-h640/20230721_092353.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service in Russian Orthodox church, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2NRfBji1osJLn7PV1N0BnKDYMbImpGzA6kNfrZLY5A7VnjEo7GzaF4AVzRaRnluD8oopblGcnxAC5-Dp4pKiLdHn9b2O9f0cbsiBErrGd6G6noDpppxq8WgZ-5REXpJ2O76F2V4-MbBf-NOBKWcUsiAMh-XMPheT0PPe9pK5kmw7CrCLFc77uM_336SL/s4080/20230721_103805.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2NRfBji1osJLn7PV1N0BnKDYMbImpGzA6kNfrZLY5A7VnjEo7GzaF4AVzRaRnluD8oopblGcnxAC5-Dp4pKiLdHn9b2O9f0cbsiBErrGd6G6noDpppxq8WgZ-5REXpJ2O76F2V4-MbBf-NOBKWcUsiAMh-XMPheT0PPe9pK5kmw7CrCLFc77uM_336SL/w640-h360/20230721_103805.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly ready to pick, pomegranates, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YvT7brBrCL5SUPDHKELfixTF14PoIkR9KX8QB6YN9gGjLfPaX106-pBRBIhRkEOQ4p5dssdFOWYXIUUDYQtUdXxTLGW7PIn2o4UuB383qpbcZNJ4-UxjuFGWdmeWAXSSkPpOQFhRBrMLwCkugdMdMmo1_UIYeM7i6IWM5e4duvzrs1mkw_QRSHz6Xp79/s2560/20230723_191434.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YvT7brBrCL5SUPDHKELfixTF14PoIkR9KX8QB6YN9gGjLfPaX106-pBRBIhRkEOQ4p5dssdFOWYXIUUDYQtUdXxTLGW7PIn2o4UuB383qpbcZNJ4-UxjuFGWdmeWAXSSkPpOQFhRBrMLwCkugdMdMmo1_UIYeM7i6IWM5e4duvzrs1mkw_QRSHz6Xp79/w640-h360/20230723_191434.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An interesting huge outdoor mosque, Kokand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We began an obsession with what the Uzbeks call "<i>kokteyl</i>" (spell it out in your head!). Unfortunately not the alcoholic kind, these were more like an ice-cream thick shake, and we had enjoyed them intermittently during our Central Asian trip. But now with a friendly drinks joint directly over the road, they were the perfect way to finish off a meal, or just to cool down. We tried to keep to our energy-saving heat-avoiding strategies for survival, but going out super early, and especially late at night did not come naturally to us. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgZyPoQC5ONfh2zFHAW-CKHScI-1OY6y7bh1Jb_9xexHyUPvD8ovLvVAb6mytAj-Xm63kIAIK6Jy7J7aB5sSUTsBuO5jNDey2qbX6mYLYbePmDID70ytGPXiHLTg2aS2OdmFFWh6aJvdWrlnPGxcjHjxYhc2WMvwrJ81HwplMBqOyuDD4nylQQ_mG-laK/s4080/20230720_142716.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgZyPoQC5ONfh2zFHAW-CKHScI-1OY6y7bh1Jb_9xexHyUPvD8ovLvVAb6mytAj-Xm63kIAIK6Jy7J7aB5sSUTsBuO5jNDey2qbX6mYLYbePmDID70ytGPXiHLTg2aS2OdmFFWh6aJvdWrlnPGxcjHjxYhc2WMvwrJ81HwplMBqOyuDD4nylQQ_mG-laK/w640-h360/20230720_142716.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USSR brand ice cream, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p>A flash train transported us from Kokand back to Tashkent, where we spent a few days enjoying our last favourite Central Asian foods and drinks, and generally preparing for the next part of our journey, until it was suddenly and sadly time to leave.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5QavgzR56g_xkO36n9J69lnffM-1Q_vcWz3rRYOX2TEJgGy2u7dOnaPKPAWsf9PQq1AF-EGxMlb30TI-62ZH51Z3wGbq-Zxyq1cNOIo9PgM8Bnncx4Ck2llPajtStS2ICrT7hiz9hY6ERRfnFtYCD60ZL7i1T1kMY9IlxEBqB7dj7hacZa6Fid0rXAmI/s4080/20230719_184155.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5QavgzR56g_xkO36n9J69lnffM-1Q_vcWz3rRYOX2TEJgGy2u7dOnaPKPAWsf9PQq1AF-EGxMlb30TI-62ZH51Z3wGbq-Zxyq1cNOIo9PgM8Bnncx4Ck2llPajtStS2ICrT7hiz9hY6ERRfnFtYCD60ZL7i1T1kMY9IlxEBqB7dj7hacZa6Fid0rXAmI/w640-h360/20230719_184155.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uzbek flags, Kokand</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We simply cannot finish without a mention again of fabulous food in Central Asia. Many travellers talk about how uninteresting the cuisine is in this part of the world, but we loved the simplicity, and the meat and potato based diet, and revelled in eating out at bargain prices. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_G6oifSbDTcrw1DdQOEhZsioJ5iy30L4anb0Z_drOJLDogtyuK-7auwN-nr06HKnvPpNNZKx9Mfv5fR0RbWOTaNqKnrmd_cWcWQ4g9Y6Z1HsKh5kIZ6Nxw6aJlW-ZA9mUidv3N6GB493NXEUXHMqxAm-3qE4HPdE79Pnl5A8ecdjRwDPrMZSTLgh6RI0/s2367/borsht.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2367" data-original-width="2194" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_G6oifSbDTcrw1DdQOEhZsioJ5iy30L4anb0Z_drOJLDogtyuK-7auwN-nr06HKnvPpNNZKx9Mfv5fR0RbWOTaNqKnrmd_cWcWQ4g9Y6Z1HsKh5kIZ6Nxw6aJlW-ZA9mUidv3N6GB493NXEUXHMqxAm-3qE4HPdE79Pnl5A8ecdjRwDPrMZSTLgh6RI0/w594-h640/borsht.jpg" width="594" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borscht soup</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JJKZBBPHbJcqfcpCtBe_KOHtqAxRJFsiIjPnq1Nvueuw8HohwtLiZTs-_MROzi6mVgjgSyMSspWuvo4IW8oOyDZKpa5LiuHDY91wPfOTQYZaWTkQxBEB537BhyewrWhGIz0RZIEmwQIN0SaNiGUJzW5H6d7_QJ0XrVZbUwPc_cPAWwyoMx__COAcdHqb/s4000/food%20(2)%20goulash.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JJKZBBPHbJcqfcpCtBe_KOHtqAxRJFsiIjPnq1Nvueuw8HohwtLiZTs-_MROzi6mVgjgSyMSspWuvo4IW8oOyDZKpa5LiuHDY91wPfOTQYZaWTkQxBEB537BhyewrWhGIz0RZIEmwQIN0SaNiGUJzW5H6d7_QJ0XrVZbUwPc_cPAWwyoMx__COAcdHqb/w640-h480/food%20(2)%20goulash.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great big messy plate of yummy <i>gulyash </i>(goulash)</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5__fs8-2TTVengM2l0sFVOSEZUzy5VqgSuhTaY0sd1Bvk25pLTXaSCADknIqbWg5zuBYW_V8x9O7QWu9jUf1s9QoKL7BPpvoSLrpOx35FNgMacDj1Dq64INKKjAOUgQPQ8PPkS6KOHSMJl2ejrdCQ4sTxw4nDwSG4gB0znTU1l98jl2doo6MbsD9UcLV/s4000/food%20(3)%20laghman.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5__fs8-2TTVengM2l0sFVOSEZUzy5VqgSuhTaY0sd1Bvk25pLTXaSCADknIqbWg5zuBYW_V8x9O7QWu9jUf1s9QoKL7BPpvoSLrpOx35FNgMacDj1Dq64INKKjAOUgQPQ8PPkS6KOHSMJl2ejrdCQ4sTxw4nDwSG4gB0znTU1l98jl2doo6MbsD9UcLV/w640-h480/food%20(3)%20laghman.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Laghman</i>, perhaps the most common dish in Central Asia, this version called <i>boso</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnR-sHVKh6JxjDa8CIN-uFBHZzasx86Mrij6Skx4pDawa3meFFuRRkt-0HHV9gElInBUlA1lDiLHIPbFim6LloezZnCEX332USWPSTtMAQu9cZyLYkQPYoqACfBuknztHmY6ig1piG45eU1styTWfO-_tpAVd5IE1ei8pymHa7XzJErIeAKRYebwSAD_u/s4000/food%20(4)%20plov.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnR-sHVKh6JxjDa8CIN-uFBHZzasx86Mrij6Skx4pDawa3meFFuRRkt-0HHV9gElInBUlA1lDiLHIPbFim6LloezZnCEX332USWPSTtMAQu9cZyLYkQPYoqACfBuknztHmY6ig1piG45eU1styTWfO-_tpAVd5IE1ei8pymHa7XzJErIeAKRYebwSAD_u/w640-h480/food%20(4)%20plov.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ubiquitous <i>plov</i>, a staple in Central Asia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G37CgMvqtoEcVWmBS6MV0ttFx_xCRLys8ov0KLvHimSVO131Oz9IbQwQqqT0V5bNbE7rV-QmpgZzmSClNrwkZPMzH7AemrwabayOdBRtmpPTPZYnaQEaAnVM66bjBd3FXZE8zuYIaX894b9jiHfdVwXG9fp8mIx3Iq9MHIRjs_x5WfquRX9o4e7vg9B9/s2560/manti.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G37CgMvqtoEcVWmBS6MV0ttFx_xCRLys8ov0KLvHimSVO131Oz9IbQwQqqT0V5bNbE7rV-QmpgZzmSClNrwkZPMzH7AemrwabayOdBRtmpPTPZYnaQEaAnVM66bjBd3FXZE8zuYIaX894b9jiHfdVwXG9fp8mIx3Iq9MHIRjs_x5WfquRX9o4e7vg9B9/w640-h360/manti.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta love a dumpling! <i>Manti </i>is the Central Asian version, divine with chilli sauce</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierKTps4yANfhOZ6gbZA4P1o6I8EOXYiwzEnQdQRnxyUknoAP-KqMVKDHcitC7w_lwt_sTKfJnPx-QfyQsVvLH4xgNp61jzhhTNQxT_xHKohdsFXZuK9QHOyZzTEjEVnQ5jCc4ene06sz9dAaJOJllJRXPWOb3irrS-5LB4yTvQlDXPJUhqtLRID3E9Nou/s4080/meat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierKTps4yANfhOZ6gbZA4P1o6I8EOXYiwzEnQdQRnxyUknoAP-KqMVKDHcitC7w_lwt_sTKfJnPx-QfyQsVvLH4xgNp61jzhhTNQxT_xHKohdsFXZuK9QHOyZzTEjEVnQ5jCc4ene06sz9dAaJOJllJRXPWOb3irrS-5LB4yTvQlDXPJUhqtLRID3E9Nou/w640-h360/meat.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More meat!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>One last note that might be of some interest. It has been about 30 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent independence of the many former states. Some ex-Soviet countries have tried to eradicate all memories of this time- pulling down statues, changing the official language, renaming roads etc. Things are somewhat different in Central Asia. Maybe it's because no-one has had the money or energy to change things, or perhaps they like to be reminded of a time that for some towns was a more prosperous age. But what ever the reason, there are so many reminders of the Soviet era in Central Asia still. As visitors, we adore these remnants and seek them out. We delight in the mosaics on the side of otherwise bland apartment blocks, statues of prominent Russians (Lenin is a particular favourite here), interesting modern art and design, brutalist architecture (and the odd UFO inspired memorial). Other parts of their heritage include public parks and the railway system, including sophisticated metros in some cities.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nALIBLp1tEyYndckPuf4CYg77Fj9ia_1QZFceRZ-qpKSYrp4AbIbiEWU0HcmHuVcIB6W3Zw_oXvzqE4D2MqhRvZIxttXGAD2OH5ACXF0_TOIWkdA5IILA-uxD5MXI3TxWpw_ApBqHH1Ug5hX31ospLRWNuQ8pShqHvyWGf71Anv4Kj-HsCyMYEHzXIhF/s2800/Collage_Fotor(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="2800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nALIBLp1tEyYndckPuf4CYg77Fj9ia_1QZFceRZ-qpKSYrp4AbIbiEWU0HcmHuVcIB6W3Zw_oXvzqE4D2MqhRvZIxttXGAD2OH5ACXF0_TOIWkdA5IILA-uxD5MXI3TxWpw_ApBqHH1Ug5hX31ospLRWNuQ8pShqHvyWGf71Anv4Kj-HsCyMYEHzXIhF/w640-h640/Collage_Fotor(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various Lenins, Soviet-built subway, Soviet Uzbekistan's symbol, <br />monument to the Russian/Afghan War, a humble bus stand, poster celebrating Victory Day- when Russia beat the Nazis</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our four month stay in Central Asia had been a superb tonic. It's wonderful to know there are places in the world where we can "get away" from the BS being carried out in the West. People here generally lead simple lives, thinking mostly about family, food, keeping warm or cool, looking after their crops and livestock and sometimes religion. It does us good to get back to basics, and re-evaluate what's important in our lives, too. As we move on to a more fast paced lifestyle in our coming travels, we will try to bring a little piece of Central Asia and it's attitudes with us.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNASlqJruoB5kneqhNEr87KGzyBn8FGIkQmRgoOvhjfbkE7w1RptlKdlBbyVBOH3bP7dN5NQVuSLhhtWeMG_oebqGl1z65odXzqj8gnp5lJfGaHhRXH8Pc-bxYWCg0AEoB7s_V9uVQFwgSrP-XetfWu-JsXPsqdbrScAGYAL4RgCM_wCT6ArZCpJdZYOq/s2560/mix%20room%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNASlqJruoB5kneqhNEr87KGzyBn8FGIkQmRgoOvhjfbkE7w1RptlKdlBbyVBOH3bP7dN5NQVuSLhhtWeMG_oebqGl1z65odXzqj8gnp5lJfGaHhRXH8Pc-bxYWCg0AEoB7s_V9uVQFwgSrP-XetfWu-JsXPsqdbrScAGYAL4RgCM_wCT6ArZCpJdZYOq/w640-h360/mix%20room%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical hostel room, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEije4szK_YvSDwwRWsX9OlAQaNSCZFPa_lA9MX2hAISLvbgp6Aoes09q9poX28UF02WPMp72tG3kV2NMd6ISoDtIv--rlK1AlB4-cSwVadryjLLs0aPF33tOoBmAvh2P7dMGtFyhL99U16Cxrg3QBy9__VyHRWNuCBSZnLI6-EU_9hCuuwXnPYqUgfuUo2q/s2560/mix%20room.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEije4szK_YvSDwwRWsX9OlAQaNSCZFPa_lA9MX2hAISLvbgp6Aoes09q9poX28UF02WPMp72tG3kV2NMd6ISoDtIv--rlK1AlB4-cSwVadryjLLs0aPF33tOoBmAvh2P7dMGtFyhL99U16Cxrg3QBy9__VyHRWNuCBSZnLI6-EU_9hCuuwXnPYqUgfuUo2q/w640-h360/mix%20room.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example of homestay room, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_EE1VZ2X9ZFK9w0Pqr8w6q3b9CKF6UJd6hgPlsBnkguUjeKqGHkohUsTW5IfJrSl-EDqZvD2DBjBlaJbGF2KgJ0CSxf9Wv1iHGOkBD38m7gVvUqaaIi9eiw11ILoLDbclyh9tMiwChI2VRQMHGxtC-Qger1SQ2yGD5b863XftOPgM7AiTLetG65KHVmd/s4080/20230715_104727.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_EE1VZ2X9ZFK9w0Pqr8w6q3b9CKF6UJd6hgPlsBnkguUjeKqGHkohUsTW5IfJrSl-EDqZvD2DBjBlaJbGF2KgJ0CSxf9Wv1iHGOkBD38m7gVvUqaaIi9eiw11ILoLDbclyh9tMiwChI2VRQMHGxtC-Qger1SQ2yGD5b863XftOPgM7AiTLetG65KHVmd/w640-h360/20230715_104727.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great basic toilets, Central Asia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>It will probably be sometime before we produce another blog post- the surge of information that's been coming out no doubt drying up for the next several months, with our mixed bag of plans for the rest of the year. We hope you've enjoyed our many reports about Central Asia- we've very much loved experiencing them!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWYf2Iov-i80Qmotk6JIiln61k6V042DOb_htdFyUe4gIaZVhGLocqRqpI-BC18xn1ve2rp2Ie_HqPNCuWfXmcTntyAJUN67MHyq-FfDzQm_47S80hlu8jbQusmpLrOqV2QzzaTwntBETeSjsR5zjCblv3kq_gW-XwEjvUpK8ny0c2BDOJMln5OWx7B3m/s5184/mix%20general.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWYf2Iov-i80Qmotk6JIiln61k6V042DOb_htdFyUe4gIaZVhGLocqRqpI-BC18xn1ve2rp2Ie_HqPNCuWfXmcTntyAJUN67MHyq-FfDzQm_47S80hlu8jbQusmpLrOqV2QzzaTwntBETeSjsR5zjCblv3kq_gW-XwEjvUpK8ny0c2BDOJMln5OWx7B3m/w640-h426/mix%20general.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUphBsvTlioiH-HA3wpANb1uJLjb2eLRt4tzIO0S3mUUcMAvCYrS_Q6fOhnMcIr45mQiREBI2Wbt0m9NOkuvjbEknak6p3g-A9UTyC0II82tpOhY9MHtAx6N6cGD5m6waMOzPRQ4tNxoXpZgBsEPBMrAzpNFcJ8AqxKJ7V6T3bTpwx70IbvWWeCC7PliMv/s5184/mix%20general%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUphBsvTlioiH-HA3wpANb1uJLjb2eLRt4tzIO0S3mUUcMAvCYrS_Q6fOhnMcIr45mQiREBI2Wbt0m9NOkuvjbEknak6p3g-A9UTyC0II82tpOhY9MHtAx6N6cGD5m6waMOzPRQ4tNxoXpZgBsEPBMrAzpNFcJ8AqxKJ7V6T3bTpwx70IbvWWeCC7PliMv/w640-h426/mix%20general%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/10/here-there-and-everywhere-mixing-it-up.html" target="_blank"><i>And up next, a mix of a blog with everywhere from Abu Dhabi to Scotland............</i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-31362505245850126252023-07-29T17:27:00.001+08:002023-07-29T23:46:18.575+08:00SLOW ODYSSEY ACROSS THE WILD MOUNTAIN PASSES - Kochkor to Jalal-Abad (via Naryn and Kazarman), Kyrgyzstan<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/07/animal-magnetism-kyrgyzstans-rural.html" target="_blank">.....our previous special blog post on Kyrgyzstan's rural animal markets......</a></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjJRNloF6KibF2495y-fqaDFnxidyIEzuJm8_8GLNl82k-p4_PAcCtyyNtHQEDaqNUsoMdTdfhHcmyb7GZ4X7JesCA6fZc94gTC31JefV3LwwuXW6TQm1uTfyDWC5f-XakNoEEk3pav4eEaizc-wWh-3E9GOBQId_hSJM_Xq05Gq5WnSo2jQ67rXSzM43/s2560/yurts.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="2560" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjJRNloF6KibF2495y-fqaDFnxidyIEzuJm8_8GLNl82k-p4_PAcCtyyNtHQEDaqNUsoMdTdfhHcmyb7GZ4X7JesCA6fZc94gTC31JefV3LwwuXW6TQm1uTfyDWC5f-XakNoEEk3pav4eEaizc-wWh-3E9GOBQId_hSJM_Xq05Gq5WnSo2jQ67rXSzM43/w640-h316/yurts.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful Kyrgyz scene, Tash Rabat, not a chemtrail in sight in Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>From Karakol, a long <i>marshrutka </i>trip with the music of what sounded disturbingly like Eurovision 1992 in the background, took us back along the well-trodden south side of Issyk Kol. Kochkor, a tiny town on the highway in Central Kyrgyzstan was our destination. We wanted to break our journey for a few days, visit the famous local animal market, and just hang out in a new place. Upon arrival, we intently felt the consequence of the five hour <i>marshrutka </i>ride in our tired bodies- we haven't endured many long bus trips for some time. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXTOwaSMwsFUuHdFiW_Vx85iGa5-r-FxsszqDh-E7FCvxlwnuQhw3oZn4qmrK3-0osK82wTh45Ipb4jp0LIMat43N6icePwPpUkhutrlXxIBzmTWAty0_nhu1bMa91M8xkDl0aBpArBt_bwXHg81A59vvzENJ_okbeup5oS1WbA7jqtBrEVIP1Ob9a5A1/s3698/IMG_9838%20kochkor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="3698" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXTOwaSMwsFUuHdFiW_Vx85iGa5-r-FxsszqDh-E7FCvxlwnuQhw3oZn4qmrK3-0osK82wTh45Ipb4jp0LIMat43N6icePwPpUkhutrlXxIBzmTWAty0_nhu1bMa91M8xkDl0aBpArBt_bwXHg81A59vvzENJ_okbeup5oS1WbA7jqtBrEVIP1Ob9a5A1/w640-h598/IMG_9838%20kochkor.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother Russia, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately, we almost immediately disliked Kochkor, mainly due to the gruff attitude of many people in shops and on the markets. Tourists here mostly only stay for one night, on the lookout for some private transport to take them on quickly to one of the attractions in the area- usually to Song Kol. There is no public transport to these places, so most foreigners are in and out of Kochkor rapidly, and pay exorbitant amounts for taxis. As a result, locals seem to treat all tourists with some distain and see dollar signs instead of human beings. The saving grace, in a way, for us, was the hostel we stayed in. Whilst extremely basic and having a somewhat questionable level of hygiene, it was run by one of the sweetest hosts we've ever had. Ex-teacher, Zheeda Mama, as she called herself, welcomed us to her guesthouse, and couldn't have been more entertaining, even without any English. She loved Sal, in particular, and re-christened her Sali-Khan for the duration of our stay (we never found out why!). </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Rvfk1YUzY7cgSxW-6BwFSs1RndY2cVlx501UrxxfVIVcvRz-Yh9AgEY8iCPqVnMAYFCWm4QX_KI_ZzJQu63EFYkxLCmw1oeqywUQQRv2w37jF8-4JD3biMtxt_6ln5yAFOWLvVAA6vdv5E3qMla0B6LmvE5CFweGncde-iKVrYez336DmFykEEz60o7K/s4080/20230625_085042.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Rvfk1YUzY7cgSxW-6BwFSs1RndY2cVlx501UrxxfVIVcvRz-Yh9AgEY8iCPqVnMAYFCWm4QX_KI_ZzJQu63EFYkxLCmw1oeqywUQQRv2w37jF8-4JD3biMtxt_6ln5yAFOWLvVAA6vdv5E3qMla0B6LmvE5CFweGncde-iKVrYez336DmFykEEz60o7K/w640-h360/20230625_085042.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast time with Zheeda Mama, Kochkor</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo274BVVjz1NrpPLM2RptGGIKWRuWp8F6OlOfmenW9RUR5v6vXlspIwXm-RcY6EV6jX52HHj3mX4N7ur5tz8dHMUq_KELKu7pNDCIg2zKsDMoRZclCXMgzCEUAYV6UIcUZ9IMeCQKXQmtLj68TnwBT54owxN1BtV3JwbmgDwfDdPipTPnwJ3uenLtDjoWM/s4080/20230623_093621%20kochkor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1959" data-original-width="4080" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo274BVVjz1NrpPLM2RptGGIKWRuWp8F6OlOfmenW9RUR5v6vXlspIwXm-RcY6EV6jX52HHj3mX4N7ur5tz8dHMUq_KELKu7pNDCIg2zKsDMoRZclCXMgzCEUAYV6UIcUZ9IMeCQKXQmtLj68TnwBT54owxN1BtV3JwbmgDwfDdPipTPnwJ3uenLtDjoWM/w640-h308/20230623_093621%20kochkor.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kochkor accommodation</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0A6zmaGYZa19KVC9GGLtvLLqU-cEG8b_1lpPxiNUZ9qgIZmbu3243V2tJH2-u2-V1vL_COgu-PID6AEVTB_lGz59iFLMEM66JFhS8cWhym4vbcUWfdEubEamY5sljbKrB9XXlAxB4V7H6pzafVATX_3Zyhfmlki_4qriFSWCd-08anNaREURdk8iFMu9I/s4080/20230625_084944.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0A6zmaGYZa19KVC9GGLtvLLqU-cEG8b_1lpPxiNUZ9qgIZmbu3243V2tJH2-u2-V1vL_COgu-PID6AEVTB_lGz59iFLMEM66JFhS8cWhym4vbcUWfdEubEamY5sljbKrB9XXlAxB4V7H6pzafVATX_3Zyhfmlki_4qriFSWCd-08anNaREURdk8iFMu9I/w640-h360/20230625_084944.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kochkor guesthouse room</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The main attraction for us in Kochkor was the weekly animal market, which was smaller than Karakol's, but thrilling nonetheless. We arrived at 5am, expecting things to be in full swing, as they would have been in Karakol, but at this location business didn't really get going until around 7am. We found a food and drink section around the back of the ever-present shipping containers that are used for every conceivable purpose in Kyrgyzstan, and hung out there warming up with a hot <i>chay </i>and the friendly ladies. We thought the animal markets deserved a post of the own.....those who are interested, please <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/07/animal-magnetism-kyrgyzstans-rural.html" target="_blank">take a look here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1ANHKjpkzzCptj9Dbyi1eHCMY_GzN3cF5BVEVRlUH1I3GK1WZR5afh23erPImqF6cemF3on88EaHWFlgICK3t9in9VbriVOjuPzQkSfGfkbUm4knETR1Xka4RkugP32Xm6cNzKwVXhWHOCG_2mt9TG1eHux51SRyS5IVvjNMdcevnl8TiXkt9M9zZ4_7/s5184/IMG_9850%20kochkor%20animal%20market.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1ANHKjpkzzCptj9Dbyi1eHCMY_GzN3cF5BVEVRlUH1I3GK1WZR5afh23erPImqF6cemF3on88EaHWFlgICK3t9in9VbriVOjuPzQkSfGfkbUm4knETR1Xka4RkugP32Xm6cNzKwVXhWHOCG_2mt9TG1eHux51SRyS5IVvjNMdcevnl8TiXkt9M9zZ4_7/w640-h426/IMG_9850%20kochkor%20animal%20market.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A half asleep Sal with <i>chay </i>ladies</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Another day was spent getting lost in various small forests along the Chu River that follows Kochkor and continues for miles into the countryside. The scenery was serene, green and pastoral, with shepherds and their livestock milling about the area. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81UhOJiiQ4u6tF2jlMCTfsaG-rltg0OhqveLOYUDxibtWFgtYujcVOECoe-Pf3JAEBV3N7D3U6MA7KBlp_5_1EiECNZUeU7QBbEQpfFCawny-zSJa3DB5iwDOc0BROjjJYs8QdaELjHfqo2aJ6KnRmHy_6HtcZAZ0eoUox_UW4dVwvaaZ072XjZM_dhxx/s4080/20230623_101040.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81UhOJiiQ4u6tF2jlMCTfsaG-rltg0OhqveLOYUDxibtWFgtYujcVOECoe-Pf3JAEBV3N7D3U6MA7KBlp_5_1EiECNZUeU7QBbEQpfFCawny-zSJa3DB5iwDOc0BROjjJYs8QdaELjHfqo2aJ6KnRmHy_6HtcZAZ0eoUox_UW4dVwvaaZ072XjZM_dhxx/w640-h360/20230623_101040.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic spot for a dunny, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHt_wnJbkzSkgVcTwvgBB0HWdrodRA8S9974zodHd8b6UteHQaGQGwXtotLgn8KCl0GCB3tQ5uh0t-yt21htCdoWFm7EjB1y99lWcYGZ5l4igoBafKAR0jaaHFhflATUxt6MxnSbgIu6GiR8pw3lp7v11WXUbqav85ZTSGAKGrgDfh89jD3mqbEBWqFUVq/s4979/IMG_9840.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="4979" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHt_wnJbkzSkgVcTwvgBB0HWdrodRA8S9974zodHd8b6UteHQaGQGwXtotLgn8KCl0GCB3tQ5uh0t-yt21htCdoWFm7EjB1y99lWcYGZ5l4igoBafKAR0jaaHFhflATUxt6MxnSbgIu6GiR8pw3lp7v11WXUbqav85ZTSGAKGrgDfh89jD3mqbEBWqFUVq/w640-h350/IMG_9840.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cows chilling in the river, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztzEBGk7jOzu-GRvVxGN1FCIrKORoYaXGkWmcnXuEcgiaH1qyDWfF1L9tZn0YQdPo7OjVglaDM5izJXpuLEzuguUi93K6jdbwLybJC9px7st7MCosVZptM7kOShGV00Gj9B5Hg8xiajoyPhyKoTbUL1bi6H0h5fKVo0KJ53fQ9O668LPDlM-Y_Hry2vw6/s5184/IMG_9846.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztzEBGk7jOzu-GRvVxGN1FCIrKORoYaXGkWmcnXuEcgiaH1qyDWfF1L9tZn0YQdPo7OjVglaDM5izJXpuLEzuguUi93K6jdbwLybJC9px7st7MCosVZptM7kOShGV00Gj9B5Hg8xiajoyPhyKoTbUL1bi6H0h5fKVo0KJ53fQ9O668LPDlM-Y_Hry2vw6/w640-h426/IMG_9846.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down by the river side, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2a11OHC_SaCWmTXcgYDd22RAINCuwD6zRShHjVqF9WXq9CMQ6Ib7e9Xtl4vMgxZu8pCj8DpIXkByGdQdwhxscEZDqQx93c4nenvIDGr6JiiQvR0TdjRdxmkia1ehZAooL3aPL3uUUsGtSCbv7y2CUtdTJHtmeKiLhKqBsw8u-Ya_0muE5Sajn5jHBa1u/s4734/IMG_9848.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4734" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2a11OHC_SaCWmTXcgYDd22RAINCuwD6zRShHjVqF9WXq9CMQ6Ib7e9Xtl4vMgxZu8pCj8DpIXkByGdQdwhxscEZDqQx93c4nenvIDGr6JiiQvR0TdjRdxmkia1ehZAooL3aPL3uUUsGtSCbv7y2CUtdTJHtmeKiLhKqBsw8u-Ya_0muE5Sajn5jHBa1u/w468-h640/IMG_9848.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely tree on our walk, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdObkgDeGn8DuQQdJpuXvtXyMr538sMOWwypC5tehueVGE-USBrwpd6WbmezFNk4w-8GeVxs6dfWSrG3-gIGCjqs0vJ7xvAL4ynBAbBsseJY3vvnvLlWbwR_IlZJZ3Isc7I39OUmVtMHfwmaNG9jL3trgVdku5DRZoh1FezDUcy1Ka9QLDTVEQtwHUNBRD/s2197/20230624_143057.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="2197" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdObkgDeGn8DuQQdJpuXvtXyMr538sMOWwypC5tehueVGE-USBrwpd6WbmezFNk4w-8GeVxs6dfWSrG3-gIGCjqs0vJ7xvAL4ynBAbBsseJY3vvnvLlWbwR_IlZJZ3Isc7I39OUmVtMHfwmaNG9jL3trgVdku5DRZoh1FezDUcy1Ka9QLDTVEQtwHUNBRD/w640-h412/20230624_143057.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably the highlight in Kochkor- <i>kurdak</i>.....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VCTn3y8qebissqoeH7j2_0S3k8A3Gr4JutrmJE5P953QFa-SSyIldCxp3A5LHO6uVbpvts0EDZKt2V0CYaGzPtg6DWgdqAFYEEumgxNH7-9oDiN74yVCgAv3GqUrrf8zf_bps-fe9OC6gQdffA0LyHNA5dgrPlcYplJhUFTse5FgcSzpchVfL8bfc8Q0/s2560/20230624_143233.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VCTn3y8qebissqoeH7j2_0S3k8A3Gr4JutrmJE5P953QFa-SSyIldCxp3A5LHO6uVbpvts0EDZKt2V0CYaGzPtg6DWgdqAFYEEumgxNH7-9oDiN74yVCgAv3GqUrrf8zf_bps-fe9OC6gQdffA0LyHNA5dgrPlcYplJhUFTse5FgcSzpchVfL8bfc8Q0/w640-h360/20230624_143233.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.....and <i>shorpa</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We left a couple of days earlier than we had planned, relieved to get out of the place. It had really got us down, and we questioned whether we had had enough of Central Asia- maybe we should leave, and were we were still up to travelling so much? It just shows what a difference a few rough days can have on one's psyche.</p><p>Literally as soon as the <i>marshrutka</i> pulled out of Kochkor town, out spirits lifted. Firstly, the driver was terrific- steady and safe, and the road was sealed and smooth- a complete contrast to the awfully bumpy and rough Issyk Kol road.</p><p>But the real star of the show was the glorious scenery- sublime vistas of grassy hills and open plateaus- <i>jailoos</i> in Kyrgyz, where shepherds take their animals to graze on the lush pastures in the summer. Lonely herdsmen were silhouetted in dusty hazes. Horses, cows and sheep with so many babies roamed happily on the hills, bee hives appeared in the landscape, and finally we saw <i>real </i>yurts dotted on the hills and beside rivers. Families relaxed in idyllic settings, with children playing, men herding the livestock and old grandmas reclining and watching over everything. In addition to the traditional cloth white yurts rural families of Kyrgyzstan use in the summer, many had very cute old style caravans, and everyone seemed to be loving the outdoor lifestyle. The <i>marshrutka </i>followed the road alongside cascades tumbling from the mountains, the shining streams leading to verdant green valleys. It was tempting to get off the transport at these points and just walked off into the distance. It had to be one of the most fantastic trips we had done in Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately, because we were travelling on a bus with filthy windows, we have no pics to show the beauty- readers will have to use their imagination!</p><p>Delighted to arrive in Naryn, as soon as we alighted the <i>marshrutka</i>, people were very smiley. What a difference to Kochkor! We walked to what we thought was going to be a simple guesthouse, only to find our host waiting for us out the front of an apartment block. As her first guests ever, she was very keen, and showed us what was essentially a whole apartment, complete with a little kitchen all to ourselves! She had decorated it with Kyrgyz style furnishings, and it was very simple, but cosy and comfortable. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVM5tfQ9ZRY_lbLS7U-EltkM4b6o58C3vfSIDS8WMrHi_AMWExKq7GOWkTDXi-bXqBsB3b0jzFk8_-D_dWlbiyWpJeLfAupAgnL-ZTA2ccjr2PyjXMR0AcmmpUBFjFgZ31jYvN8d5ga6FwQOFBq562hsPUxSZmhOQTIoGrmpEZ3yT8SWBRsmnf8zO49Msp/s4080/20230626_082856.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVM5tfQ9ZRY_lbLS7U-EltkM4b6o58C3vfSIDS8WMrHi_AMWExKq7GOWkTDXi-bXqBsB3b0jzFk8_-D_dWlbiyWpJeLfAupAgnL-ZTA2ccjr2PyjXMR0AcmmpUBFjFgZ31jYvN8d5ga6FwQOFBq562hsPUxSZmhOQTIoGrmpEZ3yT8SWBRsmnf8zO49Msp/w640-h360/20230626_082856.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neat and tidy apartment in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Later, as we sat in a small cabin at a local <i>shashlik </i>place that evening, ready to tuck into the meaty goodness of the Kyrgyz fat bottomed lambs, we looked back at the previous few days. We reflected upon our feeling of relief of being here, with most of our apprehension and indecisiveness seemed to have disappeared. We also knew we had a tough time ahead, trying to figure out the next part of our journey, with next to no up-to-date information, and extremely limited public transport in this part of the country.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-De3aXQb6edTxDe39yh4HYzkIGZuWO-05IggVoJ7Uv-yJsaMTCD8l5hIZIvDw9lTE1U16PV5nyiPBSJpA2Zn5y9Gm2aCtUi5dzdYJoGuvzOGRbTiPOc721w0pogjzBlQA_bIyj4A9sZcWkwH78IBMUXeR7vux57xoKNhpgw2YhgK1SfTG3FsUgYFNxb1z/s4080/20230625_181007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-De3aXQb6edTxDe39yh4HYzkIGZuWO-05IggVoJ7Uv-yJsaMTCD8l5hIZIvDw9lTE1U16PV5nyiPBSJpA2Zn5y9Gm2aCtUi5dzdYJoGuvzOGRbTiPOc721w0pogjzBlQA_bIyj4A9sZcWkwH78IBMUXeR7vux57xoKNhpgw2YhgK1SfTG3FsUgYFNxb1z/w640-h360/20230625_181007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yumbo meat feast, Naryn, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Probably as a result of this, we were both a bit sick during the next few days- we were suffering from colds and the dry, dusty environment, and Rich had a fever for two days, so we were glad of a snug place to lay up and recover. We were able to extend our stay without any problem, and felt pleased to have time to recuperate and organize (in the end we did indeed need the extra time to put plans into place).</p><p>Naryn was surprisingly pleasant, and the setting was simply stunning. Close and stark red hills enclosed the town, and the huge gushing Naryn River cut through the centre. A long road with shady trees and parks was a pleasant walk from our accommodation to the bazaar and pretty much comprised the entire town. The bazaar was small, but had everything we needed, including rotisserie chickens and fresh salad items which we really got into. Best of all, there were only a handful of tourists about (which almost always equals more friendly locals), and the town was big enough to absorb us all more or less anonymously.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwAEBihVNjx562vUV3U5B9PTYJhcYBf-DFfzFjS7fcYMhQSkR9v53HXVnDclttU1rdAWn4GrDCiYcHpZ7hx6x1c_-PbMJ9LDNxAMRfZ6lMT-MRtP9MTwOTA6aouGsqU8i-beAHX8Kdo8aH39cFw4b1Ldv2-sXX4_xb1FL7ENOWeuZbEp5WxCO4NjLH1DD/s4332/IMG_9895.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4332" data-original-width="2888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwAEBihVNjx562vUV3U5B9PTYJhcYBf-DFfzFjS7fcYMhQSkR9v53HXVnDclttU1rdAWn4GrDCiYcHpZ7hx6x1c_-PbMJ9LDNxAMRfZ6lMT-MRtP9MTwOTA6aouGsqU8i-beAHX8Kdo8aH39cFw4b1Ldv2-sXX4_xb1FL7ENOWeuZbEp5WxCO4NjLH1DD/w426-h640/IMG_9895.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road entering Naryn town</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXXSzuoD7n9s7OZXoNGND7pCRhlenAW9nhVtxTjNcKlgMH1vgZBArLFj7w63CAwGfDBXqU_apu4VX6lE5HbvbMXBa-SM28aXAsjzioA9pUUHwONSI-lP6KHlJqD8vqNDi-Od_PHP6wBPA3cp1PdtItcWYEb0bY-liSY-eFlX4CN3hrDBA3V8GFz4TdQDr/s4080/20230628_121421.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXXSzuoD7n9s7OZXoNGND7pCRhlenAW9nhVtxTjNcKlgMH1vgZBArLFj7w63CAwGfDBXqU_apu4VX6lE5HbvbMXBa-SM28aXAsjzioA9pUUHwONSI-lP6KHlJqD8vqNDi-Od_PHP6wBPA3cp1PdtItcWYEb0bY-liSY-eFlX4CN3hrDBA3V8GFz4TdQDr/w640-h360/20230628_121421.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely leftovers from Soviet days, Naryn, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjwuqPdt8OPeKo0qOr1jwG7Q9SCayyhBGBA2p4x-kigfvj5wsbICvb52nxddjthjdelaKJXHsMkAUZb9mHHmO2FmZdEzIspaouGQZirTFB28lJJfyV0e79R5ZJ2IGygBCg2qOaNH6AaKqxu7f3SiMoFPijHGAK61CYPCNNaAorWwgDuVIClBYTWPZ064V/s2470/20230630_113137.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="2470" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjwuqPdt8OPeKo0qOr1jwG7Q9SCayyhBGBA2p4x-kigfvj5wsbICvb52nxddjthjdelaKJXHsMkAUZb9mHHmO2FmZdEzIspaouGQZirTFB28lJJfyV0e79R5ZJ2IGygBCg2qOaNH6AaKqxu7f3SiMoFPijHGAK61CYPCNNaAorWwgDuVIClBYTWPZ064V/w640-h356/20230630_113137.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local hero, Naryn, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrc0l3pnbhhGlizoHRtACSEOKrjZ8imw7ch4zma4Tu_VkT5Gl_MdgzUyHPLGuOhRJGFIju2zTI5mLAoMLPq6o4AZVw_DM3EjBM_rmY7064fY3iq5FwjeWIKtPFSlLoG0aNcQGX3FaaXO3rNcWlte9zd4Hk_NGecdjwPgXaZ3pzqvxrxp4tbtRJ0cpqKjED/s5184/IMG_9893%20naryn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrc0l3pnbhhGlizoHRtACSEOKrjZ8imw7ch4zma4Tu_VkT5Gl_MdgzUyHPLGuOhRJGFIju2zTI5mLAoMLPq6o4AZVw_DM3EjBM_rmY7064fY3iq5FwjeWIKtPFSlLoG0aNcQGX3FaaXO3rNcWlte9zd4Hk_NGecdjwPgXaZ3pzqvxrxp4tbtRJ0cpqKjED/w640-h426/IMG_9893%20naryn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red hills and the river running through, Naryn, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The main mosque in Naryn was an unanticipated gorgeous sight to behold. Usually, modern Central Asian mosques are all very similar and a bit humdrum in appearance. This one, however, was pleasingly Kyrgyz in design and the setting with large coloured hills in the background was wonderful. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITpXuoWdIfKV7bVD4-9CY3MJC2r35QPu1JXWHgsellgWrNQ-wbl5gldbWBLTQjMADW9GWCZ7Qq_MvStYFP282vRQLj0YyTc9HHcuTTcylZiYC5K0anQtTnmVJY0UsVqSYjPrW84KPEblIzCT4a2P9Coni7hUjSTe3_LrW-kkE9CkpxAuRVO1qt-yCSL3c/s3837/20230630_121312.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2089" data-original-width="3837" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITpXuoWdIfKV7bVD4-9CY3MJC2r35QPu1JXWHgsellgWrNQ-wbl5gldbWBLTQjMADW9GWCZ7Qq_MvStYFP282vRQLj0YyTc9HHcuTTcylZiYC5K0anQtTnmVJY0UsVqSYjPrW84KPEblIzCT4a2P9Coni7hUjSTe3_LrW-kkE9CkpxAuRVO1qt-yCSL3c/w640-h348/20230630_121312.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naryn's special mosque</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Ever since we first looked into the idea of visiting Central Asia all those years ago, Sal had been somewhat obsessed with one ancient site, Tash Rabat, in the far south of Kyrgyzstan, near the Chinese border. We had never been in the vicinity on our previous two trips to the country, and now we were only a couple of hours away. There was no way we weren't going there! As with many of the best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan, it was totally isolated and out in the wilds, and therefore there were no public transport options. After a few days of sussing out the cheapest way to travel there, we bit the bullet, and went with the husband of our host. </p><p>To say the day lived up to our expectations would be an understatement. It was absolutely wonderful, and probably one of the best days we have had in our three visits to Kyrgyzstan.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hGG1kQzrminFXQecqpDw75pZacrW63uVDB2PhEmYwDuqBwlaz-iYXaIfOB96rZddVT_awiLSHguAc2rJSj1iaNRMNw7x3K3cb-XsmCNDatLk6Fb6M6DJ7PV4xKRZmAT98ouMM_4jT65BnFEWGm-7tC9A6UGnof_dbajgoU8g-uaQMBWM1HkHOLoIiqvX/s5184/interior%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hGG1kQzrminFXQecqpDw75pZacrW63uVDB2PhEmYwDuqBwlaz-iYXaIfOB96rZddVT_awiLSHguAc2rJSj1iaNRMNw7x3K3cb-XsmCNDatLk6Fb6M6DJ7PV4xKRZmAT98ouMM_4jT65BnFEWGm-7tC9A6UGnof_dbajgoU8g-uaQMBWM1HkHOLoIiqvX/w640-h426/interior%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The atmospheric inside of Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we left Naryn, the scenery only became more jaw dropping, with stunning mountains emerging bigger in front of us around every bend. Herds of animals and their cowboy shepherds appeared all over the road, our driver was very careful, thank goodness! During the second hour, the villages and side tracks dropped away, and we had miles and miles of absolutely nothing, bar a yurt or two in the far distance on a secluded hillside. It must be an incredible trip to enter China this way. We turned onto a dirt track at the modest sign to what is one of the most astounding sights in the country, and bumped our way along the final stretch. The cliffs engulfed the road at one point, then opened to huge vistas with various tiny yurt camps and summer homes, and then the road ended at the breath-taking Tash Rabat site. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiv-aMJOvuu1ImNiSlt_y7gVGnNYvFm9QZHX6RGgcFByXwrDLTDRT2ETOsTVr4xHDlr8jfUV9koL_m34uJ64_4gNIe-S8YZ-kYvNnY1-6qv5T6qkEwY-LNUYzzAGYOqn2mQfrf4lNL7iiM52IKpfhaXPdQnjg-pIMlwaTLYp-K9IJXNIT3uQAk84agGbN9/s5172/road%20to%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2680" data-original-width="5172" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiv-aMJOvuu1ImNiSlt_y7gVGnNYvFm9QZHX6RGgcFByXwrDLTDRT2ETOsTVr4xHDlr8jfUV9koL_m34uJ64_4gNIe-S8YZ-kYvNnY1-6qv5T6qkEwY-LNUYzzAGYOqn2mQfrf4lNL7iiM52IKpfhaXPdQnjg-pIMlwaTLYp-K9IJXNIT3uQAk84agGbN9/w640-h332/road%20to%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main road from Naryn to Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYf0-nlDms9c-H7r6j09oanUsPwL74a5Qc9yN3xr0kaUpESZUCe6HkWKw3qalc64BcFNN8Z-XRlAQ9HMpyJM-VzfBExg9eAGaSEFflhFSlB3Z_c8ZTodDfNESmV5Kt4sZtcRLIOq4DuiTHt6lZwfQrtIIkB7wfcYU3mByidBImeR7fhMoDip-gXbtzlX5/s5184/road%20to%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYf0-nlDms9c-H7r6j09oanUsPwL74a5Qc9yN3xr0kaUpESZUCe6HkWKw3qalc64BcFNN8Z-XRlAQ9HMpyJM-VzfBExg9eAGaSEFflhFSlB3Z_c8ZTodDfNESmV5Kt4sZtcRLIOq4DuiTHt6lZwfQrtIIkB7wfcYU3mByidBImeR7fhMoDip-gXbtzlX5/w640-h426/road%20to%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful landscape on the road to Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz22bdDn7YH5-M4hMp2LtyaFypsuuSxTDx2AQCJM5NNOOFZvwoa0UbrXVbRejj2M5nGozeHY0UOC38mHL0HejHdgfkWFgKORjWO75-CGYbKeqhhWnFrQAYxfrdb4gD6vpNdVCIyXp7OBiq9ta-RFr2GQQ7ziD3c6giqckZTcGLoLqi_-ymysMTd-z1GtPk/s5184/IMG_9915.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2679" data-original-width="5184" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz22bdDn7YH5-M4hMp2LtyaFypsuuSxTDx2AQCJM5NNOOFZvwoa0UbrXVbRejj2M5nGozeHY0UOC38mHL0HejHdgfkWFgKORjWO75-CGYbKeqhhWnFrQAYxfrdb4gD6vpNdVCIyXp7OBiq9ta-RFr2GQQ7ziD3c6giqckZTcGLoLqi_-ymysMTd-z1GtPk/w640-h330/IMG_9915.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busy road on the way to Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTk-G4TvUREuzg9gYOugKXVSPdcKiON4mnOjV1WsB3t3QynbgQigIGN_f5MXTamFQjCW9LqENIlsNRE_aLX4KxUsk4FuKajJlXJhCuN00GH9ePl4QVcRyk-rMLa_dwCwE18k4PCn9lf3WRfANBpy0rrXPYyiVd1l7p1_hQKeFcYhtClFKEnsnwPk06ExcJ/s4080/road%20to.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTk-G4TvUREuzg9gYOugKXVSPdcKiON4mnOjV1WsB3t3QynbgQigIGN_f5MXTamFQjCW9LqENIlsNRE_aLX4KxUsk4FuKajJlXJhCuN00GH9ePl4QVcRyk-rMLa_dwCwE18k4PCn9lf3WRfANBpy0rrXPYyiVd1l7p1_hQKeFcYhtClFKEnsnwPk06ExcJ/w640-h360/road%20to.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YV1UKvM5NYFsOnguFT8pQVGu59HL9Sg5Amlx7HaknBlUVAQsBnBV460IMXLMsrPAoqqcLvjzUnyOq26DYlDi8FEiXN1-CBZhdol3Qnj7uJy20FtDpNKpAE2sFe0Os74cVrIl-NnR9RE_OMyjqw9fwqMv7BEJOhyXyJ6OQM_E6i3p5yH2dAH3HWhZGerm/s4044/exterior%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2231" data-original-width="4044" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YV1UKvM5NYFsOnguFT8pQVGu59HL9Sg5Amlx7HaknBlUVAQsBnBV460IMXLMsrPAoqqcLvjzUnyOq26DYlDi8FEiXN1-CBZhdol3Qnj7uJy20FtDpNKpAE2sFe0Os74cVrIl-NnR9RE_OMyjqw9fwqMv7BEJOhyXyJ6OQM_E6i3p5yH2dAH3HWhZGerm/w640-h354/exterior%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The intact exterior of Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-id2HewwQx2M9O8yu9MuvwOeOsGx_B_hbCopykh590CN3ZhiCkjVtPe0dV9Y61fC67taUuQu48Lbi92zqjYhayHIhGDSUlf5BAu3lbQrsYERY3B70Qc_VaXoUMDd25OjZRm3nJ0seNGI8Hq7wW4awWFDTKrYWV9sdnH9Qbm8BiUSrUlQcu_XdWCMFNG2s/s2418/yurts%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="2418" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-id2HewwQx2M9O8yu9MuvwOeOsGx_B_hbCopykh590CN3ZhiCkjVtPe0dV9Y61fC67taUuQu48Lbi92zqjYhayHIhGDSUlf5BAu3lbQrsYERY3B70Qc_VaXoUMDd25OjZRm3nJ0seNGI8Hq7wW4awWFDTKrYWV9sdnH9Qbm8BiUSrUlQcu_XdWCMFNG2s/w640-h302/yurts%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different styles of buildings at Tash Rabat- old caravan, yurt and shipping containers</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXScOC3PobTHoVmSUADcNRA-cBoD4aC_N4_Zq4hJJdBpKCVT_1FiU9dDW4Emp_E8Mrv4swNTTKPPxoEdZNMSjVdt3du4-PXJExBPbsexGiSOPXrq3Nt1Wcw0A2KyLrhIfkKn-JWiZh_pKBNCIwPKf2IMLEYwNAwlVMKHRqRXAUuuutSlM1sO9zDMBHBLm/s2560/yurts%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXScOC3PobTHoVmSUADcNRA-cBoD4aC_N4_Zq4hJJdBpKCVT_1FiU9dDW4Emp_E8Mrv4swNTTKPPxoEdZNMSjVdt3du4-PXJExBPbsexGiSOPXrq3Nt1Wcw0A2KyLrhIfkKn-JWiZh_pKBNCIwPKf2IMLEYwNAwlVMKHRqRXAUuuutSlM1sO9zDMBHBLm/w640-h360/yurts%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cosy insides of yurt at Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The story goes that Tash Rabat was a <i>caravanserai</i>, one of a series of inns in which people who were travelling long distances along the Silk Route could rest and take shelter. Considering the position of Tash Rabat, in the middle of isolated mountains, it must have been a welcome haven.</p><p>The building itself seemed pretty much intact. We have seen enough "renovated" Silk Road monuments to get an idea of what is original, and this place seemed to be authentic. Ten degrees cooler inside, we tried to imagine what it would have been like in the days where traders and travellers used it as a sanctuary. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO0VytLZvQ0Cp-aHZuDmQcon2A_dyjDFVzA6F3UVniofAyUnHG8sMg4VbJPMAdkYAKI_jLdu7AT-avNmGUjEeaDvkmqJehBAtk8a0sr-5dzGF8mYRW_mKcORihzYX-H6wRIbAfolbd_ocuysYFVX3ec1ZW-6EzYHbhvVo52svLpXsC_Ggdee9qUmlyHZU/s3747/exterior%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2109" data-original-width="3747" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO0VytLZvQ0Cp-aHZuDmQcon2A_dyjDFVzA6F3UVniofAyUnHG8sMg4VbJPMAdkYAKI_jLdu7AT-avNmGUjEeaDvkmqJehBAtk8a0sr-5dzGF8mYRW_mKcORihzYX-H6wRIbAfolbd_ocuysYFVX3ec1ZW-6EzYHbhvVo52svLpXsC_Ggdee9qUmlyHZU/w640-h360/exterior%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect weather at the Tash Rabat site</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRK16TpYBETw59eI95CxZniTnBKqEllz6GtNoNY6CUNlk8EbIyWAhfhJ5NJHwPSLycRNM2tg292ewmwhAlVCy6UVKQLFugejJ2FxOfPg62YlYuoWVw71Nk1sxL9HuEwaub9w4xtKSBNb_Kl3fDIL-w5d5n46YtR0z-FK3or76v2-2ygddmlVVclzsnySm9/s5184/interior%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRK16TpYBETw59eI95CxZniTnBKqEllz6GtNoNY6CUNlk8EbIyWAhfhJ5NJHwPSLycRNM2tg292ewmwhAlVCy6UVKQLFugejJ2FxOfPg62YlYuoWVw71Nk1sxL9HuEwaub9w4xtKSBNb_Kl3fDIL-w5d5n46YtR0z-FK3or76v2-2ygddmlVVclzsnySm9/w426-h640/interior%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A room with an old millstone, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtFHFS7a86VjGfnd_iPIxvQK8W63Dx_4Xd0CY_m80x_TQfLEL2JLvAcBLfbE9heq-9mQ6ynthqAtD-6RNCL8G5F6ArRlhTV96smcIHwqiH_IPsLDOjN830vsPZwXn93Mpr4c3M4WS7AtaADYIOORQ77nSgBl5dMu-nkCEW5lisTpt3YBOTEwF6zLdRTsh/s4080/interior%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtFHFS7a86VjGfnd_iPIxvQK8W63Dx_4Xd0CY_m80x_TQfLEL2JLvAcBLfbE9heq-9mQ6ynthqAtD-6RNCL8G5F6ArRlhTV96smcIHwqiH_IPsLDOjN830vsPZwXn93Mpr4c3M4WS7AtaADYIOORQ77nSgBl5dMu-nkCEW5lisTpt3YBOTEwF6zLdRTsh/w640-h360/interior%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ducking into a small room, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJpniGyVCjFZdyCPvQNAY9Q0WSuFmaAhUHqR6hMzQ0vAp0315p6PPXnh6UInNepJVKV6llCTkjoGPlfZ0kKuzGtEuwV3qjZ5pZQPEGVsgwkueSakgCkwnUaFcKLcvdVbROlGgK1TaxlOsN5xINBknLXSEWq2TbBPGptWbNxKXgemHINGpMRj7VAup0pyu/s2560/interior%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJpniGyVCjFZdyCPvQNAY9Q0WSuFmaAhUHqR6hMzQ0vAp0315p6PPXnh6UInNepJVKV6llCTkjoGPlfZ0kKuzGtEuwV3qjZ5pZQPEGVsgwkueSakgCkwnUaFcKLcvdVbROlGgK1TaxlOsN5xINBknLXSEWq2TbBPGptWbNxKXgemHINGpMRj7VAup0pyu/w360-h640/interior%20(3).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Domed interior, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdIBbPbO0R-rgwpCiWRXM2mrYk5CF78JRVIaDr0uciIEW_MN0ww97qU8OxS-sARmwteV2R8BHAZRflYFkg5qvuEmQe_fx8Z5VADzgBmjigPA4uSE-qBST494auu6bP_T6VMejgvBG0CKdbJTRUVKsv5zcO6S-aTfxiaL3esn8EHknbiefN4u1nsDmUAGM/s2560/interior%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdIBbPbO0R-rgwpCiWRXM2mrYk5CF78JRVIaDr0uciIEW_MN0ww97qU8OxS-sARmwteV2R8BHAZRflYFkg5qvuEmQe_fx8Z5VADzgBmjigPA4uSE-qBST494auu6bP_T6VMejgvBG0CKdbJTRUVKsv5zcO6S-aTfxiaL3esn8EHknbiefN4u1nsDmUAGM/w640-h360/interior%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light coming in from the domes in the roof, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyjJpYHfVeE9e4SMZiajb5CaBAylIwOVJ8oX9Pj8tvKf8itJpjPndJIMb7zpFh2H0pNDIeNOmCpP5IhhOgpdxNa211l4jn5I0TqrVqg7cpyhPGZBzq6wlSKe6k9eReLHp6Qlrp9AL5CYoYv8punnBurqiENwaeMWhG4qrTGrbwWxpoeLwr07wP3jGqokb/s5184/interior%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyjJpYHfVeE9e4SMZiajb5CaBAylIwOVJ8oX9Pj8tvKf8itJpjPndJIMb7zpFh2H0pNDIeNOmCpP5IhhOgpdxNa211l4jn5I0TqrVqg7cpyhPGZBzq6wlSKe6k9eReLHp6Qlrp9AL5CYoYv8punnBurqiENwaeMWhG4qrTGrbwWxpoeLwr07wP3jGqokb/w640-h426/interior%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out to the entrance, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vxGJe6zXWI" target="_blank">Video of the moody interior of Tash Rabat</a><br /><p>So enthusiastic, we hiked to the top of a nearby hill to appreciate the full beauty of the setting from up high. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q9a7Cc0qhBV0ic3rQn1DkDxo352WSvki-GrQnyrW4kskWqdgbpfS05HmeCJYNaMTYiXlFD85jjG5PGXY_PoKhXiL-8qRvTVGXVEYCBfAJZS-I3EGqln1uAZABqBmp_HrHcNO5Qa2y3HyI7oiDNrR3JPOOLkCN4DJl-vYsc3vDcARzDaKVJ0co3hxvU3W/s4080/scenery%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q9a7Cc0qhBV0ic3rQn1DkDxo352WSvki-GrQnyrW4kskWqdgbpfS05HmeCJYNaMTYiXlFD85jjG5PGXY_PoKhXiL-8qRvTVGXVEYCBfAJZS-I3EGqln1uAZABqBmp_HrHcNO5Qa2y3HyI7oiDNrR3JPOOLkCN4DJl-vYsc3vDcARzDaKVJ0co3hxvU3W/w640-h360/scenery%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out along the river away from Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjEY1Z5Yh7qkJ0Zr6zuN3x1RqbUh505BHoHcHHHWfOoeWw6Rx5hfHphK5jFUHELvK9wnvGqIxE5IhEZJwssq1F8A8SHw7qqnoA3Ph5g0y2Ai1ADAXcuu82mMdtuOJma0-m1x-wXPJIF1mWHnnRWtJealM8ea9KBE6PclmNy-7G3Rpef5fXLoxUbXAw6ne/s4080/scenery%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjEY1Z5Yh7qkJ0Zr6zuN3x1RqbUh505BHoHcHHHWfOoeWw6Rx5hfHphK5jFUHELvK9wnvGqIxE5IhEZJwssq1F8A8SHw7qqnoA3Ph5g0y2Ai1ADAXcuu82mMdtuOJma0-m1x-wXPJIF1mWHnnRWtJealM8ea9KBE6PclmNy-7G3Rpef5fXLoxUbXAw6ne/w640-h360/scenery%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at the Tash Rabat site</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1wAS_rt3YfWKb0SySyip-MN2pgkrOmqK57r6L-0EjLZaXe06di32s_SNJTb6EZv3L5i1IXJpzokVt9zfluKiCqYvyR8PPL5sgO4VJkNK13a3BGJPlU58_O7d8M7y9BV62kIAhVQgMXU8fB6a2yYexb3ztICIqaXhLmunQMeCJm4HHSHv44VXllDUiVP_/s2560/scenery%20(11).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1wAS_rt3YfWKb0SySyip-MN2pgkrOmqK57r6L-0EjLZaXe06di32s_SNJTb6EZv3L5i1IXJpzokVt9zfluKiCqYvyR8PPL5sgO4VJkNK13a3BGJPlU58_O7d8M7y9BV62kIAhVQgMXU8fB6a2yYexb3ztICIqaXhLmunQMeCJm4HHSHv44VXllDUiVP_/w640-h360/scenery%20(11).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich on a beautiful green mountainside, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkqCN5g64pM" target="_blank">Short video of the stunning panorama at Tash Rabat</a><br /><p>On the way, we encountered marmots. We had never seen these creatures before- something like a cross between an otter and a rabbit, and we learnt that they are prevalent in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. They were hilarious- hopping about, watching us, making a strange bird-like sound to warn their friends, and darting down into their large burrows, which were dotted all over the hillside. When we stopped for a rest, we would see them frozen, keeping an eye on us, without moving a muscle. Rich brilliantly crept up on a couple with the wind blowing away from us, and caught them unaware for a lucky snap.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwUzw8aiyR9-l7WgK6mAwFRAmEu89bX1o0VQDLNgWuWTptJuJV_svwW4YYa3D3KM3ZaXt9YnA6c1hT9-se3Cpm7OzcdswObUGCLKlKa2Nzp3uy8kToJWPVpS9gdkKdjRuNGtIheQvaogW5mjTxlv7MhRYayN51IRBCw174IJkBEwJwMLxgD2wgbKlj12A/s4122/marmots%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2423" data-original-width="4122" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwUzw8aiyR9-l7WgK6mAwFRAmEu89bX1o0VQDLNgWuWTptJuJV_svwW4YYa3D3KM3ZaXt9YnA6c1hT9-se3Cpm7OzcdswObUGCLKlKa2Nzp3uy8kToJWPVpS9gdkKdjRuNGtIheQvaogW5mjTxlv7MhRYayN51IRBCw174IJkBEwJwMLxgD2wgbKlj12A/w640-h376/marmots%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marmot on the hill, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk0e2Oa0hemSj18ctBGHublLLIZTsDu8d_rQAtZBDTrH5aDwNrQFYnK1FDFkNVrNC-3a1F2JhVwf7YSnjXYwGd55vcSE5_qFXMadoObDi00G2MaI4oi6jr3yPTIG2c8WxvfOU4oiTGDaBFC_0UiZFfjpKKp8Z7Z9PeMF6tZklmMNh51vzCrexB1zVRCf-/s2892/marmots%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="2892" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk0e2Oa0hemSj18ctBGHublLLIZTsDu8d_rQAtZBDTrH5aDwNrQFYnK1FDFkNVrNC-3a1F2JhVwf7YSnjXYwGd55vcSE5_qFXMadoObDi00G2MaI4oi6jr3yPTIG2c8WxvfOU4oiTGDaBFC_0UiZFfjpKKp8Z7Z9PeMF6tZklmMNh51vzCrexB1zVRCf-/w640-h364/marmots%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snuck up on this one for a photo, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After the glorious vistas up and down the valley from the hilltop, we descended down to the river, sparkling in the sunshine, and sat for a bite to eat. We watched the herds of cattle, and particularly admired the packs of horses. Roaming free on the hill, they would occasionally begin a majestic group gallop down to the river to drink and graze. It was quite beautiful. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ehfroBh-jnVZ_u2MCntlU4aAtqs-2N8Tu8nojATfi-3PUSjv4wbG-rtL8Zrln1FSFBFjNeKbu2wpOW4SNkKIRadtBZ56h786J3riHNBObL77ktbbW5ZHXJUw4ceV3VG712dvFBIY3UX4rmnyb7tODjq_cS8xKxi-bcWWzvn5SFHwD2oLTFdv9wOVRzTe/s2560/scenery%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ehfroBh-jnVZ_u2MCntlU4aAtqs-2N8Tu8nojATfi-3PUSjv4wbG-rtL8Zrln1FSFBFjNeKbu2wpOW4SNkKIRadtBZ56h786J3riHNBObL77ktbbW5ZHXJUw4ceV3VG712dvFBIY3UX4rmnyb7tODjq_cS8xKxi-bcWWzvn5SFHwD2oLTFdv9wOVRzTe/w640-h360/scenery%20(12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous river setting, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGAX2ThgjLFpxT_2WtpSHgGgszJXe5jwS0K0W949FHCZPsxQkAj-h78Wnhv6SsNUXHRY5DLjwz9bgU97UJoiwIDGm-JhTI7Gy4vuQw6uCLQV3-bh1APHLzfWvvdAgVnxHy91yE_gdl_jPaCg5tz47KU06H3GdkU_FYAsWb1NYnkEDVostr-i_Or090T9Y/s5184/scenery%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGAX2ThgjLFpxT_2WtpSHgGgszJXe5jwS0K0W949FHCZPsxQkAj-h78Wnhv6SsNUXHRY5DLjwz9bgU97UJoiwIDGm-JhTI7Gy4vuQw6uCLQV3-bh1APHLzfWvvdAgVnxHy91yE_gdl_jPaCg5tz47KU06H3GdkU_FYAsWb1NYnkEDVostr-i_Or090T9Y/w640-h426/scenery%20(13).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lone horseman, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYs3FQ0k5jN_uFXJUJXalE5iXtloNa8bknhkz0_o7Wc9_eZSU_vWxgo7EGNCxZ5lqYV-K8uWn7nDBtdVS9ydfk9wmiBgDAIS9HgzhjgNzdFCO69SsdSXysjWKTHwcbkKIdy2Vls-cob8E0epCHWycVjjdezwVbPLoBPy8QWq0UfqBeCEzTcg9gl3lCynaE/s5184/scenery%20(14).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYs3FQ0k5jN_uFXJUJXalE5iXtloNa8bknhkz0_o7Wc9_eZSU_vWxgo7EGNCxZ5lqYV-K8uWn7nDBtdVS9ydfk9wmiBgDAIS9HgzhjgNzdFCO69SsdSXysjWKTHwcbkKIdy2Vls-cob8E0epCHWycVjjdezwVbPLoBPy8QWq0UfqBeCEzTcg9gl3lCynaE/w640-h426/scenery%20(14).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxed cow by the river, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OTfzX-kqd3BzuAS9GjKj97jdon78l83N2MzTyZvspB4dweVwjvNS6B8GbYLrA-glPTvc_P-OB7hD3yfY-ES5Mi5YOwCMjtJ_qt-JxLIzOQQiv7d9mcaqse9O2pIulxWcREMAiOL4vc3Cn9oSPo_7QOH92iOj-8ncUyeJL3gGWgbxZYQZs8FrqGOhssdp/s4627/IMG_9988.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2545" data-original-width="4627" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OTfzX-kqd3BzuAS9GjKj97jdon78l83N2MzTyZvspB4dweVwjvNS6B8GbYLrA-glPTvc_P-OB7hD3yfY-ES5Mi5YOwCMjtJ_qt-JxLIzOQQiv7d9mcaqse9O2pIulxWcREMAiOL4vc3Cn9oSPo_7QOH92iOj-8ncUyeJL3gGWgbxZYQZs8FrqGOhssdp/w640-h352/IMG_9988.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horses drinking at the river, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP_DkcQie0sJsm9fHwiMBKVOaBTOvRtVNVOHOfIOsRzYw46JNsMdesz5gdjXnujeJVAjlpZ2hcRx8V04tg9NJ2c_Pji6BY1pJ-vpNmZTjz8qRx9hMq6psEH9_daR8zKZMjX9j2TnYv1LDzv6Q-WUymmGnHqDmZF7aRRIvhVXi-qK57xaMK4hKhYUZvBsM/s5184/scenery%20(16).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP_DkcQie0sJsm9fHwiMBKVOaBTOvRtVNVOHOfIOsRzYw46JNsMdesz5gdjXnujeJVAjlpZ2hcRx8V04tg9NJ2c_Pji6BY1pJ-vpNmZTjz8qRx9hMq6psEH9_daR8zKZMjX9j2TnYv1LDzv6Q-WUymmGnHqDmZF7aRRIvhVXi-qK57xaMK4hKhYUZvBsM/w640-h426/scenery%20(16).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horses and yurts, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajxt-MI4WSE" target="_blank">Horses galloping, Tash Rabat</a></p><p>As we returned to our lift, we saw the <i>caravanserai </i>site had been taken over by rowdy locals, out for a weekend jaunt. Of course, they were friendly to us, and we posed for a few photos. It was funny to see them set up a Tug-of-War game, and enthusiastically pulling each other around. We're pretty sure there was some alcohol involved. Anyway, we were very glad we had insisted on leaving for the day early in the morning, thus enjoying the place when it was quiet and atmospheric.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cu3yVx3Uhc" target="_blank">Video of the locals Tug-of-War game</a></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWegwZdAYdlrQXIpYsT-GCv3mibPWl57T6kg7TIt_uXF330HIbiEo4-08SLiPP9Cpn2jTAKXDJCINzM3YO6PrGzO5x4Ja4gz-nNeNNoOo901MSxFFvkxJOYH4rh-0OYh3ZdPiMuoX8VPCAJ6GU4hMCCOe7xtavlGKYPYW8YCqX7YViY_h_mmRWrHH0v8Wi/s2494/tug%20of%20war.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="2494" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWegwZdAYdlrQXIpYsT-GCv3mibPWl57T6kg7TIt_uXF330HIbiEo4-08SLiPP9Cpn2jTAKXDJCINzM3YO6PrGzO5x4Ja4gz-nNeNNoOo901MSxFFvkxJOYH4rh-0OYh3ZdPiMuoX8VPCAJ6GU4hMCCOe7xtavlGKYPYW8YCqX7YViY_h_mmRWrHH0v8Wi/w640-h336/tug%20of%20war.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals having fun with a Tug-of-War game, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-LoC0LtFthfO_eaLEK9I03MveHdJErzyBQbQ8XoGQ2PyHJ41Gu5ikUSJxR5epvKH7CrgtyZAW96w1TXf3raQaKqnOAuQagQABKyboD-jwjsr9YfRykE1RLFpUvprqzZB3BiT68HH_PSAcIlL0PA1gVhjYW4-sKAhsZbinDgTnaP25F5TMttTXx-K80Y8/s4759/exterior%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2682" data-original-width="4759" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-LoC0LtFthfO_eaLEK9I03MveHdJErzyBQbQ8XoGQ2PyHJ41Gu5ikUSJxR5epvKH7CrgtyZAW96w1TXf3raQaKqnOAuQagQABKyboD-jwjsr9YfRykE1RLFpUvprqzZB3BiT68HH_PSAcIlL0PA1gVhjYW4-sKAhsZbinDgTnaP25F5TMttTXx-K80Y8/w640-h360/exterior%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green setting in the hills, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_MovJY8aBVf8sIl1A08iLwa_4nOBPqFbWKfiWjaVmvxguxVQPBdj0Hp82IYmZnktlQ1GLV1m6LD0lcWsz3BKMY3Rvs4kGDNbfNA4HoSF1s326kA_JtAbnqxdhFNqY5FFaQU8HqIX9c6CVya3TWJURSvzmWoVwlmqHmATlGzuyQjpcXbHx3ikLN44ItlR/s5184/scenery%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3144" data-original-width="5184" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_MovJY8aBVf8sIl1A08iLwa_4nOBPqFbWKfiWjaVmvxguxVQPBdj0Hp82IYmZnktlQ1GLV1m6LD0lcWsz3BKMY3Rvs4kGDNbfNA4HoSF1s326kA_JtAbnqxdhFNqY5FFaQU8HqIX9c6CVya3TWJURSvzmWoVwlmqHmATlGzuyQjpcXbHx3ikLN44ItlR/w640-h388/scenery%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to hold onto her hat in the wind, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9L2CpT9y0C_e9H22L1IU9hXU7u97GAaGy6mz6CX3KA5BSDHjpJaex_E3aVkwlStCpi19HtbkwZHZCah049ewTsLLo1jVSc7xZik5aa3A0B8_pCtBayP1mLWaENQNyDEB2SdgaygrDITeM-qKHEQSzk0sebVh66hGDVCurK8YCL0nzT3iQVOtxgSDqz4v/s4458/scenery%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2851" data-original-width="4458" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9L2CpT9y0C_e9H22L1IU9hXU7u97GAaGy6mz6CX3KA5BSDHjpJaex_E3aVkwlStCpi19HtbkwZHZCah049ewTsLLo1jVSc7xZik5aa3A0B8_pCtBayP1mLWaENQNyDEB2SdgaygrDITeM-qKHEQSzk0sebVh66hGDVCurK8YCL0nzT3iQVOtxgSDqz4v/w640-h410/scenery%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lonely horse on a hillside, Tash Rabat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Unfortunately, the few other sights around Naryn that had been on our list to visit were either too expensive, to difficult to arrange, or we simply couldn't summon the energy needed to sort out getting to them. As it was, all of our efforts went into finding out how to get to our next destination, Kazarman, a seemingly wild west town out in the middle of nowhere, but firmly on the way to Uzbekistan- where we were headed. According to our ancient Lonely Planet, there was at one time a public <i>marshrutka </i>that made the trek twice a week, but no one at the bus station, or anyone we asked in Naryn seemed to know anything about it. We realized we would have to fork out for a taxi, and as the chances of anyone wanting to share with us on the exact day we were leaving were slim, we would have to foot the entire cost alone. There is simply NO up-to-date English information on the internet about this area, and our options for finding out how to arrange this trip were as follows: the CBT office in Naryn (helpful, speaking English, but quoting frankly ridiculous prices); approaching taxi drivers with no Russian (us) and no English (them); or our hostess (no luck). Richard even resorted to asking some random guys getting out of a 4WD (we had heard the road to Kazarman was very rough), and asking their advice. They turned out to be Seventh Day Adventists, lovely and did try hard to help. In the end, on our final day, Sal by chance met an American ex-pat in the street, and she advised another tourist office we hadn't tried. Lo and behold, the office had two helpful English-speaking women, who immediately and professionally organized us a taxi for the following morning, even following up with the progress on WhatsApp. Although not particularly thrilled about the huge amount of money we had to pay, we none-the-less were relieved to have found our way out and looked forward to getting on the road the following morning. </p><p>Hopping into the luxurious Lexus 4WD and driving out of Naryn, we felt very posh having a whole car all to ourselves. The road was varied scenically for the first two hours, with a couple of small villages, some agriculture, and some dry barren areas. But it was after this time we realized why getting to Kazarman was such a big deal and so expensive. The road hadn't been great in the beginning, but now we were on a stony track, with no other traffic, and nothing of anything much at all! The land stretched out for miles, no villages, no people, no animals. Eventually the climb began and we tackled a series of switch backs up and down huge brown mountains- no snow in this area. This continued for nearly three hours, and seemed to get more and more remote. At one point the driver (no English) stopped and turned the engine on and off a couple of times- we held our breath, but we were soon off again with no problems. The scenery was starkly spectacular, some of the most remote and magnificent we have ever seen. Although the drive was five hours on bumpy roads, we actually felt surprisingly refreshed on arrival- just shows how tiring our usual <i>marshrutka </i>travel is!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAgBAamKpLwxmVe15saGe1Brgtu3xXSTdv2vKBA_w9fMC0ABoZt7NhhChLN_D_rcRqJ_Pj-CV26AKxRA8nepQ7SQrdqgFyMbLZdLznOP0CFx3dSpmlpETZx4j4sOUni2ib2U_liQYUQUkyi3K_LjgRoLun3CViILbCT-ZJTqOCoPbCxZZYPmTGQ2xeo7D/s4080/20230704_103445%20road%20naryn%20kazarman.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAgBAamKpLwxmVe15saGe1Brgtu3xXSTdv2vKBA_w9fMC0ABoZt7NhhChLN_D_rcRqJ_Pj-CV26AKxRA8nepQ7SQrdqgFyMbLZdLznOP0CFx3dSpmlpETZx4j4sOUni2ib2U_liQYUQUkyi3K_LjgRoLun3CViILbCT-ZJTqOCoPbCxZZYPmTGQ2xeo7D/w640-h360/20230704_103445%20road%20naryn%20kazarman.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viewpoint on the road from Naryn to Kazarman</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Obviously, the information on the wayward town of Kazarman was just as hard to come by as finding out how to get to the town. Sal didn't want to arrive without a place to stay, and doing some research we saw a small guesthouse on the map that had a WhatsApp number. Fortunately, they responded and had a reasonably priced room. When we arrived we were a bit taken aback at how very smart the place was, with a big and quite plush room and common area, and a fabulous breakfast. Perfect to break the journey. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVs5IYWQTqGAH8WW6AhdeMhcILuoktUuKsraACXpCDj5nRt904RXxC-9faQHlsIsYkS2NbVZDYgY4kRK5d9eKYOq_Cs9NgPbRz84UEsUPnOOVPF9PGwuhxdDAC0HAESNvBG2_hZx96E8hoOE_JWxpDU3HCnfu-GZuJmCmvvW65pVhLRExWFr2o_XOUjQDT/s3714/kazarman.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3714" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVs5IYWQTqGAH8WW6AhdeMhcILuoktUuKsraACXpCDj5nRt904RXxC-9faQHlsIsYkS2NbVZDYgY4kRK5d9eKYOq_Cs9NgPbRz84UEsUPnOOVPF9PGwuhxdDAC0HAESNvBG2_hZx96E8hoOE_JWxpDU3HCnfu-GZuJmCmvvW65pVhLRExWFr2o_XOUjQDT/w640-h392/kazarman.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elaborate breakfast, Kazarman</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>To say there isn't a lot to see in the dusty, one street town of Kazarman is an understatement- we simply spent our day there checking out the shared taxi to the next place, poking around in various funny little shops, and finding a simple but hearty meal of <i>shorpa </i>(lamb and potato soup) to fortify us. </p><p>We found the area with shared vehicles heading to our last destination in Kyrgyzstan, Jalal-Abad. After us complaining about the high price, the driver came down considerably, and we made arrangements for him to pick us up the following morning. Bang on time, we jumped in, picked up a mum with two little boys, who shared the back seat with Sal, and we were off.</p><p>This time, we had no pre-existing notions about what the journey would entail, and we were certainly not expecting the huge epic it turned out to be. Our wanna-be rally car driver was fast, but quite careful in a way, and we could tell he was very familiar with the twists and turns of the mountain roads. Although she thought she was prepared having taken a travel pill, Sal was sick most of the way, and couldn't enjoy the tremendous foray. Rich really appreciated the trip, despite the initial terror at the driver's speed. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEMsvRGYVZFu9xjMTEgw4yFl5wyXFJanQczGv7s12hMKgYhRhnUeIwFZY6L0gsZdxkPPYIfY7TgIKR0QgmHZQZ_T-vz5wUPsMZ594S7qIR1LsQ_SrKoCbgp50TMICSFCyWLd6RpQc_E4tBMOQkHxVmFWs1LsZuirPyYy4zfIz0ZRYvxvjw5QA_EpaLllr/s5184/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEMsvRGYVZFu9xjMTEgw4yFl5wyXFJanQczGv7s12hMKgYhRhnUeIwFZY6L0gsZdxkPPYIfY7TgIKR0QgmHZQZ_T-vz5wUPsMZ594S7qIR1LsQ_SrKoCbgp50TMICSFCyWLd6RpQc_E4tBMOQkHxVmFWs1LsZuirPyYy4zfIz0ZRYvxvjw5QA_EpaLllr/w640-h426/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KBEwIlgTTQ1NYyE3gWEIfQ0tSvZjW8qrrlpWpfWLqzX0ihm344TrEiFam_wA2ZtIqn9RZIBUkP4AZjBf6jFDQcLFH9ax9F_icwDwrC3AJfKutUxzcKo7masUpYqQbhtiLJI2hNsEYPMZCIvSk4KJrdgDof50Yo6ed3V2zPnfKLxynYD3JNFEyO4JgmH9/s5184/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KBEwIlgTTQ1NYyE3gWEIfQ0tSvZjW8qrrlpWpfWLqzX0ihm344TrEiFam_wA2ZtIqn9RZIBUkP4AZjBf6jFDQcLFH9ax9F_icwDwrC3AJfKutUxzcKo7masUpYqQbhtiLJI2hNsEYPMZCIvSk4KJrdgDof50Yo6ed3V2zPnfKLxynYD3JNFEyO4JgmH9/w640-h426/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqnuBnMkz6E" target="_blank">Video Sal and the kids feeling sick in the backseat</a></p><p>We thought we had run out of superlatives after the last two road journeys, but again, this trip was stupendous. Completely different landscape, this part of Kyrgyzstan was completely wild, high shale mountains, dark in colour and dramatic. As we rose and rose up a huge mountain on the serpentine unsealed gravel track, there was a steep and sharp drop on Sal's side scarily close. We entered areas where snow was still on the mountain side, mist was thick and we were unable to avoid the enormous muddy and rain filled potholes all over the road. Again, we passed very few cars, and we were amazed the journey was undertaken in an ordinary car (no 4WD). </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQIe2DAEQ3DDCP7I9dBuUklxsA5F7CSN3vTcdPRxczSqKmhOT1xuWh3X_jJ7rLNOaORtyBwa85u_0pgEE77zbdI4kDYe-W-2QeZeqal7Sunwpef3uavP7y3jUN-NMmcs7VXtQ_uXFHPwWw4slvddtRnr8TmPMGfEh8VTPfYib2aSBGIzDcjhq18dxCA-N/s5184/IMG_0018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQIe2DAEQ3DDCP7I9dBuUklxsA5F7CSN3vTcdPRxczSqKmhOT1xuWh3X_jJ7rLNOaORtyBwa85u_0pgEE77zbdI4kDYe-W-2QeZeqal7Sunwpef3uavP7y3jUN-NMmcs7VXtQ_uXFHPwWw4slvddtRnr8TmPMGfEh8VTPfYib2aSBGIzDcjhq18dxCA-N/w640-h426/IMG_0018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1ykk4WZIh-CLUrgnSDaQ5w_F7sDTQVFdNHMvGqj3MBDX6JVU7ak4RTO5UfLpsY_dyZ1fgAHZNm4AUhXfRntNDrEb14LrobVO9pCgoEK2eNvOFYpy18t5qpaK9XWYjjZLi5N3-DDUtzeajg4fBas8GNmEL_XrkOYo5W-_63EJSh-RySYiu9mGCPvwVwsn/s5184/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1ykk4WZIh-CLUrgnSDaQ5w_F7sDTQVFdNHMvGqj3MBDX6JVU7ak4RTO5UfLpsY_dyZ1fgAHZNm4AUhXfRntNDrEb14LrobVO9pCgoEK2eNvOFYpy18t5qpaK9XWYjjZLi5N3-DDUtzeajg4fBas8GNmEL_XrkOYo5W-_63EJSh-RySYiu9mGCPvwVwsn/w640-h426/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPA4TaLnCmZqH255FPNvE6smtT5i5ITdbVhaD7OeCLU_WtAyRBNN3XXVK1Oib4eG1novl6nQCA8gxYDo9C2_SYjWR9q6KzL6uYyLDezjSWWR8Wcyi1d_mOy71Loop1_j-pC0DMht5mSOatfuhtAkfNhGN-hEBOR_C1Gm2m-lHHPtTaryjXyIr_WvbhmMZ/s5184/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPA4TaLnCmZqH255FPNvE6smtT5i5ITdbVhaD7OeCLU_WtAyRBNN3XXVK1Oib4eG1novl6nQCA8gxYDo9C2_SYjWR9q6KzL6uYyLDezjSWWR8Wcyi1d_mOy71Loop1_j-pC0DMht5mSOatfuhtAkfNhGN-hEBOR_C1Gm2m-lHHPtTaryjXyIr_WvbhmMZ/w640-h426/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBef8CVq9jAwZ7EDH8W-HBteeOqwyGxSiqopglGm8U8kNNmLfCKbmzcKIpWoosgyjply1Olr0lMnYALpXHNrcb2cXO0RHMq7gc4f_v9nphC3NI1V0cSvsAtiDaQ6le5QLpZg8dtNY_qq__7DNq_pQyfmpQvz9mnycjmhrvso76wcvb3tetaqGSGQFnkmC/s5184/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBef8CVq9jAwZ7EDH8W-HBteeOqwyGxSiqopglGm8U8kNNmLfCKbmzcKIpWoosgyjply1Olr0lMnYALpXHNrcb2cXO0RHMq7gc4f_v9nphC3NI1V0cSvsAtiDaQ6le5QLpZg8dtNY_qq__7DNq_pQyfmpQvz9mnycjmhrvso76wcvb3tetaqGSGQFnkmC/w640-h426/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSIX4-X1fYE" target="_blank">Short video of driving up on the high pass</a></p><p>Families were living in this place, so high, cold, remote and windswept- why they chose these sites for their summer pastures is unknown. There may have been an element of poverty involved, some folks up this way didn't even have yurts, only simple tents in which to reside. Our vehicle stopped for a break on a Godforsaken hilltop, where a family living in the wind, albeit with a stunning view, were given a delivery of bread in exchange for <i>kymys </i>(mare's milk). </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXNYsQ16go7wyZhuhU3FAkjdlrVC6HMrbszy6XNnmiuAkqbhZx0Xw5MkV2WNVxFcm5kz9wT9pJ3Q0q_Ck5Jo61FcfiNJcEdHfwnsgkoVHXb_bEn39jdM-xAhSyJD4BPD7jKnGl8dkYm6v_HonyDjedKqER7CXXdK2unP18qqHUM5yqjTQVyofR94T4OkB/s5184/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXNYsQ16go7wyZhuhU3FAkjdlrVC6HMrbszy6XNnmiuAkqbhZx0Xw5MkV2WNVxFcm5kz9wT9pJ3Q0q_Ck5Jo61FcfiNJcEdHfwnsgkoVHXb_bEn39jdM-xAhSyJD4BPD7jKnGl8dkYm6v_HonyDjedKqER7CXXdK2unP18qqHUM5yqjTQVyofR94T4OkB/w640-h426/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our half way stop on a lonely hill (only the yurt camp), road from Kazarman to Jalal Abad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0f4kNSp59e7LGF4uQa0VDgRx6XqgR7PzLGWCLOca76YNwxSX1OzylOfsZEslh8_XU6Cc6Mv1ScrH5bDT0xAP_z3JYi3jcenHhbVHXkPVwHC99Igro0wtWlMdehe8l8KvMobWkhramrs40MP_hWe2Ps-QM9zMKxJwHg21sP_5uwDcWUT0sr16BxA_-ZL1B/s3488/IMG_0016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2014" data-original-width="3488" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0f4kNSp59e7LGF4uQa0VDgRx6XqgR7PzLGWCLOca76YNwxSX1OzylOfsZEslh8_XU6Cc6Mv1ScrH5bDT0xAP_z3JYi3jcenHhbVHXkPVwHC99Igro0wtWlMdehe8l8KvMobWkhramrs40MP_hWe2Ps-QM9zMKxJwHg21sP_5uwDcWUT0sr16BxA_-ZL1B/w640-h370/IMG_0016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High horses on a hill, road to Jalal-Abad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After a seemingly never-ending amount of time, we reached the high pass, then proceeded to race down to the bottom, as though in a competition with an invisible opponent to reach Jalal-Abad. We were relieved when we entered a valley with fields of corn surrounding us, and the road mostly straight towards our final stop. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOYuQMxc5xcoWMUZh_SPQAjExcvMzbiDIRp7V33zKuDBfWmDA-RUW4uKHpB2a3-DJRni193b06W_9JscAG9Bfnr5xktM712JBOty13wf3Eq0eFN0WjdT5h94svhk5KsuhpTRswR_bt4dsqXFn_gAY7a8PvyYJUKkh70XuaavcheAG8A4vSsOdWnMJfx6O/s5184/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOYuQMxc5xcoWMUZh_SPQAjExcvMzbiDIRp7V33zKuDBfWmDA-RUW4uKHpB2a3-DJRni193b06W_9JscAG9Bfnr5xktM712JBOty13wf3Eq0eFN0WjdT5h94svhk5KsuhpTRswR_bt4dsqXFn_gAY7a8PvyYJUKkh70XuaavcheAG8A4vSsOdWnMJfx6O/w640-h426/road%20kazarman%20to%20ja%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally finished the bends, and down in the valley near Jalal Abad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A side note- we had a varied soundtrack on this trip (apart from the driver and fellow passenger's constant conversation). A favourite song in Kyrgyzstan seemed to be Modern Talking's 1984 hit You're My Heart, You're My Soul. We heard it on multiple journeys, including this one. This time we also had traditional music, and a random Bollywood number. Please enjoy the following videos from the drive (or not)......</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH_JtNhR9co" target="_blank">You're My Heart, You're My Soul version</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPN000dd7Tw" target="_blank">Kyrgyz song version</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-KUq5qQLxA" target="_blank">Bollywood version</a></p><p><br /></p><p>It was strange to drive into the "city" of Jalal-Abad after being out in the wilds of Kyrgyzstan. It seemed so busy and noisy, with much traffic and smartly dressed locals. We immediately checked into the cheap and central <i>meymankhana </i>(simple hotel) we remembered from our last visit to the city, and settled in to enjoy a few days of urban life. We appreciated the great markets with a wide variety of goods, especially fruit which we had been sorely missing, loads of diverse food and easy transport options from the hotel door. People here were so nice- calling out and shaking our hands, and a visit to the chemist even saw us leaving with free bottles of water. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIbngT2HXO3MnDucleMPnUYqqxbAmoCgU6lp_FDEZOnsLNiOUuYzuHuvqhBjHj5HYHK4Bk3fngApXVJZpJZN1v0uQVes4utBgMDfr_LqgnKKulnxVwGZ5msQLJJFnYbFNbq0zK3hTe_7pOWSb2_RiDo_oZkaKjJ2x8I9jxe65o-Vz5RjvkA_D4mqebN0H/s2639/20230707_104649.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="2639" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIbngT2HXO3MnDucleMPnUYqqxbAmoCgU6lp_FDEZOnsLNiOUuYzuHuvqhBjHj5HYHK4Bk3fngApXVJZpJZN1v0uQVes4utBgMDfr_LqgnKKulnxVwGZ5msQLJJFnYbFNbq0zK3hTe_7pOWSb2_RiDo_oZkaKjJ2x8I9jxe65o-Vz5RjvkA_D4mqebN0H/w640-h556/20230707_104649.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy market man selling bright materials, Jalal-Abad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh481FcZlDp5L3GE9J9k3kXpNJvNlvuJ6BWmehbJVKwSy6JwHIklvgvp_SNKkZB2zsRTCtGyFFpYccMhMPxn53kdnHMZrGDIOCTGfTif7pZ2AInq9slVsUOi1DdCjOARBDuXSVWFbmbye9WUMAuscrjE1C4yTpuxj39BEBBJviVBgPC-J3pgl7GpM1VDVvM/s2560/20230707_112207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh481FcZlDp5L3GE9J9k3kXpNJvNlvuJ6BWmehbJVKwSy6JwHIklvgvp_SNKkZB2zsRTCtGyFFpYccMhMPxn53kdnHMZrGDIOCTGfTif7pZ2AInq9slVsUOi1DdCjOARBDuXSVWFbmbye9WUMAuscrjE1C4yTpuxj39BEBBJviVBgPC-J3pgl7GpM1VDVvM/w640-h360/20230707_112207.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treatment centre, Jalal-Abad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WtSzgiZR7LgoQwIbVASgUaq4NEVLiq1xZxfp8L3T1x1EqM5gKKsi2oRrv-qrLKdMagq3p8cNQ7iSFTAr8KkaXIbWOplqAVsJex0vJZ6JN7TmzHkDemuVXIJjcR7SqfLrAgOC_1FITbMaW4MXNVv24njGTdmNyjLxB3l7CK0jldtTZZ32ryB2pmkgejDb/s2560/20230707_125332.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WtSzgiZR7LgoQwIbVASgUaq4NEVLiq1xZxfp8L3T1x1EqM5gKKsi2oRrv-qrLKdMagq3p8cNQ7iSFTAr8KkaXIbWOplqAVsJex0vJZ6JN7TmzHkDemuVXIJjcR7SqfLrAgOC_1FITbMaW4MXNVv24njGTdmNyjLxB3l7CK0jldtTZZ32ryB2pmkgejDb/w360-h640/20230707_125332.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladies selling berries and nuts, Jalal-Abad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQkGqAsyVZOTxTvmO8-x65QgKyMFnoCzyqlwewX3l0nSpQZnBGeqyqE8UO6cqmtEYerYizF4hLRv7Pj_uh1cdT-wBtMnzvwwD2rOllGgIW8jxhp_wTwQGRXHsTMF56cspfjfOwgZG5KxdMK0AZBYEK20eHj8AfxjbcfPeZ52YWZsffr3Xe3EoA_R78XoM/s4080/20230709_120401%20jalal%20abad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQkGqAsyVZOTxTvmO8-x65QgKyMFnoCzyqlwewX3l0nSpQZnBGeqyqE8UO6cqmtEYerYizF4hLRv7Pj_uh1cdT-wBtMnzvwwD2rOllGgIW8jxhp_wTwQGRXHsTMF56cspfjfOwgZG5KxdMK0AZBYEK20eHj8AfxjbcfPeZ52YWZsffr3Xe3EoA_R78XoM/w640-h360/20230709_120401%20jalal%20abad.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jalal-Abad market stall</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A relaxing afternoon was spent at the local sanatorium, up on a hill near to town. Regular readers will know we love a good ex-Soviet sanatorium, and this one was small, but with plenty of remnants to make it an interesting excursion. Locals filled the decrepit gardens and particularly the lovely building where the mineral spring was housed. All in all, Jalal-Abad was a great contrast to the previous few weeks, and although we had dearly loved most of our Kyrgyzstan trip, we now looked forward to crossing into Uzbekistan for the final part of our Central Asian odyssey.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikolyOFnr6_2m_eFfCQ7onrUYjbmqVZgvHiJBq81vovRaj4d2X3aEk0CCOFWD0zUVLApA2Y-TwT5aC5HE7oRCG3dd33_oOiqQF-C9ZZSuI0pgT--jEv332b7tJBdnsAS3fUVVRNalTP97RNDPig3_miaqfmJ7DQFmpNYn9e53FZLVNUslbgi0H04rphmDV/s2884/20230708_113034%20jalal%20abad%20santory.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2270" data-original-width="2884" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikolyOFnr6_2m_eFfCQ7onrUYjbmqVZgvHiJBq81vovRaj4d2X3aEk0CCOFWD0zUVLApA2Y-TwT5aC5HE7oRCG3dd33_oOiqQF-C9ZZSuI0pgT--jEv332b7tJBdnsAS3fUVVRNalTP97RNDPig3_miaqfmJ7DQFmpNYn9e53FZLVNUslbgi0H04rphmDV/w640-h504/20230708_113034%20jalal%20abad%20santory.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jalal-Abad Sanatorium bus stop</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5akwVH3PfzQmEIk_-U6Zm2PnNY6hGgPsz7nuMl6KyHuedgtqrqM8ZaErjBkX8KN1g411oECB9JF5jjjmqUACg99rLO-5iTS2NunVRfzYjmYChAw5F-G8Eyfx3qvpdW2YU51eXQAh2qOinDfy6kkkSN4zBx7DCjSqW7LromWbOuDE4fdWTny8vafzO5v8I/s4080/20230708_113927.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5akwVH3PfzQmEIk_-U6Zm2PnNY6hGgPsz7nuMl6KyHuedgtqrqM8ZaErjBkX8KN1g411oECB9JF5jjjmqUACg99rLO-5iTS2NunVRfzYjmYChAw5F-G8Eyfx3qvpdW2YU51eXQAh2qOinDfy6kkkSN4zBx7DCjSqW7LromWbOuDE4fdWTny8vafzO5v8I/w640-h360/20230708_113927.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnO0sKeaJrz-d6YIQj_kQ_aw23nWg6AhoMls7Z0xr_XBQqcxh99qnCpQDZY7Zw659TT9Ao4TVmNcj7x5R_Mg8rwVoEQouvAfAGckg4K1Ial-0AZfEExIy8g7mZ-YBTqxoqnbqBy_heKOb1Zc4jXQZFE6TL9cmx-_6rd4N6JZlivnHNcg5SbAvb39rNtjq/s4080/20230708_114417.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnO0sKeaJrz-d6YIQj_kQ_aw23nWg6AhoMls7Z0xr_XBQqcxh99qnCpQDZY7Zw659TT9Ao4TVmNcj7x5R_Mg8rwVoEQouvAfAGckg4K1Ial-0AZfEExIy8g7mZ-YBTqxoqnbqBy_heKOb1Zc4jXQZFE6TL9cmx-_6rd4N6JZlivnHNcg5SbAvb39rNtjq/w360-h640/20230708_114417.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely building housing spring for water collection, Jalal-Abad Sanatorium</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs5KOK4l4Ca2dnsqBON6H6od9vJzfUjmIHysDNuTuTXZHjAybu6Uo5wWkLuYGiZjLvCMllkFKPXIOupKxRv-0AqTnYYtMxKGqsUXtnmFYBbNdV-Xrmi2U-75gU2OO2dpyqnBRAl7QcTdEvv8BLuXlxnosrapowzBgqKCPTa2qZpw-Dctd3P8dXwS6B6zH/s3707/20230708_121716.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3707" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs5KOK4l4Ca2dnsqBON6H6od9vJzfUjmIHysDNuTuTXZHjAybu6Uo5wWkLuYGiZjLvCMllkFKPXIOupKxRv-0AqTnYYtMxKGqsUXtnmFYBbNdV-Xrmi2U-75gU2OO2dpyqnBRAl7QcTdEvv8BLuXlxnosrapowzBgqKCPTa2qZpw-Dctd3P8dXwS6B6zH/w396-h640/20230708_121716.jpg" width="396" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorious ceiling in a modest teahouse, Jalal-Abad Sanatorium</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The following map of our route from one side of Kyrgyzstan to the other is a bit busy, but it was the only one we could find that actually showed where Kazarman was!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Ys0S_m1r_C8BP1ruYeDHcKFkQoF_ZnLVrpGAwRKahxhPjED-erozm-VVyYpMbLKm6kS3L1UWM6HD_we5UCiNQhIgwpFdMSHUwEKLlvhHWG4wIxRgpSAbdJQw3bo83kjRvxFed7jHMH-x3Lb6VoJfGsLb0IUlzpcLBTJFcIZ3Rkfiz-3ZHRr6G68k8nR/s1500/kyrgyzstan_map-regional%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Ys0S_m1r_C8BP1ruYeDHcKFkQoF_ZnLVrpGAwRKahxhPjED-erozm-VVyYpMbLKm6kS3L1UWM6HD_we5UCiNQhIgwpFdMSHUwEKLlvhHWG4wIxRgpSAbdJQw3bo83kjRvxFed7jHMH-x3Lb6VoJfGsLb0IUlzpcLBTJFcIZ3Rkfiz-3ZHRr6G68k8nR/w640-h426/kyrgyzstan_map-regional%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The adventure through Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><i>........leaving Kyrgyzstan after two months, and onto Uzbekistan's productive and cultural Fergana Valley......</i></p>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-77743988577149518042023-07-11T16:02:00.001+08:002023-07-29T17:27:42.246+08:00 ANIMAL MAGNETISM - Kyrgyzstan's Rural Animal Markets, Karakol and Kochkor<p><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/07/magic-of-far-side-karakol-kyrgyzstan.html" target="_blank"><i>.....previously, an overall picture of our two weeks in Karakol on the eastern side of Issyk Kol.....</i></a></p><p>One of the unique sights of travelling in rural Kyrgyzstan is the animal markets. Many small towns host these weekly gatherings where people come from far and wide to trade cattle, sheep, and horses mainly, with a side show of various chickens, ducks and geese. We were lucky enough to visit two of the biggest ones- Karakol and Kochkor. Richard, particularly, loved these events, and woke extremely early to arrive to observe the goings on, take pictures in the morning light, view the wheeling and dealing......and of course to partake in a few day break vodkas. We thought the events deserved a little post of their own.</p><p>Karakol's animal market is very well known, and traders come from far and wide to buy and sell livestock. The atmosphere is exciting and hectic, and the sights and smells are a unique experience. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMSNJ6BMJFllMIUVLt4HBBteimxGMMZ1B1BdSwnS-wooz946CVP3LmxLxA4-p-DxLPT3CdkF0B3zOSyxCJgW7tK7wwBBkaAcyuL6WYJNkCPO6qD7KH_Grlr5vOwfkm4FKhGVrtO2LJRDIcrksOo_CW7RK2JmYbdil2X1_aUpNleKdQ3NUOCk6n6cFHcI0/s5184/IMG_9825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMSNJ6BMJFllMIUVLt4HBBteimxGMMZ1B1BdSwnS-wooz946CVP3LmxLxA4-p-DxLPT3CdkF0B3zOSyxCJgW7tK7wwBBkaAcyuL6WYJNkCPO6qD7KH_Grlr5vOwfkm4FKhGVrtO2LJRDIcrksOo_CW7RK2JmYbdil2X1_aUpNleKdQ3NUOCk6n6cFHcI0/w640-h426/IMG_9825.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpGXMuYIDkMxLwrAOVGAy28cm3JHN3p4nHbbPnovGT5jZ4L3dg8t4PNhrLmpfvcU4yDomvpI8av536AblgwkimKiD7iBkn_t4tQijFDtKN0qH8CTfFiBDGVBZxc8Whk55LUvvnc10xMboOQ82rO01Kk_o8sn6YB0uHVI-KX92NBJXYRD51_VmVmhaOZS_/s5070/c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2980" data-original-width="5070" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpGXMuYIDkMxLwrAOVGAy28cm3JHN3p4nHbbPnovGT5jZ4L3dg8t4PNhrLmpfvcU4yDomvpI8av536AblgwkimKiD7iBkn_t4tQijFDtKN0qH8CTfFiBDGVBZxc8Whk55LUvvnc10xMboOQ82rO01Kk_o8sn6YB0uHVI-KX92NBJXYRD51_VmVmhaOZS_/w640-h376/c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtUa-Lm7bZiM0XCPPqzK8r50Q7WVF7djDzPu-m6-e53DwavJ76j8B8DJZXtNh91GvWOLYedfzxdFWykid3peJ8HansYmkD_A5vr7oWJ4lKMOyIyhipPBX8FklovI0FfcBGCUPG4FEb5LBMACBqsdcE1wrUPkVYpuXQkGsazwVr_3rFxeY9ypDoUVmcWFm/s4061/IMG_9799.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3152" data-original-width="4061" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtUa-Lm7bZiM0XCPPqzK8r50Q7WVF7djDzPu-m6-e53DwavJ76j8B8DJZXtNh91GvWOLYedfzxdFWykid3peJ8HansYmkD_A5vr7oWJ4lKMOyIyhipPBX8FklovI0FfcBGCUPG4FEb5LBMACBqsdcE1wrUPkVYpuXQkGsazwVr_3rFxeY9ypDoUVmcWFm/w640-h496/IMG_9799.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2970" data-original-width="4277" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3abHKOcMJZMGT4WfVsgnU4YFnUzEbuOF9N2wJxbJP-ndvbxMTuI5VpEtOErTdG165aKLpsffcoCfsnG9qB9UbjCATjGrMp6KV-MTjgqy1S4lORz_xWVCS4SJ0DkO6AbgUWS2Az2hY3vAsQhIqGD3QFeq0-BaW9cqdSQrls4st6S7HkpvQ598BzbKQtGv/w640-h444/IMG_9876.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0__ZxDJwkc0HutGzBBukXBVtmdU0zCkifMxwTGTq2OBFwSkoWVQJQ-DDSMkoz0veTcon8JhKj2msEvkBYhcA9Q_U6OHKj5u_Mvvurk7K7DDwlnh1bkAMnd2YC-9VngQwgprPASfkEA4zSpD3d9X0LRXdwb5P1__33ODrGQX7r4c5n31aHt1dMExFIClLs/s3947/IMG_9886.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2878" data-original-width="3947" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0__ZxDJwkc0HutGzBBukXBVtmdU0zCkifMxwTGTq2OBFwSkoWVQJQ-DDSMkoz0veTcon8JhKj2msEvkBYhcA9Q_U6OHKj5u_Mvvurk7K7DDwlnh1bkAMnd2YC-9VngQwgprPASfkEA4zSpD3d9X0LRXdwb5P1__33ODrGQX7r4c5n31aHt1dMExFIClLs/w640-h466/IMG_9886.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/07/slow-odyssey-across-wild-mountain.html" target="_blank">.....next, we travel to some new and remote destinations in rural Kyrgyzstan......</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-54473925417462521702023-07-08T19:28:00.003+08:002023-07-16T19:05:54.664+08:00 MAGIC OF THE FAR SIDE - Karakol, Kyrgyzstan<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/06/big-hugs-and-silly-hats-issyk-kol.html" target="_blank">.....meanders along the southern coast of Issyk Kol......</a></i></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVivAZ1CSfroZIpgwKzVL7jla6LeuRrYfrEdlrZNxz-NKWq9NiYMJAemwWWIxZ_-Fuf6MK2JPhT8Ub-JN9coqNQ7Qno_zHu4h3X4X29tJDANPVcjlkd_jpSEHTh2cKLa3lNWaUe_ns_sVm8_Fm2sUt5FAwqSTD8Ez-WodhTRDlkuxfC15muEMXgJ24sFJ1/s5184/IMG_9836.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVivAZ1CSfroZIpgwKzVL7jla6LeuRrYfrEdlrZNxz-NKWq9NiYMJAemwWWIxZ_-Fuf6MK2JPhT8Ub-JN9coqNQ7Qno_zHu4h3X4X29tJDANPVcjlkd_jpSEHTh2cKLa3lNWaUe_ns_sVm8_Fm2sUt5FAwqSTD8Ez-WodhTRDlkuxfC15muEMXgJ24sFJ1/w640-h426/IMG_9836.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal amongst the flowers, around Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We visited Karakol during our first travels to Kyrgyzstan, and much of what we saw and experienced on this current trip was similar to back then. It's kind of why we returned, because we loved it so much the first time around. Without wanting to repeat ourselves, we also wanted to include some new experiences on this post. Please look at our old blogs if you're interested in <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/10/big-bums-and-early-morning-vodka-shots.html" target="_blank">around Karakol town</a>, or <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/10/yurts-cowboys-and-soviet-sanatoriums.html" target="_blank">trips out from Karakol</a>. There is a lot of information about transport, and details and background of places and events. And of course, lots of Richard's lovely photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vfoKxS42u0ylKIZN_tHsu71Oszna3HAvh8iFFZeH1v4v2t7rTjT3kBQdxTv0iGa14SK2f6lV9xhKV2EP01BBo8x5DwHup6Jk5MI07XjlBZ0OGmWo63LhbuDTo-w3cvoT_dXkjUh7x9NOTrGKWOhZIgkta_qCptvDY04aDgoauXkyRq9SKsEqhcDHfWHj/s3382/karakol%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1967" data-original-width="3382" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vfoKxS42u0ylKIZN_tHsu71Oszna3HAvh8iFFZeH1v4v2t7rTjT3kBQdxTv0iGa14SK2f6lV9xhKV2EP01BBo8x5DwHup6Jk5MI07XjlBZ0OGmWo63LhbuDTo-w3cvoT_dXkjUh7x9NOTrGKWOhZIgkta_qCptvDY04aDgoauXkyRq9SKsEqhcDHfWHj/w640-h372/karakol%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karakol's wooden Orthodox Cathedral</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7iCpIFogYBUr0vIAh8BnqnjJp3eVrFufIhMOMH73TLiIEAXVIHXlkP4SPpQCE5XjMU16X9Tk7m9kzsKp-Rqgcb9Cgmj3ysZdPHPO92S3_w2Dw3j9Les-CPdr0RsihRxDhz8sxDkAA9M3szJ7axEU-rETR39MSQhG_KOFYT_6_Am528kMpAD2E1kLbHyZ/s2560/karakol%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7iCpIFogYBUr0vIAh8BnqnjJp3eVrFufIhMOMH73TLiIEAXVIHXlkP4SPpQCE5XjMU16X9Tk7m9kzsKp-Rqgcb9Cgmj3ysZdPHPO92S3_w2Dw3j9Les-CPdr0RsihRxDhz8sxDkAA9M3szJ7axEU-rETR39MSQhG_KOFYT_6_Am528kMpAD2E1kLbHyZ/w360-h640/karakol%20(3).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting design of the wooden Dungan mosque in Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were pleased to find <a href="https://www.hostelkbh.com" target="_blank">KBH Hostel</a>, one of our favourite guesthouses in the region, remained pretty much as we remembered. A fantastic place to meet other travellers, it was known as the place for hikers to find new friends for walking the many treks around the Karakol valleys. Although we were travelling at a much slower pace than most of the other guests, we still greatly enjoyed the chin wags and positives vibes. </p><p>Karakol town was brilliant for food, and we varied between trying local dishes in the nearby market, and purchasing goods from the supermarkets and cooking for ourselves in the hostel kitchen. There a few "specialities" from the Karakol region. <i>Ganfan </i>(rice with stir fried beef and vegetables), and <i>ashlan-fu</i> (cold, spicy noodle soup with herbs and vinegar) are dishes typical of the local Muslim Dungan people and come with the superb chilli accompaniment, <i>laza</i>.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfIW0hCfVi_EzalN7W7rg_rADupBwUmYt1cDghJ0oZieeLjjgnFL_U03IuY3vTHPgJAxTVTnkUkSJoNifmlwx94bNm6YprFm94il5K4WOS8ssr9JxZWd7O2iMWsZYN9bp44ZVqQOBSdJEFWVI9-gFAszV8RraGJtWvEgnIYtKQIlx-oemcU3Ew7xaHHHB/s4080/karakol%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfIW0hCfVi_EzalN7W7rg_rADupBwUmYt1cDghJ0oZieeLjjgnFL_U03IuY3vTHPgJAxTVTnkUkSJoNifmlwx94bNm6YprFm94il5K4WOS8ssr9JxZWd7O2iMWsZYN9bp44ZVqQOBSdJEFWVI9-gFAszV8RraGJtWvEgnIYtKQIlx-oemcU3Ew7xaHHHB/w640-h360/karakol%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ganfan </i>with <i>laza </i>and <i>kompot </i>(juice)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOryFlhuxFxjnwtb6Wfzcqg6SwYv7tFzPLI140_g3zL1gtrXpONM8NOo33LOvscGUowtmSohO8RIE6e9ZakqOpXk6X3rFGdz9qKBHazg5HIHFxLOVWYJops3FijXFpdD1B5N0cmL0XbVa65o14z-9-oDVZPdCUxMLaewnV3svz0xft4rpjH74o7W_kyZJs/s4404/karakol%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3105" data-original-width="4404" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOryFlhuxFxjnwtb6Wfzcqg6SwYv7tFzPLI140_g3zL1gtrXpONM8NOo33LOvscGUowtmSohO8RIE6e9ZakqOpXk6X3rFGdz9qKBHazg5HIHFxLOVWYJops3FijXFpdD1B5N0cmL0XbVa65o14z-9-oDVZPdCUxMLaewnV3svz0xft4rpjH74o7W_kyZJs/w640-h452/karakol%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cold <i>ashlan-fu </i>noodles</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>An attractive town surrounded by mountains, Karakol's real beauty lay a short distance away in the beautiful nature of the valleys and lakes. We spent many a day on short walks in gorgeous areas, following gushing rivers and sharing the dusty paths with sheep and horses. Some days we caught a bus as far up a valley as we could and walked in different directions, loving the rural countryside and being so ensconced in nature. As we stayed in Karakol, the days became warmer, and the snow on the mountains started to melt. The weather was unpredictable- most days sunny and warm, but also some heavy rain, extreme wind and clouds. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5trtynISJnScZraGSp6623ymPmOE7-9CCUEGmM3wVCD_6NVJpqoGWsIcuFhXeMpZlaBWlC8TH1sKMx4e18t_zICro_Xz3aCNCeze0s4skdtgB1gOJv9K79uaeGSdXXTvIWUHiig5G7vlm-6dA1qQbIYNUE6DMcXPwB_0W3lodyORRSJNuqgZCmhfFbaYT/s4080/ak%20suu%20valley%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5trtynISJnScZraGSp6623ymPmOE7-9CCUEGmM3wVCD_6NVJpqoGWsIcuFhXeMpZlaBWlC8TH1sKMx4e18t_zICro_Xz3aCNCeze0s4skdtgB1gOJv9K79uaeGSdXXTvIWUHiig5G7vlm-6dA1qQbIYNUE6DMcXPwB_0W3lodyORRSJNuqgZCmhfFbaYT/w640-h360/ak%20suu%20valley%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A walk along the Karakol River </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzO785xY6HSjqrixWURFM6FEZx7oNf-JuFYN1dSjWIa5ItwCr0xITREcqqpVjIKVmgzLYQ5XtIlYdL0IcGUiLfvcedna0OFdNBT1lzi9RGCVftm_UklKNSfVgUb1vxFvYwDbIVKddn_rTygIPlOD1F_0odcLP9E3u7Vpun_ahi_TmBWHX7eCM1lEQ0u9Tp/s5184/ak%20suu%20walk%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzO785xY6HSjqrixWURFM6FEZx7oNf-JuFYN1dSjWIa5ItwCr0xITREcqqpVjIKVmgzLYQ5XtIlYdL0IcGUiLfvcedna0OFdNBT1lzi9RGCVftm_UklKNSfVgUb1vxFvYwDbIVKddn_rTygIPlOD1F_0odcLP9E3u7Vpun_ahi_TmBWHX7eCM1lEQ0u9Tp/w640-h426/ak%20suu%20walk%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pausing at a lovely spot, around Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGJCZX-GTiQ3D1pDESvZJ5EA430C98STXYQzYVKTelUGEHYwqyRHqF4JF7Stq9hTKDzQkgCi6f9lArJKxFv2fC8xaHoFB5CCGDIWJfTT9k_KxKWLIJGD6HvcWMtHNq5ITsExOgNyRdx50N050-u4GTI-aI0Ta7ekZG1KrXEKae_TAP3e7tIAJYoTkGTVw/s4080/ak%20suu%20walk%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGJCZX-GTiQ3D1pDESvZJ5EA430C98STXYQzYVKTelUGEHYwqyRHqF4JF7Stq9hTKDzQkgCi6f9lArJKxFv2fC8xaHoFB5CCGDIWJfTT9k_KxKWLIJGD6HvcWMtHNq5ITsExOgNyRdx50N050-u4GTI-aI0Ta7ekZG1KrXEKae_TAP3e7tIAJYoTkGTVw/w640-h360/ak%20suu%20walk%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rural scenes, around Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmihd-2KAKcNJC6gRsT-V_je9T0ZvioT3oP6MnT3p3adVIKUQ-pqN5TSSZ7ZCdncS2zp1CR16p1gzNgPxo2ZaDeGoKOVs_B3A9lS94vRe77Q_ygjRm9rcEo3dLizFrquxt6GIGI9LRo2Daq1pLkX5mIzDvdjRQNuGFPliNumOA40U-701V0kTGae86ysnP/s5184/ak%20suu%20walk%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmihd-2KAKcNJC6gRsT-V_je9T0ZvioT3oP6MnT3p3adVIKUQ-pqN5TSSZ7ZCdncS2zp1CR16p1gzNgPxo2ZaDeGoKOVs_B3A9lS94vRe77Q_ygjRm9rcEo3dLizFrquxt6GIGI9LRo2Daq1pLkX5mIzDvdjRQNuGFPliNumOA40U-701V0kTGae86ysnP/w640-h426/ak%20suu%20walk%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last of the snow melting on the Karakol mountains</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07bat4lqMq-3b9E1N8rZZ7bXtYbA3ezLUxDnwmPiN8qF8RJ2i-h5Wfhx9aAZUbER7OSOjMRNwOwVQnSGbYMB-CXx2Y1FEPu2YIALWR5aLvr_E6HvQaPuUvVrjRT4vzXGXZyuZctj_0x90bOxFNbHJYEsNFpX7eE13yKWZ1a4dU-9rwGdbhHxYq4oeYiIq/s1600/ak%20suu%20valley%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07bat4lqMq-3b9E1N8rZZ7bXtYbA3ezLUxDnwmPiN8qF8RJ2i-h5Wfhx9aAZUbER7OSOjMRNwOwVQnSGbYMB-CXx2Y1FEPu2YIALWR5aLvr_E6HvQaPuUvVrjRT4vzXGXZyuZctj_0x90bOxFNbHJYEsNFpX7eE13yKWZ1a4dU-9rwGdbhHxYq4oeYiIq/w640-h360/ak%20suu%20valley%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicate flower on a valley walk</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiwoffVyBHMVmH85P26kHXYYcpxci51i58wL6EsSewFVesBBl0nawSrzl003V20bscYXcZeUnaJbCH-voEcw4h0g1lMkT7o5V3PRoPItmE-Dt4sT1zXAYLiNaqwjXdY0S1h1VEbsg1BU1VX6xfkwVwDYv0o3mW8JVBgK-Q_PK27QE8mTRplHFPbCJ5BwY/s2560/ak%20suu%20valley%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiwoffVyBHMVmH85P26kHXYYcpxci51i58wL6EsSewFVesBBl0nawSrzl003V20bscYXcZeUnaJbCH-voEcw4h0g1lMkT7o5V3PRoPItmE-Dt4sT1zXAYLiNaqwjXdY0S1h1VEbsg1BU1VX6xfkwVwDYv0o3mW8JVBgK-Q_PK27QE8mTRplHFPbCJ5BwY/w640-h360/ak%20suu%20valley%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing a bridge, Arashan Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmi7H1I3TuRwGCmpA4XAHojVs_oygZCY6kA_Ev84Nmpga7g9muC97C8PmAjdCUikOClpjPAvSlWOynZmvmrMkGtYPYu2FBS9bsG4gBvhenhTBtbyUn_u7VU2ydoHO3JBwvenTN_SsXftRgoP4urggw5GLODPIyvqpjuekLtBRgqBsjxTg2ZdUI2EK9A94/s2560/ak%20suu%20valley%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmi7H1I3TuRwGCmpA4XAHojVs_oygZCY6kA_Ev84Nmpga7g9muC97C8PmAjdCUikOClpjPAvSlWOynZmvmrMkGtYPYu2FBS9bsG4gBvhenhTBtbyUn_u7VU2ydoHO3JBwvenTN_SsXftRgoP4urggw5GLODPIyvqpjuekLtBRgqBsjxTg2ZdUI2EK9A94/w640-h360/ak%20suu%20valley%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramshackle rest spot, Arashan Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31HL0A8bZ3sVNhJLPR6YlMFCb2VV7cOQ7zF2jsgqmxC6sYII-qWbn0qqvtrXIxZGhWx8Ruu9dN6gUI902hToG8rrCbWKV7juSW22_MqCokS8LmUMaMpscIxjEfOGvEKpp9CbL2EXv-g4ShWDda2Sm-j36CcFqdD4fDnDwg4Vt2jo3ofisnsXkhGrFNtAc/s5184/ak%20suu%20walk%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31HL0A8bZ3sVNhJLPR6YlMFCb2VV7cOQ7zF2jsgqmxC6sYII-qWbn0qqvtrXIxZGhWx8Ruu9dN6gUI902hToG8rrCbWKV7juSW22_MqCokS8LmUMaMpscIxjEfOGvEKpp9CbL2EXv-g4ShWDda2Sm-j36CcFqdD4fDnDwg4Vt2jo3ofisnsXkhGrFNtAc/w640-h426/ak%20suu%20walk%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a poser, Ak Suu Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-BPTTviGt4EWaOIaoGk2YiEvDhKxrrWRdp3Tq9W1i30jjehkAtCE5x7m70oYt_hKu5-VWevNI6c6SwBCWE8p06zkaSgDxf51ok2EU5PxmrPicWU_mwh-ifo10zKySZ1Saq9Zn5U7cxYihQik65zW1Twgkoj3MG_184IaxYV-NqR-bOmzB-PnW6RiujH4/s4783/ak%20suu%20valley%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3131" data-original-width="4783" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-BPTTviGt4EWaOIaoGk2YiEvDhKxrrWRdp3Tq9W1i30jjehkAtCE5x7m70oYt_hKu5-VWevNI6c6SwBCWE8p06zkaSgDxf51ok2EU5PxmrPicWU_mwh-ifo10zKySZ1Saq9Zn5U7cxYihQik65zW1Twgkoj3MG_184IaxYV-NqR-bOmzB-PnW6RiujH4/w640-h418/ak%20suu%20valley%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys on horses, Ak Suu Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-6vN67q0o_XcPJjisE5NLwxiny13dEP-ilK_k3fXQdw7XFfzIkIAz6xgrZLQXTvP74KHADKh4FtmvkqJ6yTi78fTEJNHi9h3lF_4sKnT-NP0-oaRq6xSnLCAbQOuEAvvD_dDDGwf70OBFSqumt2w2WG82WgceNqLC_HGsa0xuJxaRo3rwvlJCKS0kfub/s5184/ak%20suu%20valley%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-6vN67q0o_XcPJjisE5NLwxiny13dEP-ilK_k3fXQdw7XFfzIkIAz6xgrZLQXTvP74KHADKh4FtmvkqJ6yTi78fTEJNHi9h3lF_4sKnT-NP0-oaRq6xSnLCAbQOuEAvvD_dDDGwf70OBFSqumt2w2WG82WgceNqLC_HGsa0xuJxaRo3rwvlJCKS0kfub/w640-h426/ak%20suu%20valley%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful river rest spot, Ak Suu Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLpKL-yF7ul3JtN3roOJ3cOe2gsJN-N1NMK8qGWo0YazBAEQlCUUPLZUZDLAbvwsCfY-Fx-nfSlSmh9DEGKynoqjDPQk0w_-NYxacFWv_mlgFJHnCP4XdEGd0Ic-eVUTq-QMoIbAp6rkKLOcOE3vAe4iVEBPcXFh-w4XsyKsmoOKbXi3YGBOI3rTqbxE8/s5184/ak%20suu%20valley%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLpKL-yF7ul3JtN3roOJ3cOe2gsJN-N1NMK8qGWo0YazBAEQlCUUPLZUZDLAbvwsCfY-Fx-nfSlSmh9DEGKynoqjDPQk0w_-NYxacFWv_mlgFJHnCP4XdEGd0Ic-eVUTq-QMoIbAp6rkKLOcOE3vAe4iVEBPcXFh-w4XsyKsmoOKbXi3YGBOI3rTqbxE8/w640-h426/ak%20suu%20valley%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A slightly scary crossing, Arashan Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKHxuHtwEQV7lMzvL2OGO5I5xbgDNzfzO2BAVO4ZhHcYFbMzLOnNZ9jY7rGfS1JqviZlqgXpTSM2MQD1HoWIlfHMuuDer6_c6UA1qPdqR2E9-BMgUDQTCkX97cNgJY6vU7khHrwrhjclwqCyD-gDeHfsP-kOv0PMwEOdSXUMGieifcuKGUyKDbcRF06RV/s2560/ak%20suu%20walk%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKHxuHtwEQV7lMzvL2OGO5I5xbgDNzfzO2BAVO4ZhHcYFbMzLOnNZ9jY7rGfS1JqviZlqgXpTSM2MQD1HoWIlfHMuuDer6_c6UA1qPdqR2E9-BMgUDQTCkX97cNgJY6vU7khHrwrhjclwqCyD-gDeHfsP-kOv0PMwEOdSXUMGieifcuKGUyKDbcRF06RV/w640-h360/ak%20suu%20walk%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village scene, around Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A trip to Pristan, a ex-Soviet naval base on the shores of Issyk Kol was an easy trundle on a local <i>marshrutka</i>. Some of the abandoned buildings from wealthier times were now completely open, and we were free to explore, just having to mind the huge holes in the floors and take our chances on aging stairs and ceilings. The old theatre was the best, with the entire entertainment space now accessible, but so dark, taking pictures of the amazing atmospheric location was difficult. Wandering around the quaint village we watched the ducks and a local guy fishing, and admired the productive backyards with their vegie patches and small orchards. Lastly, we walked to the "beach", a patch of grass and some sand on the lake, where a handful of brave youngsters were swimming. We can imagine during the summer, this place would be packed and noisy, but maybe quite pleasant. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYqZnzKhSXGPAZKLGEoNki0Ax4ujV-fTcpjChRMRJ7o3wQhDxp1MujJcYb90sNPlwRHJEwj2kVkQUhitRssEx5dRX72eg0u415aYz7hvmKQz-H6SDcspRZ7FWmbcM1vu4RFQhxavh3XDQ25ol6hrjNsDixvVlYoKOqyoTrwDL_pE93zn8WEYf5ifwi82e/s5184/pristan%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYqZnzKhSXGPAZKLGEoNki0Ax4ujV-fTcpjChRMRJ7o3wQhDxp1MujJcYb90sNPlwRHJEwj2kVkQUhitRssEx5dRX72eg0u415aYz7hvmKQz-H6SDcspRZ7FWmbcM1vu4RFQhxavh3XDQ25ol6hrjNsDixvVlYoKOqyoTrwDL_pE93zn8WEYf5ifwi82e/w640-h426/pristan%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark and abandoned theatre, Pristan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6Bosx3nzX2Oqk5OfWzC8EAx3jHf3Gy9lqAyPYlVptxAWsqsA8z2l5bRDPw2Pzzqfj4bJTOzxiFTXsp7vy2Y8Xb9ODsEs4HcHSX6yPsgvJWLDQ_Je6LOmzAW6BZGQQ3EXFwQqwKk1Tuxo3dQGTdcyKFXUzYRhimxPbU1x56zkQOflwaN6-V_C7mLGLDxH/s5184/pristan%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6Bosx3nzX2Oqk5OfWzC8EAx3jHf3Gy9lqAyPYlVptxAWsqsA8z2l5bRDPw2Pzzqfj4bJTOzxiFTXsp7vy2Y8Xb9ODsEs4HcHSX6yPsgvJWLDQ_Je6LOmzAW6BZGQQ3EXFwQqwKk1Tuxo3dQGTdcyKFXUzYRhimxPbU1x56zkQOflwaN6-V_C7mLGLDxH/w426-h640/pristan%20(6).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decrepit columns, Pristan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjRjXmZ4L4ak7cAbCxktBoad3RIJ0TvFOXKac3SXyc42ZO7flJmkVwWlZrYQBQQ0Wpae7SmmBe9wZGQxr9uz9J44NYp6XVecZb8obXQAUPjhwgslbRsJbf5fwuL8Nnfat8f2GbS789IkTvZJNPrnpIdQZFkAuIc0rBjE3b4qhzFE3t1tFWGNYS-7JkDdf/s2418/pristan%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="2418" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjRjXmZ4L4ak7cAbCxktBoad3RIJ0TvFOXKac3SXyc42ZO7flJmkVwWlZrYQBQQ0Wpae7SmmBe9wZGQxr9uz9J44NYp6XVecZb8obXQAUPjhwgslbRsJbf5fwuL8Nnfat8f2GbS789IkTvZJNPrnpIdQZFkAuIc0rBjE3b4qhzFE3t1tFWGNYS-7JkDdf/w640-h360/pristan%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front room completely open for poking around, Pristan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSEHJMXFKvzU1LK7_5_htV3o-Y-zcVQXK_2EgI6fXA7XiXFE5hdMSqFV8mVCxJXcS29KOlyRZ5epzyWhDl__CoHlzp6CXyeOH9O-TIcYb0MhLgWoxygjAw2bbWWJEXvsSKylO0ZdlQNLRMi_TmNLQ9r_izm0ZbGFkuqDkBPJIx1-4d8-jFH0OglbkYEF9/s2560/pristan%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSEHJMXFKvzU1LK7_5_htV3o-Y-zcVQXK_2EgI6fXA7XiXFE5hdMSqFV8mVCxJXcS29KOlyRZ5epzyWhDl__CoHlzp6CXyeOH9O-TIcYb0MhLgWoxygjAw2bbWWJEXvsSKylO0ZdlQNLRMi_TmNLQ9r_izm0ZbGFkuqDkBPJIx1-4d8-jFH0OglbkYEF9/w640-h360/pristan%20(12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once imposing exterior of old theatre, Pristan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisX1sKjCab1Mx9JXGhHErORGgjAvqUouWnEfZgzdXQ24zF32h2F2Oyf4H7DWwZidGJA-Y5WZ-Chcrco-IUcObxO8K_pwFmZ8jsbIMka84zNGL4Y2F9CLNrh28LbE8A-9tTyoLddXJ8keNjk2IwBPIk7BFa1EEyppgo7Ca6kf08X0vLI_zxRSocUgGINKUC/s4080/pristan%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisX1sKjCab1Mx9JXGhHErORGgjAvqUouWnEfZgzdXQ24zF32h2F2Oyf4H7DWwZidGJA-Y5WZ-Chcrco-IUcObxO8K_pwFmZ8jsbIMka84zNGL4Y2F9CLNrh28LbE8A-9tTyoLddXJ8keNjk2IwBPIk7BFa1EEyppgo7Ca6kf08X0vLI_zxRSocUgGINKUC/w360-h640/pristan%20(13).jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bar or disco?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwht3tnvndLvzHcI-gRuoUD4hNopGF49jynXNREy0aqrjKrDu3hQ4htD3D8L8oTSdsJDCeAnCSynjTSC58NmL_vIn4ZEPFhvSeL4fnv9M6pXfPjlTJOEVVkrLD0Ro6bdf445QIsOpUq1UK52_e8KGLfIWxNJKqi3asHULu0Cr3o8_N_Tlu2KbdGc27tVe/s5184/pristan%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3279" data-original-width="5184" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwht3tnvndLvzHcI-gRuoUD4hNopGF49jynXNREy0aqrjKrDu3hQ4htD3D8L8oTSdsJDCeAnCSynjTSC58NmL_vIn4ZEPFhvSeL4fnv9M6pXfPjlTJOEVVkrLD0Ro6bdf445QIsOpUq1UK52_e8KGLfIWxNJKqi3asHULu0Cr3o8_N_Tlu2KbdGc27tVe/w640-h404/pristan%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheep on Pristan hillside</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna4n8f-8axHtrJ6vDHolLquBNkgKSTds-NvtEEB6w9Mns2qLanru9I5J4vTUGw6nyaKF4Y4iclwWsuFileEAHHbeUruw1HncyAXDUuqBUZKZKAyDYgiVXocvrc8mllSXMhB44_sKqCFiuXhZcNMrL5M3MMQrCrcvOjFjSG7E5xJvgNnx-NoVNzsTv2j9A/s5184/pristan%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna4n8f-8axHtrJ6vDHolLquBNkgKSTds-NvtEEB6w9Mns2qLanru9I5J4vTUGw6nyaKF4Y4iclwWsuFileEAHHbeUruw1HncyAXDUuqBUZKZKAyDYgiVXocvrc8mllSXMhB44_sKqCFiuXhZcNMrL5M3MMQrCrcvOjFjSG7E5xJvgNnx-NoVNzsTv2j9A/w640-h426/pristan%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bucolic village scene, Pristan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4plJlMSoNt2Qm16Ouj7IIgOFggvQS1wz0Bf0-FK0ADR2A8sCrLQYgJneX2y_VhV4YU2JOQsTQ3AsHMaki71pPxs48W6gGDPN7nN5m7MM9UCnH21jcW-nVkS-4v4g7s37Wl0422yhasXxpgRPTzrdVH3vRCaKF7FRZqUMcP641Z0nV1xpBE6XGum7V2Q1/s3540/pristan%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="3540" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4plJlMSoNt2Qm16Ouj7IIgOFggvQS1wz0Bf0-FK0ADR2A8sCrLQYgJneX2y_VhV4YU2JOQsTQ3AsHMaki71pPxs48W6gGDPN7nN5m7MM9UCnH21jcW-nVkS-4v4g7s37Wl0422yhasXxpgRPTzrdVH3vRCaKF7FRZqUMcP641Z0nV1xpBE6XGum7V2Q1/w640-h348/pristan%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Pristan house</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWYL00FC-H3QlZbz40nrbp7naRsL3osFZy2KfXUNd8vT45hbEhwblHqFI53EGggsZ_D4T8AbfrvQRhUcZ-l_enw4LAV6iZ5kEFDYHfz-OjKOtBLEf0VwPr4bk4vML1CCAe3brtTwf0M9a0zY10jGJ9Y9yHacViMeEwCL2-n_z_K0M9U2rSejbKIP_Hl6Q/s4080/pristan%20(11).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWYL00FC-H3QlZbz40nrbp7naRsL3osFZy2KfXUNd8vT45hbEhwblHqFI53EGggsZ_D4T8AbfrvQRhUcZ-l_enw4LAV6iZ5kEFDYHfz-OjKOtBLEf0VwPr4bk4vML1CCAe3brtTwf0M9a0zY10jGJ9Y9yHacViMeEwCL2-n_z_K0M9U2rSejbKIP_Hl6Q/w640-h360/pristan%20(11).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tucked away amongst the creepers, Pristan house</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexG6NpuuD1n7aDW7hMW6ixS1esyExqp5MYIBfg4Px1NBaf7DKJfpCdmOu3qz_DfK2p40XSccwNbDYrD6wj6i277IHfzo0YMeIvwfBM48INwiGpefTIIFwyzKtFgrOc8Odd5h8Tuy14qKZV0o3Ylnd18bNZI5R408icXaYL-ZkYF39Z1Xw8tHGvdvLFY3k/s3682/pristan%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2035" data-original-width="3682" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexG6NpuuD1n7aDW7hMW6ixS1esyExqp5MYIBfg4Px1NBaf7DKJfpCdmOu3qz_DfK2p40XSccwNbDYrD6wj6i277IHfzo0YMeIvwfBM48INwiGpefTIIFwyzKtFgrOc8Odd5h8Tuy14qKZV0o3Ylnd18bNZI5R408icXaYL-ZkYF39Z1Xw8tHGvdvLFY3k/w640-h354/pristan%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pristan beach, near Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roC7D5-GTJU" target="_blank">Funny short video of ducks trying to swim against the current in Pristan</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Karakol town had a charming personality, and it was pleasant to amble through different streets visiting the few sights and seeing how people lived in such a far flung town. The highlight of Karakol town was the handsome old Russian "gingerbread" houses, with their ornate wooden exteriors.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj84MHxr9OZIOqd0m0KIs3WLPSelzwUq3XDRHeaZegufj6Ck6XI7A_anBKosPvy6LJFBcK9G-9qeDZAwp1RQfsFgbGEynRVeJcdDa8rorkqNsAtHP-nltoK-LtzgVtCQX6tkTBkG27zwAYbjqYlDSdrlBSUUejfFevhNXnDa8pqf1_wGWwtkANqZokO7E/s4054/russian%20houses%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2282" data-original-width="4054" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj84MHxr9OZIOqd0m0KIs3WLPSelzwUq3XDRHeaZegufj6Ck6XI7A_anBKosPvy6LJFBcK9G-9qeDZAwp1RQfsFgbGEynRVeJcdDa8rorkqNsAtHP-nltoK-LtzgVtCQX6tkTBkG27zwAYbjqYlDSdrlBSUUejfFevhNXnDa8pqf1_wGWwtkANqZokO7E/w640-h360/russian%20houses%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving the blue shutters, old Russian house in Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2dGJEka6665tpyOiN3uDJCTuaJJ8d8Ayz8Uk-TvZlY_n5wnO4vUJWV40_1yIkAC-ubuwg5qTrA31km6oyKlXGW0rDqmQyXxkw1MA_lfJAw5FwiFgy_zBCaqsCMThbNGCRuMhOioUm7OCLBh7EcmJ8KdvpZ3Y_jjMsBHbSdLHArmS_jv5FTCFkbsnDxgD/s3948/russian%20houses%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2206" data-original-width="3948" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2dGJEka6665tpyOiN3uDJCTuaJJ8d8Ayz8Uk-TvZlY_n5wnO4vUJWV40_1yIkAC-ubuwg5qTrA31km6oyKlXGW0rDqmQyXxkw1MA_lfJAw5FwiFgy_zBCaqsCMThbNGCRuMhOioUm7OCLBh7EcmJ8KdvpZ3Y_jjMsBHbSdLHArmS_jv5FTCFkbsnDxgD/w640-h358/russian%20houses%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one needed a bit of love, Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_92lkIUryCaELNqUV6zTqKMN9JH26nLpa5d7dKzPdU8vo1MARqB0-jGkeUT-6m0nnuTOdgKeed6bG2uKr7VnKlSMd6Ss54mgoFjIZXp98wsmcQY4uZHlvguVgIR9QU9OeH5n0zzvE4-3O4BFhOmMEu61g7zyvAmvVBp5mMdtFY0OkGmJKJFsaYqHfzF8o/s5184/karakol.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_92lkIUryCaELNqUV6zTqKMN9JH26nLpa5d7dKzPdU8vo1MARqB0-jGkeUT-6m0nnuTOdgKeed6bG2uKr7VnKlSMd6Ss54mgoFjIZXp98wsmcQY4uZHlvguVgIR9QU9OeH5n0zzvE4-3O4BFhOmMEu61g7zyvAmvVBp5mMdtFY0OkGmJKJFsaYqHfzF8o/w640-h426/karakol.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berries, Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nC4ujrpgk0cFvHZ0TXO_RnqaergCO5gaomSXySOwE5SGx5ykATEvRcka7-XIEzGpuFKacWfTz0P0J2NzaWPt72zZ7apvIGCNx6feJB9vmwIIqfL0nImFA10EHubeeQCqK99ESN7cC20M2bMKW5OvZ1Hmfo1CEXtVx1GsAzWGT7GFvNfe7thBKwVS6ZMT/s5184/river%20walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nC4ujrpgk0cFvHZ0TXO_RnqaergCO5gaomSXySOwE5SGx5ykATEvRcka7-XIEzGpuFKacWfTz0P0J2NzaWPt72zZ7apvIGCNx6feJB9vmwIIqfL0nImFA10EHubeeQCqK99ESN7cC20M2bMKW5OvZ1Hmfo1CEXtVx1GsAzWGT7GFvNfe7thBKwVS6ZMT/w640-h426/river%20walk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpupSAQK-H3Wnrg70oe5KmvOF4EJZ1Pgki3qsgWY5g5O7JZOnaQ80qgdz8rWXlcpG9J6jlaLGsVFgJSJUzBRS_NUftsfN2offxB80Pe_i5gJZEZOAppAXxPFMMQUEjqRHBTlZvN64kQiP75YoI4MZO5RVjzdfaMqJvyzSIOkZ3dhEQEGAPiYepijz5FXd/s4080/russian%20houses%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpupSAQK-H3Wnrg70oe5KmvOF4EJZ1Pgki3qsgWY5g5O7JZOnaQ80qgdz8rWXlcpG9J6jlaLGsVFgJSJUzBRS_NUftsfN2offxB80Pe_i5gJZEZOAppAXxPFMMQUEjqRHBTlZvN64kQiP75YoI4MZO5RVjzdfaMqJvyzSIOkZ3dhEQEGAPiYepijz5FXd/w640-h360/russian%20houses%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This beauty was next door to our hostel, Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL69Y-YruaX2UpMlBbD_GVdB9Gnkzy1f_fnhnVwMmtlqaXc9yOZ3VHZdfRbpMppVdrVA8KVf-kziCMjrSHq3ljQIY75C4gixBvghW4e601L2-ph2USzwcy-8Ulm6A0Yi7xbHxSI5BQUQyW5leRv0i8BMxczmtx3KxhB6g7m8Ld3fpn53StjtdxAi38IRu/s2560/russian%20houses.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL69Y-YruaX2UpMlBbD_GVdB9Gnkzy1f_fnhnVwMmtlqaXc9yOZ3VHZdfRbpMppVdrVA8KVf-kziCMjrSHq3ljQIY75C4gixBvghW4e601L2-ph2USzwcy-8Ulm6A0Yi7xbHxSI5BQUQyW5leRv0i8BMxczmtx3KxhB6g7m8Ld3fpn53StjtdxAi38IRu/w640-h360/russian%20houses.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many of the old Russian houses had these porches, Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3msXhUBnK6Tpb4j-6LVel3TtSgtu27shcRbyx5pptHZ08LBvnwxYGy7NIefFFyglR0hN0abQsc5j0jYsb5M1a-P69_8frlt9R0JXqEkWJGZEAN-DcGrwGz1UYTl04Yxsr6gyTFFj5uPCyRVlr-MfnasE5eaeV-xzlY7_me7x9tcLEL59UdE3zHj13Xr5/s980/issyk-kul-map.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="980" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3msXhUBnK6Tpb4j-6LVel3TtSgtu27shcRbyx5pptHZ08LBvnwxYGy7NIefFFyglR0hN0abQsc5j0jYsb5M1a-P69_8frlt9R0JXqEkWJGZEAN-DcGrwGz1UYTl04Yxsr6gyTFFj5uPCyRVlr-MfnasE5eaeV-xzlY7_me7x9tcLEL59UdE3zHj13Xr5/w640-h344/issyk-kul-map.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our way to Karakol along Issyk Kol's southern route</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYoOEKqG3595GQV-gKPe3J5hzZl4qSdE5yYCh7b5L9d1-EU6n6vp62TvmF60oJXJN-tkSiax9zow7S6-pa62WQBMWib8q77llsDYrUCNqhWz99Oj6SN8mZs-iSPz1OqvbwSI7YLuqxG-tKzrIH6MJtQZEcwcIdMy_i1Pea1kNAaPaSs7tItLwDOR-GWVk/s4080/20230619_122005%20karakol.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYoOEKqG3595GQV-gKPe3J5hzZl4qSdE5yYCh7b5L9d1-EU6n6vp62TvmF60oJXJN-tkSiax9zow7S6-pa62WQBMWib8q77llsDYrUCNqhWz99Oj6SN8mZs-iSPz1OqvbwSI7YLuqxG-tKzrIH6MJtQZEcwcIdMy_i1Pea1kNAaPaSs7tItLwDOR-GWVk/w640-h360/20230619_122005%20karakol.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers galore, landscape around Karakol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div>As previously talked about, Richard was extremely enamoured with the Sunday animal market in Karakol. On our last visit, we dropped in twice- the chilly September mornings creating a fantastic atmosphere. This time, Rich again visited twice- once with new friends from the hostel and once solo. Being summer, the light and ambience was not quite as wonderful as before, but he still enjoyed taking pictures, drinking shots of early morning vodka, and hanging out with some local guys who spoke English. We are creating a special animal market blog, so there will be pictures galore there........</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOhiYeCPw1o52t8xkPKVnJ2vbwvypIecGxD_G4hKnegxA5ChrH7qwU2bl5kETMsW2NREsIUH5BQdccCJlTecjnLEgbrSfO1c1aeKhosjPetOvGv6dfxxojmvS0p2wAIIgjGT6zQUxA_xlOhM7LGQEsv60FMLKJq99_rZf_POR-d13m4JontOBRXPfi8Y5/s4142/b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="4142" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOhiYeCPw1o52t8xkPKVnJ2vbwvypIecGxD_G4hKnegxA5ChrH7qwU2bl5kETMsW2NREsIUH5BQdccCJlTecjnLEgbrSfO1c1aeKhosjPetOvGv6dfxxojmvS0p2wAIIgjGT6zQUxA_xlOhM7LGQEsv60FMLKJq99_rZf_POR-d13m4JontOBRXPfi8Y5/w640-h370/b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frisky horses for sale, Karakol animal market</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_dvlXJzJ5w0i68SNbRm2Zy-i37i1ICE0bbvd4NjMIiJfkcaHBc323_YdkoAAmXjEYYlEPz96Etbi4iGyBP9BvlfsI5HLkyfjXET6QRSANU_337qKAAc00vu5cdMlFK6oPl1J4uPgaKNP8rBEQMNy0lG7dPqLf0jdQwTBe1gw35b5k9idYPGrzVIi9jXO/s5184/IMG_9735.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_dvlXJzJ5w0i68SNbRm2Zy-i37i1ICE0bbvd4NjMIiJfkcaHBc323_YdkoAAmXjEYYlEPz96Etbi4iGyBP9BvlfsI5HLkyfjXET6QRSANU_337qKAAc00vu5cdMlFK6oPl1J4uPgaKNP8rBEQMNy0lG7dPqLf0jdQwTBe1gw35b5k9idYPGrzVIi9jXO/w640-h426/IMG_9735.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another done deal, Karakol animal market</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/07/animal-magnetism-kyrgyzstans-rural.html" target="_blank">........next up, a special report on Kyrgyzstan's animal markets.......</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-46156699619127150122023-06-28T09:46:00.001+08:002023-07-09T12:04:55.575+08:00 BIG HUGS AND SILLY HATS - Issyk-Kol, Kyrgyzstan<p><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/06/stoney-faces-at-tower-bishkek-and.html" target="_blank"> <i>.......previously, our wanderings in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek, and Tokmok.............</i></a></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdx7ceWq6HS-2eBBh-9FUxyNDzy6BbWMeMSDjXPGTDqI7H8Eh83QFBllmbYqGqSOGFTP9VvvY5nRRq0a8WMb0eV59EiGzkagAo8XSaK_MUUf_CMBXt2_JtrmwRTPs_fXZLfeTp97lMxWoWHbIpnb_eq4jjvQwKSrPYYpx_CMOia2hfg3M0cug0mRx9Pw/s2280/homestay%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2170" data-original-width="2280" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdx7ceWq6HS-2eBBh-9FUxyNDzy6BbWMeMSDjXPGTDqI7H8Eh83QFBllmbYqGqSOGFTP9VvvY5nRRq0a8WMb0eV59EiGzkagAo8XSaK_MUUf_CMBXt2_JtrmwRTPs_fXZLfeTp97lMxWoWHbIpnb_eq4jjvQwKSrPYYpx_CMOia2hfg3M0cug0mRx9Pw/w640-h610/homestay%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich getting into the Kyrgyz spirit!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>We had sussed out the leaving area for the <i>marshrutka </i>from Tokmok to Issyk-Kol, a large lake in the east of Kyrgyzstan. As we boarded we were relieved to see two seats together, and noticed an Indian couple sitting in the back. There is a fair population of South Asians living in Central Asia, especially Kyrgyzstan, due to the popularity of studying at the many universities there. It is a much cheaper way for them to complete their education than travelling to the "West". Luckily, the vehicle filled up quickly, and we were on our way. Almost immediately, the three respectable-looking middle aged women on the back seat broke out their bottle of vodka, and shared it with Rich, who was sitting next to them. By the end of the trip, there were a lot of red cheeks in the bus! We had been apprehensive about the journey, as we remembered the crazy drivers from our last trip, when several times we thought we might die at the hands of the reckless and speeding driver. Things had changed in the ensuing few years, however, and now speed cameras and heavy fines applied to anyone caught speeding, and the threat of punishment seemed to be an effective deterrent. As it was, the driver was steady and safe, and we only had one stop for wees/drinks on the 2 hour journey. </p><p>The best experience of our trip to Kyrgyzstan six years previously had been our stay with a lovely family in the untouristy village of Kara Koo on the southern shores of Issky-Kol. We wrote an <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/09/stinky-poos-and-mountain-views-southern.html" target="_blank">entire blog post</a> dedicated to the stay back then. What we didn't realize now, was that the family had moved to Bishkek to live for most of the year, due to Asel's work, and only arrived to stay back in their village house during the summer months. However, upon receiving a message that we would be arriving the following day, they quickly packed up their belongings and came to Kara Koo to open their home early, especially for us. Of course, we were terribly embarrassed they had made such a huge effort for us, and wondered why they hadn't told us- we could easily have come later. They just really wanted to see us. We had been their first visitors when they opened their home to guests, and although they had had a steady stream of intrepid travellers staying before the Covidian BS, they insisted we had been their favourites!</p><p>They met us off the bus, and Nargiza ran to us to give us big hugs. She quickly disappeared into the shops, emerging with bags full of food and we set off for home. The kids also gave us enthusiastic hugs- the two older ones we remembered, and the two little ones were new arrivals to the family. So cute and not a word of English. Asel spoke a little, although not for such a long time, and we got by. They all spent hours preparing the house, mostly for us probably, vacuuming, tidying, cleaning and cooking an instant feast. We remembered what amazing food we had experienced in the house before, and even with all the kids, Nargiza still prepared some delectable meals. So sweet, she asked us what foods we would like. Rich, as usual, said he loved anything with potatoes and for the next few days we enjoyed a potato fest, including an awesome breakfast of fried potatoes, two huge piles of them! </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO452-64PTd0DHPH3wquXWw1heSCZo10ZQBTL374Ao5i3ddBqLhKxLKyMg0ckKgtSH33sjwId35XgjDShL_yvwfvGegVP0kPXzsoh1g2vzR3Vvt7JxjfvqTzBtzFFIrpjle02MFntppyIq_IrWjvtSdhbAiW7CFzzSKvILLr9JvwoEwHPIr4i4KnxrJg/s3406/homestay%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="3406" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO452-64PTd0DHPH3wquXWw1heSCZo10ZQBTL374Ao5i3ddBqLhKxLKyMg0ckKgtSH33sjwId35XgjDShL_yvwfvGegVP0kPXzsoh1g2vzR3Vvt7JxjfvqTzBtzFFIrpjle02MFntppyIq_IrWjvtSdhbAiW7CFzzSKvILLr9JvwoEwHPIr4i4KnxrJg/w640-h368/homestay%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Number two son, and view from the village house, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDS-0ntHIuSPvs7CAGIAHblTvoz1tU_vHKWB5PbrzhjmOtBY8Q-bnj3S5ks9flNjNHL1Q70n_2sLv-3gxvlYDqi6yi8o8WkJ3yLbQ4K-Di8yXhKmmEWcjLmkpaN1YPzM8ck6uqBVeBJmJotqGMUCVjPada1YkREnuIhy-u0amtqdHykAf4lg00-VO5yw/s3657/homestay%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3657" data-original-width="2271" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDS-0ntHIuSPvs7CAGIAHblTvoz1tU_vHKWB5PbrzhjmOtBY8Q-bnj3S5ks9flNjNHL1Q70n_2sLv-3gxvlYDqi6yi8o8WkJ3yLbQ4K-Di8yXhKmmEWcjLmkpaN1YPzM8ck6uqBVeBJmJotqGMUCVjPada1YkREnuIhy-u0amtqdHykAf4lg00-VO5yw/w398-h640/homestay%20(3).jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the fabulous concoctions from Nargiza's kitchen</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Z8zfBScpLk9NLhruXUUhU28UCFMKxlERa7RrdFYkvSVqmHAOWfCMoryMYNyFGjETTZLdmaPGy98Wk7o5RUvDPdpppn4Retw8ZFmjdiY2op_wnu1_w4cK4A51viuTOrm0O-BboPevfmtVIevx9D8PwIMbSdtCGVnq4rH4D-Z5FGRkECb2_OwroSufxA/s4080/homestay%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Z8zfBScpLk9NLhruXUUhU28UCFMKxlERa7RrdFYkvSVqmHAOWfCMoryMYNyFGjETTZLdmaPGy98Wk7o5RUvDPdpppn4Retw8ZFmjdiY2op_wnu1_w4cK4A51viuTOrm0O-BboPevfmtVIevx9D8PwIMbSdtCGVnq4rH4D-Z5FGRkECb2_OwroSufxA/w640-h360/homestay%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The simple kitchen</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaCpzcjSK6P76tC1kJZQ8uzUguj6TXmi-b-jud1OT_h4zeD4ECbQANlAxCANzIW46zqzOpsn8ADcFF6tNBTI_EvklXbdzRMgdtCew5nfPyG9Te0guaL5rHTqXSq541qD5jChftwBN2Mr9CsoGxzNGTosy_wbYn-064kmrr8pS_aKHiaSl8sMsKOSHMw/s4080/homestay%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaCpzcjSK6P76tC1kJZQ8uzUguj6TXmi-b-jud1OT_h4zeD4ECbQANlAxCANzIW46zqzOpsn8ADcFF6tNBTI_EvklXbdzRMgdtCew5nfPyG9Te0guaL5rHTqXSq541qD5jChftwBN2Mr9CsoGxzNGTosy_wbYn-064kmrr8pS_aKHiaSl8sMsKOSHMw/w640-h360/homestay%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our potato themed breakfast, yum!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The village house was absolutely freezing at night, and we were slightly concerned about keeping warm. However, after a hot meal and tea, and with our new purchases of thick jackets from Bishkek, and the heavy quilts on the beds, we were super snug and slept like babies.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSbQ0JiNylAqB9_BpV7hOUa0aC2oI2WvmrXYTkF_B_qauWEzpWbgw6cvlYdIUzxNyWaN1m4CONuLSC3zeWbloikB_1z6LTsRkkF2e1TCoDuap8hGJBUGpZR5HB6SgyjBHWZXUYd7TqoAGgRLy-5lMXmukFna8MpesIgEV96E8A7QQiJjB6soNcvCwFw/s4080/homestay%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSbQ0JiNylAqB9_BpV7hOUa0aC2oI2WvmrXYTkF_B_qauWEzpWbgw6cvlYdIUzxNyWaN1m4CONuLSC3zeWbloikB_1z6LTsRkkF2e1TCoDuap8hGJBUGpZR5HB6SgyjBHWZXUYd7TqoAGgRLy-5lMXmukFna8MpesIgEV96E8A7QQiJjB6soNcvCwFw/w640-h360/homestay%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piles of quilts in our room in Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We spent our few days there relaxing with the family, walking in the village and out into the hills to enjoy the viewpoints of the mountains which were much more dramatic on this visit. Around every corner was another stunning view with the snow capped mountains peeking through.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDrI_XT-qp0WnXr7QbNzDTPLTr_0SWqB_ehgtii-lrRpO3YmiKphJlNILFs1qwpHN0lmmJG871f2txSPb4w8s1kfO-yj-n9iM5YCKyCegx_4n7kSxb0Kuw_3CbLflTfJu3IOtSqXMYYreklPnYqZkT1jDPB8zFFpg6Fliz1t9bfH-Q_ZMed2YhYg96Q/s4080/scenery%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDrI_XT-qp0WnXr7QbNzDTPLTr_0SWqB_ehgtii-lrRpO3YmiKphJlNILFs1qwpHN0lmmJG871f2txSPb4w8s1kfO-yj-n9iM5YCKyCegx_4n7kSxb0Kuw_3CbLflTfJu3IOtSqXMYYreklPnYqZkT1jDPB8zFFpg6Fliz1t9bfH-Q_ZMed2YhYg96Q/w640-h360/scenery%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a breather, walking around Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEcZNdkOaMC6FiI70EdTCGPFST4_JsYWljepJVPIo5c1QbCIv3mQf5rAxYskbkXimbFYpR6s7l3cpFe_fpi9wtSHPZt2PCXuR17ZjiK382-2ZWVPM6Z1AgQGlOfESM7iXfeZ6P2rnLRrIgoJiABDZ1Ojf3miUUg7V-iho6gE_ymdIABAbyyKfyTQBXg/s5184/scenery%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEcZNdkOaMC6FiI70EdTCGPFST4_JsYWljepJVPIo5c1QbCIv3mQf5rAxYskbkXimbFYpR6s7l3cpFe_fpi9wtSHPZt2PCXuR17ZjiK382-2ZWVPM6Z1AgQGlOfESM7iXfeZ6P2rnLRrIgoJiABDZ1Ojf3miUUg7V-iho6gE_ymdIABAbyyKfyTQBXg/w640-h426/scenery%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning view of the surrounding mountains, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Z25VZ9OwvhXbkM2K_19fS6nTmIycFBHE8NBGP9dLtqzRpuFDdj8YFw5UnYNy3OJG-6X3IgcRMrHU3cI8lH4EmgAE3_7waGHnfeyAUjdCcRo_PX_nsKkpcShdJdXYKYg7mnFN_1ZGgW1CkPyePPeGmUYol7rr8w5JGMPu5-JSFiEVQlDl0UqyVNnbUQ/s5184/scenery%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="5184" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Z25VZ9OwvhXbkM2K_19fS6nTmIycFBHE8NBGP9dLtqzRpuFDdj8YFw5UnYNy3OJG-6X3IgcRMrHU3cI8lH4EmgAE3_7waGHnfeyAUjdCcRo_PX_nsKkpcShdJdXYKYg7mnFN_1ZGgW1CkPyePPeGmUYol7rr8w5JGMPu5-JSFiEVQlDl0UqyVNnbUQ/w640-h360/scenery%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village graveyard, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_M_FB6onwxzKs2lk088IzC7M8PSzxajaaY-bDEUTrE-lIKvKPgDv0RTgzyCdRMqWEK46Kv5_Xkp2gl7e5wvIfWopk90vvck93ORR8Jdo1dGEv3-ZNqSW8D9tZK690gP26u0DnAWB7p8TaOGCohB0gogUrhMRPelYQXrc2bloyBdb1yM9j1XboO0RSg/s4184/village%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3093" data-original-width="4184" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_M_FB6onwxzKs2lk088IzC7M8PSzxajaaY-bDEUTrE-lIKvKPgDv0RTgzyCdRMqWEK46Kv5_Xkp2gl7e5wvIfWopk90vvck93ORR8Jdo1dGEv3-ZNqSW8D9tZK690gP26u0DnAWB7p8TaOGCohB0gogUrhMRPelYQXrc2bloyBdb1yM9j1XboO0RSg/w640-h474/village%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village kid, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V3gTAJbhZHOwdVSKO9VS6L4gOMt_mBLpkWXx-AZplrdmsegxvGBS7e8b02BtrHBpUA2AWP7DbNlBlvfe75yt_8eNSBq_Tw7AXPI-eMJ4LUPPdGSprhTMG37tU35alQoVaJ8KKSEWz8d4-UcK3O4XR8NYYh9bQ4YLGMZUmiaD4AwKHvxVIEbptkPVng/s5184/village%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V3gTAJbhZHOwdVSKO9VS6L4gOMt_mBLpkWXx-AZplrdmsegxvGBS7e8b02BtrHBpUA2AWP7DbNlBlvfe75yt_8eNSBq_Tw7AXPI-eMJ4LUPPdGSprhTMG37tU35alQoVaJ8KKSEWz8d4-UcK3O4XR8NYYh9bQ4YLGMZUmiaD4AwKHvxVIEbptkPVng/w640-h426/village%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical village home, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vhSv264_HND_zsymLVRAdNiQxdFCeSYctjKAQ-TMO7UBSGDXulSdm-Lq6QDNs-RAn4hRBbQGxwB_Vemf1TfKebSZTebRwH1VR1SwmNkU3KgxeyjFhyRj72KU-zjPIabeZtjSOkxDqX3-eQlgkb8dCnMZ4fuYLiF2VTx03fyPiB5rVbBkd777n2vWQTOJ/s5184/kara%20koo%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vhSv264_HND_zsymLVRAdNiQxdFCeSYctjKAQ-TMO7UBSGDXulSdm-Lq6QDNs-RAn4hRBbQGxwB_Vemf1TfKebSZTebRwH1VR1SwmNkU3KgxeyjFhyRj72KU-zjPIabeZtjSOkxDqX3-eQlgkb8dCnMZ4fuYLiF2VTx03fyPiB5rVbBkd777n2vWQTOJ/w640-h426/kara%20koo%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mending the fence, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lamXNkYzQ9_vzYpO5U2ZMWCQz_1s2qPRoPH-0oCrJpzB3BctLuOxVsRVe0iOeqnlHX_wKiJW0Z9C5ICwBPtCTaI097kkyJOgR_ycTSxqa23P5QmCnljUSIzehUqKNYBdrWLYjSoEc_NfABILadbv_T-StmH7OQyvjCfxwvYsYraDxhQvOA712sQCtQ/s4078/scenery%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1627" data-original-width="4078" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lamXNkYzQ9_vzYpO5U2ZMWCQz_1s2qPRoPH-0oCrJpzB3BctLuOxVsRVe0iOeqnlHX_wKiJW0Z9C5ICwBPtCTaI097kkyJOgR_ycTSxqa23P5QmCnljUSIzehUqKNYBdrWLYjSoEc_NfABILadbv_T-StmH7OQyvjCfxwvYsYraDxhQvOA712sQCtQ/w640-h256/scenery%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich with mountain backdrop, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXi189zmVBRDP4s467FuftWbeileVWtUVLth032LObaVVj_LakWihFiF0AAdooB2xswYz2Q0NLcgYgAfs58u2oNcq4u2e9BvIE_Xan5gA4Ae76ucy5OOi6OOJgPrYYfnso-GQLy7-jsEoe_kGEsSeURlnlfyI1Iv4vrLANoBAsnkt2zETf3tN1Cq7fg/s4080/village%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXi189zmVBRDP4s467FuftWbeileVWtUVLth032LObaVVj_LakWihFiF0AAdooB2xswYz2Q0NLcgYgAfs58u2oNcq4u2e9BvIE_Xan5gA4Ae76ucy5OOi6OOJgPrYYfnso-GQLy7-jsEoe_kGEsSeURlnlfyI1Iv4vrLANoBAsnkt2zETf3tN1Cq7fg/w640-h360/village%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village view, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRC778NmR56J6whCNCyMsByqwfRIrrecJ86xTkpJ6i9EC_n7gP9-gv1BOrUxnxgLwssxnEv77kvFSRl3kv68wxmr3vZ6g9UU6Mr83fmIZSY0EnqGiY1gncwkOXh_4TNOzBr0pwX7wSLrXIhT6xTeUO4A72DyEOLTMK0f3Txs095yUIAIXJs-B-OJxlLw/s5184/village%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRC778NmR56J6whCNCyMsByqwfRIrrecJ86xTkpJ6i9EC_n7gP9-gv1BOrUxnxgLwssxnEv77kvFSRl3kv68wxmr3vZ6g9UU6Mr83fmIZSY0EnqGiY1gncwkOXh_4TNOzBr0pwX7wSLrXIhT6xTeUO4A72DyEOLTMK0f3Txs095yUIAIXJs-B-OJxlLw/w640-h426/village%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light streaming into a barn, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGPoZfcuo6OJZptwSZ-c9c8-8U2Anhc5iqzK2h48exCuzhTQK6AWlzdGjYWor3HnRMlD0RPpao6H4QC29o7IzjoGsUMxvC_WB2K_G4SgJUGIXuiuppAtdRmt4XqeyrpS0QWZkx2hpIoT7WteH96fzYQxLr9s0k9Cp7PC7_OqB7uroCzRW_RJjziWbsA/s3581/village%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1786" data-original-width="3581" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGPoZfcuo6OJZptwSZ-c9c8-8U2Anhc5iqzK2h48exCuzhTQK6AWlzdGjYWor3HnRMlD0RPpao6H4QC29o7IzjoGsUMxvC_WB2K_G4SgJUGIXuiuppAtdRmt4XqeyrpS0QWZkx2hpIoT7WteH96fzYQxLr9s0k9Cp7PC7_OqB7uroCzRW_RJjziWbsA/w640-h320/village%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back street of Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On our eventual departure the family refused to take any money for our stay- we had to press the cash into their hands and insist. They had even bought us gifts of a <i>kalpak </i>(tall white Kyrgyz hat)<i> </i>for Rich and a scarf for Sal. With Nagiza in tears, we left, promising to return again one day. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62n9igN76ppHN0LuzXF9d3caaHb5EpXatpbvm9oseaahyL46XtoeG6NVGi_tye8drLEoWTlvCAXvU9TlfsZrCBSZ4nK3ZjRzcIk43M16E8xjCiyq7dEPkXFkgsFOZ-RYdRD3a3EClI39tU5iUAO4ZB7JFPRzfQNx44XkJWxQWKa6jjUH1wsNkzB83qvsX/s5184/kara%20koo%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62n9igN76ppHN0LuzXF9d3caaHb5EpXatpbvm9oseaahyL46XtoeG6NVGi_tye8drLEoWTlvCAXvU9TlfsZrCBSZ4nK3ZjRzcIk43M16E8xjCiyq7dEPkXFkgsFOZ-RYdRD3a3EClI39tU5iUAO4ZB7JFPRzfQNx44XkJWxQWKa6jjUH1wsNkzB83qvsX/w640-h426/kara%20koo%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely daughter of the family, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit52p_xN9G-ZW6NHYeJ5ekNJZ1oLnhmL_JnQYKW_garo0qpr9jwAQhsQm-L5z_5zRZLB-2chGhdB6XheSQRU-mVYDQdei5CasOCPjtVHb9zwS5gWkP_5390FCKMHpZe3hl2pwxgRm_WfQTvaO8zHnFknSQUcLnPWrxHCcLBYAmWNN9KDgF--5SZBhmbg/s3808/scenery%20(3).jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="3808" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit52p_xN9G-ZW6NHYeJ5ekNJZ1oLnhmL_JnQYKW_garo0qpr9jwAQhsQm-L5z_5zRZLB-2chGhdB6XheSQRU-mVYDQdei5CasOCPjtVHb9zwS5gWkP_5390FCKMHpZe3hl2pwxgRm_WfQTvaO8zHnFknSQUcLnPWrxHCcLBYAmWNN9KDgF--5SZBhmbg/w640-h316/scenery%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLiQeRTK3RkgIAHBN4eWhiMNhtarwUE1cBftUtLtWqoYiLbr2beXz3-J7cDoJUj9EKOs68kNz6efWsFyraZTsJXHwB9ZmX_ckEQhlLhqpuIFQbTF0UXcPU05edUaT4tTu9u8_8e6ylf51vfuBoXBpV5ev7oyZR8AqrDo44Pb6pzt7WfzNhcoxQ3BswA/s2821/village%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1984" data-original-width="2821" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLiQeRTK3RkgIAHBN4eWhiMNhtarwUE1cBftUtLtWqoYiLbr2beXz3-J7cDoJUj9EKOs68kNz6efWsFyraZTsJXHwB9ZmX_ckEQhlLhqpuIFQbTF0UXcPU05edUaT4tTu9u8_8e6ylf51vfuBoXBpV5ev7oyZR8AqrDo44Pb6pzt7WfzNhcoxQ3BswA/w640-h450/village%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little village donkey, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GEaygaLSQqcxrAz-hsIqwTcbN1n7LzXZ0_pEpwuMf55Wdk1lp_aa5XMw7nFOG-jpw19z9wgjdlM1oyry2W_VlPvCe0Xjr9QOhGlsHgb-8Tfnr7Au7tkI31ApEcSrZHmg3e9btmZerma-DqcMARi9Uo_NA6YMB8qzH589Pc0RANMC0P3Gy7bLXzb3xp31/s5184/kara%20koo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GEaygaLSQqcxrAz-hsIqwTcbN1n7LzXZ0_pEpwuMf55Wdk1lp_aa5XMw7nFOG-jpw19z9wgjdlM1oyry2W_VlPvCe0Xjr9QOhGlsHgb-8Tfnr7Au7tkI31ApEcSrZHmg3e9btmZerma-DqcMARi9Uo_NA6YMB8qzH589Pc0RANMC0P3Gy7bLXzb3xp31/w640-h426/kara%20koo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photogenic old truck, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YJe-WMe4pnkJgJY_NAOAxLLWESfUY3EeB_QheLGB1xH_em7aCrhLLDMB_KkFwnTSvpkoygflrAy2abLZwqf05VpLYU9Y2p-UyO5sFOQXMYgzhBLv2gKy-CK3SdCEwuwwWEhQHRD4OxuZLIkPT66_9_oxDOLoroMG98PQBhI51wk5E7CPnT2QkDX5bITE/s5184/kara%20koo%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YJe-WMe4pnkJgJY_NAOAxLLWESfUY3EeB_QheLGB1xH_em7aCrhLLDMB_KkFwnTSvpkoygflrAy2abLZwqf05VpLYU9Y2p-UyO5sFOQXMYgzhBLv2gKy-CK3SdCEwuwwWEhQHRD4OxuZLIkPT66_9_oxDOLoroMG98PQBhI51wk5E7CPnT2QkDX5bITE/w640-h426/kara%20koo%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful blooms, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p>A vague idea to stay in a yurt on the lake was next on the agenda, although we quickly changed our minds when we arrived in Tong, another tiny village on the south side of Issyk Kol. It was so early in the season, there were no tourists around and the atmosphere was decidedly dead. The yurts in the beach camps looked so pathetic, unwelcoming and ungenuine- nothing like the yurts we had seen in the wild valleys in other parts of Kyrgyzstan. Instead, Rich's intuition led us to a wonderful place in the village with brand new rooms overlooking their orchard, Issyk Kol and the mountains, hosted by an enthusiastic family. As we had turned up out of the blue, they immediately began rushing around around making beds, turning on the hot water, bringing us chairs and table to enjoy the view from the balcony. Pot plants appeared and eventually the WIFI was switched on, and we were very happy we had found such a agreeable spot. We had access to a tiny kitchen downstairs, and we enjoyed a break from the huge meals of Kara Koo, and ate simply in the evenings. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrNI-yusQEM5mx0XkTfB2QUAMNo3SOlixLehejXY6Z-TyqCDz1bjgONhoMGJviyfjqV7ysFxaq9bUNZaDcPskqNWBZ_OP-OAKzOn7Xwhs9P6oCjNzwIWbSWH0jvrPZiPpIpGFxyt-aKAOHEmwFhc18lxU8pC3m41HCbxXFbCIWRQVFdy4x4BlGF850Q/s4080/20230604_073029.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrNI-yusQEM5mx0XkTfB2QUAMNo3SOlixLehejXY6Z-TyqCDz1bjgONhoMGJviyfjqV7ysFxaq9bUNZaDcPskqNWBZ_OP-OAKzOn7Xwhs9P6oCjNzwIWbSWH0jvrPZiPpIpGFxyt-aKAOHEmwFhc18lxU8pC3m41HCbxXFbCIWRQVFdy4x4BlGF850Q/w640-h360/20230604_073029.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our balcony, Tong, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5DpsJiaitP_S4-eb-Fh1z86wkWapGKMxMS18x35BUYSRedvG_mDofhWwVDJSxVXdzO2QvRp7aS2Rdt6YcdefS5Ehb6R5go2yJDOlUORuVWb1ttddF0pxIwDzpl3uIZrNpzdO9m481ebVPItO_gBe49Gg1X9JWFh-96LbiNIfcezHQ7ZVA7U4DabPZA/s4080/20230531_155037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5DpsJiaitP_S4-eb-Fh1z86wkWapGKMxMS18x35BUYSRedvG_mDofhWwVDJSxVXdzO2QvRp7aS2Rdt6YcdefS5Ehb6R5go2yJDOlUORuVWb1ttddF0pxIwDzpl3uIZrNpzdO9m481ebVPItO_gBe49Gg1X9JWFh-96LbiNIfcezHQ7ZVA7U4DabPZA/w640-h360/20230531_155037.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Set up just for us, Tong, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkgTk1pSbMwImkNbl-nJl7u_mMDWnIdvFbw87s6fbnKhMo6CJ5G2DrnYkfjD8MViBZq2TeBCGhbVgHvdkC1cFa8TVk8N5Q9axbqvhx2YpzttmyDfH6VWI2JDrw7KBrdnhrg9h-qBLSU-vALoJnFKyngF6PRb3G7njHSb7xi2NUAlJpVIpQDyZMoqljw/s4080/20230601_133841.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkgTk1pSbMwImkNbl-nJl7u_mMDWnIdvFbw87s6fbnKhMo6CJ5G2DrnYkfjD8MViBZq2TeBCGhbVgHvdkC1cFa8TVk8N5Q9axbqvhx2YpzttmyDfH6VWI2JDrw7KBrdnhrg9h-qBLSU-vALoJnFKyngF6PRb3G7njHSb7xi2NUAlJpVIpQDyZMoqljw/w640-h360/20230601_133841.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening pastime, Tong, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The weather was hazy and drizzly at times during our few days in Tong, and the lake was not at it's most attractive. Instead we explored the inland hills and discovered a gorgeous valley view, complete with horses, sheep and friendly shepherds.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKO2aUU6WygYxmZ7XD7E15WYJFR90hYpSpYMGkH4HKj-zv9Aa1tN6BkPMLiwKJLjRe9FUTRslN7P16dB7hropLse-QWWT4yOW-S2PgLaoQ1_Jt9AcgNh_SgDZCDyYwmQoRDWTz3NSLFnyIFDnnxWVW9fRhInRsN4qHSWOW2baxq8IKTs1TQWQ4zgI-A/s4080/20230601_122341.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKO2aUU6WygYxmZ7XD7E15WYJFR90hYpSpYMGkH4HKj-zv9Aa1tN6BkPMLiwKJLjRe9FUTRslN7P16dB7hropLse-QWWT4yOW-S2PgLaoQ1_Jt9AcgNh_SgDZCDyYwmQoRDWTz3NSLFnyIFDnnxWVW9fRhInRsN4qHSWOW2baxq8IKTs1TQWQ4zgI-A/w640-h360/20230601_122341.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich at the "beach", Tong, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQPBPxjaWLTCYGsAVhqjgtCXE5Hkkv6YEMs38Syn27GNLULzyNx92UXvMreW_0H41wxGdVmCpd6q1419iQavKkj017Cueuf6r1qjKHyxI58rO6WoSkX2ooIhgE4GdvUKe3zV8A6Pq9QZZJvlaN6JmKq63RAl5R9nVo37HzA9GULZZuCjvVhiunFxrmg/s5168/IMG_9645.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="5168" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQPBPxjaWLTCYGsAVhqjgtCXE5Hkkv6YEMs38Syn27GNLULzyNx92UXvMreW_0H41wxGdVmCpd6q1419iQavKkj017Cueuf6r1qjKHyxI58rO6WoSkX2ooIhgE4GdvUKe3zV8A6Pq9QZZJvlaN6JmKq63RAl5R9nVo37HzA9GULZZuCjvVhiunFxrmg/w640-h418/IMG_9645.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down on a scenic valley, Tong, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDSORbicdMV4j-hCQJXmcmek66lWTn22pJ9N7gUpEoDAVXGUJPiK2HtjfrFvHVZ9XAP1g21X1XUbox3L61kQ53IBvASYPhSPbdf2EN5PXfvOiThDl_xyixZZ2jiYYBUvXg4dJcBOa_xPfQV3nagIXleGUPEXS1Iwl933C7Rd2Jl1g7XGxUaZO-NhrTg/s5184/IMG_9652.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDSORbicdMV4j-hCQJXmcmek66lWTn22pJ9N7gUpEoDAVXGUJPiK2HtjfrFvHVZ9XAP1g21X1XUbox3L61kQ53IBvASYPhSPbdf2EN5PXfvOiThDl_xyixZZ2jiYYBUvXg4dJcBOa_xPfQV3nagIXleGUPEXS1Iwl933C7Rd2Jl1g7XGxUaZO-NhrTg/w640-h426/IMG_9652.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous views, Tong, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div>We looked forward to following up our modest stays on the southern shore of Issyk Kol, with a visit to Karakol, a beautiful place with fond memories for us. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9UX2uF9GYBeoTY7s7ccAtBtar6-S8drjuvMuZ8YgDWhcP39EZHq1j_tskTbIJUAvZPwsADLHmiWyDbUYJyiThp0dVo2SxD1LYO-pVeD-sA6VNP2D3P2H0yJvpSxebdBXP9VmvIV0cY1iRfWVYOUsxLg4UvMMRr3pHE_lPqWI7wWKPx-u_f9PSBcNnksX/s980/issyk-kul-map.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="980" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9UX2uF9GYBeoTY7s7ccAtBtar6-S8drjuvMuZ8YgDWhcP39EZHq1j_tskTbIJUAvZPwsADLHmiWyDbUYJyiThp0dVo2SxD1LYO-pVeD-sA6VNP2D3P2H0yJvpSxebdBXP9VmvIV0cY1iRfWVYOUsxLg4UvMMRr3pHE_lPqWI7wWKPx-u_f9PSBcNnksX/w640-h344/issyk-kul-map.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our route along Issyk Kol's southern route</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN9aA-o7tO1idPUXHsa-AtsE9He8MPkdL_YFQxNMk-TRrIxOmCfmNcvZIrHwK2bvBJMWmLQF7TV-JuYIgv0177oXzlL5Vb5uFJXkdDBkSJDZw6dZNv2fA468soe6CwGvgQ46_iphLgqPp6Y9-o1GeKCzJXvx8Y7nV54Th5lMbAtz1SB27OOj03o1DtA/s4080/scenery%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2021" data-original-width="4080" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN9aA-o7tO1idPUXHsa-AtsE9He8MPkdL_YFQxNMk-TRrIxOmCfmNcvZIrHwK2bvBJMWmLQF7TV-JuYIgv0177oXzlL5Vb5uFJXkdDBkSJDZw6dZNv2fA468soe6CwGvgQ46_iphLgqPp6Y9-o1GeKCzJXvx8Y7nV54Th5lMbAtz1SB27OOj03o1DtA/w640-h318/scenery%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich admiring the view, Kara Koo, Issyk Kol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/07/magic-of-far-side-karakol-kyrgyzstan.html" target="_blank">.........next up, Karakol town, on the far flung eastern shore of Issyk Kol.............</a></span></i></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-69576089214068328942023-06-17T14:58:00.001+08:002023-06-28T09:47:02.742+08:00STONEY FACES AT THE TOWER - Bishkek and Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/06/ghost-train-to-kyrgyzstan-shymkent-and.html" target="_blank">.....we last left you at the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.......</a></i></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbKZNByeXJlpIMqD2oiAul_DjMUgCaLAzZEK9Gg416eon8E4VxHDlinlrFjkqcVTbFedO7Or7DE-g_fKe90-TbTyW0ci5Djb9i7ex5x4DQYNyq7sYcNKFbqTn0E6FR5vx4pah1xmuKGbVzVGHRNHUmdi_0gv7onjtyq3kFc554WE7BT2iKZQOqLGYZg/s4080/burana%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbKZNByeXJlpIMqD2oiAul_DjMUgCaLAzZEK9Gg416eon8E4VxHDlinlrFjkqcVTbFedO7Or7DE-g_fKe90-TbTyW0ci5Djb9i7ex5x4DQYNyq7sYcNKFbqTn0E6FR5vx4pah1xmuKGbVzVGHRNHUmdi_0gv7onjtyq3kFc554WE7BT2iKZQOqLGYZg/w640-h360/burana%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burana Tower, Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXM332Q03NXRpchzn9WuLoISQgObyS9S5p46_YI5e7WGh64MrRswUuT9n5aNuUiHGnUSGsdaeVv5Psju2UsuDRsOEqdQJMVlkqwXlm6rXC42FJleussQWmGDcHE0FabMRqxcnWAyUtIZ0e4WTxz-RdrVOpmkYox6lS1uuNxtfSoR013B8vIxFf1PS2Qw/s3455/bishkek%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2285" data-original-width="3455" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXM332Q03NXRpchzn9WuLoISQgObyS9S5p46_YI5e7WGh64MrRswUuT9n5aNuUiHGnUSGsdaeVv5Psju2UsuDRsOEqdQJMVlkqwXlm6rXC42FJleussQWmGDcHE0FabMRqxcnWAyUtIZ0e4WTxz-RdrVOpmkYox6lS1uuNxtfSoR013B8vIxFf1PS2Qw/w640-h424/bishkek%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The last time we were in Bishkek was six years ago, and we didn't have particularly fond memories of the place for some reason. This visit, however, we appreciated the sights and sounds more, and loved the vibrant pace and people of the city. Elderly men in tall white Kyrgyz hats mixed with masses of modern university students. Wafts of great smelling food- bread baking and meat sizzling on the BBQ filled the air. Public transport was plentiful, easy and cheap, with fares being a standard 11 or 15 som (£0.10 - £0.13) for the big buses and marshrutkas respectively. The change of climate with drizzly days and cool nights was even pleasant contrast, and the green areas with parks galore was impressive and transformed the city into a relaxed place. Beautiful Bishkek!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJCaqMcxxZAPn7l0Un9c_r2hudUSg0DbEeLSDnjJMtHDtun45815hPcFpOyfz1CzUhaJo_SHpXNFZ6h4dCTilbHWzboUBZv3GaDoiDaqfNcdqmqJMpTfV-dF4op0yJZfHgu_q57SnQxEE2JKmpBnCEuYvNm_-aFsRMTVFSVhVlekmlvlFnMwIf6q92g/s4080/bishkek%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJCaqMcxxZAPn7l0Un9c_r2hudUSg0DbEeLSDnjJMtHDtun45815hPcFpOyfz1CzUhaJo_SHpXNFZ6h4dCTilbHWzboUBZv3GaDoiDaqfNcdqmqJMpTfV-dF4op0yJZfHgu_q57SnQxEE2JKmpBnCEuYvNm_-aFsRMTVFSVhVlekmlvlFnMwIf6q92g/w640-h360/bishkek%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast, <i>samsa </i>and <i>chay</i>, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOySZyKY9zayCVbKHFqnOe3DCfiFTkWE8qvS0hmg6CfMiSuHHVMTqI3_o0npi65_GB_H2PI2NuuCtoOXLG5867d046Hdexn-Eqfn5DEAHvQTA52PDNu6Io-Vf5JnxEjgtUeEgHiexfkebO3KHoNJdVqanuXST9QmZSI1dqrqy8zDiseTOP9iSrwQttw/s4000/bishkek%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOySZyKY9zayCVbKHFqnOe3DCfiFTkWE8qvS0hmg6CfMiSuHHVMTqI3_o0npi65_GB_H2PI2NuuCtoOXLG5867d046Hdexn-Eqfn5DEAHvQTA52PDNu6Io-Vf5JnxEjgtUeEgHiexfkebO3KHoNJdVqanuXST9QmZSI1dqrqy8zDiseTOP9iSrwQttw/w640-h480/bishkek%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exactly how many brands of vodka does one need?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPaCsWAQYe3jEx0hBIgKnOLHaoVAIdbmli3GqFuVig5PO4RPMtlwEfoY6Xn4fDwN0348ZIUI9SwFcYFFEA-te-QBe1jjNQ6J9y1KVGynnFAEpHQW-14xwZ7dZkd5jsaGjSLbc3vVld-XxlDMYAc6nKiJBeQyCVGCbPb1JecQDT_mZ93lirWIQX4vdjg/s4887/bishkek%20(17).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4887" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPaCsWAQYe3jEx0hBIgKnOLHaoVAIdbmli3GqFuVig5PO4RPMtlwEfoY6Xn4fDwN0348ZIUI9SwFcYFFEA-te-QBe1jjNQ6J9y1KVGynnFAEpHQW-14xwZ7dZkd5jsaGjSLbc3vVld-XxlDMYAc6nKiJBeQyCVGCbPb1JecQDT_mZ93lirWIQX4vdjg/w452-h640/bishkek%20(17).jpg" width="452" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imposing statue, Oak Park, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27rBMQxYxjdP8AJc0noOSFlWq4t0ATqt90iegiQGPOMLJf0VIrTsqc6gnWZr8XCMp72sPmDOMtwCGWUBk9dzWE-keMYfetxGovKRUfOaZ2pPWrI_0HwaeN8xHJLq4ngyiIwIidN5Bogq_8seUQ2Ugdpzv1aFmZxXjwoAluOHyd8yB7Ql3iWc1gOgszg/s4882/bishkek%20(19).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4882" data-original-width="3254" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27rBMQxYxjdP8AJc0noOSFlWq4t0ATqt90iegiQGPOMLJf0VIrTsqc6gnWZr8XCMp72sPmDOMtwCGWUBk9dzWE-keMYfetxGovKRUfOaZ2pPWrI_0HwaeN8xHJLq4ngyiIwIidN5Bogq_8seUQ2Ugdpzv1aFmZxXjwoAluOHyd8yB7Ql3iWc1gOgszg/w426-h640/bishkek%20(19).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork on exterior of building, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaxle6K5_8LSpjsqrtGsWNGnHIs-MEB5AcsbcMSjqDyrLqYKz_s7W9q9cD9Za4aXDTSlMMCqMhJ9BK9ZlaoZy-XbvP3osIzlOVDclT46HSqhROcfEVuIIq2FWYqgrQtd7BMXTgIEe5XgFg-dFFZvnbXCKPuv2yGq64LzPF3X8obNvxY1gR9kF3RGl7Q/s4000/bishkek%20(11).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaxle6K5_8LSpjsqrtGsWNGnHIs-MEB5AcsbcMSjqDyrLqYKz_s7W9q9cD9Za4aXDTSlMMCqMhJ9BK9ZlaoZy-XbvP3osIzlOVDclT46HSqhROcfEVuIIq2FWYqgrQtd7BMXTgIEe5XgFg-dFFZvnbXCKPuv2yGq64LzPF3X8obNvxY1gR9kF3RGl7Q/w640-h480/bishkek%20(11).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guarding the Kyrgyz flag, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimk6Ou6cvLOLsFw9WxuzOmMpi4y6jeF0eO_3UxcKwSRlahfc5hgT8qT1gC3N6p8zW_O9htjjzC6EAL2IflQG6omWfbND5-qsKWsOhuHsSqSHs9OLqJ7eG5nNsnjMpPJoD0GY5UQN_XB_usc9nL1liHcpTBYYJ3IOCt4WvbiYzdLyDlrzYSTpDsrgubhg/s4000/bishkek%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimk6Ou6cvLOLsFw9WxuzOmMpi4y6jeF0eO_3UxcKwSRlahfc5hgT8qT1gC3N6p8zW_O9htjjzC6EAL2IflQG6omWfbND5-qsKWsOhuHsSqSHs9OLqJ7eG5nNsnjMpPJoD0GY5UQN_XB_usc9nL1liHcpTBYYJ3IOCt4WvbiYzdLyDlrzYSTpDsrgubhg/w480-h640/bishkek%20(12).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beer with a straw, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Osh Bazaar was a firm favourite during this visit, with it's incredible selection of fresh produce, as well as clothes, beauty products and stationary. The section featuring every kind of dried fruit known to man was particularly impressive. Around the outside, we appreciated the second hand clothing shops (we were anticipating some cooler weather coming up), and cheap and delicious local food, specifically <i>shashlik </i>(meat of various kinds on big skewers). We were craving meat, and enjoyed the selection at a local <i>ashkana </i>(simple restaurant).</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S8E-sFGhvN7op4TDJqtCQ9N_MDugeNGEUAnDgcuASLxs0GWYMV6fTQAUMTbmvzeKGWidAkuiXEdkeVJHKZNsoEfX8jniymqc3PQINt9ypu0c0jWIjmtlPnYCyzOUlUNDMSW_BFdGJ7V8siYgbQuFHSvYXTLpPK3-wpX9lLYKAvNuULxHjXxaayyrPQ/s4000/bishkek%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S8E-sFGhvN7op4TDJqtCQ9N_MDugeNGEUAnDgcuASLxs0GWYMV6fTQAUMTbmvzeKGWidAkuiXEdkeVJHKZNsoEfX8jniymqc3PQINt9ypu0c0jWIjmtlPnYCyzOUlUNDMSW_BFdGJ7V8siYgbQuFHSvYXTLpPK3-wpX9lLYKAvNuULxHjXxaayyrPQ/w640-h480/bishkek%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every kind of dried fruit, Osh Bazaar, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgba5FzZ5YkE4-f44W2lQMJpnyzRD3dYPlbl_SFfA0fFnl_oAyagujsEMfQ1agmAPeSaDLu-d9qzXlucjwoVB03Q6zwS75sbE6HGuwWe8rzNZourDJ9KBqipgt0n90gUlY-G46nc17d7ibd23Ra2oUbInW9gLUdyqn33TEkYQPP5-njKClCPTFrC1vQ/s4000/bishkek%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgba5FzZ5YkE4-f44W2lQMJpnyzRD3dYPlbl_SFfA0fFnl_oAyagujsEMfQ1agmAPeSaDLu-d9qzXlucjwoVB03Q6zwS75sbE6HGuwWe8rzNZourDJ9KBqipgt0n90gUlY-G46nc17d7ibd23Ra2oUbInW9gLUdyqn33TEkYQPP5-njKClCPTFrC1vQ/w640-h480/bishkek%20(13).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our favourite <i>shashlik</i>, Osh Bazaar, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv43NVoLX67X8YstmlNyIKEhGcIhf1p4MCCs_f6nRwyCfAc54NrsJjImotK3u6vsu0TG0yOTmob9b63w7at1JrBd3VtuD9CL39v5zPPVYoDXwNdXgShb3WjRiJk9OVAaZXr2om0tzevwFWNrq8ud57Y8V7XMB0EQ2bvLJqsbUSpsGkaJR5BiZfLuaCTA/s3969/bishkek%20(15).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="3969" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv43NVoLX67X8YstmlNyIKEhGcIhf1p4MCCs_f6nRwyCfAc54NrsJjImotK3u6vsu0TG0yOTmob9b63w7at1JrBd3VtuD9CL39v5zPPVYoDXwNdXgShb3WjRiJk9OVAaZXr2om0tzevwFWNrq8ud57Y8V7XMB0EQ2bvLJqsbUSpsGkaJR5BiZfLuaCTA/w640-h558/bishkek%20(15).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break, Osh Bazaar, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcKXxuXYijDbG31zKl6HICzNmxtzeiQUNYxT3x2cWEUY6FcE81gv1gwB_-mfRgWzNhBPzlvMo0yPopNcVY3D2vcmdCURBtPXlV_lvOe_xGf8LC19-5CRjEOF3w472KhO-VfLmxGeMJJmu-FkpObrjcH3zINS56jW70LRe3mc6u66XKGIzIkvdh7UxSg/s5184/bishkek%20(16).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcKXxuXYijDbG31zKl6HICzNmxtzeiQUNYxT3x2cWEUY6FcE81gv1gwB_-mfRgWzNhBPzlvMo0yPopNcVY3D2vcmdCURBtPXlV_lvOe_xGf8LC19-5CRjEOF3w472KhO-VfLmxGeMJJmu-FkpObrjcH3zINS56jW70LRe3mc6u66XKGIzIkvdh7UxSg/w640-h426/bishkek%20(16).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garlic in the sun, Osh Bazaar, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Several amusements around Bishkek kept us busy for our week or so there. The Zoological Museum was a musty dark place, with most of the mammals, birds and insects on display seemingly having been collected in the 1800s. It wasn't surprising that most exhibits were black with dust, moth eaten and had become somewhat distorted over the years. It was hilarious, and at 50 som (£0.45), we appeared to have got what we paid for. The Minerals Museum marked on the map was actually a working department of the university, and a mad professor wizzed us around a huge dusty old room filled with all sorts of rocks, speaking enthusiastically in Russian, while stunned students looked on, no doubt wondering what we were doing there. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXssAhWH2P5P8l8hQ_UjEbmm7BzfKhI0_qhm6i1B7IzT7rdhmR0ZDjkTTQc34x7XbIbSJ6fE7egLMDx-5zOWptfYgEvDQbW5d4Xhqw1BgwYy5O_KSKXuOfsGMX8un36hSEkqmjlItsUheQXS1lclx71E31W8SOX_cldy9_ECIbK9YMFegWfifap1J9nQ/s2583/bishkek%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2293" data-original-width="2583" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXssAhWH2P5P8l8hQ_UjEbmm7BzfKhI0_qhm6i1B7IzT7rdhmR0ZDjkTTQc34x7XbIbSJ6fE7egLMDx-5zOWptfYgEvDQbW5d4Xhqw1BgwYy5O_KSKXuOfsGMX8un36hSEkqmjlItsUheQXS1lclx71E31W8SOX_cldy9_ECIbK9YMFegWfifap1J9nQ/w640-h568/bishkek%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny stuffed animals, Zoological Museum, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2yHJNHYSqA2-gUsfF-IgrGwgAdJeMQeuH6OqEBdrLKaRjegyWXkjPz4IS5oraBNTvnFQyZWFfW_b829aaw2ml48yGiQVa1mSfZoMu7Hv0lXvcv0d6Jfdxjp7_J9Y6vThnvUAiDo9pDVJ20p8aWScS_g7M32c4uJvXcp3_G1TvxM8SHBYVYzQp6Yz5A/s2560/bishkek%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2yHJNHYSqA2-gUsfF-IgrGwgAdJeMQeuH6OqEBdrLKaRjegyWXkjPz4IS5oraBNTvnFQyZWFfW_b829aaw2ml48yGiQVa1mSfZoMu7Hv0lXvcv0d6Jfdxjp7_J9Y6vThnvUAiDo9pDVJ20p8aWScS_g7M32c4uJvXcp3_G1TvxM8SHBYVYzQp6Yz5A/w640-h360/bishkek%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A range of old and dusty relics (and Rich), Zoological Museum, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Panfilov Park was a sweet, old fashioned amusement park, and on the day we visited, filled with families with excited children. The mostly tame rides were a throw back to simpler times, with favourites such as riding in tea cups and the Ferris wheel, and side shows featuring such attractions as throwing darts to burst balloons. Kyrgyz love these types of parks, and we have seen them in many towns across the country. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYxJkHgJ5CuRmiiuPwHwPeY56Hv0q18mRVFDFFyj-HGbuWGvwTfU2bVljfOzDU-2j-r2nXIoE5XBfMJ14mwQ457-M9pFG0Mow-v-cJLAy7vYePJ_5NasvfwuNl5BBc5ZQQRdcQpLaBFPbdZDh1bfFy_BCZLsxv8pez3s4D3AEfyrxys0kaWB04G71sw/s4080/bishkek%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYxJkHgJ5CuRmiiuPwHwPeY56Hv0q18mRVFDFFyj-HGbuWGvwTfU2bVljfOzDU-2j-r2nXIoE5XBfMJ14mwQ457-M9pFG0Mow-v-cJLAy7vYePJ_5NasvfwuNl5BBc5ZQQRdcQpLaBFPbdZDh1bfFy_BCZLsxv8pez3s4D3AEfyrxys0kaWB04G71sw/w640-h360/bishkek%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old fashioned Panfilov Park, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Central Asians (or rather the Soviets before them), really know how to do a good park, and they are usually a fantastic place to escape the heat, breath in some fresh air and chill out on a park bench. Bishkek had more than its fair share of quiet green areas, but the enormous and delightful Oak Park in the city's centre was the best. In the drizzly weather the plane trees, acers and of course, oak trees created a cosy feeling. The usual Soviet-era statues were dotted around, along with some funky old art galleries and theatres, and quirky sculptures by local artists.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3MvSPue7Tmwwb_4cT1wfzEKgSm8vNpHnm3X8CM1aGwvt3VDyyZNAwqAQWhGx_LdpJ-dmo7Mq7tu77cHG4Md7JNk62yC0PW0uoESrwXIgKazYniAARPNln9AkPemIGeca3SKNEGH_gx7I2dJgtnstQtXoDMWOYgxsXyQQwAhC92zexVQIPry17Egq_g/s4525/bishkek%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2895" data-original-width="4525" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3MvSPue7Tmwwb_4cT1wfzEKgSm8vNpHnm3X8CM1aGwvt3VDyyZNAwqAQWhGx_LdpJ-dmo7Mq7tu77cHG4Md7JNk62yC0PW0uoESrwXIgKazYniAARPNln9AkPemIGeca3SKNEGH_gx7I2dJgtnstQtXoDMWOYgxsXyQQwAhC92zexVQIPry17Egq_g/w640-h410/bishkek%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring flowers in Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQ7cM46wQZw7s82zNvIF2ZEh06U0sKC2wIeiAosPOv-uViI-uKFGWBeoLzm2y--di5P68QVbU4_aowAAtJezMTwFNBNfhIZshsdjr9Srk1nKAhE6jFr3VqGwukueWU4NQqJGFbzIL67An8M1N8pOwRnFoGn42yVlmcuLLMxfzZtHCdDwcam9IwZcFkA/s4475/bishkek%20(14).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4475" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQ7cM46wQZw7s82zNvIF2ZEh06U0sKC2wIeiAosPOv-uViI-uKFGWBeoLzm2y--di5P68QVbU4_aowAAtJezMTwFNBNfhIZshsdjr9Srk1nKAhE6jFr3VqGwukueWU4NQqJGFbzIL67An8M1N8pOwRnFoGn42yVlmcuLLMxfzZtHCdDwcam9IwZcFkA/w494-h640/bishkek%20(14).jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids playing around the fountain, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExSPKM8UM5R1Lho1y1-arfF_B3z4yhwPtkHKNt6YmgFEtSgOFLtwgIcWHIBLFkxu_2ymGCal2h_ipX-Bl17JfLXNA3qeuW12Amwu8RPcaJIwDZiVLhaP_gwz6l9gZ0eovzp2tcYW7UlwU-a33s_epa9v6KrJuScv5Xw2CfGkTfrQ8gppgcVJxfIsJ3Q/s5184/bishkek%20(18).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExSPKM8UM5R1Lho1y1-arfF_B3z4yhwPtkHKNt6YmgFEtSgOFLtwgIcWHIBLFkxu_2ymGCal2h_ipX-Bl17JfLXNA3qeuW12Amwu8RPcaJIwDZiVLhaP_gwz6l9gZ0eovzp2tcYW7UlwU-a33s_epa9v6KrJuScv5Xw2CfGkTfrQ8gppgcVJxfIsJ3Q/w426-h640/bishkek%20(18).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quirky sculpture, Oak Park, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQu9wS5vkqHOyPavnrQkdEYdsAEzObI77eaTFgL_MauWgvsH6If3sPCP9FCnoYlrlC5vLi0ejRPv_nSRtCiy6vOMTHjGO8pUDA6kf4BTOT2hkDn2ovtnZAbz2n1MWTnt8dCWT2akUrWVK6s-NL9AZCP6KnXAZs52Y39OPFN2tGItiLV8XihZPQY83DQ/s5014/bishkek%20(20).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3344" data-original-width="5014" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQu9wS5vkqHOyPavnrQkdEYdsAEzObI77eaTFgL_MauWgvsH6If3sPCP9FCnoYlrlC5vLi0ejRPv_nSRtCiy6vOMTHjGO8pUDA6kf4BTOT2hkDn2ovtnZAbz2n1MWTnt8dCWT2akUrWVK6s-NL9AZCP6KnXAZs52Y39OPFN2tGItiLV8XihZPQY83DQ/w640-h426/bishkek%20(20).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">University wall, Bishkek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On another walk along a river and through a neighbourhood with delightful old Russian-style houses, it was surprising to remember we were still in a capital city!</p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As lovely as Bishkek's city parks were, we felt the need to get more out into nature, and took a <i>marshrutka</i> to Issyk-Ata, the origin of a natural spring and sanatorium up a beautiful valley a couple of hours from Bishkek. We were very happy we had arrived early for the trip, as the small bus filled up quickly with village people going home after shopping in the city. Some had to stand for the entire trip. We have talked extensively before about the complicated etiquette about seating on Central Asian transport, particularly in Kyrgyzstan. </span></p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"It's
a complex and polite system we've seen all over Central Asia, and
amusing for us to watch. Old people get priority with seats, and
sitting near the front. Women of any age take precedence over any man
who is not old. We held fast to our seats comforted in the knowledge
that we covered at least two of the favoured categories! We always
felt sorry for the younger men, who always end up standing, or
sitting in the worst seats."</i></span></span>
</p><p>This flow chart someone at <a href="https://caravanistan.com" target="_blank">Caravanistan </a>took the time to put together does explain it rather well in a visual form:</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66pYF2yqt6tMLNLVaVWHeCiDD6TTmMB-njqmwn7ebVORji73fBxb7jQiIuNgoBFywtCQp_aBB3mfkcyWXHSDFcUp3HXY6K10AxvKTztg-Q4-88VGPnctOlKAvlettYkxgc3QwpoSM6XQPuVQkr_bW89-ZrPWw9VD3VJqTuVsuKL7UFYRCRrO7p_UUEw/s777/Bishkek-Marshrutka-Flowchart.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="549" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66pYF2yqt6tMLNLVaVWHeCiDD6TTmMB-njqmwn7ebVORji73fBxb7jQiIuNgoBFywtCQp_aBB3mfkcyWXHSDFcUp3HXY6K10AxvKTztg-Q4-88VGPnctOlKAvlettYkxgc3QwpoSM6XQPuVQkr_bW89-ZrPWw9VD3VJqTuVsuKL7UFYRCRrO7p_UUEw/w452-h640/Bishkek-Marshrutka-Flowchart.png" width="452" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's actually more complicated than this, but not a bad summing up</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Although the simple walking track leading from the Soviet-era sanatorium up the valley had been expanded into a rather ugly horse trail, the views were still beautiful, with rather more snow than on our previous summer visit. Along the trail were locals with horses for hire, also selling <i>kumis</i>, fermented mare's milk. This a firm favourite amongst Kyrgyz people, and good to taste once! People picnicked on the grass and in yurts, and splashed around in the newly built hot spring pool at the sanatorium. The bright spring green and the mountain views revived us, and reminded us of what we had coming up on our further trips into Kyrgyzstan. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRqREuV3np5kAMKGZpgPMDYdOIjZcHa01Q1Hbcmxa6tZNjBMX_Wl_npBy61J_10HEnHYwPaEvD_9ujO1Em8nZc8qBBxDb_ufe0-GCaQedCcYhN6kxHysjJn8OvUYWMtYwhHv-RjKgPy382d-UqNimb2cPsJao8xTVrFY3y68K9Qul-4mC7miT8z8z9w/s5184/issyk%20ata%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRqREuV3np5kAMKGZpgPMDYdOIjZcHa01Q1Hbcmxa6tZNjBMX_Wl_npBy61J_10HEnHYwPaEvD_9ujO1Em8nZc8qBBxDb_ufe0-GCaQedCcYhN6kxHysjJn8OvUYWMtYwhHv-RjKgPy382d-UqNimb2cPsJao8xTVrFY3y68K9Qul-4mC7miT8z8z9w/w640-h426/issyk%20ata%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View up the valley, Issyk- Ata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPK79UuiUblSsZQMfuJUl1DW6_SLNUNr_IX6H4vX8DCLxR-0RliCWpnIwMVeT8IZ_XWBUka2U8NR_LXG-Lob8YvbnaJYsXuhDOyy0hEol2B1HG2FTjGxwAwMAL1UAIjbgX2gevOMUFw8mYc5fcKOJTIIMKnf5VVpJJuTVQYCjVPbzsSnwBIz768ta5Aw/s5184/issyk%20ata%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPK79UuiUblSsZQMfuJUl1DW6_SLNUNr_IX6H4vX8DCLxR-0RliCWpnIwMVeT8IZ_XWBUka2U8NR_LXG-Lob8YvbnaJYsXuhDOyy0hEol2B1HG2FTjGxwAwMAL1UAIjbgX2gevOMUFw8mYc5fcKOJTIIMKnf5VVpJJuTVQYCjVPbzsSnwBIz768ta5Aw/w640-h426/issyk%20ata%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horses free on a hill, Issyk- Ata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47n1M5ZGoC5jfhSoUVRvk7VWdQWIjGPryJ-YV2B45g1wqSD4YBOL_0LbGMSbbwHv2UeDLk9bq5RAo7fd9Ls2t7rSkHdtWNJXfw--03Jgm2WN4UyuawOKerfYCYcb9WVajhfl595j0K_iyX8G_CEom80y6Znrv1DxBxkb0Bvoz-LKJb34AgSvRyHPXqA/s5184/issyk%20ata%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47n1M5ZGoC5jfhSoUVRvk7VWdQWIjGPryJ-YV2B45g1wqSD4YBOL_0LbGMSbbwHv2UeDLk9bq5RAo7fd9Ls2t7rSkHdtWNJXfw--03Jgm2WN4UyuawOKerfYCYcb9WVajhfl595j0K_iyX8G_CEom80y6Znrv1DxBxkb0Bvoz-LKJb34AgSvRyHPXqA/w640-h426/issyk%20ata%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temperamental weather, Issyk- Ata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODKOwDpMETdcJH22kbp8iaIFaERiaGw5lq6pvNMxDT4iMc5urYJUFGY3YLpBzkGP8wgXHuUhBVRNFZOdCedF8X2qFeGU0cJcPnCTEM900E_IhqxwYePbcC70L48zervAfHSlJftRQQVMNdhF2_9d9L6u7h4uttzWrCFoG1tW4pLOuLAlxo16RN53NUA/s3833/issyk%20ata%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2991" data-original-width="3833" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODKOwDpMETdcJH22kbp8iaIFaERiaGw5lq6pvNMxDT4iMc5urYJUFGY3YLpBzkGP8wgXHuUhBVRNFZOdCedF8X2qFeGU0cJcPnCTEM900E_IhqxwYePbcC70L48zervAfHSlJftRQQVMNdhF2_9d9L6u7h4uttzWrCFoG1tW4pLOuLAlxo16RN53NUA/w640-h500/issyk%20ata%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring flowers along trail, Issyk- Ata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOS04Oi9hWMHVMbgYSb2i7jRsQeA8JMERKlQk9GYqsqFXRQ1-IAQgQhZqqQzVq1CgoIYEukfGDH7gueZqzmfTuHSxNQId0ifZy7xmvlkQE5r6Yf652kk6OQSlk8mp9k_noM6RVigxVzDsDGwX1ECWMmR6jhKt0IcsqkCJrW6x9PIThi0TIUnlZ2xmyA/s4597/issyk%20ata%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4597" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOS04Oi9hWMHVMbgYSb2i7jRsQeA8JMERKlQk9GYqsqFXRQ1-IAQgQhZqqQzVq1CgoIYEukfGDH7gueZqzmfTuHSxNQId0ifZy7xmvlkQE5r6Yf652kk6OQSlk8mp9k_noM6RVigxVzDsDGwX1ECWMmR6jhKt0IcsqkCJrW6x9PIThi0TIUnlZ2xmyA/w482-h640/issyk%20ata%20(5).jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Around the sanatorium, Issyk- Ata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91SnpYsPd_fonH2uLkaZYK0EjtBK3O7CO6Vje-m2KLqT7v8qWyaRIfWIhnlNIhacKuaIfaF5OiPwwcD55iPrsyUt8STmDxjJo_sqPwVU0y10Vmi0ziKz78Rjq-Lyo_RSq2M2Ip8zDBb4LozGT3Vx5f9wzk8SGFcFd763fb3Mde_ha7ULvb8AK9GJHAw/s4529/issyk%20ata%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3144" data-original-width="4529" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91SnpYsPd_fonH2uLkaZYK0EjtBK3O7CO6Vje-m2KLqT7v8qWyaRIfWIhnlNIhacKuaIfaF5OiPwwcD55iPrsyUt8STmDxjJo_sqPwVU0y10Vmi0ziKz78Rjq-Lyo_RSq2M2Ip8zDBb4LozGT3Vx5f9wzk8SGFcFd763fb3Mde_ha7ULvb8AK9GJHAw/w640-h444/issyk%20ata%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many foals around, Issyk- Ata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYI0DSwzzzufP0oeVwZYlGDuKm1BFWzU5JZJU6nHlMcJVQ7-BpjjDzDuQL3J3X8dv8dJw7DrKJOcg-IeWSewUkS085GcLhnhitFxqh5bGb6ZtkV2dPQusiNk15Q2qL7BQ2Ouwv7vNLD0S80iSHEwPA6um_4i0VHrz6suHBZAxiSNeiZG_qyQPEFqU78Q/s5184/issyk%20ata%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYI0DSwzzzufP0oeVwZYlGDuKm1BFWzU5JZJU6nHlMcJVQ7-BpjjDzDuQL3J3X8dv8dJw7DrKJOcg-IeWSewUkS085GcLhnhitFxqh5bGb6ZtkV2dPQusiNk15Q2qL7BQ2Ouwv7vNLD0S80iSHEwPA6um_4i0VHrz6suHBZAxiSNeiZG_qyQPEFqU78Q/w640-h426/issyk%20ata%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milking the mares for <i>kumis</i>, Issyk- Ata</td></tr></tbody></table><p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>From the Eastern bus station in Bishkek, we took a surprisingly direct <i>marshrutka </i>to Tokmok- a town halfway between the capital and Issyk-Kol, a lake in the east of Kyrgyzstan. </p><p>For years we had wanted to visit Burana Tower, and some affordable accommodation had opened up in nearby Tokmok since our last trip. It was a convenient place to base ourselves for a few days to visit the surrounding attractions. Our guesthouse hostess didn't speak any English, but luckily she was a wizz on Google translate. Many of the questions we asked she didn't know the answers to, but she did some research and always came back to us with the information we needed. It seems she wasn't used to independent travellers on a budget- all her other guests just take taxis everywhere, she told us!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR41bOH74BCOyTKO5BR8lQwxRJNM-DBPEJemfND-SK8VnmKnQVonXJKytPSG9wZyZ-Nuj1hKgix_R5s5zTJ4na0NilBjQ0eG_ph85ptJ4XPqLms_UOGSKL6PxkJ_e4KxB6JlnQO506VLCiHEjQiVEPgRVIq5m_Nxp2DdcpSgFCwVzHfLw7JVv1NMxqQ/s4973/tokmok%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3157" data-original-width="4973" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR41bOH74BCOyTKO5BR8lQwxRJNM-DBPEJemfND-SK8VnmKnQVonXJKytPSG9wZyZ-Nuj1hKgix_R5s5zTJ4na0NilBjQ0eG_ph85ptJ4XPqLms_UOGSKL6PxkJ_e4KxB6JlnQO506VLCiHEjQiVEPgRVIq5m_Nxp2DdcpSgFCwVzHfLw7JVv1NMxqQ/w640-h406/tokmok%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main roundabout in Tokmok</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7AjdGXsHiNBL77QxKGiKeID27Dukhs0msA6MR1KnREMpNlgaLkcOd0MtV_PYDee7utWn27W_oRDespL25lqlVEaeQhAApfaCVs47Ggrzp3v2MLawy1bXk0PUqENCnMFtb6gGMuBQT6Q1t2rTpiFIvUCCfMzqID4iyeTV4XmjTbLRYH4d5XazMRgVfw/s4080/tokmok%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7AjdGXsHiNBL77QxKGiKeID27Dukhs0msA6MR1KnREMpNlgaLkcOd0MtV_PYDee7utWn27W_oRDespL25lqlVEaeQhAApfaCVs47Ggrzp3v2MLawy1bXk0PUqENCnMFtb6gGMuBQT6Q1t2rTpiFIvUCCfMzqID4iyeTV4XmjTbLRYH4d5XazMRgVfw/w640-h360/tokmok%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ornate bed in guesthouse, Tokmok</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-_fpxic9fBEAt0BzYoIhWAGjsZuaX__67Na3tQcu9hn7AEh8QAW_zOQ2Q4ZXKtjmXs0Gsq30qZKqs_fJeKf0vMBcjw5MWixbtvrXxc3fJsLewspFYHmP53XsK9suV0ID809V5XrwZU_9Y-feQKtsUEmmYWMZi8d9FXbsDPUZiH2Gfiw2kb34sNZTCg/s4080/tokmok%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-_fpxic9fBEAt0BzYoIhWAGjsZuaX__67Na3tQcu9hn7AEh8QAW_zOQ2Q4ZXKtjmXs0Gsq30qZKqs_fJeKf0vMBcjw5MWixbtvrXxc3fJsLewspFYHmP53XsK9suV0ID809V5XrwZU_9Y-feQKtsUEmmYWMZi8d9FXbsDPUZiH2Gfiw2kb34sNZTCg/w640-h360/tokmok%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical apartment building, Tokmok</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>From Tokmok bus station, we happily discovered many <i>marshrutkas </i>(minibuses) connecting the tiny picturesque villages in the area. A fellow passenger took charge of helping us find the Burana bus, and we set out on a gloriously sunny day for a simply stunning tootle into the countryside. Along the way were meadows with wildflowers and horses, and strawberry pickers in fields with bucket loads of the fruit on the roadside- we were frustrated we couldn't take of advantage of this!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcTIl21uFvt4cpZteZKnLyaD294rQH5Lka3KOl_r2ozXKpzxKJqu6JvegO7Ks7iY0a2UHNZsK-EDlCQSPKE1PKbJEucvHWBjrD9fLppf-X_K4Kp_GG_pYY9NNU7NqVwQ6Eh3Cd_4yMo4wA4eUjgJ6Wi7o8ktvuDITgtSivtrqw9JtNtjgMyRySCxriA/s4941/burana%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcTIl21uFvt4cpZteZKnLyaD294rQH5Lka3KOl_r2ozXKpzxKJqu6JvegO7Ks7iY0a2UHNZsK-EDlCQSPKE1PKbJEucvHWBjrD9fLppf-X_K4Kp_GG_pYY9NNU7NqVwQ6Eh3Cd_4yMo4wA4eUjgJ6Wi7o8ktvuDITgtSivtrqw9JtNtjgMyRySCxriA/w640-h426/burana%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous scenery around Tokmok</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The remaining minaret that is Burana Tower was apparently part of the 9th century Silk Road city Balasagan. Today, it stands tall in a field, backed by serene views of farms and massive mountains in the near distance. The tower itself has some beautiful brickwork. In the grounds is an intriguing graveyard, perhaps Turkic warriors buried with their faces carved on stones marking their place. The amount of these in one place was curious. There's a lot of speculation about when these date from and what they are exactly, but most of the information is so vague, the true origins seem unknown. We were captivated by the strange atmosphere. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudNK1Hm_MGOB66iktN_fewdWYxZ_nv950KElbugEVL_5lpzHyJxsl8vDWxC_lxAxtUOJz36CoZzu-YGKQuQqJqSJWqMW2K3__5uSf0QAiK_iSASGZ1F37vRWL2U0Uma8zWxqxdHuilvvNNTlaRhIpVoVnRovTNq2A2AinasY0hEM-5iNhAA6Y3maSsA/s4004/burana%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2111" data-original-width="4004" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudNK1Hm_MGOB66iktN_fewdWYxZ_nv950KElbugEVL_5lpzHyJxsl8vDWxC_lxAxtUOJz36CoZzu-YGKQuQqJqSJWqMW2K3__5uSf0QAiK_iSASGZ1F37vRWL2U0Uma8zWxqxdHuilvvNNTlaRhIpVoVnRovTNq2A2AinasY0hEM-5iNhAA6Y3maSsA/w640-h338/burana%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strange stones, Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGp_kGc04ioeULyNw04FmMhKrxFrL1Em8ivWs9OoRM_3nDED1jYvKfAsvPAmKVRsddNu3XTVsGg61S9ez765OBFV1ae4KDPgJSVk_HWoOutyFFNDWFhObNCXHEuftrT3hYl8HPUylVG52qPxRebts2Vijr4jZNW6zNPnSjlARsod1Sr9rWRRfdA4Jsw/s5184/burana%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGp_kGc04ioeULyNw04FmMhKrxFrL1Em8ivWs9OoRM_3nDED1jYvKfAsvPAmKVRsddNu3XTVsGg61S9ez765OBFV1ae4KDPgJSVk_HWoOutyFFNDWFhObNCXHEuftrT3hYl8HPUylVG52qPxRebts2Vijr4jZNW6zNPnSjlARsod1Sr9rWRRfdA4Jsw/w426-h640/burana%20(12).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grave markers?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrQyTIglvHyO9dls4YwghkFITyHxE5mRsC54l6M8R0ccaa1Qf38b_MN9p-X5ZqaESDLDms2Q_LEhiKeKLiKhIh-aq_SL_ATZaoNmJgLtzcpkznMuAPud_RW-57NDh1X9zlHTqyZxLPLcdPtUIs4k5_nHJIH5NN6mdPcIUK05Pp-xsYhJEbc7tzJWTFg/s4968/burana%20(16).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2861" data-original-width="4968" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrQyTIglvHyO9dls4YwghkFITyHxE5mRsC54l6M8R0ccaa1Qf38b_MN9p-X5ZqaESDLDms2Q_LEhiKeKLiKhIh-aq_SL_ATZaoNmJgLtzcpkznMuAPud_RW-57NDh1X9zlHTqyZxLPLcdPtUIs4k5_nHJIH5NN6mdPcIUK05Pp-xsYhJEbc7tzJWTFg/w640-h368/burana%20(16).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mill stones, near Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1G1JeTaU0_Ek0Qky9b2pqlecnXBnVJL6NQ7CsQPbWPJKKwpiSYOHlCm6xrIQLseTx5fhNYnOun8VyTBCuHXQZzJQUXni5_0_H8Fn0BJdE2CMEEjaJedvQxzmzVdBz4ufJrz2Mz7zKrVtigNuiNNKYlc7SXYOEK8mT-sOTdMMMNQoGlUYuvTsxoP1ydA/s4525/burana%20(15).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3254" data-original-width="4525" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1G1JeTaU0_Ek0Qky9b2pqlecnXBnVJL6NQ7CsQPbWPJKKwpiSYOHlCm6xrIQLseTx5fhNYnOun8VyTBCuHXQZzJQUXni5_0_H8Fn0BJdE2CMEEjaJedvQxzmzVdBz4ufJrz2Mz7zKrVtigNuiNNKYlc7SXYOEK8mT-sOTdMMMNQoGlUYuvTsxoP1ydA/w640-h460/burana%20(15).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turkic gravestones, Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyVTsbetP5TmOqgXHy2ktZL_air6qcMButTVvNbq-I2yCzeatgvbJmzw34ueq4bE67O3Uvupm1AdgzB6YR2IiI5e2PS3XQicXj1cfglUvGBYffaJybFwXr3d8jlry_STOBC0W6Tc2aARc4xq0qYONk9Dd00QTvLwdnCocc4xMJMdjB9iQvS5p9grHEQ/s4080/burana%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyVTsbetP5TmOqgXHy2ktZL_air6qcMButTVvNbq-I2yCzeatgvbJmzw34ueq4bE67O3Uvupm1AdgzB6YR2IiI5e2PS3XQicXj1cfglUvGBYffaJybFwXr3d8jlry_STOBC0W6Tc2aARc4xq0qYONk9Dd00QTvLwdnCocc4xMJMdjB9iQvS5p9grHEQ/w640-h360/burana%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yurt shop, Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFXes-rx8n8M7gYMAHkcM1txmR1N05eQqy4Nvq0-I3qEPxPtaUDQ6U0vZ1cmqKMqiX3enUVXv1vp7q0nwCOlG126v98XkYffVQ1F5IAlc4a8FizpZdAD65rX1w2Grk3T5a7V7zMjGKz8hoChuf3IYl51ZA49QglS7q9kN7qX_HdBOEcKoyi0X2SnfMw/s3008/burana%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1443" data-original-width="3008" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFXes-rx8n8M7gYMAHkcM1txmR1N05eQqy4Nvq0-I3qEPxPtaUDQ6U0vZ1cmqKMqiX3enUVXv1vp7q0nwCOlG126v98XkYffVQ1F5IAlc4a8FizpZdAD65rX1w2Grk3T5a7V7zMjGKz8hoChuf3IYl51ZA49QglS7q9kN7qX_HdBOEcKoyi0X2SnfMw/w640-h308/burana%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning backdrop, Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A few tour groups came and went, but for the first hour we were mainly alone at the site. Then a bus arrived and musicians, dancers and artists started pouring out and setting up scenes for filming around the grounds. We suspected they might have been shooting a film clip, as the same song was played over and over, but we sat and watched the spectacle for some time. What a treat to hear traditional musicians and see Kyrgyz style dancing in the flesh, especially with such a wonderful backdrop!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFC-egIsZQZmsWCBPdmdp7Tc2nO0RwgVb2R6fHVwUj0U91zXSKgfSGG7pWLFzyJDmpAEUCwXC_UQeLTtOkRmuhf8nolL-Z4ErirNq__Oz_pqZVnJBcoGRuqJc87w_v8vp4pMGCoUKORo2pGD0XPcT6qapo9MI3v2V1dJ29-I1WHiOw1gyZBj-H5MjxQ/s3926/burana%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3173" data-original-width="3926" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFC-egIsZQZmsWCBPdmdp7Tc2nO0RwgVb2R6fHVwUj0U91zXSKgfSGG7pWLFzyJDmpAEUCwXC_UQeLTtOkRmuhf8nolL-Z4ErirNq__Oz_pqZVnJBcoGRuqJc87w_v8vp4pMGCoUKORo2pGD0XPcT6qapo9MI3v2V1dJ29-I1WHiOw1gyZBj-H5MjxQ/w640-h518/burana%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancers in Kyrgyz costume, Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbtCa8WE3Vi1j87ka9aZ0pnAYs3cVBM8aepGsYX1kU3vOCIvRvDlpE1M9l1xlYDQoM8bhQnq0pER22TFdr_sFZ1UHSgiPeRuXGfmbncO350-ahzxYPFz_4d1NlPcNXVnGdxJnLj_FNjNKbpMrNatu10uWe-D_uEqAWWdsLYVbb--HE2nBCn8D9kQxTw/s3416/burana%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3416" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbtCa8WE3Vi1j87ka9aZ0pnAYs3cVBM8aepGsYX1kU3vOCIvRvDlpE1M9l1xlYDQoM8bhQnq0pER22TFdr_sFZ1UHSgiPeRuXGfmbncO350-ahzxYPFz_4d1NlPcNXVnGdxJnLj_FNjNKbpMrNatu10uWe-D_uEqAWWdsLYVbb--HE2nBCn8D9kQxTw/w594-h640/burana%20(5).jpg" width="594" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Music and dancing, Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD21ONNp7WOzPEMDwfH6Vu4yoPKX0T0_gJBpKGVjD3Cm2G6yria22rX31jL4Lor_Ne_dj9tcUZehO9ZYGoW1OQhk0hO8rXTiyW5etvLcrZVtjDWBT-dUuKoJweLdUVM5jP4FjQWg5UFRWtVjS7S1a_kqFgmxFxr4MudGRAc_fmk-1Zx9Dt3-Jx4XUPxQ/s5180/burana%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3144" data-original-width="5180" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD21ONNp7WOzPEMDwfH6Vu4yoPKX0T0_gJBpKGVjD3Cm2G6yria22rX31jL4Lor_Ne_dj9tcUZehO9ZYGoW1OQhk0hO8rXTiyW5etvLcrZVtjDWBT-dUuKoJweLdUVM5jP4FjQWg5UFRWtVjS7S1a_kqFgmxFxr4MudGRAc_fmk-1Zx9Dt3-Jx4XUPxQ/w640-h388/burana%20(13).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burana Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YA3Qbhs1UlE" target="_blank">A sort video of the music and dancing here</a></p><p>Even the long wait for a <i>marshrutka </i>back to Tokmok couldn't dampen our spirits, we had had such a wonderful day. So inspiring, in fact, we set out again the following day to enjoy another village bus ride and stroll, this time to Kegeti. The scenery of red poppies contrasting with the green strawberry fields and snowy mountains towering over it all were simply gorgeous. A wander out of Kegeti, up a hill to a secluded and abandoned necropolis was pleasant. On the way back we watched some little kids playing a universal game in the street. We have seen variations of the "throw something at a stick and see who can hit it" game all over the world- the most amusing being in Indonesia where they children play it with flip flops. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWt1K2IY9BP7B6CXVB-L0O_NBjvSETAsaM6G19XDFLVnDFm7Qn3_UPtRVIp9ZAzbYuP7PpyT6UYkGdYkD0VBpKJyzE83gSuLwac_WF_GuuPKxtZ2-tF62y4EpjX8PdqjvDPUu8MtwAkRgwXvJltZbifO0SXufe0tK1cEEjOWJododXhwJJf_FdxFVZw/s5014/kegeti%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3111" data-original-width="5014" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWt1K2IY9BP7B6CXVB-L0O_NBjvSETAsaM6G19XDFLVnDFm7Qn3_UPtRVIp9ZAzbYuP7PpyT6UYkGdYkD0VBpKJyzE83gSuLwac_WF_GuuPKxtZ2-tF62y4EpjX8PdqjvDPUu8MtwAkRgwXvJltZbifO0SXufe0tK1cEEjOWJododXhwJJf_FdxFVZw/w640-h398/kegeti%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyrgyz necropolis, Kegeti</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOorI9vPckheXRh8VH4zXkQc9muhdwLAyvdj_mwvMbXeOBhb0USd0XVUjEoFcAZwwyZ1MPdJVzU6vruA2HTEEZhSv4xPWooBPk-OWksw-bD2gZjSa9Z33_GnOvbaCSiSFN3EvUIrvb70tBGx2AoKr0XWkjtpbO3-m0yTHt1IHdbUhAQ0A-oqY4Y_wjA/s4758/kegeti%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4758" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOorI9vPckheXRh8VH4zXkQc9muhdwLAyvdj_mwvMbXeOBhb0USd0XVUjEoFcAZwwyZ1MPdJVzU6vruA2HTEEZhSv4xPWooBPk-OWksw-bD2gZjSa9Z33_GnOvbaCSiSFN3EvUIrvb70tBGx2AoKr0XWkjtpbO3-m0yTHt1IHdbUhAQ0A-oqY4Y_wjA/w426-h640/kegeti%20(2).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love how this guy is simply "Communist"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuL4QjG_MpBY2lpR4Mp9BhdaDkRSw_727lWqktvwi7A_KooGQmAOPmugdo9TS03kGwgCW-LAh59k3VKCsIRfQRuOKR5zIjZe-x8tZquyVw0pOCKdluUAjpscl1A_EX2Na-IMQu15JRNcv4Xtsczo6H3tuv9wuBnw2GsijC29dmD5q_xaG_P1IlQy0QEA/s5184/kegeti%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="5184" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuL4QjG_MpBY2lpR4Mp9BhdaDkRSw_727lWqktvwi7A_KooGQmAOPmugdo9TS03kGwgCW-LAh59k3VKCsIRfQRuOKR5zIjZe-x8tZquyVw0pOCKdluUAjpscl1A_EX2Na-IMQu15JRNcv4Xtsczo6H3tuv9wuBnw2GsijC29dmD5q_xaG_P1IlQy0QEA/w640-h378/kegeti%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking around Kegeti</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJG6MUvhoLhfJ9glhUeTv7kTiZeaOHJgkcWo2PTZEvGpGEJW19d2xDtkzY2lojZfdnGUG8sPKpDfzw4vCdQlE8MCAnWk4L6MLHRwI3JVT1ypnuDSvM9pwgz8wluUQMBhBSIAjBHEiwy2F0929Rrhmfa0ugdZyXdYNV6NoCDCcZqQiXSTQHJwFoftX2g/s3019/kegeti%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3019" data-original-width="1873" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJG6MUvhoLhfJ9glhUeTv7kTiZeaOHJgkcWo2PTZEvGpGEJW19d2xDtkzY2lojZfdnGUG8sPKpDfzw4vCdQlE8MCAnWk4L6MLHRwI3JVT1ypnuDSvM9pwgz8wluUQMBhBSIAjBHEiwy2F0929Rrhmfa0ugdZyXdYNV6NoCDCcZqQiXSTQHJwFoftX2g/w398-h640/kegeti%20(4).jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making friends in Kegeti</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We had two encounters with drunk men that day. The first was just as we got off the bus, when a car pulled up and a large unsteady man with gold teeth fell out and tried to tell us he was an interpreter for the US embassy. He had been enthusiastically celebrating the end of school term and had gotten slightly carried away. He was very insistent on us leaving with him to continue the drinking, and we had to explain we had only just arrived in Kegeti for a morning stroll. He congratulated Rich on his "simple wife" and then happily got back in his car and was driven off. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaognwfnvF1Z2ZWarLVHECx6A1B53vmA7hhRftzcELL2enXEjGbAMW0lneSC7ncJ6Pq4vhQSy_CrZoZxzQTTPoFVh5GucrPegWX1hCWrEua4G8WF7wknBbibV4xjKwHu4OCTv-pdiAMxurlo2m9GQT4MJZZv8bBP0vBcM5MBOvgoLP_1-JlHiNbW1qrw/s2196/kegeti%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1903" data-original-width="2196" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaognwfnvF1Z2ZWarLVHECx6A1B53vmA7hhRftzcELL2enXEjGbAMW0lneSC7ncJ6Pq4vhQSy_CrZoZxzQTTPoFVh5GucrPegWX1hCWrEua4G8WF7wknBbibV4xjKwHu4OCTv-pdiAMxurlo2m9GQT4MJZZv8bBP0vBcM5MBOvgoLP_1-JlHiNbW1qrw/w640-h554/kegeti%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New best friends, Kegeti</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The second encounter was as we were waiting for the bus to go back to Tokmok, and was far less charming. We could not get rid of the revolting drunk, as he leered over us, nearly falling on Richard and absolutely stinking to high heaven. Richard poked him with a stick and he got the message and wobbled off down the street. We always attract these sorts, without fail. </p><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/06/big-hugs-and-silly-hats-issyk-kol.html" target="_blank">.......we next travel to Issyk Kol for a stay on the south side.......</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-70397755173333707982023-06-03T14:36:00.001+08:002023-06-18T07:23:39.815+08:00 GHOST TRAIN TO KYRGYZSTAN - Shymkent and Taraz, Kazakhstan <p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/05/more-berries-than-you-can-shake-salami.html" target="_blank">.....previously, meanderings around Samarkand and Tashkent in Uzbekistan.......</a></i></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRtW_NNDaq33EZ5E96aGqmPrzV2BXseBSnX9s06kzwSk_WUKRl3GNKQwbKPtRS-9UlQYAbSh7CR4-qDqZGLyFFstMTuaiYKcsm_414oVPxsc_-hTJ5qwPE_P2xngEM7DFwf8Sogj71Dsjq_Cj39PCV0Zvlf249-7uPNuRfETMkUwoN7lJAJTxHQveUA/s4640/taraz%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3094" data-original-width="4640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRtW_NNDaq33EZ5E96aGqmPrzV2BXseBSnX9s06kzwSk_WUKRl3GNKQwbKPtRS-9UlQYAbSh7CR4-qDqZGLyFFstMTuaiYKcsm_414oVPxsc_-hTJ5qwPE_P2xngEM7DFwf8Sogj71Dsjq_Cj39PCV0Zvlf249-7uPNuRfETMkUwoN7lJAJTxHQveUA/w640-h426/taraz%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tekturmas mausoleum, Taraz</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>For something different we had a rather unexpectedly posh seat on the train from Tashkent in Uzbekistan to Shymkent over the border into Kazakhstan. Our position near a rowdy family with three little kids was a bit unfortunate, but it was still comfortable, and we were glad for the AC when the train stopped for two lengthy periods on either side of the border. The immigration and customs was carried out onboard, without any trouble- the officials typically friendly and inquisitive. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3cNy999ampPlUDN4J4DkFG95QV_WBlcj_U46eWB02FthiCIzsEp3iqVZj7dxZc0tlkaAmqWSUw1zjeNfoRMLerYzv_i2ifz3rhr2zTeJL-qC2LuPKr8qwsWDT29FSw0R1A2EbFMkaIT8kG4KJnCgrzVQSv0RJ8rhjTPSnWokBuVjysmTbGH9dajy3g/s4000/tashkent%20to%20shymkent%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2498" data-original-width="4000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3cNy999ampPlUDN4J4DkFG95QV_WBlcj_U46eWB02FthiCIzsEp3iqVZj7dxZc0tlkaAmqWSUw1zjeNfoRMLerYzv_i2ifz3rhr2zTeJL-qC2LuPKr8qwsWDT29FSw0R1A2EbFMkaIT8kG4KJnCgrzVQSv0RJ8rhjTPSnWokBuVjysmTbGH9dajy3g/w640-h400/tashkent%20to%20shymkent%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The longest train we've ever seen, Tashkent - Shymkent train</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0q2xANGwW8nTgGVBSYJu18FmZtqvE025i4-SjLJWWkcGMgkGUzKEX8HxoDUqmZatsbAj5DKzk78ZnUtrtxhJN7m8uNDUtk08BrwMB_xtZ42FUjWlHojNe9NjRg0XRZ0Io2nZ4KPthMtadqcuft3es7kC4slJIDeDXsYwwD5aPb0os-RNemIzU2kMEbg/s4000/tashkent%20to%20shymkent%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0q2xANGwW8nTgGVBSYJu18FmZtqvE025i4-SjLJWWkcGMgkGUzKEX8HxoDUqmZatsbAj5DKzk78ZnUtrtxhJN7m8uNDUtk08BrwMB_xtZ42FUjWlHojNe9NjRg0XRZ0Io2nZ4KPthMtadqcuft3es7kC4slJIDeDXsYwwD5aPb0os-RNemIzU2kMEbg/w640-h480/tashkent%20to%20shymkent%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaotic, but comfortable, Tashkent to Shymkent train</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>It was with slight trepidation that we checked into the hostel we had chosen in Shymkent. The reviews were generally good, but someone had written that they had been threatened with a knife in the male dorm and nearly killed! But for the price, we decided it was worth a go. As it turned out it was a cheap and basic room in a quiet and central setting, mostly full of single Kazak men in the dorms. They were all perfectly nice and polite- one man even said via Google translate that we were a beautiful couple! And no sign of knife violence!</p><p>We weren't particularly taken with Shymkent, a rather shabby town with a lot of rubbish, and mad drivers. Prices were slightly higher here than in Uzbekistan for basic items, but the worst part for us was the lack of much historical interest. Shymkent was once on the ancient Silk Route, but practically all evidence of that has been erased by now. Apparently, the attractions lay outside the city in some national parks, but we were keen to move on to Kyrgyzstan and didn't allocate any time to exploring further. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eXVxcqOdDLgJicvDcnKJAmNTMY23y3fA5I89_FGv7UqMjByKVdZ9qSgheCBFEZSJJq6J5vA_hgg76_w8jCky_Ac1MolpBp0ndISdkrkigekAkDGmY3dmiX3DFTDjucvSYBa3PmjZVk6ZWE2N63rZwfDWhhjjf1h6iIJZVZD4dc13Hq4IVtB49bc9Aw/s4000/shymkent%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eXVxcqOdDLgJicvDcnKJAmNTMY23y3fA5I89_FGv7UqMjByKVdZ9qSgheCBFEZSJJq6J5vA_hgg76_w8jCky_Ac1MolpBp0ndISdkrkigekAkDGmY3dmiX3DFTDjucvSYBa3PmjZVk6ZWE2N63rZwfDWhhjjf1h6iIJZVZD4dc13Hq4IVtB49bc9Aw/w640-h480/shymkent%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roses galore in a lush park, Shymkent, Kazakhstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxLxgcUxo08v1FqoS-HtgTCIjohrwnlx3fhzOiVxcGu50FRhgOc4991uV7QjpQKbVGPFIuUb3YDUpoZ_IPZQJGPGzSnYz8QmRXrTtCWY3LNuKzUuAXdpfZWT6NuG2IKXRZLB4MQcbHF-6zfR5mXYPF7Af-bUT8CCdWzED3JtaTvjyp3qyG1LEMO1u7Q/s5014/shymkent%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3344" data-original-width="5014" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxLxgcUxo08v1FqoS-HtgTCIjohrwnlx3fhzOiVxcGu50FRhgOc4991uV7QjpQKbVGPFIuUb3YDUpoZ_IPZQJGPGzSnYz8QmRXrTtCWY3LNuKzUuAXdpfZWT6NuG2IKXRZLB4MQcbHF-6zfR5mXYPF7Af-bUT8CCdWzED3JtaTvjyp3qyG1LEMO1u7Q/w640-h426/shymkent%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny old Soviet drinking mural, Skymkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We spent a couple of days exploring the many parks in town, in particular the walk along the Koshkar Ata canal, beginning at a spring which held spiritual meaning for the locals. Many people were there collecting water to drink, having an early morning stroll or exercising on equipment (mostly men disconcertedly in their underpants). We followed the shady peaceful path as long as we could, Richard fascinated by the trout in the canal, which were apparently protected and multiplying in large numbers. We eventually arrived at Independence Park, a huge, shadeless square, where an enormous rocket-like memorial to Kazakhstan's 20th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union sat on a hill. Apparently it was composed of 137 different metals to represent the 137 different ethnic groups in the country. The park was well looked after, and will be lovely in a few years when the trees grow and provide some shade. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyl0jbWdw8eOKy6UQpjWkMKvMt5UiZz9mItVpSgmy2iWuujFYYAZEf2jQKSqoBZGsaS_PWIOJyhHeQy_JcLcZGAZ85QoGGxGHPJNKh8RfunVLfnJ2Eryju1AYURhJ7RPByQsYV1G5USsHgtivT8Q0tMqjy2CTuPEMq8qOvljjV-Sdk0EehSDx91FnfA/s4000/shymkent%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyl0jbWdw8eOKy6UQpjWkMKvMt5UiZz9mItVpSgmy2iWuujFYYAZEf2jQKSqoBZGsaS_PWIOJyhHeQy_JcLcZGAZ85QoGGxGHPJNKh8RfunVLfnJ2Eryju1AYURhJ7RPByQsYV1G5USsHgtivT8Q0tMqjy2CTuPEMq8qOvljjV-Sdk0EehSDx91FnfA/w640-h480/shymkent%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trout in stream, Koshkar Ata, Shymkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlCHs-oS7qRJVKIwB307BB7COYpJPUQUUoggKmuh9DsZhugC51v6RcoCw7F-HiPrQNM5y5B3OenEr9rJVDAp_e3pH_vOZfHOj-tHOim5WLct2IxQOC3Bz-s4srZeANevq1XwCp9UijSyN_nyHQWcZnaqBc3lilRMJzZHqwngwiStFLUI89PaMWODPbA/s4000/shymkent%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlCHs-oS7qRJVKIwB307BB7COYpJPUQUUoggKmuh9DsZhugC51v6RcoCw7F-HiPrQNM5y5B3OenEr9rJVDAp_e3pH_vOZfHOj-tHOim5WLct2IxQOC3Bz-s4srZeANevq1XwCp9UijSyN_nyHQWcZnaqBc3lilRMJzZHqwngwiStFLUI89PaMWODPbA/w640-h480/shymkent%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koshkar Ata canal, Shymkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYlDEzmaDHaAXd7mdfEK7B-SnGyw_6TIIuv3y2bbZNQhEQMYAADXwhAv87b8BLwqjt1TGz9kLfvsGIihbJr3am51iCzgraQxsIHH_T0NA9T6RXU8n41O6r_xTNY_3noFQNMYbbQccPAND6wFKe80JEldSAL1tU8EF50Un8F1ZeGnW2MnRhgrKAMXZ4A/s5184/shymkent%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYlDEzmaDHaAXd7mdfEK7B-SnGyw_6TIIuv3y2bbZNQhEQMYAADXwhAv87b8BLwqjt1TGz9kLfvsGIihbJr3am51iCzgraQxsIHH_T0NA9T6RXU8n41O6r_xTNY_3noFQNMYbbQccPAND6wFKe80JEldSAL1tU8EF50Un8F1ZeGnW2MnRhgrKAMXZ4A/w640-h426/shymkent%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shady walk on a hot day, Koshkar Ata, Symkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6VEAeZMe0WGkobptJSdxMTXMbLPBsg1ST2fskqS5o0k82SKZdG2PrIhW0FampbX9Pyzgo7N6d2d8O49OgHLrRFFGdleLvDtZPWpIcRDOmIdq_YhRD-c6dig06IP7sXYGx8IU7S9CBvo09DHD0ZfcZdDIy5gYt4SSKWawucVCwZUQAgaiJWQME1KgFQ/s3442/shymkent%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3442" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6VEAeZMe0WGkobptJSdxMTXMbLPBsg1ST2fskqS5o0k82SKZdG2PrIhW0FampbX9Pyzgo7N6d2d8O49OgHLrRFFGdleLvDtZPWpIcRDOmIdq_YhRD-c6dig06IP7sXYGx8IU7S9CBvo09DHD0ZfcZdDIy5gYt4SSKWawucVCwZUQAgaiJWQME1KgFQ/w558-h640/shymkent%20(4).jpg" width="558" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocket-like Independence statue, Shymkent, Kazakhstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p>A funny, but embarrassing incident occurred in a Shymkent restaurant, when we were seated and waiting for our food. A local guy built like a wrestler entered, made a bee-line for us, and insisted on buying us some <i>plov, </i>so we could try the Kazakh version of the classic dish. As he spoke to our waiter, we presumed our first order would be cancelled. But soon, dish after dish started arriving at the table, and as our benefactor stood there beaming, and we had to do our best to try to finish everything. It was an extremely generous gesture from this man, if somewhat badly timed. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLBTP35Spm5BGt6TR1_p4IPT0Z8Vn79yKum8gO8SEXng6wX26_IZNTEfUxum00-waXCXqQnrl2hH_2GZNCxpMhztYO7Jt0XJQQ9b8osvLL3xc2DdDJ3cBdwWYc0utaPcXkGS7DFYwXEO31JgFesdNhwAMJpoa2t9w1wS1htxfdRI7V81zZCvtMdl-vA/s4000/IMG_2931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLBTP35Spm5BGt6TR1_p4IPT0Z8Vn79yKum8gO8SEXng6wX26_IZNTEfUxum00-waXCXqQnrl2hH_2GZNCxpMhztYO7Jt0XJQQ9b8osvLL3xc2DdDJ3cBdwWYc0utaPcXkGS7DFYwXEO31JgFesdNhwAMJpoa2t9w1wS1htxfdRI7V81zZCvtMdl-vA/w640-h480/IMG_2931.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished the <i>plov</i>, onto the meat!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijse2uMta6a5xYLVmjOOitqg3YBXR-7UT5RNw4CSCHTFL8wx8kyjQAnBAytAgvT-WFIpPuiUk52qKEecJvM2Zm0Hy3bAS0ivcaT2f4ss10waSucMZVSWooDCJ2dFIhedKYER6zI8ZOBLYnXkdfYCPQszuvq9wbrNHUF8z9Rc0AMFUgVyGUdHXffGiOFg/s4000/shymkent%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijse2uMta6a5xYLVmjOOitqg3YBXR-7UT5RNw4CSCHTFL8wx8kyjQAnBAytAgvT-WFIpPuiUk52qKEecJvM2Zm0Hy3bAS0ivcaT2f4ss10waSucMZVSWooDCJ2dFIhedKYER6zI8ZOBLYnXkdfYCPQszuvq9wbrNHUF8z9Rc0AMFUgVyGUdHXffGiOFg/w640-h480/shymkent%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mastava soup, and of course, <i>plov</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The platform at Shymkent train station was crowded with people when we arrived to wait for our morning train to Taraz. One helpful man of Russian heritage approached us to see if we needed assistance- he may have thought we were Russian. It was handy to have him translate for us every time their was an announcement about how late the train would be. When the it arrived, there was a bit of a scrum to embark (our Indian strategies coming back to us in our time of need!). Once on board, of course, everyone had a seat, and we were sharing with a family with two sweet little girls, who were travelling all the way to Astana. We watched as they prepared for their long journey, made up the beds for them all, set out their drinks and food on the little table, changed into comfortable slip on shoes, and unpacked playing cards and their jackets in anticipation of the cold evening. As we were only going a few hours up the line, we contended ourselves to look out the window at the surprisingly green outlook. We were expecting desert in this area, but there was much agriculture, farms and orchards. Looking out towards the Kyrgyzstan border, the view was all majestic mountains in their snowy glory. <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/08/desert-necropolises-and-cave-mosques.html" target="_blank">Kazakh style graveyards </a>(the most picturesque) seemed to fill every hill with their castle-like tombs, and horses, cows and big bummed sheep dotted the country side. It was a beautiful trip.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDjKFJO_k2rUFTN4CuxRDUsT5o6P-7b_eKe74mB5NDv2kgKkPhnNIQE-Nf7jbi6EHaUrG1nYyxyrE9LBMjBrstU6v7l1-eFOeQDqlfBtpRK9RwkC7Puvii7Bm0xGsqoIb7gsecsKgV3gadwKJ3HhJ1mtJyZY9M3xJNhL5TzRTBZ-GVbPxKqo-9nQs-g/s4526/taraz%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2892" data-original-width="4526" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDjKFJO_k2rUFTN4CuxRDUsT5o6P-7b_eKe74mB5NDv2kgKkPhnNIQE-Nf7jbi6EHaUrG1nYyxyrE9LBMjBrstU6v7l1-eFOeQDqlfBtpRK9RwkC7Puvii7Bm0xGsqoIb7gsecsKgV3gadwKJ3HhJ1mtJyZY9M3xJNhL5TzRTBZ-GVbPxKqo-9nQs-g/w640-h408/taraz%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Far away graveyard, Taraz<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiGDo_2NZ0lzpcyctV2nkybWZ0gIw9jjqLCHIPHnyc526Ry4d_xySyckWS56nAYXtutpdTZxB5673SIEWthZ_dGIBT5-BJ2x17cb_9cqkpzo4hoWnnQthzfkOQbDn7NtT_vDQz2xrntlm7Oet50y83yqy2fbjilC3K6PDFObaB43YVL1qwpyEuU8ODA/s4000/shym%20to%20taraz%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiGDo_2NZ0lzpcyctV2nkybWZ0gIw9jjqLCHIPHnyc526Ry4d_xySyckWS56nAYXtutpdTZxB5673SIEWthZ_dGIBT5-BJ2x17cb_9cqkpzo4hoWnnQthzfkOQbDn7NtT_vDQz2xrntlm7Oet50y83yqy2fbjilC3K6PDFObaB43YVL1qwpyEuU8ODA/w640-h480/shym%20to%20taraz%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking like a picture frame, Shymkent to Taraz train</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibbpDdfk7WwuN1QAkQyadyivETxQLKQIoOGFs9VIV5ylmz9HH8AZAMFDTBZaUFyz85D6ieTKb1CU8hbHx-7-xTPTejiWsxDz2BzbaVAs54fY1bCI5vG8-_yy0rHm5v88sJQqap4BxbbGPaY7CfFyyBG8N38M-3DRK7KvFb6hBXq23EwvtNU7b18sE2A/s4000/shym%20to%20taraz%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibbpDdfk7WwuN1QAkQyadyivETxQLKQIoOGFs9VIV5ylmz9HH8AZAMFDTBZaUFyz85D6ieTKb1CU8hbHx-7-xTPTejiWsxDz2BzbaVAs54fY1bCI5vG8-_yy0rHm5v88sJQqap4BxbbGPaY7CfFyyBG8N38M-3DRK7KvFb6hBXq23EwvtNU7b18sE2A/w480-h640/shym%20to%20taraz%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleeper train Shymkent to Taraz </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our arrival at Taraz was complicated. The host at the fancy apartment we had booked assumed we had mobile phone access and would call her when our train got in- we were left waiting at her building's entrance without a clue how to enter or check in. The caretaker took pity on us, let us into her office to wait and called our host. All ended well, and we were surprised at the standard of the apartment compared to the cheap price. We had become used to such extravagant (for us) apartments in the Balkans and <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/07/re-examining-romania-summing-up-of.html" target="_blank">Romania</a>, but in Central Asia the accommodation on offer was generally hostels, guesthouses or simple rooms in people's homes. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWOlG50ipGTcd_-c8EM3Sdm_FA0Bh0yLGLl_GzSHb9hLBW7K4NnN3sTfWV965SOq2qiTyRGSt_tiXpb9UOOfUXqXPzxhcHAwMY8XL6slbVM7yhVg12RCd5DvVurqiHviMhDYeV9xNMw3p2irP5MvcmFp8rvtSLCONAzWsy9zAEiZULuODJ_GHQ2otpg/s4000/taraz.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWOlG50ipGTcd_-c8EM3Sdm_FA0Bh0yLGLl_GzSHb9hLBW7K4NnN3sTfWV965SOq2qiTyRGSt_tiXpb9UOOfUXqXPzxhcHAwMY8XL6slbVM7yhVg12RCd5DvVurqiHviMhDYeV9xNMw3p2irP5MvcmFp8rvtSLCONAzWsy9zAEiZULuODJ_GHQ2otpg/w480-h640/taraz.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old fashioned hallway, Taraz apartment</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYGodXsAZXKx36w8FNgZrmd2U67MqufOs2R4Dj2AzcTXhHDG0vbR_-7bH0fHndiNRyhMMqfqGZ2-LJI-DZuRWg0_D-9-1NGjlbZo11YdzP-SMw7lqrDZUXkd8czek5kdaDyD0X_n8K8UME_A-rs2I_ey8Jdw4Q-shk77Ubx4oUS_sBn7dIS_YUzC1iw/s4000/IMG_2957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYGodXsAZXKx36w8FNgZrmd2U67MqufOs2R4Dj2AzcTXhHDG0vbR_-7bH0fHndiNRyhMMqfqGZ2-LJI-DZuRWg0_D-9-1NGjlbZo11YdzP-SMw7lqrDZUXkd8czek5kdaDyD0X_n8K8UME_A-rs2I_ey8Jdw4Q-shk77Ubx4oUS_sBn7dIS_YUzC1iw/w480-h640/IMG_2957.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glimpse into our swish kitchen, Taraz apartment</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmNxBYtulDlo70ub8QJ2_7P6Y3N5iFb7E79t28Qr0KJTtGC0WM9ah3NbNhlHZCdPNTkuaw5hdKh8Qif_HTQUSBqKJjhOYU_BzIOsYJBoSObpLSGwsqyptVXWQ7OKyC2NlmxZDOOEFc_4BDEjmgqYv0WMAgL_1b4nzI39yh3MAuXp91bIZH9HmjQtGOg/s3993/IMG_2965.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2648" data-original-width="3993" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmNxBYtulDlo70ub8QJ2_7P6Y3N5iFb7E79t28Qr0KJTtGC0WM9ah3NbNhlHZCdPNTkuaw5hdKh8Qif_HTQUSBqKJjhOYU_BzIOsYJBoSObpLSGwsqyptVXWQ7OKyC2NlmxZDOOEFc_4BDEjmgqYv0WMAgL_1b4nzI39yh3MAuXp91bIZH9HmjQtGOg/w640-h424/IMG_2965.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home for a short time, Taraz, Kazakhstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Most of our couple of days in Taraz was taken up with (a) looking at options for leaving the town, or (b) looking around at various tombs. For some reason, the train to Bishkek we wanted to take was about ten times more expensive than other comparative trips we had taken, and our lack of Russian speaking skills didn't help in trying to find out why. We decided to check out bus options with a long, crowded trip to the bus station on the other side of town, only to find language again making it difficult for us to suss out what the circumstances were. As the bus situation seemed very complicated, with multiple changes at the border, and irregular times, we bit the bullet and went for the pricey train. A side note has to be made about the extremely helpful ticket seller at Taraz train station. Without a word of English, she made a huge effort to help us find the information we needed and get our tickets for us. Most people working in this job in Central Asia only do what is strictly necessary, without going out of their way to help. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdaeY0DfdpS-2KNS6DIeZSXrVi1Pnf3FJj4m8tGCQmOaMmctR0ZUzZuKPDORVRVmOg7tQ1EPjExE3e_kfxRBFIguCUyp47tEjPjlaD7lrZwrT-EPjV1O5ggxNzsUfXmq2TkIzbtEvUmiFklfwKnTXRgjYVROvVhfcnrYsGJ_FBC4nfUYxHJblX5_4lw/s5074/taraz%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3371" data-original-width="5074" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdaeY0DfdpS-2KNS6DIeZSXrVi1Pnf3FJj4m8tGCQmOaMmctR0ZUzZuKPDORVRVmOg7tQ1EPjExE3e_kfxRBFIguCUyp47tEjPjlaD7lrZwrT-EPjV1O5ggxNzsUfXmq2TkIzbtEvUmiFklfwKnTXRgjYVROvVhfcnrYsGJ_FBC4nfUYxHJblX5_4lw/w640-h426/taraz%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful scene at Taraz</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>With that sorted, we visited two revered mausoleums, the monuments to Karakhan and Dauitbek, two governors of Taraz from the 11th and 13th centuries. These were contained in a park with some ruins of an ancient caravanserai, with a 200 tenge/£0.35 entrance fee. When Rich saw there was a pensioner discount, he showed his passport and we both got in for 100 tenge/ £0.17. How embarrassing! Anyway, inside, as typically with these religious buildings, there was a holy man on hand to sing a lovely prayer, which we listened to without understanding, but with appreciation. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeWTfLMD2AadGDFuROpgOnR8sck9k8AprsA281xct6jQigYKhEDHA11jTmlB7uCFTIGOv5ozPoWP6fvy6jTA8jSku8pghxgH9h3SBExW2mRV0HRrxgnzo-cxHm8fcDnmWPQmIS-uOpk95CvfCXtIOCF-4z64_6edGev5MPTCf4U4obFFDLdBjO8z06A/s4941/taraz%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeWTfLMD2AadGDFuROpgOnR8sck9k8AprsA281xct6jQigYKhEDHA11jTmlB7uCFTIGOv5ozPoWP6fvy6jTA8jSku8pghxgH9h3SBExW2mRV0HRrxgnzo-cxHm8fcDnmWPQmIS-uOpk95CvfCXtIOCF-4z64_6edGev5MPTCf4U4obFFDLdBjO8z06A/w640-h426/taraz%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal at caravserai ruins, Taraz<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>A new and huge complex on a hill overlooking the Talas River was a bit of a strange place. It was reconstructed in 2002, after apparently being destroyed in the 1930s, and is dedicated to the burial place of a saint, or was he the commander of an army- no one is completely sure who he was. Anyway, we enjoyed the views over the town very much, and while we were in a peaceful, shady part of the complex, we were completely mobbed by a group of gorgeous school kids. Kazakh kids have got to be the cutest! We had a photoshoot for about half an hour, until a group of Japanese tourists showed up, and stole our thunder.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIlqqehHPBt4dgxbn2Y5RNTkpO8Z40r1ZLPkrHbmHTlS2X5ijwMQha-UuCDYddewXUS5OmrxM6zTLFATFPZIsLWJnAek4I00945TMSwdoxixmIgZ8wWHk2ZpYF2bb3aLKWCxo8v3UP62E6hpDBZYTCruDxKkh9QM3K9d1OfvOaNLKEGsWeNyTV2oNBA/s4882/taraz%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4882" data-original-width="3254" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIlqqehHPBt4dgxbn2Y5RNTkpO8Z40r1ZLPkrHbmHTlS2X5ijwMQha-UuCDYddewXUS5OmrxM6zTLFATFPZIsLWJnAek4I00945TMSwdoxixmIgZ8wWHk2ZpYF2bb3aLKWCxo8v3UP62E6hpDBZYTCruDxKkh9QM3K9d1OfvOaNLKEGsWeNyTV2oNBA/w426-h640/taraz%20(3).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Massive muniment to Tekturmas, Taraz</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAc2VYzxEFs41Q25sVJSjsN-ZnSHZfNE5IIuDvozUr2e9bMqfkUf_qpCXG3HamLlv4CLItHP2VKPhoHEwKeOB5Gz3scjtDT22KjFM_GiIad6B7oYRSF-YjbknASzOGjm-Y60cC5oxoge_quwMXFNatF4mutbX8mOckqoM9jjwckOm-WIrjOsxRq7QOQ/s5184/taraz%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAc2VYzxEFs41Q25sVJSjsN-ZnSHZfNE5IIuDvozUr2e9bMqfkUf_qpCXG3HamLlv4CLItHP2VKPhoHEwKeOB5Gz3scjtDT22KjFM_GiIad6B7oYRSF-YjbknASzOGjm-Y60cC5oxoge_quwMXFNatF4mutbX8mOckqoM9jjwckOm-WIrjOsxRq7QOQ/w640-h426/taraz%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of the photoshoot, Taraz</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislmftiSRuSTWhzQyvj3WLXKMQlPsZHTqCZql03SIWKr3xQtOqyK7O1esVj1iVny5ssXlztbAc-q_qphOYqFdcCwkxJER_ZCsQyxipFalC11FdpQMyXo9-_I5zbRJLTupO70NG6tArpjdDr1YmVdPSLy0wEMVNYrvn4_9QONGIRUhqzgJA3FVOUzHxzA/s5184/taraz%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislmftiSRuSTWhzQyvj3WLXKMQlPsZHTqCZql03SIWKr3xQtOqyK7O1esVj1iVny5ssXlztbAc-q_qphOYqFdcCwkxJER_ZCsQyxipFalC11FdpQMyXo9-_I5zbRJLTupO70NG6tArpjdDr1YmVdPSLy0wEMVNYrvn4_9QONGIRUhqzgJA3FVOUzHxzA/w640-h426/taraz%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excited kids at Tekturmas mausoleum, Taraz</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8SBvopiJPKSr3eDEX_GDC1ty5-sdcEearzhgYdQU-nnYHEBJbHH0td5sF6kzJD0pceqI1qkbkBghqXMWATszU42fAUV0NwBjOT18qyntMBHQVOD9tMcYFHQ-rluNlA_-UMqzevLoCneX4m1oQYn95cBcSq-_wkX13hb5NTLA7bubuUgtRgdkwK7YgA/s5184/taraz%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8SBvopiJPKSr3eDEX_GDC1ty5-sdcEearzhgYdQU-nnYHEBJbHH0td5sF6kzJD0pceqI1qkbkBghqXMWATszU42fAUV0NwBjOT18qyntMBHQVOD9tMcYFHQ-rluNlA_-UMqzevLoCneX4m1oQYn95cBcSq-_wkX13hb5NTLA7bubuUgtRgdkwK7YgA/w640-h426/taraz%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute Kazakh girl, Taraz</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On our final night in Taraz we entered one of the many beer shops we had seen around Shymkent and Taraz. We assumed they were just the usual grog shops, and as we had already gotten our wine at the supermarket, we didn't need to explore that option further. What we discovered in Taraz, however, was a tiny shop with five or six different fresh local draught beers on tap. The price was unreal at 550 tenge/less than £1 for one litre, and tasted so good it even gave the Balkan beers a run for their money. We wished we had have unearthed this marvel sooner in the week!</p><p>Ready for another scrum to board the train from Taraz to Bishkek, we arrived early, and found a practically empty platform. As the train rolled in pretty much on time, we rushed to find the right "vagon" (carriage), and jumped on only to find that, apart from a couple of sleeping railway employees, we were the only passengers on the entire carriage! The attendant indicated we should set up and sleep anywhere we wanted to. Puzzled, we saw evidence of past passengers, in the form of rolled up bundles of used bed linen, but without anyone speaking English, we had no way to know what was going on. In the end, we rode the entire eight hours without another soul getting on or off. Just like the high cost of the ticket, we were never to find out why there were so few passengers.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF9R0M09ahzdmkUJUa6L8KyvI1WM5GOB6ruAeQ-J4S0a1mpeomfSlODI6-8pm14FnahZ0IKYqd_wMpEbkBwWZB4qdemK80cF_dxZJHmbMi43nk7JapfutqUaXv998QdAVqbeb0JhcLJNK4VpFBcYi30nN_Oe5_LEZgD3Q5GhWPH8EltP13cH2TFZyzA/s4000/IMG_2967.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF9R0M09ahzdmkUJUa6L8KyvI1WM5GOB6ruAeQ-J4S0a1mpeomfSlODI6-8pm14FnahZ0IKYqd_wMpEbkBwWZB4qdemK80cF_dxZJHmbMi43nk7JapfutqUaXv998QdAVqbeb0JhcLJNK4VpFBcYi30nN_Oe5_LEZgD3Q5GhWPH8EltP13cH2TFZyzA/w640-h480/IMG_2967.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completely empty train from Kazakhstan to Kyrgzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The two rail attendants onboard were so curious about us, great communicators and for Kyrgyzstan so typically friendly- we were really happy to be heading back there. Apart from a few encounters, we hadn't found the Kazakhs overly welcoming this time around. <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/08/too-hot-to-handle-aralsk-and-turkistan.html" target="_blank">Our last epic trip to Kazakhstan</a> had been so memorable and we had loved the people and the landscape, but this short trip was simply less interesting. </p><p>Anyway, it was a long and slow journey, with lengthy standstills at the border posts on the Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan side. The guards were very interested in Richard's various potions and spices, but after a detailed search and the drugs dog giving everything a good sniff, they were satisfied. Wouldn't be surprised if they were bored out of their brains and wanted to see what the foreigners were carrying. We were comfortable on the train, and obviously able to spread out and enjoy the last of the Kazakh scenery, but by the time we arrived in the wee hours of the morning into Bishkek station, we were quite exhausted. An amazing fact, that says a lot about the train system in this part of the world, was although the train had originated in Russia, we arrived at the final destination only five minutes late.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0ntxHD5puBVFR11jkxWkYxsQAP5E_nEe1EDE-IPijUDpKdUjSWFG6NwGASE7prMQW5MJ-OLpa4X9urs9cK4kcOcNgygDQaRBErUZgxnnJ4o6Uu66c6tJ2CHsaGFwpuVJ4LQD7eqx_FbkZZjvPStM-UVUdmnDu2nkKM-omzDAPWWGbRqw_jFXPZuS_g/s4000/IMG_2969.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2143" data-original-width="4000" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0ntxHD5puBVFR11jkxWkYxsQAP5E_nEe1EDE-IPijUDpKdUjSWFG6NwGASE7prMQW5MJ-OLpa4X9urs9cK4kcOcNgygDQaRBErUZgxnnJ4o6Uu66c6tJ2CHsaGFwpuVJ4LQD7eqx_FbkZZjvPStM-UVUdmnDu2nkKM-omzDAPWWGbRqw_jFXPZuS_g/w640-h342/IMG_2969.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out the train window towards Kyrgyzstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Kyrgyzstan has very few trains, and Bishkek station is not busy at the most active of times. At 2.30am on the morning we arrived, there was little action. The couple of taxis there picking up other passengers wanted US$20 for the six minute drive to our accommodation, and not yet having any local money, we felt a bit stranded. Luckily, a friendly man from the train took pity on us, and gave us a lift when his brothers came to collect him. Who knows how far out of their way they went for us, but we were very grateful. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi15Q7MYCPa3qmeN697OXTFFYVwjmtWzN2XBQzQ0fUR3e0xvp0JHHDUxJDEz0QghJjnQgz9PKv1md4KSCfQwEQ_MdNRlk97uI1KM9SUSfTuE9iDDN6cS8kSzHuMTMg-w-wa3IgTiAzjt4wXgb2yNIbIt3bMNVBaUtLO6NEBDIRRijNo4xMkpQFjoPAQ/s1274/shymkent.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1274" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi15Q7MYCPa3qmeN697OXTFFYVwjmtWzN2XBQzQ0fUR3e0xvp0JHHDUxJDEz0QghJjnQgz9PKv1md4KSCfQwEQ_MdNRlk97uI1KM9SUSfTuE9iDDN6cS8kSzHuMTMg-w-wa3IgTiAzjt4wXgb2yNIbIt3bMNVBaUtLO6NEBDIRRijNo4xMkpQFjoPAQ/w640-h406/shymkent.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our trip through a tiny portion of gigantic Kazakhstan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/06/stoney-faces-at-tower-bishkek-and.html" target="_blank">....finally in Kyrgyzstan!.......</a></i></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-6030213961747624132023-05-14T10:50:00.001+08:002023-06-03T14:37:30.441+08:00MORE BERRIES THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A SALAMI AT - Samarkand and Tashkent, Uzbekistan <p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="Hi there everyone! Well, it's been quite a while, but we are finally back in Central Asia. We love this part of the world, and are enjoying the spring weather, and different culture. Hopefully, the blog posts will be coming regularly now, as we will be over in this area for the summer and maybe beyond. Big love to everyone, and hope all is well for you guys. BUDDHIST RELICS AND SUFI TOMBS - Tashkent and Termez, Uzbekistan BUDDHIST RELICS AND SUFI TOMBS - Tashkent and Termez, Uzbekistan ............previously, a world away on the beach in tropical Thailand............. After spending the winter in... Lots of love, Sal and Richard xxxxxxxxxxxxx" target="_blank">......previously, our first few weeks in Uzbekistan in the deepest southern town of Termez.........</a></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a large portion of the Uzbek population were visiting relatives during the end of Ramadan, we reluctantly had to change our travel plans. The train we were hoping to take from Termez to the Fergana Valley was full, so we chose to go as far as Samarkand, and spend a few days there before returning to Tashkent. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rJPLRRVdA3BgoJVY3e7-wXdoxxoWi04ww-d5v2XPvc9yr2sxbwxBjKEh1S0omlDijKUw5b3ABaIKGQCEQCj5g7ADx2cvO7VvKBVwSji4a0qMRP6iOFzw-2yHhCxj5d56qStgHNxU10qtS12Q6iFnMhzbSASGpKJUK9ZmPQHyGI1wgKD-wETs9t3jzg/s3966/karomov%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2308" data-original-width="3966" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rJPLRRVdA3BgoJVY3e7-wXdoxxoWi04ww-d5v2XPvc9yr2sxbwxBjKEh1S0omlDijKUw5b3ABaIKGQCEQCj5g7ADx2cvO7VvKBVwSji4a0qMRP6iOFzw-2yHhCxj5d56qStgHNxU10qtS12Q6iFnMhzbSASGpKJUK9ZmPQHyGI1wgKD-wETs9t3jzg/w640-h372/karomov%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The magnificent Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>We normally travel in</span><span> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">platzkart </i><span>class on Russian-style trains. As it's the cheapest class, and for us, perfectly comfortable, we never had need to think about upgrading. However, this time, due to the busy time of year, we could only book</span><span> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">kupe </i><span>class, the next step up. It was a good opportunity to try something new. But as it turned out,</span><span> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">kupe </i><span>lacked the open and social feeling of</span><span> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">platzkart </i><span>that we enjoy, with only 4 beds in a compartment instead of 6 or 8, and a door that closed. There was no AC, only a tiny window in the top, next to our heads, and we were glad for the fresh air when we boarded as it was baking hot. As the journey went on, though, and the night cooled considerably, fresh air tuned cold, and Sal in particular, had no sleep due to a chilly wind coming in the window all night. </span><div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKBQaOFz-_KFrsdlzVckCZOUoI__7nniwMAqw4yTVB7I_i10dEC9FAUH8_gy0YSuYNWxmZxLOmJHX9v_riZy6nK15yJE_tH9cORTpUBDPGqF3K4nGbF2qM834SwtEXFZC1VgsUmqpwhZ_Y6pP-9JlrHcUOXFPBj5diT0gc9gk2Ffg7iBx6fJzWiJ7gw/s4000/train%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKBQaOFz-_KFrsdlzVckCZOUoI__7nniwMAqw4yTVB7I_i10dEC9FAUH8_gy0YSuYNWxmZxLOmJHX9v_riZy6nK15yJE_tH9cORTpUBDPGqF3K4nGbF2qM834SwtEXFZC1VgsUmqpwhZ_Y6pP-9JlrHcUOXFPBj5diT0gc9gk2Ffg7iBx6fJzWiJ7gw/w480-h640/train%20(1).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kupe </i>class on Uzbek train (we were up top)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was our third visit to the important Silk Road city, and although we were not as <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/07/ramadan-ladies-and-exploding-fans.html" target="_blank">awe-struck as the first time</a>, the magnificence of Samarkand never fails to impress. We arrived early at our favourite guesthouse in Uzbekistan, a homely, leafy family place set around a central courtyard. We were immediately welcomed with a huge breakfast, after which we thankfully collapsed into a comfortable bed to recover from the trip. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTvGkvIWpA19QPHrtl0U1BWooZa0DOvanoEndFtcbIWD0lbLKbLp38jwX_VPvY5rKT1gLHHZV7vKZCvf9aqu8PUXEwV4fvr0fzoS4c7aTtDohcQ2aErQ8kvsGPOoqUX7IZJXwMAqMF28pYvlyBGjRwjD-5p6I5rFmQiYkFKrdb3KHp1-Sri2HSCXZrA/s5184/bibi-khanym%20mosque.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2971" data-original-width="5184" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTvGkvIWpA19QPHrtl0U1BWooZa0DOvanoEndFtcbIWD0lbLKbLp38jwX_VPvY5rKT1gLHHZV7vKZCvf9aqu8PUXEwV4fvr0fzoS4c7aTtDohcQ2aErQ8kvsGPOoqUX7IZJXwMAqMF28pYvlyBGjRwjD-5p6I5rFmQiYkFKrdb3KHp1-Sri2HSCXZrA/w640-h366/bibi-khanym%20mosque.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We spent three relaxing days, wandering around a few of the lesser visited sights we missed on our other visits- it <i>is </i>difficult to see past the mammoth and sparkling big sites in Samarkand, such as our favourite, </span><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2019/07/us-back-in-uzbek-tashkent-and-samarkand.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Shar-i-Zinda</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkPjM0UdFJtXz5Fo2O_Ya4fCvQ9eDAX-aUPmKScQRhBarCzNbLv2l2Au6FtcCwc6TvbncYCHeunNgXX9blIiiD4miF_jzoEnSsFvKKFowOY5M4xfl9HhgOMe0IouyZpfDcybNcjBPQ752BHzbwUTkuC_TizZq9aewbd3WKPjVXAwltwmXGenMdstT0w/s4882/ishratkhana%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4882" data-original-width="3254" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkPjM0UdFJtXz5Fo2O_Ya4fCvQ9eDAX-aUPmKScQRhBarCzNbLv2l2Au6FtcCwc6TvbncYCHeunNgXX9blIiiD4miF_jzoEnSsFvKKFowOY5M4xfl9HhgOMe0IouyZpfDcybNcjBPQ752BHzbwUTkuC_TizZq9aewbd3WKPjVXAwltwmXGenMdstT0w/w426-h640/ishratkhana%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few remaining tiles, Ishratkhana, Samarkand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbWY2VhFKeD7y9Wt0ijz0CEIgnUFFReolx7qCr20KNNrrokIorFqLSlwWK7VTXPl1jB99SaIkOcbVrIz8zjtTgNYHYJm7F0z5Dz6pt3a0jmTR-upKnXs0zK4DUNWDdwGqvfE0l-bw6Rfoa9KSTnNkOFD5gqN4CvzHrAbNQH4zwBXWSastGbNmr3H_hg/s5014/ishratkhana%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5014" data-original-width="3344" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbWY2VhFKeD7y9Wt0ijz0CEIgnUFFReolx7qCr20KNNrrokIorFqLSlwWK7VTXPl1jB99SaIkOcbVrIz8zjtTgNYHYJm7F0z5Dz6pt3a0jmTR-upKnXs0zK4DUNWDdwGqvfE0l-bw6Rfoa9KSTnNkOFD5gqN4CvzHrAbNQH4zwBXWSastGbNmr3H_hg/w426-h640/ishratkhana%20(2).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quiet spot, Ishratkhana, Samarkand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A beautifully calm morning was spent visiting the mausoleum of </span>famed Islamic jurist <span style="font-family: inherit;">Abdu Durum. It was a quiet complex, with few people around - the couple of men that were praying there</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">gave us some pastries and water. The ancient setting around the fish pond and the surrounding four huge plane trees was pleasing and cool and we sat there for quite some time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehQl4n0n5v6Qb9FRX5_2f_QDhFO_FpXLRJHn6l2aEE-9aUFAEHAdGeiybaDDJ8FmCESDXIulpjYtfnrHVlwgW2b-ZBGIErzko8yediQlC0Q8zb1wWuT74grwQ1i_GOUYVu1UdB6i6w7FelYvqJT_vHDgfF8vccOEUKjYhokyy2jSkUjQT-peBJcyL4Q/s5184/quiet%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehQl4n0n5v6Qb9FRX5_2f_QDhFO_FpXLRJHn6l2aEE-9aUFAEHAdGeiybaDDJ8FmCESDXIulpjYtfnrHVlwgW2b-ZBGIErzko8yediQlC0Q8zb1wWuT74grwQ1i_GOUYVu1UdB6i6w7FelYvqJT_vHDgfF8vccOEUKjYhokyy2jSkUjQT-peBJcyL4Q/w426-h640/quiet%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quiet place to pray, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMOplZai55ADrQb-vLlvtWr0op0U0PdSzFw6IjOf4tSGvcJmk4cGDYW48R5MBvaC9aia9UkIBJDnnxTAkYZpc9ZLs2wmWfscTk06jBliOn7AAkJi3Kctf-qrOOpeSjVrGner75kAYG7V_kZKwgqv1sLjFxffa8JNw1dGLw4HuRsJ3g5LLhxUFl3Siug/s4507/quiet%20(4)(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4507" data-original-width="3390" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMOplZai55ADrQb-vLlvtWr0op0U0PdSzFw6IjOf4tSGvcJmk4cGDYW48R5MBvaC9aia9UkIBJDnnxTAkYZpc9ZLs2wmWfscTk06jBliOn7AAkJi3Kctf-qrOOpeSjVrGner75kAYG7V_kZKwgqv1sLjFxffa8JNw1dGLw4HuRsJ3g5LLhxUFl3Siug/w482-h640/quiet%20(4)(1).jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handsome minaret, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdHgh3D0EulOVTgfd3dtFbpUJr8Ox4n6nnaPZZjNlwd01mkWcVQ-lLSG6MQte5NXjge9qoZrQFLNmDbMfahcN2XmdDhj8GaUlhooOQsLuQIaaIzc_GRxxaJqm50EvDAeWxzZwlhuk_rwOTHfsxJ6s3bBqvJ4rTDUp8JwcIGJRwsAzqzpgkOngyZfSjQ/s4000/quiet%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdHgh3D0EulOVTgfd3dtFbpUJr8Ox4n6nnaPZZjNlwd01mkWcVQ-lLSG6MQte5NXjge9qoZrQFLNmDbMfahcN2XmdDhj8GaUlhooOQsLuQIaaIzc_GRxxaJqm50EvDAeWxzZwlhuk_rwOTHfsxJ6s3bBqvJ4rTDUp8JwcIGJRwsAzqzpgkOngyZfSjQ/w640-h480/quiet%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peeking in the entrance, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjsoiT5hyCick3A1BW3YuEUbjLSnnI1ePjfOFkdyQZb_yQO84J869tLnRDe4NlkYXSJUl-XX3hZcHd62BkHbwuUEG5yYdTzYsu3CVdbninb5qbQtGTwOLaM3P6sbRW-sMoIkLvf_1NbezJWDGWUsiZXd9CHjFKouotxbCiRudLVwF7wuge56DWb9RVg/s3952/quiet%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2285" data-original-width="3952" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjsoiT5hyCick3A1BW3YuEUbjLSnnI1ePjfOFkdyQZb_yQO84J869tLnRDe4NlkYXSJUl-XX3hZcHd62BkHbwuUEG5yYdTzYsu3CVdbninb5qbQtGTwOLaM3P6sbRW-sMoIkLvf_1NbezJWDGWUsiZXd9CHjFKouotxbCiRudLVwF7wuge56DWb9RVg/w640-h370/quiet%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden carving on ceiling, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lLO2ZdAZ6K2kJ7ybPKh4eMQKnmkIwXtwhNBy7AG_G3RH_GJNfVIb-myhYsosZcqsSe05tnMOFHaG0hwdZEGgAbld95MN7fAyosAK9n09lxSEHrBlKxy8vc9Yb5I2lZqXgtWq8YWks73fB_AUYELFp9PTHsvyBYwT0ORREMgKLMffRqh4wPxPRk2u3w/s3884/quiet%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2713" data-original-width="3884" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lLO2ZdAZ6K2kJ7ybPKh4eMQKnmkIwXtwhNBy7AG_G3RH_GJNfVIb-myhYsosZcqsSe05tnMOFHaG0hwdZEGgAbld95MN7fAyosAK9n09lxSEHrBlKxy8vc9Yb5I2lZqXgtWq8YWks73fB_AUYELFp9PTHsvyBYwT0ORREMgKLMffRqh4wPxPRk2u3w/w640-h448/quiet%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely setting around a pond, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlkp9k3Fvumx6fCgORnNGuQgt1uKLJlcfX3cUZlErOo20kw07IrYh6Z1PQFwU2o11_WTX2IJ9PgrVAEibcPce2BxAcaIBTFElHiJtZ5J5nTNmulnCbDnRZaLFxCp_N4tXf81kNOyMqmaDZP_1E_3HdcfX6YMvHUL5R3gB9r2pfNKAeuE5U_1__y1ToQ/s4000/quiet%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlkp9k3Fvumx6fCgORnNGuQgt1uKLJlcfX3cUZlErOo20kw07IrYh6Z1PQFwU2o11_WTX2IJ9PgrVAEibcPce2BxAcaIBTFElHiJtZ5J5nTNmulnCbDnRZaLFxCp_N4tXf81kNOyMqmaDZP_1E_3HdcfX6YMvHUL5R3gB9r2pfNKAeuE5U_1__y1ToQ/w480-h640/quiet%20(9).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning colours, Abdu Durum Mausoleum, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We wandered up the hill to see the stunning view from the ex-president Islam Karimov's mausoleum (he was born and grew up around here). It was interesting to see so many local pilgrims here, praying and visiting the tomb. A thought-provoking comment about Karimov from the legendary Central Asian planning website </span><a href="https://caravanistan.com" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Caravanistan</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span></p><p><i>"Karimov stole billions from his people and stymied the economy,
forcing millions to find work in Russia as badly treated migrant
workers.</i></p><p>
</p><p><i>He also closed the borders, restricted religious freedoms, forced
children to pick cotton (while draining the Aral Sea to water that
cotton), had thousands of opponents murdered and tortured, and
thousands more jailed. Yet, you will find his mausoleum thronged with
pilgrims searching for a blessing from the revered forefather. In
Central Asia, ancestors have a presence in daily life after they
passed away; they spread their spiritual energy and mediate
individual relationships with God. Even if they ruthlessly oppressed
you."</i></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhqaBMEwEl0CFeQ0pnguyOVvT7NzG7uHJTB4VVaHnX7JK2qfd-A4-ugBBwKEnZzgoVmWq3RFS9ALZNAEihOhX4boomEUjw9HwweNGa6VsXjZerJY1-OfZDVA4jxOfnCKV7y_wuMuUEXpyCyoheXAkwBOZqazisZY3peox2vhRkX8TetWnTd2_mEh52g/s5184/karomov%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhqaBMEwEl0CFeQ0pnguyOVvT7NzG7uHJTB4VVaHnX7JK2qfd-A4-ugBBwKEnZzgoVmWq3RFS9ALZNAEihOhX4boomEUjw9HwweNGa6VsXjZerJY1-OfZDVA4jxOfnCKV7y_wuMuUEXpyCyoheXAkwBOZqazisZY3peox2vhRkX8TetWnTd2_mEh52g/w640-h426/karomov%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a view from Karimov's tomb complex, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghU6exi_cpUmlcwL_uqMPu0bSA-_q95LDa6Ai7BS5_nMgeyfmVEcdIZvU769xrgX-KwF980tSR9BTqLA8_dd13RkrSGbgoZ1ieVabkyKre3UdbUa8sXevyXM5iQzoX5_C5_rgZhu61FQOHbf4XGMkkbmyxgZ06Y95atjCYcyMiYnaGzQTUuJyqmiXQ0A/s4063/karomov%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2861" data-original-width="4063" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghU6exi_cpUmlcwL_uqMPu0bSA-_q95LDa6Ai7BS5_nMgeyfmVEcdIZvU769xrgX-KwF980tSR9BTqLA8_dd13RkrSGbgoZ1ieVabkyKre3UdbUa8sXevyXM5iQzoX5_C5_rgZhu61FQOHbf4XGMkkbmyxgZ06Y95atjCYcyMiYnaGzQTUuJyqmiXQ0A/w640-h450/karomov%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals praying at the tomb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJKs62_VCI1cSF4zLxDiK2awUuo_uCpDhwLD2d9iaSptDiDidjjOESSJdOX82SeAvcHMcZZghmKkxkFFHE9W79ltEcIBlIInkxh-t20ReMky2XQ_ZpWMAPuOuZ8sMAi92rwwJP0Cm9NZWjkIYcJuZiUhMYmt0KRJJm9Zz4MtvbxOpCNeXoqAn5f4X1g/s4678/karomov%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4678" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJKs62_VCI1cSF4zLxDiK2awUuo_uCpDhwLD2d9iaSptDiDidjjOESSJdOX82SeAvcHMcZZghmKkxkFFHE9W79ltEcIBlIInkxh-t20ReMky2XQ_ZpWMAPuOuZ8sMAi92rwwJP0Cm9NZWjkIYcJuZiUhMYmt0KRJJm9Zz4MtvbxOpCNeXoqAn5f4X1g/w472-h640/karomov%20(4).jpg" width="472" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highly decorated and popular place to visit, Islam Karimov's mausoleum, Samarkand</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Samarkand bazaar was a wonderful mixture of produce, handicrafts, gourmet treats and practical items. The touristy spice stall vendors were hell bent on selling tourists saffron, ladies in scarves sold diary products from buckets on the ground, </span>nougats and halva were piled up in tempting piles,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and the aroma of fresh bread came from the bakery section as famous Samarkand-style round loaves were baked and raced around in delivery carts. The fresh fruit was what we were eying, and we ended up with bag loads of gorgeous strawberries. Apricots and cherries were also coming onto the market, and boys juicing strangely pallid pomegranates stood on every corner. Around the edge of the outdoor market were the shops selling a huge array of cheeses and salamis - they really love their salami here. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5M9T7FxviMR4U7xJr57NVDYPQR0smvEGbfTIV0lEBIMGkr2bdJeMm4vjSr1HhhyO-BVGl7op4ulYyxBi1Gell-ynkqrZbqPg7fNTjMOV6WiFonNv8GmG5Nvwy_z_kIgPoE_crR1Pa45NYbEfRRt58Fk-Fr3eiTlRjyI53UhlyV4S4g3RluCOpwEO__Q/s3925/market%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3925" data-original-width="3399" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5M9T7FxviMR4U7xJr57NVDYPQR0smvEGbfTIV0lEBIMGkr2bdJeMm4vjSr1HhhyO-BVGl7op4ulYyxBi1Gell-ynkqrZbqPg7fNTjMOV6WiFonNv8GmG5Nvwy_z_kIgPoE_crR1Pa45NYbEfRRt58Fk-Fr3eiTlRjyI53UhlyV4S4g3RluCOpwEO__Q/w554-h640/market%20(1).jpg" width="554" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paying for her strawberries, Samarkand bazaar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJ8StTFvpXPuBLRHjthpTiuS1rqlduYoKjKgox_8-kYueNnZlJHMl0VmY7AkTjrSef5GI1NRjqpHjLZOxdZhLddX3_StezNnSuZyyk1A9UGq8MATCwZ7mjGzI37pSbontrY2ixRu1SxKX9iE1RuY9ZK8ysMsRLSZphAst0dxmyR3Jt2CvPNoqlZUboA/s5184/market%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJ8StTFvpXPuBLRHjthpTiuS1rqlduYoKjKgox_8-kYueNnZlJHMl0VmY7AkTjrSef5GI1NRjqpHjLZOxdZhLddX3_StezNnSuZyyk1A9UGq8MATCwZ7mjGzI37pSbontrY2ixRu1SxKX9iE1RuY9ZK8ysMsRLSZphAst0dxmyR3Jt2CvPNoqlZUboA/w640-h426/market%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous ceramic section, Samarkand bazaar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxatl0e98t_BI32JGBbw2FPetVhEH7GP83UHxw8ltUc14C5Bs98nITUtHghMR6um5drh0N1oV6bcGstF9GY6Ovr0Naq2v7Z4EuWQ1N6gF4Iy5v0Hyg-AAZNbK5gvjSTFDy9w2QTaBx-KmSz5yQ9UZPC8ZPG2E24eHR9-hC6HvY4crSccnucBgpNRoJQ/s4715/market%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3431" data-original-width="4715" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxatl0e98t_BI32JGBbw2FPetVhEH7GP83UHxw8ltUc14C5Bs98nITUtHghMR6um5drh0N1oV6bcGstF9GY6Ovr0Naq2v7Z4EuWQ1N6gF4Iy5v0Hyg-AAZNbK5gvjSTFDy9w2QTaBx-KmSz5yQ9UZPC8ZPG2E24eHR9-hC6HvY4crSccnucBgpNRoJQ/w640-h466/market%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Ere, try this one on for size</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZZSQM6LjfvhZt63oeoiax-xiBOa40MqQQoY4eLkCCYG3nkjAuyRNp1vJ6vPHYd5Hi2jPaEl5iQmk-erUELVOWoAbNyVNT8d-63UpYrZmQroeVAo9-mFgkRWjmb1PwWy-4GRDo3HoQS7Y9lzsodSeCg5930YaqvxS9HMdd7HE68EuKLGmEqqNAucd_Q/s3750/market%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="3750" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZZSQM6LjfvhZt63oeoiax-xiBOa40MqQQoY4eLkCCYG3nkjAuyRNp1vJ6vPHYd5Hi2jPaEl5iQmk-erUELVOWoAbNyVNT8d-63UpYrZmQroeVAo9-mFgkRWjmb1PwWy-4GRDo3HoQS7Y9lzsodSeCg5930YaqvxS9HMdd7HE68EuKLGmEqqNAucd_Q/w640-h480/market%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy array of early spring fruit, Samarkand bazaar</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The train back to Tashkent from Samarkand was aboard the very civilized and touristy highspeed Afrosiyob train, complete with AC, airplane-style seats, and a snack and coffee included in the fare. The only interesting activity was trying to board alongside a large group of enormous Indian tourists, causing complete chaos and noise as only Indians can. Half of them ended up to be in the wrong carriage, and had to back themselves and their considerable amounts of luggage out while everyone else was trying to board. Soon we all settled down and enjoyed the short trip in comfort. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back in Tashkent, we continued our casual sightseeing- an impressive graveyard full of Soviet-era busts of Russian officials, a <i>madrassa </i>converted into a traditional crafts workshop, and a palace which design was based on industry. A fantastic find was Mirabad Bazaar, much closer to us than than huge and famous Chorsu Bazaar. This charming market with friendly vendors had everything we needed all contained under an attractive round flat roof. We actually discovered a new, slightly more expensive strawberry variety that was so unbelievable delicious there's almost no words to describe. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppnNSYHj8uQg9R4fcuumu5p_FoTV2C2tRB2pcBLgBeBWkJvjUUWoXvzRJcPUG0Rc7pBDb82Aj72AkGFEs6Xsi5wqVDw0OPozFKGEKI8a0P4VhNqSSyEqjumkb-d3GnJOrI95Uw_DieBR_YGsqkZxVD9bGqJdaE8GKo6CmlF38eb1nMQNhv9jrz5XNGw/s5086/IMG_9403.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2925" data-original-width="5086" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppnNSYHj8uQg9R4fcuumu5p_FoTV2C2tRB2pcBLgBeBWkJvjUUWoXvzRJcPUG0Rc7pBDb82Aj72AkGFEs6Xsi5wqVDw0OPozFKGEKI8a0P4VhNqSSyEqjumkb-d3GnJOrI95Uw_DieBR_YGsqkZxVD9bGqJdaE8GKo6CmlF38eb1nMQNhv9jrz5XNGw/w640-h368/IMG_9403.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imposing busts and graves, Chigatay Cemetery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGTTee4Ntspn2lDlbYc-pBbjJw_Qy6iqJcZqEGlPz-xAlzvwI2rr0avbt8as3gX8HCZTqq2cLuFyiRPCXb-UQOlQAgolktcKHKJDKadiN5HiQkPPbYy7ITAngy6hrH-b38XwUg7MYKE6f6kvjUXXpAG9qszRwomcTXn6dXY1uXeDDZx-K9E4uFFz8yg/s5184/IMG_9428.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGTTee4Ntspn2lDlbYc-pBbjJw_Qy6iqJcZqEGlPz-xAlzvwI2rr0avbt8as3gX8HCZTqq2cLuFyiRPCXb-UQOlQAgolktcKHKJDKadiN5HiQkPPbYy7ITAngy6hrH-b38XwUg7MYKE6f6kvjUXXpAG9qszRwomcTXn6dXY1uXeDDZx-K9E4uFFz8yg/w640-h426/IMG_9428.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crafty Abdulkasym <i>madrassa</i>, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TDhy1nHx9FyzVN1dKx7L5-n6zkc_-oGhA6xHnnXLriFG9S7YVfaIIcxbv4EFYoBqjjZrZzBWXXApogytZ7TiyfygFMF4MzQKPIWvy7l1itbUEGL_mmbwIkU_1QUFJePzOLMWxaVGyb_mxOMKWuSJZ2A2TqCe1JnjyxmUo3Q918BVvpwqsiidJpMkDA/s4000/IMG_2861.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TDhy1nHx9FyzVN1dKx7L5-n6zkc_-oGhA6xHnnXLriFG9S7YVfaIIcxbv4EFYoBqjjZrZzBWXXApogytZ7TiyfygFMF4MzQKPIWvy7l1itbUEGL_mmbwIkU_1QUFJePzOLMWxaVGyb_mxOMKWuSJZ2A2TqCe1JnjyxmUo3Q918BVvpwqsiidJpMkDA/w640-h480/IMG_2861.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brutalist architecture, Friendship Palace, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t2ZfYR924fZ_4c90TORv9Kgj0VzYuxTsvYvr2kZgogYyxLIVfytvCRqLnJGDer2XbIALP72XRR3fwVHo4nEhTpvqLr6WZr-gWt2d3WvuO55SDWnq6o5EoBWyvm9lRyRNm6--2-JHUl4NyQS1SUm1b-YEly_NVreq6GJ0vMDv47PqFMehr7wgSsOh1w/s4000/IMG_2870.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2857" data-original-width="4000" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t2ZfYR924fZ_4c90TORv9Kgj0VzYuxTsvYvr2kZgogYyxLIVfytvCRqLnJGDer2XbIALP72XRR3fwVHo4nEhTpvqLr6WZr-gWt2d3WvuO55SDWnq6o5EoBWyvm9lRyRNm6--2-JHUl4NyQS1SUm1b-YEly_NVreq6GJ0vMDv47PqFMehr7wgSsOh1w/w640-h458/IMG_2870.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friendship Palace, complete with bolts falling from the roof, Tashkent (spot the cap)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCB8wf8ig3wXg7DlmD_U5f6FstK1WcSO-5KpnJvvCjsJVrfoUahVchn6jn_0iGl7acZg3soT-t_BnfNHsORc27rYbirt64nR7PdPD9Ll1ijKMeaJwddBYsdOz95ufHAey3h3HoqE9gU0EiPFa7yY_G6vYPPo7tYjGWP7ZadFwzE4FQfFNxgZKRf9XBNA/s4000/IMG_2880.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCB8wf8ig3wXg7DlmD_U5f6FstK1WcSO-5KpnJvvCjsJVrfoUahVchn6jn_0iGl7acZg3soT-t_BnfNHsORc27rYbirt64nR7PdPD9Ll1ijKMeaJwddBYsdOz95ufHAey3h3HoqE9gU0EiPFa7yY_G6vYPPo7tYjGWP7ZadFwzE4FQfFNxgZKRf9XBNA/w640-h426/IMG_2880.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mirabad Bazaar, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sruFehT3zuMmT5OdVpcf3qQLftiP9PuyAYJUcKW6X_nRwjSY4Pfb91CP7Z_DP91SJFpo8djbhLAyC7PmV6UlGHLOhwRUjnLwKZSc0k2e3dlEA0yONmTj4usn3Ty65Wq_2p3c1f3VDUEeT9AgjYNHh0vWCv6grRAB-KEBsIgwF1OCNWIvxr06-mHF9Q/s4000/IMG_2886.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sruFehT3zuMmT5OdVpcf3qQLftiP9PuyAYJUcKW6X_nRwjSY4Pfb91CP7Z_DP91SJFpo8djbhLAyC7PmV6UlGHLOhwRUjnLwKZSc0k2e3dlEA0yONmTj4usn3Ty65Wq_2p3c1f3VDUEeT9AgjYNHh0vWCv6grRAB-KEBsIgwF1OCNWIvxr06-mHF9Q/w480-h640/IMG_2886.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicatessen shop selling all sorts of meats and cheeses, Mirabad Bazaar, Tashkent<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">All of a sudden a month had passed since our arrival in Uzbekistan, and it was time for us to leave the country. We had, by now, formulated some sort of plan, and decided to make a few stops in Kazakhstan on our way to Kyrgyzstan. We could hardly wait!! Please stay tuned, and we promise the next blog post won't be so long in arriving. We were a bit overwhelmed when we first arrived, and took a little while to get ourselves into gear. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5_ddhgZ9A7bHIx46ivdOWkZvHJABDCE0S_TXZAgjPpIzCFKcwTXXaX6JmbGbaBZvA4yJjOr-t-usuq6iYi5VhKi4jjEQaHHgVNnt4VP11lRMHJmQKu_x_CSpJ0-hMacPlQwjZoavD--X8qxY3zy_Nn8z-iIinxAtjYLFklHLPFZwbsVhHNqYWJ_M2w/s5184/food%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5_ddhgZ9A7bHIx46ivdOWkZvHJABDCE0S_TXZAgjPpIzCFKcwTXXaX6JmbGbaBZvA4yJjOr-t-usuq6iYi5VhKi4jjEQaHHgVNnt4VP11lRMHJmQKu_x_CSpJ0-hMacPlQwjZoavD--X8qxY3zy_Nn8z-iIinxAtjYLFklHLPFZwbsVhHNqYWJ_M2w/w640-h426/food%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant <i>plov </i>pot, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGO6UToZgIPaASSwYc-Ha1hrBJe3jrB2DoMuuZdjjzfb6G1Mn9tKAqdw8Tawl1YIOhynqe3Gi4Zmkj_65tmPtaqPs-YLuFLghDkP9fux0Od3YdXU0JMzKIsnhc_gHWoj697rXYWNNDnfpOM-v7EPFjsrsb4kTV5Pta9GBS-a-7vg4KOlV-szB1dNKlFw/s5158/IMG_9401.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3438" data-original-width="5158" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGO6UToZgIPaASSwYc-Ha1hrBJe3jrB2DoMuuZdjjzfb6G1Mn9tKAqdw8Tawl1YIOhynqe3Gi4Zmkj_65tmPtaqPs-YLuFLghDkP9fux0Od3YdXU0JMzKIsnhc_gHWoj697rXYWNNDnfpOM-v7EPFjsrsb4kTV5Pta9GBS-a-7vg4KOlV-szB1dNKlFw/w640-h426/IMG_9401.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moody under the city, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCkZSy8JxrwaQyQ5Uh9UYSwleA-XazXY8luN7ued8LzfKazA27sqv3BJ8qsXBMJRYctjNEf07SIaKRONf_tTm4qIeZcgw9l9KixcMBF9ujl_01pU8tiq1c83dIj0TxoaBcoBWboTruJ32mJsg8qliRrLY8N60VuPQGnNL4p9ygZC9Mm-zxNUVM4lMGA/s5184/metro%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCkZSy8JxrwaQyQ5Uh9UYSwleA-XazXY8luN7ued8LzfKazA27sqv3BJ8qsXBMJRYctjNEf07SIaKRONf_tTm4qIeZcgw9l9KixcMBF9ujl_01pU8tiq1c83dIj0TxoaBcoBWboTruJ32mJsg8qliRrLY8N60VuPQGnNL4p9ygZC9Mm-zxNUVM4lMGA/w640-h426/metro%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rush hour, Tashkent metro</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCR-KjK_VWRhcDpJ8tUJDAoyP0si-HTxLyZSmM6B3C6ehAa8YqCIXSqfHqxMvkjyOr1Ql9Oaua8OVyJJmcPhDQYXekkQmgsP-5cZScF2tRpz6cb--7jEDpmLvCLHYKw-0oHhfi-vu1nh-UQglDaUYSoTKDhQ9-cqUENlvXtQyzP4wEivqxV1am0711w/s3905/metro%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3905" data-original-width="2204" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCR-KjK_VWRhcDpJ8tUJDAoyP0si-HTxLyZSmM6B3C6ehAa8YqCIXSqfHqxMvkjyOr1Ql9Oaua8OVyJJmcPhDQYXekkQmgsP-5cZScF2tRpz6cb--7jEDpmLvCLHYKw-0oHhfi-vu1nh-UQglDaUYSoTKDhQ9-cqUENlvXtQyzP4wEivqxV1am0711w/w362-h640/metro%20(3).jpg" width="362" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More beautiful metro art, we are fascinated by it!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>A few general notes about travel in Uzbekistan</b>:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Having arriving into Uzbekistan from Penang in full hot season in April, where the energy was drained out of us, and the feeling of lethargy was difficult to shake, we absolutely revelled in the cooler spring weather of Central Asia. Days were sunny and warm, and nights just the right temperature for sleeping soundly. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVVzxc__yq19VelSxsjIWNSXTfvoWI74v4Pxx8vJDCeIlVGomdySGRtwUhjgs1sq2Gc4Z-cl7gxdyxYS8tzFol4h0kK4AcKQY0yt2Ehyrp_Tv_iVoMiYb0pPPdBT3io7jUeHp0uK0T7DJC7I1SnXNWMCj9V-jf4B9X3igErP2WZvh6nH_D1matZTBaw/s3816/IMG_9404.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3296" data-original-width="3816" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVVzxc__yq19VelSxsjIWNSXTfvoWI74v4Pxx8vJDCeIlVGomdySGRtwUhjgs1sq2Gc4Z-cl7gxdyxYS8tzFol4h0kK4AcKQY0yt2Ehyrp_Tv_iVoMiYb0pPPdBT3io7jUeHp0uK0T7DJC7I1SnXNWMCj9V-jf4B9X3igErP2WZvh6nH_D1matZTBaw/w640-h552/IMG_9404.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unusual statue on a grave, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As previously stated, accommodation costs had risen in the three years since we last visited in 2019. We stayed at a mixture of hostels and guesthouses, and the were all clean and friendly. Most accommodation offered a substantial breakfast, sometimes included and sometimes for a few dollars extra. We paid between </span>£<span style="font-family: inherit;">16- </span>£<span style="font-family: inherit;">22 a night for a double room, usually with our own bathroom.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GzmTWJGxiT90RJ0g1d1Q0OISnqh-Rz_irar8gRXpEUOB702SwOZG5ZjprKLhsJtH8ikGhonwaW7RDRbui4epxGUlbgy0A5flnsrHc_iaq0QrHA2Fn07HGOvvaNZq4mlkVARC-SO-LjbVWFi7z1R61wbnhmZ-DbRcQYvFINrurr5gAfe2UEvvtq073g/s4000/room.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GzmTWJGxiT90RJ0g1d1Q0OISnqh-Rz_irar8gRXpEUOB702SwOZG5ZjprKLhsJtH8ikGhonwaW7RDRbui4epxGUlbgy0A5flnsrHc_iaq0QrHA2Fn07HGOvvaNZq4mlkVARC-SO-LjbVWFi7z1R61wbnhmZ-DbRcQYvFINrurr5gAfe2UEvvtq073g/w640-h480/room.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our comfy, homey room in Samarkand, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm sure we've mentioned it before, but we absolutely love the ease of the public transport in Central Asia. In all the places we visited in Uzbekistan, local buses were one price for a single trip, no matter how far one went. In Tashkent, this was the same for the metro. 1,400-1500 som (<span>£</span>0.09-<span><span>£</span><span>0</span></span>.10) was paid to the driver as one exited the bus. So easy. The long distance trains seemed somewhat pricey, but it's all relative. Our longest train trip, which was 14 hours, cost 170,000 som each, about <span><span>£</span><span>1</span></span>2.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwtLi8cp46xzH9r7QlyAxK90yx6px9J5__O2SKJHOQruPqt0Oc0s0wwr3fofMJQLXjutmUO5oX9GfexqeGDdRahZmgDGZY4mMx6DhUWPVVKsUFBuYYKV18m3lcFnhsi_2B0uoSwT2Bp1dCMTwYlJRIH8lySIH2rm28Tle5y8d3SO-KwdT-_B3iBZr3A/s3570/train%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2779" data-original-width="3570" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwtLi8cp46xzH9r7QlyAxK90yx6px9J5__O2SKJHOQruPqt0Oc0s0wwr3fofMJQLXjutmUO5oX9GfexqeGDdRahZmgDGZY4mMx6DhUWPVVKsUFBuYYKV18m3lcFnhsi_2B0uoSwT2Bp1dCMTwYlJRIH8lySIH2rm28Tle5y8d3SO-KwdT-_B3iBZr3A/w640-h498/train%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for boarding, Uzbekistan trains</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJy8poDXjfMCP5cg-nkE7PRqAWPQ8KlRN3tT2OkQf6OXhs-5a9mF1aw7sbrcmnJYCHGvv1Rq7iEuFgV45HwlaUSbIVDuZBuJ6CaeQuopMB74M5qm6O03ku4bA7QoTEo9R5h2FpJxY5-X1Jha2v0fLZ65cb5K7zvjT1TATb_Mat9u7_S6WDFyJ0JsAd8A/s3945/IMG_2849.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="3945" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJy8poDXjfMCP5cg-nkE7PRqAWPQ8KlRN3tT2OkQf6OXhs-5a9mF1aw7sbrcmnJYCHGvv1Rq7iEuFgV45HwlaUSbIVDuZBuJ6CaeQuopMB74M5qm6O03ku4bA7QoTEo9R5h2FpJxY5-X1Jha2v0fLZ65cb5K7zvjT1TATb_Mat9u7_S6WDFyJ0JsAd8A/w640-h456/IMG_2849.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samarkand train station, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's probably pretty clear that we adore the fresh produce in Uzbekistan. Everywhere we went, seasonal fruit and veggies and freshly baked bread</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> were available. Dairy products were delish and always full fat- none of this diet crap in Central Asia! <i>S</i></span><i style="font-family: inherit;">metana </i><span>(a cross between Greek yoghurt and sour cream) is our favourite, and this time we discovered Central Asian-style <i>kaymak</i>. We had tried <i>kaymak </i>in Serbia, but unlike it's Balkan cousin, the variety here isn't salty, more like a clotted cream. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">We tended not to eat out a lot, preferring to make ourselves picnics with salad, local pickles, eggs and smoky cheese, traditional round bread, and fruits and <i>smetana</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. When we ate out, we enjoyed meat. Lamb, beef and chicken are usual here - on skewers (<i>shashlik</i>) and from a spit (<i>doner</i>) are the two most common types.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_nEPLSe4RZDW2XjgPQ4BeO6tYnCTVpduPICGppLqs8ObZRMApUWog3v4M5vTuRyFDwsIaLgUieaXNkjk8jtkVeeJqEq_TiEPUmwekM8vbKZo-lI7ChRVZtdFsJZDiPWlaln5Nxk4VtOvfOgIjwxGuKLu_XELxwzI3Io6DFsMsFeGceuFjz4E7Hi_kQ/s5184/food%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_nEPLSe4RZDW2XjgPQ4BeO6tYnCTVpduPICGppLqs8ObZRMApUWog3v4M5vTuRyFDwsIaLgUieaXNkjk8jtkVeeJqEq_TiEPUmwekM8vbKZo-lI7ChRVZtdFsJZDiPWlaln5Nxk4VtOvfOgIjwxGuKLu_XELxwzI3Io6DFsMsFeGceuFjz4E7Hi_kQ/w640-h426/food%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum chill and garlic</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdeKITV9Z4OgP5xstxNfSIWFb_Qn0kPfe2G66WoFRkbo9mZ3wdUNO_rtsOAJrW4MNVED1cgEHvJkrW883T9GN5OjqX2N2E1vrZvyENB8gzZGNB7PcFcUNH2YYMArNKPTyGkanf-YNbmnNsTCqA0h5iiKftQjcQRI1OjcS2rFSs-EEVx3bnVXzr1c8RA/s4000/food%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdeKITV9Z4OgP5xstxNfSIWFb_Qn0kPfe2G66WoFRkbo9mZ3wdUNO_rtsOAJrW4MNVED1cgEHvJkrW883T9GN5OjqX2N2E1vrZvyENB8gzZGNB7PcFcUNH2YYMArNKPTyGkanf-YNbmnNsTCqA0h5iiKftQjcQRI1OjcS2rFSs-EEVx3bnVXzr1c8RA/w640-h480/food%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A takeaway meal, rotisserie chicken and Uzbek wine!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcvTrWWAVp4Y2h130BR8P1M7dPfyX67uQoB9PpCrHQ1SowbA2CuibzGu_Ue7A-y9dMlxXUygUwTy58IsHV_JUIktyaxCd2qi4EBw_9-gKr26khdNcmYDlf0rfrCgIADDIm1tsm93xU_bCYZgdeO4zR2fFLYUtxw1dHiFYbx2IoOM2v6N87cGxzFdtyA/s4000/food%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcvTrWWAVp4Y2h130BR8P1M7dPfyX67uQoB9PpCrHQ1SowbA2CuibzGu_Ue7A-y9dMlxXUygUwTy58IsHV_JUIktyaxCd2qi4EBw_9-gKr26khdNcmYDlf0rfrCgIADDIm1tsm93xU_bCYZgdeO4zR2fFLYUtxw1dHiFYbx2IoOM2v6N87cGxzFdtyA/w640-h480/food%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting flavour juice (we didn't try)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxeKSXJzVEk6m3laPavJLCYnn_c6pDDSwt0veJ65XB83cuhq-1xvMWkDP5wXnyWvRNbERWv1WwcbINN2iwMm4jLXoEcNXXwHdoNaS8ub7hWTP2M44uXs_O9gm3whrCL9oGk-ztasiQQwJvFD7yvckWIqzAe-Bh6ASAqzdVixaRVRtH3s_NkoPv5hoaw/s5184/food%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxeKSXJzVEk6m3laPavJLCYnn_c6pDDSwt0veJ65XB83cuhq-1xvMWkDP5wXnyWvRNbERWv1WwcbINN2iwMm4jLXoEcNXXwHdoNaS8ub7hWTP2M44uXs_O9gm3whrCL9oGk-ztasiQQwJvFD7yvckWIqzAe-Bh6ASAqzdVixaRVRtH3s_NkoPv5hoaw/w640-h426/food%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National obsession, <i>plov</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oDxhmtSP6COU7FUQ-LYwR8udpC4pUfCNCuTFBErlzBZ7bGvwWh7b68qsbS6YAbdlAQ1nJm0AqsF0IBT_5VUIDUnKMxS2haNT5s5YoWNA1s1UlN33BAz1QEkUF0PG6eKZ045-2zxwaZ4lOZAntydZTs6OkIP9x-272M2P8yLFr8QMzMwUcQhcio_xqA/s4000/food%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oDxhmtSP6COU7FUQ-LYwR8udpC4pUfCNCuTFBErlzBZ7bGvwWh7b68qsbS6YAbdlAQ1nJm0AqsF0IBT_5VUIDUnKMxS2haNT5s5YoWNA1s1UlN33BAz1QEkUF0PG6eKZ045-2zxwaZ4lOZAntydZTs6OkIP9x-272M2P8yLFr8QMzMwUcQhcio_xqA/w480-h640/food%20(6).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Messy looking, but delicious <i>beefshtek </i>and <i>goulash</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXWuICv3Ca-j9kbdaaWAOCwx5TAIkAHsLOJcFkpt_AYJeCehoQaTsRASEeCFNd4_Q_1yt4vaBwc609hihmqp8MwSaUfRfliU5IztECBVEdbBQaGiwKscMMr0kaBEzAheYb-OEdXJ69SmRKrvquHRT411zQfnMNclJQqIxyRNPTcwUf6cGShLxvyBydw/s4000/IMG_2876.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXWuICv3Ca-j9kbdaaWAOCwx5TAIkAHsLOJcFkpt_AYJeCehoQaTsRASEeCFNd4_Q_1yt4vaBwc609hihmqp8MwSaUfRfliU5IztECBVEdbBQaGiwKscMMr0kaBEzAheYb-OEdXJ69SmRKrvquHRT411zQfnMNclJQqIxyRNPTcwUf6cGShLxvyBydw/w640-h480/IMG_2876.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfectly presented cherries and berries</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Vq-XmVOjzh-ZyimFYKUWKlJYUZgEAqDxlkAvmX8jYB4_x8qapJhNfE8jRTYQTg-PUeVwPr0Rc_aZ2flEv0thJseAp-0D-rB3xpJbuN8T4TzyKGknm-R__6TwYWqic1Ey39VfVO2GRWWYzoHDyMTsMHihnxjsEdn5VUV0tpqq1JiWvLBGi22o_telTQ/s2500/food.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="2500" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Vq-XmVOjzh-ZyimFYKUWKlJYUZgEAqDxlkAvmX8jYB4_x8qapJhNfE8jRTYQTg-PUeVwPr0Rc_aZ2flEv0thJseAp-0D-rB3xpJbuN8T4TzyKGknm-R__6TwYWqic1Ey39VfVO2GRWWYzoHDyMTsMHihnxjsEdn5VUV0tpqq1JiWvLBGi22o_telTQ/w640-h350/food.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful produce in Uzbek market<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A fine discovery was Uzbek wine- the different brands we tried varied from delicious to headache inducing, but at less than </span>£<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 a bottle, generally very enjoyable indeed! Beer was also available with mixed results. We have been so spoilt having spent a long time in the Balkans during the past few years - you really can't beat that area for premium alcoholic drinks at rock bottom prices. Ditto for the cafe culture- there isn't one in Central Asia. Tea, or choy, is king here. We got our pathetic coffee fix in the mornings with the local instant variety. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aRzBAOaIduoi70h6ZFkGUVw4yl82DPnwVGBf7U0i-Vvlou0SFhm4dZXEFDKgOElIjtq8fooLijV6LvwfDy3RUGCOB1VQGxY3i6HwaZWQp2xQAMkBb35sIVRrQpBXiIvRXBHfHlUdwQdEy8Ys3PWuIUa2GFOtUCMsAt9WX9UTBliOh7P1GOHkW1fNsw/s4000/food%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aRzBAOaIduoi70h6ZFkGUVw4yl82DPnwVGBf7U0i-Vvlou0SFhm4dZXEFDKgOElIjtq8fooLijV6LvwfDy3RUGCOB1VQGxY3i6HwaZWQp2xQAMkBb35sIVRrQpBXiIvRXBHfHlUdwQdEy8Ys3PWuIUa2GFOtUCMsAt9WX9UTBliOh7P1GOHkW1fNsw/w480-h640/food%20(7).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uzbek wine</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most streets and parks in the cities we visited were lined with mulberry trees - both red and white varieties. No-one seemed too fussed about collecting them, but we scoffed as many as we could whenever we saw easy to reach fruit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdGWSnyz07-emUK8ebXxHJJnLJjuJw6aNa7s9XJytXhoyOjh7uKHtvqhMJEU6jriPq2_wDC6XdshNRRDixejwYs8urTSvBjM1A0BuM6EsTIDaxXbhfRML3cbLsrZo1d8eZpF1YXkntbUNMo2Kh3VvQsFrGzUAfMr1CfKRX3ATa7PU_7Y_K2HSKO-XYA/s1881/2023-05-03%2020.22.58%20www.maps-of-the-world.net%20225065d07e65%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1881" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdGWSnyz07-emUK8ebXxHJJnLJjuJw6aNa7s9XJytXhoyOjh7uKHtvqhMJEU6jriPq2_wDC6XdshNRRDixejwYs8urTSvBjM1A0BuM6EsTIDaxXbhfRML3cbLsrZo1d8eZpF1YXkntbUNMo2Kh3VvQsFrGzUAfMr1CfKRX3ATa7PU_7Y_K2HSKO-XYA/w640-h268/2023-05-03%2020.22.58%20www.maps-of-the-world.net%20225065d07e65%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An idea of our stops within Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CtbAk_m7gFiZGmLVAr0QKNUJS9jCRxLKOdtwhP4GNYu6oB654O5bXhfHFEY3WPTsgIQP6ULJDqxqqlHSHU6glgWyoENgbQ2xNFrDeEJRxt0ow4m3azo_15Wgu_BF31tqIxoZYGinrmBec1rnHvtrT7XZ0flvD7GDUeNtZjDtiEYtOoraUoEbDebytA/s3939/termez%20people%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2874" data-original-width="3939" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CtbAk_m7gFiZGmLVAr0QKNUJS9jCRxLKOdtwhP4GNYu6oB654O5bXhfHFEY3WPTsgIQP6ULJDqxqqlHSHU6glgWyoENgbQ2xNFrDeEJRxt0ow4m3azo_15Wgu_BF31tqIxoZYGinrmBec1rnHvtrT7XZ0flvD7GDUeNtZjDtiEYtOoraUoEbDebytA/w640-h466/termez%20people%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely Uzbek girls</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED2ovboPwoCYMJqvbjJZN8dbbs8msKoTiLSsSyy_gVvbibtAPuHHfn01ENcAcl-1ibGcTIZTZjVTERWX9syAdYvnWw4ApCkw1WOnEY5C5-oNhj88l6cUKne-UKOzL8u9dAh39LhuKlSSTE1VHng5TDXCU7EV3M_YG8ggtnG-VZn9mhuhm_OKq81lC-A/s4000/IMG_2889.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED2ovboPwoCYMJqvbjJZN8dbbs8msKoTiLSsSyy_gVvbibtAPuHHfn01ENcAcl-1ibGcTIZTZjVTERWX9syAdYvnWw4ApCkw1WOnEY5C5-oNhj88l6cUKne-UKOzL8u9dAh39LhuKlSSTE1VHng5TDXCU7EV3M_YG8ggtnG-VZn9mhuhm_OKq81lC-A/w640-h480/IMG_2889.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilarious Uzbek picnic set- what more do you need besides <i>shashliks, </i>vodka and a machete?!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/06/ghost-train-to-kyrgyzstan-shymkent-and.html" target="_blank">.....we're off to Kazakhstan for a short time- keep in touch!.......</a></i></div></div></div><br /><div><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-26758975032090182802023-05-06T11:56:00.002+08:002023-05-20T20:39:37.960+08:00BUDDHIST RELICS AND SUFI TOMBS - Tashkent and Termez, Uzbekistan <p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/02/short-and-sweet-ko-fruitopia-andaman-sea.html" target="_blank"><i>............previously, a world away on the beach in tropical Thailand.............</i></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">After spending the winter in Thailand and Malaysia, and not doing anything particularly adventurous, we were chomping at the bit to get back on the road. We chose one of our favourite areas in the world to travel to next - Central Asia. Our third time in the area, we hoped to see more of the seemingly never ending exotic attractions held there. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s0F8ZgnpCPkW2r4zn2mSyM3ehYKxhShHHcWZF_b6Qvu4IPMZDeT5gP8HUTkS0yVWnzXQfg1eqx9FTgKRJXe8YX8_Y8Nv6Mz9fN7mRJ2jg5T2rIcgiDx7o8nIp9URshOr7Dk5hDDx1QjZWJMhJyZI_j7_fssE36DmN0kDPmBpETDU0b0oxtVhzylAfA/s4812/stupas%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3208" data-original-width="4812" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s0F8ZgnpCPkW2r4zn2mSyM3ehYKxhShHHcWZF_b6Qvu4IPMZDeT5gP8HUTkS0yVWnzXQfg1eqx9FTgKRJXe8YX8_Y8Nv6Mz9fN7mRJ2jg5T2rIcgiDx7o8nIp9URshOr7Dk5hDDx1QjZWJMhJyZI_j7_fssE36DmN0kDPmBpETDU0b0oxtVhzylAfA/w640-h426/stupas%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fayaz Tepe, Termez, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The cheapest way to arrive in Central Asia from South East Asia is on the classic Kuala Lumpur to Tashkent route with Uzbekistan Airways. A popular flight due it being direct and relatively cheap, it has to be said, it does fall rather short on service. We were particularly amused towards the beginning of the flight when a stern-faced female crewmember pulled a bag of pillows from the back of the plane, and brusquely marched to the front throwing them out willynilly along the aisle- those who weren't quick enough to request one were left without. The blankets followed in a similar style. We had to sneak back and grab ourselves some supplies when the scary ladies weren't looking! However, the huge amount of delicious food served balanced out the nonchalance from aircrew. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">With the beautiful snowy mountains of the Tien Shan range below us, we made a dreadfully turbulent descent through the heavy cloud into Tashkent, which saw Sal with her face in a paper bag, and left us pathetic upon arrival. She should have re-thought those two red wines during dinner. The immigration officer cheered us up, with a typically friendly Uzbek welcome., and we managed to collect our bags, change money, and negotiate an overpriced taxi amongst the scrum (well, all of 60,000/£4). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We enjoy Tashkent as a city- we've visited several times before. On this occasion we didn't have any urgent need to see all the sights before rushing off to another place. We could therefore appreciate wandering the grand city centre with it's wide avenues, grand white public buildings, and giant statues dedicated to past heroes, and memorials to lost soldiers from various wars. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg131RMxoOb3s1EJm3MJZeQhImb9BDg4JcPVSv4gHFViAJaXbsSfQY8BOnlBv0MNwvQwsRoSqRBmU4j9XSXX9b1aS9eU-V_PVNYmEEOZHo8Uvt2DMktIIDEY0MJeYOHhMcaKRgVfz7YJBCFVBuJBq1vUubUHpjHYjZ3jzU-DO5x5CPh1CWy664xZcasbw/s3582/soviet%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3026" data-original-width="3582" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg131RMxoOb3s1EJm3MJZeQhImb9BDg4JcPVSv4gHFViAJaXbsSfQY8BOnlBv0MNwvQwsRoSqRBmU4j9XSXX9b1aS9eU-V_PVNYmEEOZHo8Uvt2DMktIIDEY0MJeYOHhMcaKRgVfz7YJBCFVBuJBq1vUubUHpjHYjZ3jzU-DO5x5CPh1CWy664xZcasbw/w640-h540/soviet%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal dwarfed by memorial statue, rebuilding after 1966 earthquake</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Exploring fantastic markets with early season produce (most interestingly for us, the strawberries!) was a must, as was making use of the most beautiful metro system we have ever seen. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgud48x-gzOSTY5YdkhHZpcRAG205Uv5N4XkKf01HNyzbAzYyVg8Xp5mxN4YeTAsD01T-RaX1ZnNVKs9iwzWoXcyrHLKR3OZfqxbDwzZ13DBd5kdtEYD2IhNOfI2UzksNBABEPgLPXDtUxAJ-Lagr7uZ9KzczcMff1R-t9THcfW-rPH1ltjETGD550Cuw/s5184/market%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgud48x-gzOSTY5YdkhHZpcRAG205Uv5N4XkKf01HNyzbAzYyVg8Xp5mxN4YeTAsD01T-RaX1ZnNVKs9iwzWoXcyrHLKR3OZfqxbDwzZ13DBd5kdtEYD2IhNOfI2UzksNBABEPgLPXDtUxAJ-Lagr7uZ9KzczcMff1R-t9THcfW-rPH1ltjETGD550Cuw/w640-h426/market%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant radishes, Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WrhiQYi0nEOQ34YZNscOo_8RjBtJEr_1puiMZjDpkl_bo9wdIguyb86v4BEHKmb4N7-9OPIM44X2c9aN7Hcl6JG6EfJfYFh5W_HH3DSclmScGLUwHS4KHHEAzyZbdMO_GEA3vqyqkNMD2P0itTpGvJ8pGQdsy6BJhURi-aJF9pDZEh7dkerki2btUQ/s4000/market%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WrhiQYi0nEOQ34YZNscOo_8RjBtJEr_1puiMZjDpkl_bo9wdIguyb86v4BEHKmb4N7-9OPIM44X2c9aN7Hcl6JG6EfJfYFh5W_HH3DSclmScGLUwHS4KHHEAzyZbdMO_GEA3vqyqkNMD2P0itTpGvJ8pGQdsy6BJhURi-aJF9pDZEh7dkerki2btUQ/w640-h480/market%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attractive dome on Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER1LzgOw4Z4C7YPRk_G87KxUjGi4xrcuQFE8h0DEQaIfmP-HmNBOSPvJNyCxOPBzJQG51nj486TH8rpzp-b0si9OLWSQHHGX2ZKq2TdYpwXWZSbHUjjWFIUVKOmBk7Yy09QoquXifIPxSPjxl2u4O1W-JWXDmHdU-_II4WT9yQaPgGPNtYN2vUFWz8w/s2567/market%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1957" data-original-width="2567" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER1LzgOw4Z4C7YPRk_G87KxUjGi4xrcuQFE8h0DEQaIfmP-HmNBOSPvJNyCxOPBzJQG51nj486TH8rpzp-b0si9OLWSQHHGX2ZKq2TdYpwXWZSbHUjjWFIUVKOmBk7Yy09QoquXifIPxSPjxl2u4O1W-JWXDmHdU-_II4WT9yQaPgGPNtYN2vUFWz8w/w640-h488/market%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our favourite!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0nCbmgTbILazzEr7JLiF56rHtGQ-3WLg0aDc1CX34KkEHA0Nn58prHjJwz4JFk3PD7fTl_dQ_awvvgA-CUjGZSgti6FVXeLyhbIsvZjnulN0EOhiQmWtf1_EQjWBFX93HkrknxZoAD7fwJ1hnhqZt0s7duSVLJoS3dpl2tvz8xZwS4O4vOODP01k1A/s4000/market%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0nCbmgTbILazzEr7JLiF56rHtGQ-3WLg0aDc1CX34KkEHA0Nn58prHjJwz4JFk3PD7fTl_dQ_awvvgA-CUjGZSgti6FVXeLyhbIsvZjnulN0EOhiQmWtf1_EQjWBFX93HkrknxZoAD7fwJ1hnhqZt0s7duSVLJoS3dpl2tvz8xZwS4O4vOODP01k1A/w640-h480/market%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working hard for the bread, Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffGszyVXviUmolQUvUeo7LEKAkPMjVWaMXZRbGYibJ0Af4eQMBNGfflIInT70f2IM1O03eS2jIEQw9gSO1wKeEacS_TsB2hWNDAoNTq-EyHOhac9_lg2YW0djbemWUtROjag-uX3fl7CGd5g6KGxkT8FHPLJSP3Nsp-s3VvXircMMoBRtv8-kDJdllA/s5184/market%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffGszyVXviUmolQUvUeo7LEKAkPMjVWaMXZRbGYibJ0Af4eQMBNGfflIInT70f2IM1O03eS2jIEQw9gSO1wKeEacS_TsB2hWNDAoNTq-EyHOhac9_lg2YW0djbemWUtROjag-uX3fl7CGd5g6KGxkT8FHPLJSP3Nsp-s3VvXircMMoBRtv8-kDJdllA/w640-h426/market%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spices galore, Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAck-UZ4xo1WopGIK3IT7wQHFP4rw-ciKvyk4SVe8bt5htleTPUsnT82tJHH-WOs12X5KnPCbUPi94eUAasJ0T-Jejop8onSQbxRl0L2J-7OkmFuSglh-BzM8VclOI2Twt9S4uNhvsZncRKLpmVqjGhv3Wmvu32h7rOLUynvpQAw94r3q28t40Vxcqw/s5184/metro%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAck-UZ4xo1WopGIK3IT7wQHFP4rw-ciKvyk4SVe8bt5htleTPUsnT82tJHH-WOs12X5KnPCbUPi94eUAasJ0T-Jejop8onSQbxRl0L2J-7OkmFuSglh-BzM8VclOI2Twt9S4uNhvsZncRKLpmVqjGhv3Wmvu32h7rOLUynvpQAw94r3q28t40Vxcqw/w640-h426/metro%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glory of the underground, metro, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiQ2K3_06wUKDDeFxypmLu7g3h14BBBinI9YGj5kUY2RU02iOsz1j8MrwnutPz6Uf0VY6oY2PXTB3wfmgB5u-HdEInqF1-BwBV9oy5NauBetcIIRTxkoy8UTtPdRd4R2A_-H2fi4KTMtv6Yc0XP7LDLGn3uLnyTDMDiQTwJGl321guyW8mANkWsgKTA/s5184/metro%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiQ2K3_06wUKDDeFxypmLu7g3h14BBBinI9YGj5kUY2RU02iOsz1j8MrwnutPz6Uf0VY6oY2PXTB3wfmgB5u-HdEInqF1-BwBV9oy5NauBetcIIRTxkoy8UTtPdRd4R2A_-H2fi4KTMtv6Yc0XP7LDLGn3uLnyTDMDiQTwJGl321guyW8mANkWsgKTA/w640-h426/metro%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toshkent metro station art</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We sought out shady city parks and canals with greenery springing into life, smelling glorious with new flowers, and back streets lined with mulberry trees (took full advantage of those!).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdid5vaNO2Te4Cyxh5xyH_S5iQ2tT3yqFvSmg3uL8afI7QcCVAiUZPaJc2ir9JkcEmFaBwhdJOOFYGqECi-ifGb9MDzIMVYZidrgELQIJJ-9PGHHVvXCvoXIW4TKTezo651UGd6otK_dp4Z-Je9wCuS8K_EX6gliLQh5BNJNfLMYKPT_mn5ulVEEMSw/s5184/park%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdid5vaNO2Te4Cyxh5xyH_S5iQ2tT3yqFvSmg3uL8afI7QcCVAiUZPaJc2ir9JkcEmFaBwhdJOOFYGqECi-ifGb9MDzIMVYZidrgELQIJJ-9PGHHVvXCvoXIW4TKTezo651UGd6otK_dp4Z-Je9wCuS8K_EX6gliLQh5BNJNfLMYKPT_mn5ulVEEMSw/w640-h426/park%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typically clean Tashkent park</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9V3-6ufujSejg4vUeBP1bjvXpkwdORTIULYgnxbvSnKns7NgmjZT27W-AgY_DGXbopE4lPupexyIfrQGcXSyW_-DbvByZU3x6dGOkL2oYuGnYC6peDyoREb_b6emGEJy6yF6o2AdLxbZ-u48jHy6JH93R5BzcUMZF0dqG2UkWLu7H354EK0JUqwgtQ/s4000/park%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9V3-6ufujSejg4vUeBP1bjvXpkwdORTIULYgnxbvSnKns7NgmjZT27W-AgY_DGXbopE4lPupexyIfrQGcXSyW_-DbvByZU3x6dGOkL2oYuGnYC6peDyoREb_b6emGEJy6yF6o2AdLxbZ-u48jHy6JH93R5BzcUMZF0dqG2UkWLu7H354EK0JUqwgtQ/w640-h480/park%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring green in Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ogQ4BPCfuFfd58ZhzBNG5VKV4poeaXOBLcVMpIF4W9mPWQmYWefrGNqfMG3BGfxbi3crMK4MYM8sSLahqj884YOK1QaYrD7plZYyIQpywso_KIH2ORpEI41R4VRco0mvlh25WVAMKzAqxKieJ67oLFHj78zmepGeOjSCitG4H15nDjlJZHWmwG7EEA/s5184/park%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ogQ4BPCfuFfd58ZhzBNG5VKV4poeaXOBLcVMpIF4W9mPWQmYWefrGNqfMG3BGfxbi3crMK4MYM8sSLahqj884YOK1QaYrD7plZYyIQpywso_KIH2ORpEI41R4VRco0mvlh25WVAMKzAqxKieJ67oLFHj78zmepGeOjSCitG4H15nDjlJZHWmwG7EEA/w640-h426/park%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quite moment in Tashkent park</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another pastime was visiting several of the Soviet-era funky, retro buildings the city is famous for, and that we absolutely adore (Sal somewhat more than Rich!). Tashkent TV tower was a new one for us- for a couple of pounds we took a lift to the bulgy middle part to gaze at the 360 degree view of the city. But the exterior was the high point, the tower appearing as a long-legged alien peering over the city.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1FDy-avQe1SlrqPu7aPCYmuE0R6-986_4tjuiaQrOCF6I6mXHr0HoVv6GZ6OqAQRfm_P13QBn7x5CweSX8AsVh5uSxkBnGiOOqmymI53HQdZiqDOUeGDd7XsEvmQV_TUbVlNy3zdnbGjqbKUVDS6AI2xmPqLFPpqNUptzrwW_OIj0FkzLVdZpSXR7A/s4000/tv%20tower%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1FDy-avQe1SlrqPu7aPCYmuE0R6-986_4tjuiaQrOCF6I6mXHr0HoVv6GZ6OqAQRfm_P13QBn7x5CweSX8AsVh5uSxkBnGiOOqmymI53HQdZiqDOUeGDd7XsEvmQV_TUbVlNy3zdnbGjqbKUVDS6AI2xmPqLFPpqNUptzrwW_OIj0FkzLVdZpSXR7A/w480-h640/tv%20tower%20(1).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool design, Tashkent TV Tower<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxAK6H0u15XCyLj_a_DHTAjDC8BEt9SegBYUe-FEVwJ0SbTf8VhxrzbV6cMpS30ZxdeGd8bU8-0Auh4B_01A1LDdM4CnvmtRaChWwhMNmwIxhqsuTpJbgojDdzxqNRjWi27y2jRmKoUZuwkpUVvwtKFZk2VcdDNGhMV6YbUtg8TyJ-s-Qgfye22sZqw/s4000/soviet%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxAK6H0u15XCyLj_a_DHTAjDC8BEt9SegBYUe-FEVwJ0SbTf8VhxrzbV6cMpS30ZxdeGd8bU8-0Auh4B_01A1LDdM4CnvmtRaChWwhMNmwIxhqsuTpJbgojDdzxqNRjWi27y2jRmKoUZuwkpUVvwtKFZk2VcdDNGhMV6YbUtg8TyJ-s-Qgfye22sZqw/w640-h480/soviet%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to the industry involved in rebuilding the city after the 1966 earthquake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDHS2_qRrYuoNGABcggkfw6PN_Q8Nt5hFCzhse02_C6mZCmVRbeIrGsvnAA5rfraH3RXVvhMu9yvHeu20A_Ek6seZqBSj5FCgt6j8u0Pl3FcVwsLZZN_z6T_35Tl3e5e0GS_GTGlvOUDlGTG9YJ3AgJIJQb9H9wTvll0YTKAMhsCK5J5Foxey215Rnw/s4000/soviet%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDHS2_qRrYuoNGABcggkfw6PN_Q8Nt5hFCzhse02_C6mZCmVRbeIrGsvnAA5rfraH3RXVvhMu9yvHeu20A_Ek6seZqBSj5FCgt6j8u0Pl3FcVwsLZZN_z6T_35Tl3e5e0GS_GTGlvOUDlGTG9YJ3AgJIJQb9H9wTvll0YTKAMhsCK5J5Foxey215Rnw/w640-h480/soviet%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic Soviet-ear Hotel Uzbekistan, Tashkent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MiJ6TOCi29JiuIPRtMxKlDzToR22UKgVaytXPbwdC_kAM3H2_9WZfDAvKu-78Pfon218mZ0wm6NurlSTS2lfAePwBSCXcCWuN-24u5h0NVnw5TfqHSqZHNvURISGSqfMBWtFvtVSDWR8fPAbmQEJki7w7BCfFo1LTNtCerHQEAk8zGwweYaHBeluLw/s4000/soviet%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MiJ6TOCi29JiuIPRtMxKlDzToR22UKgVaytXPbwdC_kAM3H2_9WZfDAvKu-78Pfon218mZ0wm6NurlSTS2lfAePwBSCXcCWuN-24u5h0NVnw5TfqHSqZHNvURISGSqfMBWtFvtVSDWR8fPAbmQEJki7w7BCfFo1LTNtCerHQEAk8zGwweYaHBeluLw/w640-h480/soviet%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosaic with Uzbek themes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HWMNfYIDm_965XabH9I8uLUEs3iRu9Y7aLtL-ThvqKodEE9kCnoZPAQXKzShI_qMqAi8IrUsA3KiO9ZhnP1d95cNjisOAjoCmXkqSrs1ANywpZkIgFX-QmLC2KKR4SgxBPmDARdN0L50wq8_WBUkKjAGjmOrDx2gkmGxyXU82TEdTpkuW33Y49fmjg/s5184/tv%20tower%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HWMNfYIDm_965XabH9I8uLUEs3iRu9Y7aLtL-ThvqKodEE9kCnoZPAQXKzShI_qMqAi8IrUsA3KiO9ZhnP1d95cNjisOAjoCmXkqSrs1ANywpZkIgFX-QmLC2KKR4SgxBPmDARdN0L50wq8_WBUkKjAGjmOrDx2gkmGxyXU82TEdTpkuW33Y49fmjg/w640-h426/tv%20tower%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the view from Tashkent TV Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you'd like a more in-depth look at Tashkent's wonders, our blogs from our <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/07/travels-of-putins-apache-tashkent-and.html" target="_blank">2017 trip</a> and <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2019/07/us-back-in-uzbek-tashkent-and-samarkand.html" target="_blank">2019 trip</a> have loads more information, history and photos. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7JGlEQF8lakJk4-njIlIbomQyMHkkN5s7bXG6xsgSONa9csmnyO8zbICXseaKYbIAxYucKtFXEyb9Oc2sR8yf7jgEcgzQVcbQMUjCBikj8o59IGy05Z5TvUU3r4akuWPROjW7b99aa2nlAdlxZa5om4tBARn_M2pHGIIRzNGQUgitisjaBotAOKYbQ/s5184/soviet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7JGlEQF8lakJk4-njIlIbomQyMHkkN5s7bXG6xsgSONa9csmnyO8zbICXseaKYbIAxYucKtFXEyb9Oc2sR8yf7jgEcgzQVcbQMUjCBikj8o59IGy05Z5TvUU3r4akuWPROjW7b99aa2nlAdlxZa5om4tBARn_M2pHGIIRzNGQUgitisjaBotAOKYbQ/w426-h640/soviet.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More art around Tashkent city</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our first choice of accommodation was slightly dodgy, so we switched to a bright and spacious hostel with spanking new rooms, and a great communal area. One difference from our previous visits, was the large number of Russians in the city, both tourists and ex-pats looking for a place to set up their businesses and escape the issues of sanctions. As in many other countries, especially ex-Soviet countries, this influx has caused the costs of rooms and apartments to rise. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were looking forward to our initial long distance train trip, we have had such great experiences in the past in Central Asia. This one was a little different, as the train itself was quite narrow, and our two upper bunks were snug to say the least. Luckily, the trip was overnight, so after we were given our white sheets and towel by the attendant, we climbed up and pretty much slept the entire way. Before the late morning arrival in Termez, we made ourselves a coffee from the omnipresent samovar at the end of the carriage and had a bite to eat. A brave young mother who spoke English quizzed us on our back story, and everyone else in the carriage crowded around to hear us speaking. The scenery out the window, of the Qashqadaryo and Surkhandarya regions of Southern Uzbekistan was otherworldly- stark, small, green treeless hills, and shepherds in padded coats against the early morning cold herding their sheep, goats and cows. Wild poppies and other wildflowers dotted the countryside. As we came closer to Termez, a more agricultural landscape appeared, basic houses with mud barns, and fruit orchards. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPaTIRqcAhzDOhiVwBQwIJ1udRm57UY2c1UsGHy07lC2SpohQXpgiGCowEFlRAymsaz1nwIkSk4_EA-GK7C_UYM1R_XoN6i-GEkM_AC6Cg2u0phP6_UsW6hy8oVjfOEZQsx3vZhZ8fiSvSDYB0Ubcq7gY9U_7quGZlpIPjyDhLMIfsqnlqesBKXQYZA/s4000/train%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPaTIRqcAhzDOhiVwBQwIJ1udRm57UY2c1UsGHy07lC2SpohQXpgiGCowEFlRAymsaz1nwIkSk4_EA-GK7C_UYM1R_XoN6i-GEkM_AC6Cg2u0phP6_UsW6hy8oVjfOEZQsx3vZhZ8fiSvSDYB0Ubcq7gY9U_7quGZlpIPjyDhLMIfsqnlqesBKXQYZA/w640-h480/train%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squishy, yet comfortable a sleep, Tashkent to Termez train, Uzbekistan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Having no idea whatsoever what to expect form the deepest southern town of Termez, we were somewhat surprised to find a prosperous, clean place with a modern town centre, lined with mulberry trees staining the footpaths with their squashed red fruit. Public transport was excellent, there were plenty of food options, and a small market had all the essentials we needed. Our family guesthouse wasn't perfect, but we had been happy to find somewhere affordable in a quite expensive (for accommodation) city. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtN-SVWBxGJu4kkmApjpKx7lQi5gKCycPZg1IiBxlRDbwtzew8hiNTcBw7nIwqaCPuqcUmAYcnhBVxw1SmAwXFFLS6Ul8KHKozImTubTQkLzpEsmsZ9gYqPFVC4suEQ_z7HzS9gUAAbmKXTUFLUlCDRbklC9iAXU2mftJZCk40YAkqmUODrjb7A_qlQ/s4812/termez%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3208" data-original-width="4812" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtN-SVWBxGJu4kkmApjpKx7lQi5gKCycPZg1IiBxlRDbwtzew8hiNTcBw7nIwqaCPuqcUmAYcnhBVxw1SmAwXFFLS6Ul8KHKozImTubTQkLzpEsmsZ9gYqPFVC4suEQ_z7HzS9gUAAbmKXTUFLUlCDRbklC9iAXU2mftJZCk40YAkqmUODrjb7A_qlQ/w640-h426/termez%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train depot, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxDMMZ6-hayZikP1uL4N-UlDr0-KDTEW6TMLCZTlHkZ3aVCJapO9IX6ZCrNmb0MLi9SlV_JIKwyocdQolXJyLnC0rzp5Vez8Fns_14rmIlRDz0SIvJokNsmMzhmvZEiWJqPpXe7oMpvMFVK2cv3gDsl7DJqHV1pmGOzo6qsH_dmuu6X477DIOJW_dCg/s4000/termez%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxDMMZ6-hayZikP1uL4N-UlDr0-KDTEW6TMLCZTlHkZ3aVCJapO9IX6ZCrNmb0MLi9SlV_JIKwyocdQolXJyLnC0rzp5Vez8Fns_14rmIlRDz0SIvJokNsmMzhmvZEiWJqPpXe7oMpvMFVK2cv3gDsl7DJqHV1pmGOzo6qsH_dmuu6X477DIOJW_dCg/w640-h480/termez%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute little one at Termez guesthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbTSMYU_Hltol1HGdFTJR0cTjbuRoDDUsQgPbP7PC_1aaDpX7bGnz0vvJYJgQY_kRH634oXeNXXCEGEAISOcRhhkmKJ9-XQZDX-ZRg_N-Ii0_JiqczSAq1DGGGWLKxLCaxorvhVPxShpbvtivdrwJXtUyPNfv5rlPNmFxIeUzRx3pHxPIPuS-yG5pWQ/s2461/termez%20people%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2461" data-original-width="1930" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbTSMYU_Hltol1HGdFTJR0cTjbuRoDDUsQgPbP7PC_1aaDpX7bGnz0vvJYJgQY_kRH634oXeNXXCEGEAISOcRhhkmKJ9-XQZDX-ZRg_N-Ii0_JiqczSAq1DGGGWLKxLCaxorvhVPxShpbvtivdrwJXtUyPNfv5rlPNmFxIeUzRx3pHxPIPuS-yG5pWQ/w502-h640/termez%20people%20(4).jpg" width="502" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elderly Termez resident</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We spent our week in Termez slowly discovering some gems and ancient monuments- all on the outskirts of the town. We became quite good at finding the right <i>marshrutka </i>(minibuses) to take us where we wanted to go, thus avoiding walking in the shadeless streets in the hot sun. Even though it was still April, and temperatures further north had been nicely warm, here, near the Afghan border, it was already blazing. Summer must be unbearable. Luckily there was the highest concentration of ice cream shops we have yet to come across- and that's in a country that loves ice cream and produces some of the best.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeWNjULQ-2IWkTJN4wUV9fKzSJGHgcY4FNz8kP6jQppfHMFlOlxuCNEQGn9wGD_oOFufPyeAOU70guRt5GijH0Ur_ZjrdQJVRCj77QJMDqGbU0rMu0i1279Ia4kDF3gStxprH0Q2-pdgxwE4dIgfLdQSXJFWPMP4Clyr4kiRN1A5zMxLZHNNK4Xl45w/s5184/al%20hakkim%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeWNjULQ-2IWkTJN4wUV9fKzSJGHgcY4FNz8kP6jQppfHMFlOlxuCNEQGn9wGD_oOFufPyeAOU70guRt5GijH0Ur_ZjrdQJVRCj77QJMDqGbU0rMu0i1279Ia4kDF3gStxprH0Q2-pdgxwE4dIgfLdQSXJFWPMP4Clyr4kiRN1A5zMxLZHNNK4Xl45w/w640-h426/al%20hakkim%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No crossing into Afghanistan, Termez border</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">To try to get a handle on the most complicated of histories (it's the same everywhere in Central Asia), we started in the renowned Archaeological Museum. Apart from some lights not working, it was a wonderfully presented building, with beautifully displayed items, clearly labelled and set out in order of eras. We were able to sort out what we wanted to visit, and where things fitted in in the whole scheme of things. We have to say, though, sometimes museums' descriptions of their artefacts really are bollocks. Is it really possible to know what a clay vessel from the 7th century would be used for? For example the exhibits labelled " A dish for raisons" or " A vessel for feeding birds". There seems to be a lot of guesswork going on. Just when we thought we were finished, the museum attendant opened a vaulted room downstairs full of fabulous gold and silver jewellery and coins. Stunning!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NIhcBGem84D_u9W34YXubjppLvqH3WB9lxZWdrKZxzVsKHv-ffLxvsl1gAgPnOX8AAT9emKsVvjTRWFjKA4V0M6RU1ECi4CMJfF02BWTTiAu16WvCtaCwy3HfXq4R_xPlyQsxgktUE_eGAdvVpmTUpWWbUccPD0eSuXG7L_WdoHWUrL1te5TpPAKhQ/s4484/museum%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2990" data-original-width="4484" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NIhcBGem84D_u9W34YXubjppLvqH3WB9lxZWdrKZxzVsKHv-ffLxvsl1gAgPnOX8AAT9emKsVvjTRWFjKA4V0M6RU1ECi4CMJfF02BWTTiAu16WvCtaCwy3HfXq4R_xPlyQsxgktUE_eGAdvVpmTUpWWbUccPD0eSuXG7L_WdoHWUrL1te5TpPAKhQ/w640-h426/museum%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely broken pot, Termez Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OPLfhewEsfm6rguv9ZN1Rv2QwmcNEPCmC4-hFuVbl-7WRJZNjzM0KE01nWvubA0gGJHO5ibsTuA4XPGG-JjfkqJCXOhp5XB-f0yCgchtEl-rxyaMlhiG7W5zl7wht2sec2xcmQ25Mb1pbrLPlzdzNEdxG_ACrCpofHSiy3NNemI1cMyK93v05Td61Q/s544/museum%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OPLfhewEsfm6rguv9ZN1Rv2QwmcNEPCmC4-hFuVbl-7WRJZNjzM0KE01nWvubA0gGJHO5ibsTuA4XPGG-JjfkqJCXOhp5XB-f0yCgchtEl-rxyaMlhiG7W5zl7wht2sec2xcmQ25Mb1pbrLPlzdzNEdxG_ACrCpofHSiy3NNemI1cMyK93v05Td61Q/w588-h640/museum%20(2).jpg" width="588" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha image from Fayaz-Tepe site, Termez Museum (not our pic)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_Enwe8MUsA4FlwmvWzxJ7IeXCQEPYgnhXVLFl1J83So3Ie0bxKbwwX1lsK_VuG04X3bmqJ4NijNk68_gHKGRJi0wdeuA5gXiwhAxTtd0KcCB1iVbJnI9VsSNMD1lD0VzHNerbSzuqOioo-PxBdG8cX9-eAWYNA02uK-gVovj-nO0taRydM2jhNb3gg/s4585/museum%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3001" data-original-width="4585" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_Enwe8MUsA4FlwmvWzxJ7IeXCQEPYgnhXVLFl1J83So3Ie0bxKbwwX1lsK_VuG04X3bmqJ4NijNk68_gHKGRJi0wdeuA5gXiwhAxTtd0KcCB1iVbJnI9VsSNMD1lD0VzHNerbSzuqOioo-PxBdG8cX9-eAWYNA02uK-gVovj-nO0taRydM2jhNb3gg/w640-h418/museum%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Head of an unknown woman (with moustache), Termez Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">There has been a settlement in Termez since Alexandra the Great's time- included in the Graeco-Bactrian's empire, that also incorporated Afghanistan. Over the centuries, nomadic Turks and Indian Buddhists and Arabs were also dominant culturally forces, and amazingly, there is still some remnants of that in today's Termez. The city became strong and prosperous around the 10th century, and two of the best sights for us were the Sultan Saodat complex and Al Hakkim at Termezi Mausoleum which both supposedly date from that time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The 1200's saw Termez, like so many other Silk Road cities being razed by the Mongols, and it wasn't until the 14th century, that the city rose again. After the peak of Timur's reign came the Russians in the 19th century.....and that is a very abridged version of the extremely complicated history of Termez!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCvCKIVXrIHcWYD3BdYIyhHlPnoLNJpWJ7Ux_lnasuq6YYgSzm3geuGLaprqcvLWQJIkBohSD2idolMWjQ4bn8xBg7X5N173vW1YNBrJ9LbsopOmQK4zTrfWfZ-xR_Q_KrinoSUfw50hmjz4ILAGsVGHLLWfn9NmKGDJQkmjfKhx59PajgyPjQSyYZg/s5184/termez%20people%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCvCKIVXrIHcWYD3BdYIyhHlPnoLNJpWJ7Ux_lnasuq6YYgSzm3geuGLaprqcvLWQJIkBohSD2idolMWjQ4bn8xBg7X5N173vW1YNBrJ9LbsopOmQK4zTrfWfZ-xR_Q_KrinoSUfw50hmjz4ILAGsVGHLLWfn9NmKGDJQkmjfKhx59PajgyPjQSyYZg/w640-h426/termez%20people%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friendly crowd, Kirk Kiz Fortress, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The earliest monuments on our list to see were that of the Buddhist ruins of Fayaz Tepe and Zurmala Stupa. In a stark, desert-y environment, </span>the Fayaz Tepe stupa was <span style="font-family: inherit;">initially visually stunning with it's rounded dome, but apart from some remnants of monks quarters, there wasn't an awful lot at the site to visit. Most of it had been covered with modern mud, presumably to save any more erosion from the weather, but it left the overall effect a bit uninteresting. It's one of those places that is more impressive when one thinks of its age (supposedly 1st century), and tries to imagine it still containing the precious items we had seen in the museum .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b1voMoCH7wSvELOZnJf3WOd-pWDwcnY8gHEftDdI1PovVIwOKKSfgblZ-94blQHPhT-2cAAwTYuGhbzRAEW0H1Xm6DCBcPhv39YmdirLElcO2CCYcHJ4uvRaBlopU-_qzie-sc7X5uYpR4gTkhf-ybFBKpaZDYBA-VOTZXtNP1-h9nXRrrOB6qLZ4A/s4941/stupas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b1voMoCH7wSvELOZnJf3WOd-pWDwcnY8gHEftDdI1PovVIwOKKSfgblZ-94blQHPhT-2cAAwTYuGhbzRAEW0H1Xm6DCBcPhv39YmdirLElcO2CCYcHJ4uvRaBlopU-_qzie-sc7X5uYpR4gTkhf-ybFBKpaZDYBA-VOTZXtNP1-h9nXRrrOB6qLZ4A/w640-h426/stupas%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stark Fayaz Tepe site, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrgatgOjMh88jrFpf6V80sciqHasVQB3-8_Mgu_OlDpq5DxbQW18PzsI5htxnJygpk_rOSXp0nFeEm-tk_s1vE3cR0ZZAoifmCvdncSWN9gWKF0go5Uz_C8cBomkCfiNGt_W1Cv-WJxVSKpd3q3hiU4mxJ4veZmAbJZYD-WXRaYlH-ktLqVjlajQovg/s4437/stupas%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4437" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrgatgOjMh88jrFpf6V80sciqHasVQB3-8_Mgu_OlDpq5DxbQW18PzsI5htxnJygpk_rOSXp0nFeEm-tk_s1vE3cR0ZZAoifmCvdncSWN9gWKF0go5Uz_C8cBomkCfiNGt_W1Cv-WJxVSKpd3q3hiU4mxJ4veZmAbJZYD-WXRaYlH-ktLqVjlajQovg/w498-h640/stupas%20(4).jpg" width="498" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse into the monastery, Fayaz Tepe, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTc9BIV8IssTsdo0Wc1bKGnz2ukB0WXITUREo5t34_XZypKZcv5GSa4ngcWdFcDt65gSJ3hTdBWTmjZ4UDgEvbW9ZJq7Qw8kP5t1F18JHsvHrYJ_kVANoOEPcc-rrVj2_EHmPtBqDxy61ZOcf_vw0QaUrFBUjomdFOVIM54itYo-06ew8lHloqU-0IBg/s4000/stupas%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTc9BIV8IssTsdo0Wc1bKGnz2ukB0WXITUREo5t34_XZypKZcv5GSa4ngcWdFcDt65gSJ3hTdBWTmjZ4UDgEvbW9ZJq7Qw8kP5t1F18JHsvHrYJ_kVANoOEPcc-rrVj2_EHmPtBqDxy61ZOcf_vw0QaUrFBUjomdFOVIM54itYo-06ew8lHloqU-0IBg/w640-h480/stupas%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fayaz Tepe site in Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nearby, the fantastically massive Zurmala Stupa was reached via a walk through a barley field to the middle of a farm, and we were lucky to catch it in the process of being covered with the protective layer, thus seeing both the old and new versions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_-d9S4CqVui1QeHpIMI4HOCRZzLAd8NaTvGYUce4_fYSFYn9JjMi8yiOu8qeWRB7nHm6XsWHFmsWEzoTjO6P3tPtmXmhadNMCgMbiwpcXliU-GeVP5zk1niVY6Mw5M3DgltgWCX6gWkiPUNTDHQlhsscNwsCs25aSlDDkFViAngQS4svDFzfV_uOpg/s3989/stupas%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2480" data-original-width="3989" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_-d9S4CqVui1QeHpIMI4HOCRZzLAd8NaTvGYUce4_fYSFYn9JjMi8yiOu8qeWRB7nHm6XsWHFmsWEzoTjO6P3tPtmXmhadNMCgMbiwpcXliU-GeVP5zk1niVY6Mw5M3DgltgWCX6gWkiPUNTDHQlhsscNwsCs25aSlDDkFViAngQS4svDFzfV_uOpg/w640-h398/stupas%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to find the path to Zurmala Stupa, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xaAzGy6bORwsCKT-tMeB1ZJjUI5y_SWAE8ch_IlOrZ4u6VThy8MvTgu9ZcI_VICBzAnelQ1ymLnD0jtyN_-jL34jqX0gu4sYbAypSFo2xQWe9jB1dIwgmFvsxzRqrT7UHXisCVCj73xIq6_lIOtOrFkF9HqT-DwFHgv8ht_KfNW4yWndQz6mXSMnSg/s4000/stupas%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="4000" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xaAzGy6bORwsCKT-tMeB1ZJjUI5y_SWAE8ch_IlOrZ4u6VThy8MvTgu9ZcI_VICBzAnelQ1ymLnD0jtyN_-jL34jqX0gu4sYbAypSFo2xQWe9jB1dIwgmFvsxzRqrT7UHXisCVCj73xIq6_lIOtOrFkF9HqT-DwFHgv8ht_KfNW4yWndQz6mXSMnSg/w640-h420/stupas%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old and new versions of Zurmala Stupa, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">An extremely persistent, to the point of irritating, guide found us at these sights, and although we immediately politely declined his services, he launched into a spiel about why we should utilise his employments. After saying no several times, we walked up the road, with him following us in his car, stopping and starting constantly for about 20 minutes. His unrelenting stamina was impressive, on par with what we had experienced in India- it's been a while since we had to deal with such a person.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Counter-balancing this was an encounter with a strange but extremely friendly round man who greeted us on a dusty path near the barley field, and insisted we come to his house for tea. His wife seemed to take the arrival of two peculiar foreigners into her home in her stride, and began filling the table with sweets, tea, <i>plov</i>, potatoes, salad and bread. The kids were giggly and shy, and no one spoke a word of English. We sat with them for a while, enjoying being in their humble home, complete with a few farm animals in the mix, then left to make our way back to Termez. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0S89DAPb99D3OKfFJ-qyi5Olvzc35IWwn_bL7jQVV0EcFo3nBS4keVd5_q7lAW-lV6KZUU-Y0rznP07tuGTKvF354Kf9JyKJv-rTlMWWyS_oSL6YYqSkjVShqQGbg4cS3PC_sbxhIJNeI2nlH6OIh2-KBN09uu3wBZOMKrH8AwY8FMcwtOcSAyAgCw/s2952/IMG_9356.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1934" data-original-width="2952" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0S89DAPb99D3OKfFJ-qyi5Olvzc35IWwn_bL7jQVV0EcFo3nBS4keVd5_q7lAW-lV6KZUU-Y0rznP07tuGTKvF354Kf9JyKJv-rTlMWWyS_oSL6YYqSkjVShqQGbg4cS3PC_sbxhIJNeI2nlH6OIh2-KBN09uu3wBZOMKrH8AwY8FMcwtOcSAyAgCw/w640-h420/IMG_9356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hospitable man we met near Zurmala Stupa, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Old Termez and the Al-Hakkim at-Termezi complex were sites from the early Islamic era, and on the day we visited it happened to be Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. It was a brilliant time to be there- there were large crowds, everyone was in a celebratory mood, and happy to sit with us, chat in limited English and take multitudes of photos. We greatly enjoyed the vibe. The mausoleum was also interesting. As usual in Central Asia, the entry requirements to the holy place were very casual- ladies were not wearing any head coverings and Richard was welcomed inside despite wearing shorts and a sleeveless top. We watched the crowd move into a decorative room where a holy man said a short prayer, move on to visit the grave of the revered Sufi mystic in another room, then all file outside again. It was cool and relaxing to sit and watch. The fact that the entrance fee was waivered due to the holiday was a bonus!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7mYhaIsWb2RwpXTBhlfgr46eno3BW0IHwffRc4sN3RGKGP9zyDqRxqSWTzqV5itn6Qk5svu9JLOYKFvb2Gc7K_qX68USzz86V_DKOGiTUoIJj1KQ3Mn5x40ABCkT8yQKTnuWUocjfImlgCuGNerTKodZw5KVur6bv3t6fpVLogWoEJ73BN4Tllak8g/s4000/al%20hakkim%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7mYhaIsWb2RwpXTBhlfgr46eno3BW0IHwffRc4sN3RGKGP9zyDqRxqSWTzqV5itn6Qk5svu9JLOYKFvb2Gc7K_qX68USzz86V_DKOGiTUoIJj1KQ3Mn5x40ABCkT8yQKTnuWUocjfImlgCuGNerTKodZw5KVur6bv3t6fpVLogWoEJ73BN4Tllak8g/w480-h640/al%20hakkim%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of Al-Hakkim Mausoleum, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Dc-V07l1sNaKuNnyfH9V5oRg0DuGnHmo5Qv7f6431YPtDJTOIDoExwoLC5OdULgofK4cuC0XbtOJdwU4OXTwp_iVxO_8ntjBV-BSpXAlZGIRxtFh3xGEgDgIngHd7ukqXS_dQBAat4IVS44jwKzCB9nO2A507QpTEcyGCw4V9Yuvd8dg4fOyvPVk2Q/s5184/al%20hakkim%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Dc-V07l1sNaKuNnyfH9V5oRg0DuGnHmo5Qv7f6431YPtDJTOIDoExwoLC5OdULgofK4cuC0XbtOJdwU4OXTwp_iVxO_8ntjBV-BSpXAlZGIRxtFh3xGEgDgIngHd7ukqXS_dQBAat4IVS44jwKzCB9nO2A507QpTEcyGCw4V9Yuvd8dg4fOyvPVk2Q/w640-h426/al%20hakkim%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Praying in the shadows, Al-Hakkim Mausoleum, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJXLSZLXhbLzu4ib0sMIGE_MHGaeiDPi4DfyFBrEwihxptQkpFgmiOeR8kK6mo9z8uwY2C2lLB6FTxzW4KK0z6fYv3fabmIsUVPs1XLNpUfQCUO--72shl6JDEagOhvrfYgcjw0f7lW415r7NhO3ZBnj5ACCQkXiOFMiz5LUgYjbOhmESmqsHEysYmA/s5184/al%20hakkim%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJXLSZLXhbLzu4ib0sMIGE_MHGaeiDPi4DfyFBrEwihxptQkpFgmiOeR8kK6mo9z8uwY2C2lLB6FTxzW4KK0z6fYv3fabmIsUVPs1XLNpUfQCUO--72shl6JDEagOhvrfYgcjw0f7lW415r7NhO3ZBnj5ACCQkXiOFMiz5LUgYjbOhmESmqsHEysYmA/w640-h426/al%20hakkim%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grave of Al-Hakkim, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2BnyBbfMPZxkqsVbZzpkFEPkot1qCIXxvqwzQVCeJk2i4XTktY25Hdts4ztwWULpZQlCx9QbNV8EKJy0kjTsaUH8q1tvl0sHpDzMEpD6rCA9tKyy8Z77Sc5_icYvBa9KhlWZn4aaI1WcSNLjDhoPLXiEw7NX1yN1CYYWCMPkEFbQr6rEuay8yNCleg/s4209/al%20hakkim%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="4209" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2BnyBbfMPZxkqsVbZzpkFEPkot1qCIXxvqwzQVCeJk2i4XTktY25Hdts4ztwWULpZQlCx9QbNV8EKJy0kjTsaUH8q1tvl0sHpDzMEpD6rCA9tKyy8Z77Sc5_icYvBa9KhlWZn4aaI1WcSNLjDhoPLXiEw7NX1yN1CYYWCMPkEFbQr6rEuay8yNCleg/w640-h436/al%20hakkim%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took advantage of these folks family photo arrangement</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfHPbWByEXo0NEUDwakOTVpy6_qg1lz8PlMg0ibeOTCfy8v2ioe0kX4kh6txxLctd7y2O8ZxZ3OXa7yMiIYTGA-LFTt2E9iIOiqCa3nzgEUQ264N-tVcNvhGFxhd1zo8LlvrH80vdBPyumQrFZKyAeIIWmpNCmV1oIK-jOPxOPCqF4xXwnrPjCBSy3g/s5184/al%20hakkim%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfHPbWByEXo0NEUDwakOTVpy6_qg1lz8PlMg0ibeOTCfy8v2ioe0kX4kh6txxLctd7y2O8ZxZ3OXa7yMiIYTGA-LFTt2E9iIOiqCa3nzgEUQ264N-tVcNvhGFxhd1zo8LlvrH80vdBPyumQrFZKyAeIIWmpNCmV1oIK-jOPxOPCqF4xXwnrPjCBSy3g/w640-h426/al%20hakkim%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local teacher on a school excursion</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7zdzDLYPLCNVSf4WUxl2bQ4fXZkafWtVdXLlTYE8ffY_SUWJdUAZpeLeioKeyo8B5wYYufFSau94t0Pb_d2ZYdsBs5fOSe_aWO15u5xfwhA265cPoG6wRWZlEKpjzFqivyhZNlrI2O20ZJoKWWApAcNQFZ4UgGjiwVw2dPxXccWjG7CZWE1uGzZGUA/s5184/termez%20people%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7zdzDLYPLCNVSf4WUxl2bQ4fXZkafWtVdXLlTYE8ffY_SUWJdUAZpeLeioKeyo8B5wYYufFSau94t0Pb_d2ZYdsBs5fOSe_aWO15u5xfwhA265cPoG6wRWZlEKpjzFqivyhZNlrI2O20ZJoKWWApAcNQFZ4UgGjiwVw2dPxXccWjG7CZWE1uGzZGUA/w640-h426/termez%20people%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful devotee </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSdS33HfRcdXTnte6u9u8aXUBdhKQ4E1IFa3lR-S1LDM7TArOzWELEgaVyY7ws7ZhYI5yePB3zFjonHBLJe3P8RG_a38udV-eDTRZxBloFUCdU12KgshEdmwdLeoreR1MH7ymEtteTA2S6yJvr17JGOTxBeQD6E82kyza4w_RTFhvlzO-sI4KlxZ2fw/s4327/termez%20people%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4327" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSdS33HfRcdXTnte6u9u8aXUBdhKQ4E1IFa3lR-S1LDM7TArOzWELEgaVyY7ws7ZhYI5yePB3zFjonHBLJe3P8RG_a38udV-eDTRZxBloFUCdU12KgshEdmwdLeoreR1MH7ymEtteTA2S6yJvr17JGOTxBeQD6E82kyza4w_RTFhvlzO-sI4KlxZ2fw/w640-h512/termez%20people%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man with Uzbek hat, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sultan Saodat was built after the Mongol raids, by the Termezi Sayyids, a powerful clan said to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. It was 600 years in the making and was outwardly quite plain. Consisting of a long street, lined on either side with many layers and rooms, it kind of reminded us of <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2017/07/ramadan-ladies-and-exploding-fans.html" target="_blank">Shar-i-Zinda</a> in Samarkand, but without all the bling! Apparently, the original building would have covered with the same brightly coloured tiles, but nowadays, only one surface remained decorated. There was hardly a soul in sight when we visited, except some kind of caretaker asleep in the shade. We enjoyed the peace and quiet, before heading back into town in the blazing sun on a dusty back road.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VoI3A1L8nvlwfnBuoe3NB9sy4MHvjX56vEs1sfLQ8DhSBWgVRmguHgnxsTLoIf2XGNmPPvFCa69cq_R5gTlJNMWucyTk3y4Vwh6OT4FVLcwaxomByDx2M_1jPsfpkLhjrGJzKBTbXnXiRpS5LzTLKuSFC3B17J-kDpAZwCexfsWZIJUq9XiNdBcT1Q/s5163/saodat%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3333" data-original-width="5163" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VoI3A1L8nvlwfnBuoe3NB9sy4MHvjX56vEs1sfLQ8DhSBWgVRmguHgnxsTLoIf2XGNmPPvFCa69cq_R5gTlJNMWucyTk3y4Vwh6OT4FVLcwaxomByDx2M_1jPsfpkLhjrGJzKBTbXnXiRpS5LzTLKuSFC3B17J-kDpAZwCexfsWZIJUq9XiNdBcT1Q/w640-h414/saodat%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decorative front of Sultan Saodat, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiF7NLq9PjApzlkPO2UURf9h6d83e6TI06hbb55neWfa5p_mXUAWaMORfHt7LYFF3PxmDUll-Up7rzNIP_tvL8PjInBfSrGu3aCbTZTJ1whB3mRlgbBGGRz8915H3vEM_rdttutWiwb0HUGsuIsVCObsaQCeDMSMc3F_MUwcrKgvU8tWlKQ_HZqHYuLg/s3792/saodat%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2844" data-original-width="3792" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiF7NLq9PjApzlkPO2UURf9h6d83e6TI06hbb55neWfa5p_mXUAWaMORfHt7LYFF3PxmDUll-Up7rzNIP_tvL8PjInBfSrGu3aCbTZTJ1whB3mRlgbBGGRz8915H3vEM_rdttutWiwb0HUGsuIsVCObsaQCeDMSMc3F_MUwcrKgvU8tWlKQ_HZqHYuLg/w640-h480/saodat%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venturing upstairs, Sultan Saodat, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnX2UvxrLJJ6F6adYq9MwCgA1_hdDGVgRE4yWjVtEq_A08qt43EZGN3sXVkCQKRk6iupcRkeM7U4w7vvXpoE7UeoB61ocA1EOTkabesB72HqOtlS9qknWZc2Rqowdf_od9MXw77Pr2GM7vDGK8jL9v9rFZel9CaX1KXg2zRUOO5MFAX8YoBEnD4HD2A/s4000/saodat%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnX2UvxrLJJ6F6adYq9MwCgA1_hdDGVgRE4yWjVtEq_A08qt43EZGN3sXVkCQKRk6iupcRkeM7U4w7vvXpoE7UeoB61ocA1EOTkabesB72HqOtlS9qknWZc2Rqowdf_od9MXw77Pr2GM7vDGK8jL9v9rFZel9CaX1KXg2zRUOO5MFAX8YoBEnD4HD2A/w480-h640/saodat%20(3).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep stairs, Sultan Saodat, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2BmqCyvGuEno6SFT-KkENNDngrex5_jSCg_WPcpkUTVFfvG4v8n7k0HkRpKojpOdWe8K-7PCgNWV0dBo2hhNinxbEhOpn70VayidF_5yO_uYnOCb5fCjDFRB33OamBg84HN5JWhY-7R7QiifrgPLL0vogPGfikr5xbaudxbTtP1Zi1mCeqv9hJ6Xpw/s3981/termez%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2740" data-original-width="3981" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2BmqCyvGuEno6SFT-KkENNDngrex5_jSCg_WPcpkUTVFfvG4v8n7k0HkRpKojpOdWe8K-7PCgNWV0dBo2hhNinxbEhOpn70VayidF_5yO_uYnOCb5fCjDFRB33OamBg84HN5JWhY-7R7QiifrgPLL0vogPGfikr5xbaudxbTtP1Zi1mCeqv9hJ6Xpw/w640-h440/termez%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muslim graveyard with small hills of dried mud, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">One dark fact about Termez was the apparently terrible drivers. In two days we saw four quite major traffic accidents, right in the centre of town- in one we actually witnessed a mum and toddler narrowly missing being mowed down on the footpath. Another point of interest for us was Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (the end of the fasting) in particular. We hadn't really noticed Ramadan was taking place since we had arrived in Uzbekistan, due to much of the population not observing the fasting. Central Asia Muslims are like that- very practical and casual about their faith. It seems to us, that the most important part of Islam (or any religion, or life) of treating others kindly and humanely is the element that is most certainly followed everywhere in Central Asia. We realized it was the end of the fasting with our trip to Al Hakkim Mausoleum, and saw a few shops were closed (like the coffee van). We were amused to see the grog shops still open and busy during that period!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQrhxuFx8Bke9NaJFF3t41gAmqOD-lmQ1ZaivENIt03r896kNf_vTzrSv81q4_2SvV5qTP2DYJDNsvcAfYs9p9BD7CzpzOorVE1gdfGOMLiFposBRrgw1ktqOCavOR_v87-8gcuJ5QfpQPyUiyWFlH_LOexGYe73g5W75VtRNKbaa1Y5-M4sq8YVdmA/s5184/kirk-kiz%20fortress%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQrhxuFx8Bke9NaJFF3t41gAmqOD-lmQ1ZaivENIt03r896kNf_vTzrSv81q4_2SvV5qTP2DYJDNsvcAfYs9p9BD7CzpzOorVE1gdfGOMLiFposBRrgw1ktqOCavOR_v87-8gcuJ5QfpQPyUiyWFlH_LOexGYe73g5W75VtRNKbaa1Y5-M4sq8YVdmA/w426-h640/kirk-kiz%20fortress%20(2).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A spiritual tree with material tied, Kirk Kiz, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6_wHYHk9V0pQIIhlX30sd11O1QLufYkl26sWDwH9_kaLOIfxX441ksFGi-8mUrxUbbKHxkD2lJhxmMuGV29_BPKvztguJUIpuuM6oUEPPj1pBxIEzzaRj8fNmqX9DOlQSqv1mDoVjFtPe6XMcy_yJS1sjRJ4A_s6-GJVLa_QKBZ9YghZ6dr5gIu7GQ/s3833/termez%20people%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3444" data-original-width="3833" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6_wHYHk9V0pQIIhlX30sd11O1QLufYkl26sWDwH9_kaLOIfxX441ksFGi-8mUrxUbbKHxkD2lJhxmMuGV29_BPKvztguJUIpuuM6oUEPPj1pBxIEzzaRj8fNmqX9DOlQSqv1mDoVjFtPe6XMcy_yJS1sjRJ4A_s6-GJVLa_QKBZ9YghZ6dr5gIu7GQ/w640-h576/termez%20people%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shy girls, Al-Hakkim Mausoleum, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLOtRM2M1QN3SWbxo438IYUlr43wpTISByIhJF-otl1BzujU1XSXYiHkAf9yo2dvkbjUpFPV9KNcqLiUcEdfI1yzp7tRO10wuf_yGuZYNNSALeswH4tVQyM4-ROsrIoDHnPNAzWEMAxfY-oL5PElgPSr8XvJ7mG82qYNRe2PDpv5M8CfYVeHHpQ7y5g/s5184/kirk-kiz%20fortress%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLOtRM2M1QN3SWbxo438IYUlr43wpTISByIhJF-otl1BzujU1XSXYiHkAf9yo2dvkbjUpFPV9KNcqLiUcEdfI1yzp7tRO10wuf_yGuZYNNSALeswH4tVQyM4-ROsrIoDHnPNAzWEMAxfY-oL5PElgPSr8XvJ7mG82qYNRe2PDpv5M8CfYVeHHpQ7y5g/w426-h640/kirk-kiz%20fortress%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Archway at Kirk Kiz Fortress, Termez</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/05/more-berries-than-you-can-shake-salami.html" target="_blank">.......coming up, a bit more Uzbekistan, and more of Central Asia..........</a></i></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-24500593543369938832023-02-03T20:55:00.003+08:002023-05-06T12:02:17.222+08:00SHORT AND SWEET- Ko Fruitopia, Andaman Sea<p><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/11/sweaty-spells-and-shite-spirits-penang.html" target="_blank"><i>......previously, handling the heat in Penang, Malaysia.........</i></a></p><p>We considered not writing a post about our recent time on Ko Fruitopia- there have been <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/search/label/Ko%20Fruitopia" target="_blank">many such blogs</a> over the years, and we didn't want things to get repetitive. However, considering how long ago our <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/11/sweaty-spells-and-shite-spirits-penang.html" target="_blank">previous post from Penang</a> was, we thought some readers might enjoy a mini update. So, here's a short synopsis of our November, December and January 2022 to 2023.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJf8NTb11LegHUm4iSi-YA8b0uXJts7aGuc-g_0Gxp1D6n2YHQCs2Laf8KRn_tn2H8WUkrRHp_HRfA1_pkb84Xt9J8ebSOZywlMwUt62p5JSDr4FpYuUVmH09Oys8Z8dCaeH6brpkTFkKsMIgeReW0ecacalNRfCzgWsyo0pobdTVU5hH2Y5OE57gIA/s3560/IMG_2652.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3560" data-original-width="2843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJf8NTb11LegHUm4iSi-YA8b0uXJts7aGuc-g_0Gxp1D6n2YHQCs2Laf8KRn_tn2H8WUkrRHp_HRfA1_pkb84Xt9J8ebSOZywlMwUt62p5JSDr4FpYuUVmH09Oys8Z8dCaeH6brpkTFkKsMIgeReW0ecacalNRfCzgWsyo0pobdTVU5hH2Y5OE57gIA/w512-h640/IMG_2652.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A special Fruitopia sunset, with campfire on the beach</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Having been away from our favourite Thai island for more than three years, we honestly didn't know what to expect when we returned to Ko Fruitopia. The welcome was warm, yet surprised from Queen D- she hadn't been sure which of the regulars visitors would come back again and when. The bungalows and grounds at our place on the beach were neglected and had fallen into disrepair after so long with few guests and little money coming in. We moved into one of our favourite old huts and immediately began cleaning away months of sand and dust, fixing the plumbing, the rotten floor and a hole in the roof. Organizing shelves, extra nails, and clothes lines for drying were next on the list, and lastly hanging the all important hammock. Finally, the bungalow was comfortable for our couple of months stay. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydnyda_WyRef1YYbtPZnzfxmwXRdjenS-rCXVmsV-uQSgb4GHoqfQMtW-c00piFf5GqjqkaD58umh1tQLej6YwP2djOlcsgPdE4jUehMTZn7kW14PaY77VRAGVVbUXQ4S2yGTfTpe_MtVd9TN6_E54sLnrFsYRXR3w58tw9cUF5Ly29ZI05dpKHykeg/s4000/IMG_2641.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydnyda_WyRef1YYbtPZnzfxmwXRdjenS-rCXVmsV-uQSgb4GHoqfQMtW-c00piFf5GqjqkaD58umh1tQLej6YwP2djOlcsgPdE4jUehMTZn7kW14PaY77VRAGVVbUXQ4S2yGTfTpe_MtVd9TN6_E54sLnrFsYRXR3w58tw9cUF5Ly29ZI05dpKHykeg/w640-h480/IMG_2641.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our simple little home for a month or two, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On our first night, after a spicy dinner of stir fried squid and fish curry, we slept well under the mosquito net, listening to the exotic sounds of deafening croaking frogs, pouring monsoon rain and the waves of the Andaman Sea.</p><p>The restaurant at the "resort" was unfortunately shut. Early in our stay, there were only three guests, and it would have been too much trouble. Instead, we all ate at the house of Queen D, with delicious Thai food appearing every night at sunset. As more regulars arrived at the resort and our group grew in size, more tables were put together and extra food was cooked, but the restaurant mysteriously remained closed. In a way, this was easy. The food was authentically Thai and we didn't have to think about what we wanted to order. But sometimes we ate elsewhere on the island, to avoid the commitment of eating at the same time every day with the same people. </p><p>We had the use of a motorbike for a day, and explored the one fully paved road which now runs from end to end of Ko Fruitopia. It was extremely quiet, and we were happy to see what seemed to be improved living conditions for many people further away from the tourist areas. Lovely wooden houses and gardens complete with pretty flowers were common place in many small villages. Fishing has always been the main industry on the island, and it appeared to be thriving. The Fruitopian people are lucky not to have to rely solely on tourism for their income, unlike many other Thai islands. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquzgWVjT7KjZv0ZwjDmaXi5LOXecPdR5gPxvNb3tqTwaEWc7DANyMV9Owb6aCmmvsnklbda3uOTeF5vC41Lubq2uqF7_Tlzy1p1238xwYwW_FYcJoiF56yaLftQCRb5QFjoOO2Fs9hHGOdY45OEAu9x4QDwiiwdmIgT74oFe2ZlbaGiuxr9b1-_yT4A/s3993/IMG_2559.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2710" data-original-width="3993" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquzgWVjT7KjZv0ZwjDmaXi5LOXecPdR5gPxvNb3tqTwaEWc7DANyMV9Owb6aCmmvsnklbda3uOTeF5vC41Lubq2uqF7_Tlzy1p1238xwYwW_FYcJoiF56yaLftQCRb5QFjoOO2Fs9hHGOdY45OEAu9x4QDwiiwdmIgT74oFe2ZlbaGiuxr9b1-_yT4A/w640-h434/IMG_2559.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty northern beach, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOAEAOgimLYSSQ-zBIjXHfovarRtdqx0qasr97tx2UBsrXGTZn0FnahGRJXcGZYfk1J7wbj6uxCwvS2fACyPGLE_nLAiXw-D0FTn2EXVzwzFInnYMCIsptpq-TuKVg_b9awdTg7v4QlGzitYijDqnWZf8xpf2x7uGaFJ8JWgGUqhxSLPT_K8XGBZqBA/s3706/IMG_2560.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2779" data-original-width="3706" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOAEAOgimLYSSQ-zBIjXHfovarRtdqx0qasr97tx2UBsrXGTZn0FnahGRJXcGZYfk1J7wbj6uxCwvS2fACyPGLE_nLAiXw-D0FTn2EXVzwzFInnYMCIsptpq-TuKVg_b9awdTg7v4QlGzitYijDqnWZf8xpf2x7uGaFJ8JWgGUqhxSLPT_K8XGBZqBA/w640-h480/IMG_2560.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFooxGsN-C_-urGZQa1Idw3SIRaZIL7BeFbNBfx1DlZ39MYILt6xoVTLbdKFETcxejWPSDUIM_3XOUmyNB39OgbIBpxEJXQHWuSjxxR15AIfEWpW_QzkRirUBudum0x5t36Nd3bh3wwIQOQ34NHdnLWJua9VVQ_EV6bX4LY5WHd1t85ZD52Oh3up2Gjg/s4000/IMG_2563.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFooxGsN-C_-urGZQa1Idw3SIRaZIL7BeFbNBfx1DlZ39MYILt6xoVTLbdKFETcxejWPSDUIM_3XOUmyNB39OgbIBpxEJXQHWuSjxxR15AIfEWpW_QzkRirUBudum0x5t36Nd3bh3wwIQOQ34NHdnLWJua9VVQ_EV6bX4LY5WHd1t85ZD52Oh3up2Gjg/w640-h480/IMG_2563.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ko Fruitopia long tail fishing boat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>For the first time, we wandered from our "resort" to Ko Fruitopia village on the beach at low tide, surprised at the beauty, and wondered why it had taken us 18 years to get around to the walk! A bay with giant red starfish washed up was curious and the Buddha statue sitting on the beach looking out to sea in front the temple was a unique island take.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbGFtk9mkFFsZA3Fs6CLsFUpWIPRaRMV0vFmSHLXhTdB38aG1GAPOFIgJN9BqGkZzlR5KmaVbiVIDS3Y2Wg28zcOT1zFaUP1L3BxH9tHd92lcbRdbuRJ3_eikazKBxcgZAy6cVQ4VE1SF3UzOHduZzD4m_JYK0EFvqUoXDBuy0JEzyGS5eMuJC76lsA/s4000/IMG_2588.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbGFtk9mkFFsZA3Fs6CLsFUpWIPRaRMV0vFmSHLXhTdB38aG1GAPOFIgJN9BqGkZzlR5KmaVbiVIDS3Y2Wg28zcOT1zFaUP1L3BxH9tHd92lcbRdbuRJ3_eikazKBxcgZAy6cVQ4VE1SF3UzOHduZzD4m_JYK0EFvqUoXDBuy0JEzyGS5eMuJC76lsA/w640-h480/IMG_2588.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning on our beach, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5hGJPb-ZhlSIWmbcgEuqcKeJXBGaEldENSBI1HkSFN31yL6d-7s7zPYwl8jpIZdKBUws5wcuCTP0s_GGCKuqVtD8BenvGCI7M0nFac0TixB1FdfwaYgg6jhiz45jWdJQxGSKD0aSiYcjBAlcZAQiJ-R8dnATgRahSShNlhjdmnkW7qdXB-CzVzTmQg/s4000/IMG_2613.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5hGJPb-ZhlSIWmbcgEuqcKeJXBGaEldENSBI1HkSFN31yL6d-7s7zPYwl8jpIZdKBUws5wcuCTP0s_GGCKuqVtD8BenvGCI7M0nFac0TixB1FdfwaYgg6jhiz45jWdJQxGSKD0aSiYcjBAlcZAQiJ-R8dnATgRahSShNlhjdmnkW7qdXB-CzVzTmQg/w640-h480/IMG_2613.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washed up starfish, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgp1MgLQKWiR33HzSoJDbvluF2K6kK9M4-2d9VcvehIHVRBGdf6IhwkB4Ila07otEPkBeDLvIHnKZavgS_44jg45o71yy15Zq9nYjNo6pmCKLbwj_wWnUK1SW07ckxXtIIbw20UkTnOYHV2Ief9RaaYpzeFB4_CT3hSrVSSPVxIooD5ttcY5zkHRnzA/s4000/IMG_2616.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgp1MgLQKWiR33HzSoJDbvluF2K6kK9M4-2d9VcvehIHVRBGdf6IhwkB4Ila07otEPkBeDLvIHnKZavgS_44jg45o71yy15Zq9nYjNo6pmCKLbwj_wWnUK1SW07ckxXtIIbw20UkTnOYHV2Ief9RaaYpzeFB4_CT3hSrVSSPVxIooD5ttcY5zkHRnzA/w640-h480/IMG_2616.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2rQJdVuRIx9yYqsZfGCdREZAL9aESdZFzPyknAM2tJ7k-jUDZz8n7uCaOSq2a_WtqikUmWRSJ2BsQm2Fd74_LCRdbIu3pSA62ZvWoUVT_YosE8f7sk7bZZFkuUMy1GEtyOfR0Jh0-3uqa8k7P9uWuiCUzbIvSrjJz7pmJu1dq5IvCMLQZSEqDyoVKw/s4000/IMG_2621.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2rQJdVuRIx9yYqsZfGCdREZAL9aESdZFzPyknAM2tJ7k-jUDZz8n7uCaOSq2a_WtqikUmWRSJ2BsQm2Fd74_LCRdbIu3pSA62ZvWoUVT_YosE8f7sk7bZZFkuUMy1GEtyOfR0Jh0-3uqa8k7P9uWuiCUzbIvSrjJz7pmJu1dq5IvCMLQZSEqDyoVKw/w640-h480/IMG_2621.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the Buddhist temple, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdl7rQtf0ilRbR_VoZ2e9maYY209JGEjwFLIUNczMg1xBf5LejGycj9Ohx-ihtiTpc3JD6Uc8xzJTuWo_2NQLlbZYgS7SX1_L_4EAVFs7_ByhNs90H7z7Rz939u6yiidF-G89OsA--DrIg_GR7pnv584d6cN1sOovGh_MBGI7po2heNAOc62gdlEwlw/s4000/IMG_2635.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdl7rQtf0ilRbR_VoZ2e9maYY209JGEjwFLIUNczMg1xBf5LejGycj9Ohx-ihtiTpc3JD6Uc8xzJTuWo_2NQLlbZYgS7SX1_L_4EAVFs7_ByhNs90H7z7Rz939u6yiidF-G89OsA--DrIg_GR7pnv584d6cN1sOovGh_MBGI7po2heNAOc62gdlEwlw/w640-h480/IMG_2635.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ko Fruitopia fishing hut</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwm_Uo1TosveEXND8bqvByTED3hk8UD4GUKFd-JRq5OHF7oSgZJhLwzHj2AhdexEhOsA-gzXi4dmt4njvudEITZFdezVnER2Y23J9f5rktAJOlqdR2BsZwZur-hXeL4xevawppRWMoOjd9HH1OTj4fhlS7HjvO96OvliJ4DiGVlaINaOihbFpY2p-4jw/s4000/IMG_2580.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwm_Uo1TosveEXND8bqvByTED3hk8UD4GUKFd-JRq5OHF7oSgZJhLwzHj2AhdexEhOsA-gzXi4dmt4njvudEITZFdezVnER2Y23J9f5rktAJOlqdR2BsZwZur-hXeL4xevawppRWMoOjd9HH1OTj4fhlS7HjvO96OvliJ4DiGVlaINaOihbFpY2p-4jw/w640-h480/IMG_2580.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fishing village on Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p>Other days we re-acquainted ourselves with favourite haunts and old friends. People seemed happy to see tourists again after such a slow three years, and as we were some of the first of the season, we received many smiles and good vibes. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigf813SC9NK_wcZK0rt1_7oa2aOX6Vnih5So5O_BWzgv88deR0_0RjRTT9ToL-fFvWdEPmWio9ZJUVn9z__FRFdRgOEAJiYaxdzxdNyG1ZF-AcTmJPqoPQUhJG2s7ksCErUWj3oHujpUaI-WLAonS_Y_BVWZcUJpQeUSQq6HAT76dc8FAH99NfKI2sWw/s4000/IMG_2572.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigf813SC9NK_wcZK0rt1_7oa2aOX6Vnih5So5O_BWzgv88deR0_0RjRTT9ToL-fFvWdEPmWio9ZJUVn9z__FRFdRgOEAJiYaxdzxdNyG1ZF-AcTmJPqoPQUhJG2s7ksCErUWj3oHujpUaI-WLAonS_Y_BVWZcUJpQeUSQq6HAT76dc8FAH99NfKI2sWw/w640-h480/IMG_2572.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach bar view, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJq8hJyOaz7vv8YXaQs-OiVogFIlwydTrek4yOuqFZUJbUgoHjxYPq4mA1PNbcYRom29RLIjKUJpq1RLPmwvaxo7l5ZLQZq3UXUd0lntzP5H2FNTBN6TPSEMdoDKA_kDPwgDoj_MkGKMQDRUqqLROq8LT-qScQZHYV3w93rXW4ddnEmNacFPN9HR7mw/s4000/IMG_2577.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2835" data-original-width="4000" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJq8hJyOaz7vv8YXaQs-OiVogFIlwydTrek4yOuqFZUJbUgoHjxYPq4mA1PNbcYRom29RLIjKUJpq1RLPmwvaxo7l5ZLQZq3UXUd0lntzP5H2FNTBN6TPSEMdoDKA_kDPwgDoj_MkGKMQDRUqqLROq8LT-qScQZHYV3w93rXW4ddnEmNacFPN9HR7mw/w640-h454/IMG_2577.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Sea Gypsy temple, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJyLPU24QlcwaHfxzDdf15vnfPiEwXy4C1uwfqXnrnilr5QWIddk9SQT12VRap-_RX2A88OD93740bQmuZ47I_Srzw4RexLk3pM9g4y8utwc5zFFDbuFjamC_I3897iQrXp8rV-NyNnsNxoxzMbW4or69_-4Sr9OsVesTwusWhgIvPuV3Igaz3IP9WA/s4000/IMG_2630.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJyLPU24QlcwaHfxzDdf15vnfPiEwXy4C1uwfqXnrnilr5QWIddk9SQT12VRap-_RX2A88OD93740bQmuZ47I_Srzw4RexLk3pM9g4y8utwc5zFFDbuFjamC_I3897iQrXp8rV-NyNnsNxoxzMbW4or69_-4Sr9OsVesTwusWhgIvPuV3Igaz3IP9WA/w480-h640/IMG_2630.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Best of all was in late December when familiar faces and some good friends started to arrive, just in time for the dry, sunny weather (up until then it had been humid and damp). Christmas was the usual Sea Gypsy affair, with the locals having a whale of a time dancing and singing traditional songs. People from all over Fruitopia turned up to join in the festivities and masses of food was spread out on tables, including the famous goat curry.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtaFY4A_jtbO2VTEQDQaatb71gD32LB48Vg8ipZkXZ5aSAnJgdElb39puhA5PDfyGP5OD9KuetT-DPZIermW6hg--HgWOJwnGJ1ppl4hUkNa82yoMdw5Un0_liuyeSrWYQTRux0VWEiCEd7jCkMeAu2WqnxCEIEIrKWUYqlwM0lH6XUjv1gZxnQjjJA/s5184/IMG_9129.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtaFY4A_jtbO2VTEQDQaatb71gD32LB48Vg8ipZkXZ5aSAnJgdElb39puhA5PDfyGP5OD9KuetT-DPZIermW6hg--HgWOJwnGJ1ppl4hUkNa82yoMdw5Un0_liuyeSrWYQTRux0VWEiCEd7jCkMeAu2WqnxCEIEIrKWUYqlwM0lH6XUjv1gZxnQjjJA/w640-h426/IMG_9129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely friend and special guy</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWxPjALOJuq-uK8Ygp1PmcMJMy5dx9un7Ct4JKRfdNg4T7RCwhXCovsUDSWPkqQ0TUR5qfiAeR7m2lFjihYGbOopb7FSpvMFcp70jsFsN2WQc4jQqcVwfqzMIC0y4jvQG7YCVIqkC7jLO31KHOaaJE-8_bqkmgZIxCu28OrxSqAukNe09JFHzV-p4LA/s5184/IMG_9132.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWxPjALOJuq-uK8Ygp1PmcMJMy5dx9un7Ct4JKRfdNg4T7RCwhXCovsUDSWPkqQ0TUR5qfiAeR7m2lFjihYGbOopb7FSpvMFcp70jsFsN2WQc4jQqcVwfqzMIC0y4jvQG7YCVIqkC7jLO31KHOaaJE-8_bqkmgZIxCu28OrxSqAukNe09JFHzV-p4LA/w640-h426/IMG_9132.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas, Sea Gypsy style, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2DY0VBX7za0TAzE2F2bMzRYQ4qhj692gqkK3MVEhK8H2hHygUMsUnX0_155FojvxMMLva-WDPe1PcoGtkutEjupsBZW93bOFwsAtVb8QySF4hAe-OG7f_DXRZPHAnOBMz06s30Hvhx3FofXsx3BTSlVfu0jMpyzlOnHv3zjGk0t9cVJJM2h0jmA0BQ/s4598/IMG_9205(1).jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4598" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2DY0VBX7za0TAzE2F2bMzRYQ4qhj692gqkK3MVEhK8H2hHygUMsUnX0_155FojvxMMLva-WDPe1PcoGtkutEjupsBZW93bOFwsAtVb8QySF4hAe-OG7f_DXRZPHAnOBMz06s30Hvhx3FofXsx3BTSlVfu0jMpyzlOnHv3zjGk0t9cVJJM2h0jmA0BQ/w640-h482/IMG_9205(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_0ww1WrNdzfjaurRGYGDhPB-AsgQkDrwgL-afLmbZGE0MnOlTwa5c0hLshMGN_79AzdyR1s6uCmXCdEt0ZHf7xlgIE6_IcMuH397QWh_LlAogpM-p8ka-h3YCum4l49IThHo3Yn2gJmDwW19bTTx2bNFKACDDz0nh-Zab4GI0-X30WtmtWudje_gew/s5184/IMG_9140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_0ww1WrNdzfjaurRGYGDhPB-AsgQkDrwgL-afLmbZGE0MnOlTwa5c0hLshMGN_79AzdyR1s6uCmXCdEt0ZHf7xlgIE6_IcMuH397QWh_LlAogpM-p8ka-h3YCum4l49IThHo3Yn2gJmDwW19bTTx2bNFKACDDz0nh-Zab4GI0-X30WtmtWudje_gew/w640-h426/IMG_9140.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those ladies love to dance! Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were glad we were able to return, and spend some time on Ko Fruitopia, and <i>in'shallah</i>, the time will come again when we will be able to visit once more. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAU0pck6aS5FlqXDO5rZuMBx2zE3-RV553wz0t4dm0dkTylQUJbauYDsb3Xuqo2wn0NAsn9Us9blp7fMK7vlSgQ2PfojWcoAWXhZRliL0Zxh87Lt7wQ1kB59MiaG2VQbd78zd2Y1Y_6JmVc3CKeGCrG6_QXXcvzG6zmXaMkUGBMM73yNm9QWnG5pB9Q/s4000/IMG_2556.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAU0pck6aS5FlqXDO5rZuMBx2zE3-RV553wz0t4dm0dkTylQUJbauYDsb3Xuqo2wn0NAsn9Us9blp7fMK7vlSgQ2PfojWcoAWXhZRliL0Zxh87Lt7wQ1kB59MiaG2VQbd78zd2Y1Y_6JmVc3CKeGCrG6_QXXcvzG6zmXaMkUGBMM73yNm9QWnG5pB9Q/w640-h480/IMG_2556.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many many beautiful sunsets, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNWEGKmNJbeGwPRmkdDTSAoB0dCUj467eh6a3qs6B05NFqXUQjIGUun2gRJOp5fff_sPelUFgELbA8KizUv3OsSPPjpdi4Gnwt2XuAxDPdsCi-8hd5TlaWZ4Ppl2pPt6P0MPlWfm3mgP20Wd1NgaCdDkpUdaYJOK-Cwo_kF2k1B6ZrZu13-nzul8oYQ/s4000/IMG_2596.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNWEGKmNJbeGwPRmkdDTSAoB0dCUj467eh6a3qs6B05NFqXUQjIGUun2gRJOp5fff_sPelUFgELbA8KizUv3OsSPPjpdi4Gnwt2XuAxDPdsCi-8hd5TlaWZ4Ppl2pPt6P0MPlWfm3mgP20Wd1NgaCdDkpUdaYJOK-Cwo_kF2k1B6ZrZu13-nzul8oYQ/w640-h480/IMG_2596.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us on the quiet beach, Ko Fruitopia</td></tr></tbody></table></div><i><br /></i><div><i><a href="Hi there everyone! Well, it's been quite a while, but we are finally back in Central Asia. We love this part of the world, and are enjoying the spring weather, and different culture. Hopefully, the blog posts will be coming regularly now, as we will be over in this area for the summer and maybe beyond. Big love to everyone, and hope all is well for you guys. BUDDHIST RELICS AND SUFI TOMBS - Tashkent and Termez, Uzbekistan BUDDHIST RELICS AND SUFI TOMBS - Tashkent and Termez, Uzbekistan ............previously, a world away on the beach in tropical Thailand............. After spending the winter in... Lots of love, Sal and Richard xxxxxxxxxxxxx" target="_blank">.......next up, a real adventure in Uzbekistan, Central Asia......</a></i></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-28544399306203403552022-11-30T14:21:00.002+08:002023-05-06T00:29:57.079+08:00SWEATY SPELLS AND SHITE SPIRITS- Penang, Malaysia<p><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/10/food-for-thought-penang-malaysia.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <i>..........previously, our first, and probably only blog post about foodie matters, Penang, Malaysia......</i></span></a></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQnDiqM7K8I0TELg7eqhrrDx0Dotqa3YB6Rl-TbuZftEyc9Lvt5d4i-uMyud26Qv7iaJVQatcwWCScyjtE3xEBgKZPy9y8phIViz6FfgJmxGECEj9MDtUgRMjX0LDAghe9qbtd_0wWfXt2dmFal4P2Mk7_YYNDB6GhIy8UIvGE1r50uYfSyqqHFIJcg/s4563/georgetown%20streets%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3219" data-original-width="4563" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQnDiqM7K8I0TELg7eqhrrDx0Dotqa3YB6Rl-TbuZftEyc9Lvt5d4i-uMyud26Qv7iaJVQatcwWCScyjtE3xEBgKZPy9y8phIViz6FfgJmxGECEj9MDtUgRMjX0LDAghe9qbtd_0wWfXt2dmFal4P2Mk7_YYNDB6GhIy8UIvGE1r50uYfSyqqHFIJcg/w640-h452/georgetown%20streets%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rickshaw driver taking a nap, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Apologies in advance- this blog is going to be quite long. Rather than spitting it in two, we wanted to keep the theme and publish it as one post. There won't be another for a few months at least after we leave Penang. So, hopefully you will enjoy, despite the length!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Much of our explorings and day to day routine in Penang revolved around Georgetown. There is something intangible about the atmosphere in Georgetown - the mix of ancient, retro and new come together like no other place. Small lanes with tiny age-old businesses and shopkeepers can be found, the walls mouldered from the constant humidity. Haphazard footpaths are the norm and scattered pieces of street art, some already faded in the sun, are around every corner. Old men sleep in their cycle rickshaws, people push carts around the streets selling goods, silent bicycles whirl by, and minuscule red shrines can be seen with mini bearded Gods inside. There is an old fashioned sheen to everything that is highly appealing to us.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzAnMgHf7_R-wb1BP74qxw9Is1iFxU0Q8nh6LvajjizSPLcV3-AX0G4i-tj1VOxWmOc_0Ur3B3dw-bZsl7Aa6WRXftWMmvqPT4QQmemJS8DUgxi_Jdf-Ns6dwSDibBFW6LBGSViawVeJ7r35aFeNZ5dwC9PiS51oaAn8ReIFFyHVucIl64QYpBVXk4g/s3678/IMG_2437.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2746" data-original-width="3678" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzAnMgHf7_R-wb1BP74qxw9Is1iFxU0Q8nh6LvajjizSPLcV3-AX0G4i-tj1VOxWmOc_0Ur3B3dw-bZsl7Aa6WRXftWMmvqPT4QQmemJS8DUgxi_Jdf-Ns6dwSDibBFW6LBGSViawVeJ7r35aFeNZ5dwC9PiS51oaAn8ReIFFyHVucIl64QYpBVXk4g/w640-h478/IMG_2437.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contrasting tile styles, Georgetown, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwVixFQVAJn-TGJX_suyNNuG0rrlyRx-YhPP2gvMDSH1k-WbWI1amL2mJPoK8WVu227B0ITk08ScP0xsycwCtBqJ9_k0iiEAdtFhZoZ7vdppUp20_H7hGUt6o7bMU1G4aiZslGsv8SIO9ObDwtuXEWCyXSNgFyxz9t_yod4SSYYJzI9HnLv_m25S6KA/s4000/IMG_2263.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwVixFQVAJn-TGJX_suyNNuG0rrlyRx-YhPP2gvMDSH1k-WbWI1amL2mJPoK8WVu227B0ITk08ScP0xsycwCtBqJ9_k0iiEAdtFhZoZ7vdppUp20_H7hGUt6o7bMU1G4aiZslGsv8SIO9ObDwtuXEWCyXSNgFyxz9t_yod4SSYYJzI9HnLv_m25S6KA/w640-h480/IMG_2263.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim Novak, for all your children's school uniform needs. Random</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3xmM8Xi4XNkwUnv71fiRJ2yXq-ONWC3wKJzPdsV5HMLCoMPOPc9QEobPOtg_1Tiw6FqQqfwohSqJd1awpLJZRjbxCwzt_QKd1PrkK1xB9yNFXffmXlXr89MWLk_fxORXbwNGygeAgIxZn4ZQsm2N6UMfjFWJpWZ__LTtszZExJWloPuS3krpsYETDg/s3759/georgetown%20streets%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="3759" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3xmM8Xi4XNkwUnv71fiRJ2yXq-ONWC3wKJzPdsV5HMLCoMPOPc9QEobPOtg_1Tiw6FqQqfwohSqJd1awpLJZRjbxCwzt_QKd1PrkK1xB9yNFXffmXlXr89MWLk_fxORXbwNGygeAgIxZn4ZQsm2N6UMfjFWJpWZ__LTtszZExJWloPuS3krpsYETDg/w640-h502/georgetown%20streets%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely yellow mosque entrance, Georgetown, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-xfhuwA4CNWkmAyGK_eB49voX2wfzAc0SeEEHS322fqE4q_vFN892aoMgP_xfaQ89Iot3m1NxUWAfBoTA0j-TpKwSKyGJV1WcuiV3e32e8EK13xBHgdbaI2oJ_OdKu1tlbH0FzhDVA6SutnNZQoaXdsvEw-11rLqZB6fasQGvo9tnjvoqblf92VUVg/s4000/georgetown%20streets%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-xfhuwA4CNWkmAyGK_eB49voX2wfzAc0SeEEHS322fqE4q_vFN892aoMgP_xfaQ89Iot3m1NxUWAfBoTA0j-TpKwSKyGJV1WcuiV3e32e8EK13xBHgdbaI2oJ_OdKu1tlbH0FzhDVA6SutnNZQoaXdsvEw-11rLqZB6fasQGvo9tnjvoqblf92VUVg/w480-h640/georgetown%20streets%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little laneway shrine, Georgetown, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3gP5U1jYwU_UHFVP0ItNMkdwX42NjDGekckJ7ZGaKk_zjwtEeEyEyPkFjmC5SMpJl_foZZ9Q2nMPr8KAenvalxK4rpMSq1WyKCCZDjRcmwmjhS8QVBABLPzgqCwSyk2XRMNdNDaZMbbAkjnjp7p-L9sxmWg0dJFkLJOfRrNkNj-byH3aqGECMBmEdg/s3865/georgetown%20streets%20(3).jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2509" data-original-width="3865" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3gP5U1jYwU_UHFVP0ItNMkdwX42NjDGekckJ7ZGaKk_zjwtEeEyEyPkFjmC5SMpJl_foZZ9Q2nMPr8KAenvalxK4rpMSq1WyKCCZDjRcmwmjhS8QVBABLPzgqCwSyk2XRMNdNDaZMbbAkjnjp7p-L9sxmWg0dJFkLJOfRrNkNj-byH3aqGECMBmEdg/w640-h416/georgetown%20streets%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFSPcehx3_Eg_pLAIX-aR_VTjhyDqwk0_ho2nOMPdSTbyS8Xgg5MYL1quXA007J0rIkB-PDti3kxl3enltOVTopuVU6L1DOoFgiOQIHN1nD6LM2mjjDaabH8-Stysd4unm4lyo6HPiMz3sBxtnB9QDKvRS1G6IGrqEqRmqQnXKQDf7FyKzL3jo1d0Eg/s3681/IMG_2029.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2907" data-original-width="3681" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFSPcehx3_Eg_pLAIX-aR_VTjhyDqwk0_ho2nOMPdSTbyS8Xgg5MYL1quXA007J0rIkB-PDti3kxl3enltOVTopuVU6L1DOoFgiOQIHN1nD6LM2mjjDaabH8-Stysd4unm4lyo6HPiMz3sBxtnB9QDKvRS1G6IGrqEqRmqQnXKQDf7FyKzL3jo1d0Eg/w640-h506/IMG_2029.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the old signs, Georgetown, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiudb5Y8kXx4hu9zodLpl87OD_SiAqRA5YL5177sbrGHj_T1_NVoFvVNtRiULd050I4_yx42E4XT_qCpXGI547N3prR3JiHRWngq4IyYNcqLL8DRKzn4a6EhG4FaVFMCM7R3Aj2wgmyefADXP3Cj4l8YN_xkHtEgWyc1XmosrCSSMefWkSAtFeqnBXKQ/s2046/IMG_2255-COLLAGE.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiudb5Y8kXx4hu9zodLpl87OD_SiAqRA5YL5177sbrGHj_T1_NVoFvVNtRiULd050I4_yx42E4XT_qCpXGI547N3prR3JiHRWngq4IyYNcqLL8DRKzn4a6EhG4FaVFMCM7R3Aj2wgmyefADXP3Cj4l8YN_xkHtEgWyc1XmosrCSSMefWkSAtFeqnBXKQ/w300-h400/IMG_2255-COLLAGE.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQO9dG2h4h-gHmq6AQerVdv26NpDc-Iy3NOMTaBWxYlU5p3ffs7KygldM1yeanD_Z3x3uzG2QkwrqsW8rN8ZYe7vSVr18tCQ7Z6I4YLPaIPITX9Kuy0El56DQMRgxaIv1nVqjRnFmysj3U3_rzjrLqgOmlc7jhvDn0hxhRDZyeaBprLSlgwER2AHzXA/s2046/IMG_2185-COLLAGE.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQO9dG2h4h-gHmq6AQerVdv26NpDc-Iy3NOMTaBWxYlU5p3ffs7KygldM1yeanD_Z3x3uzG2QkwrqsW8rN8ZYe7vSVr18tCQ7Z6I4YLPaIPITX9Kuy0El56DQMRgxaIv1nVqjRnFmysj3U3_rzjrLqgOmlc7jhvDn0hxhRDZyeaBprLSlgwER2AHzXA/w300-h400/IMG_2185-COLLAGE.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Close to the Noble Hotel is Little India. Mostly Tamil in population, it is full of the magnificent smells of wafting Indian food and incense offerings, and the pulse of often ear-splitting Hindi pop. Add in the flower sellers with their fabulous array of beautifully coloured offerings, and the fashion shops with Indian-styled outfits in every hue imaginable, Little India is a fantastic place for a wander.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Lpsc40e1sEwtwW1vq0LmCQ3OBu49k25Jf9_4QuQHfSukbMyWh5uHKItipBhfSWvpgXcpV3skl2ZThkugVeqevSAJCypdU1vFIUsK9eccJlmXM-RBb6SgOQ5Nb1x4PAFGUVwR4G4r_Xaw9b17apoDABkCrdPgjbmqBDRMS7lpJUOmXsqr0PH_kwy77w/s4000/little%20india%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Lpsc40e1sEwtwW1vq0LmCQ3OBu49k25Jf9_4QuQHfSukbMyWh5uHKItipBhfSWvpgXcpV3skl2ZThkugVeqevSAJCypdU1vFIUsK9eccJlmXM-RBb6SgOQ5Nb1x4PAFGUVwR4G4r_Xaw9b17apoDABkCrdPgjbmqBDRMS7lpJUOmXsqr0PH_kwy77w/w480-h640/little%20india%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up shop, Little India, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw0uPaa7TiD8euJBI_bNXs3SunYg3dtISc6r3Ci-Mo_b3DVkjAlPie00nA5jq0bE9ohhETkvHr0TUEBLKQ_BgWErlyhyS8U1cZjvVhh4em7Go-ncowmWQ4p7EEeTjRa_x9pchdinpsadpqBCCAMRGlowvnNls6pEvA3AGJoVNS8j8hiMiyTOXCYWOkg/s4000/little%20india%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw0uPaa7TiD8euJBI_bNXs3SunYg3dtISc6r3Ci-Mo_b3DVkjAlPie00nA5jq0bE9ohhETkvHr0TUEBLKQ_BgWErlyhyS8U1cZjvVhh4em7Go-ncowmWQ4p7EEeTjRa_x9pchdinpsadpqBCCAMRGlowvnNls6pEvA3AGJoVNS8j8hiMiyTOXCYWOkg/w640-h480/little%20india%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little India colour, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-YNbZLW2f52Q9S6i8ml_ykTDVkt8tGGcQ3LuujVsLZxCGOxZwSXAmaHnqHmMa37t7KFs_zVtnsEESJ0bqQMoGnYe-veEnM8Zi4HPBxKib7BDuC1Zdik70w2rm0KxOfg1O_jHqa8Y4JA8Tn2KZoSTQB2Kt0Vz0XNX5oxDbT3uGKAm4SEiygZg9yjeww/s4000/IMG_2431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-YNbZLW2f52Q9S6i8ml_ykTDVkt8tGGcQ3LuujVsLZxCGOxZwSXAmaHnqHmMa37t7KFs_zVtnsEESJ0bqQMoGnYe-veEnM8Zi4HPBxKib7BDuC1Zdik70w2rm0KxOfg1O_jHqa8Y4JA8Tn2KZoSTQB2Kt0Vz0XNX5oxDbT3uGKAm4SEiygZg9yjeww/w640-h480/IMG_2431.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Also in the Georgetown mix is Antarabangsa Bar. A unique place in Malaysia with cheap alcoholic drinks and back street seating, this bar is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike. Many a night was spent here with good company (and many nights with rubbish conversation!), and Sal reluctantly weaned herself off Balkan <i>rakia</i>, and onto the crappy local rice wine. We did sorely miss the good quality beer and spirits from the Balkans. But nothing is ever 100% perfect, and we dealt with it!</span></div><div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT5Wkntr3iy3ruNBuagTyiCzuTv0d_xtNmmWotr95ZXC49ihc2vNlXW6hRXhPMMphNc3ALEj-iChO6Ld2Szx3dxYOzg0PGskwobhl_sBQOXIJj42qnkvsbsjBiBzC_cvi9c2E2EuffMq_a1gWiCOBf2PIhILbYrk0pWfsZvlErquQuWZRRgqT_iR7Dw/s3315/IMG_2076.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="3315" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT5Wkntr3iy3ruNBuagTyiCzuTv0d_xtNmmWotr95ZXC49ihc2vNlXW6hRXhPMMphNc3ALEj-iChO6Ld2Szx3dxYOzg0PGskwobhl_sBQOXIJj42qnkvsbsjBiBzC_cvi9c2E2EuffMq_a1gWiCOBf2PIhILbYrk0pWfsZvlErquQuWZRRgqT_iR7Dw/w640-h546/IMG_2076.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quiet afternoon at Antarabangsa Bar, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">While not as exotic as Little India, the colonial area of Georgetown is of interest for it's grand European-style buildings, mostly now either turned into governmental offices, fancy eateries or hotels. The British East India Company, represented by Francis Light, negotiated to be given Penang island in return for British military aid and protection in the late 1770s (hence the name Georgetown, named after George III.). Especially pleasant in the colonial area is sunset on the esplanade near Fort Cornwallis, where locals gather to enjoy the cool sea breezes.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEmgJxb1cQ4g-nsWEInrzAguAP9YeQ4F3bgL1ECM0qvDiVBIMIEvibSVsL1gVK4IC_20faa4K_00C6SbOxbXDTwsKqD_bLdfb_ZzNlgMwqbkUzPR_x1T5zv_PD0v-pjDbUqnPp3PFDId4vHyhdr2ijvyhXk8NcABqnqZgZxXp_1dawRQ4HvWaB0dr4w/s4000/IMG_2109%20esplanade.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEmgJxb1cQ4g-nsWEInrzAguAP9YeQ4F3bgL1ECM0qvDiVBIMIEvibSVsL1gVK4IC_20faa4K_00C6SbOxbXDTwsKqD_bLdfb_ZzNlgMwqbkUzPR_x1T5zv_PD0v-pjDbUqnPp3PFDId4vHyhdr2ijvyhXk8NcABqnqZgZxXp_1dawRQ4HvWaB0dr4w/w480-h640/IMG_2109%20esplanade.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Esplanade, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMNOXo8qioCymGD90NfVGSmVesmHZfNoDBsyh1YDJA9OfxB8w-VM6yL239Ce5kvVgPzoyMhNlWc2Kkh-tHN12oVHsV0NTok5TE-kRpSI0wN-44sG0iTD8y6kfrxXYVk2hmD3CA9ikgN6ismlgZRc_OfWQnMyLXaKVvj-xsQT6hBOi3wyHIFTtCmgyYw/s2952/IMG_2116%20city%20hall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="2478" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMNOXo8qioCymGD90NfVGSmVesmHZfNoDBsyh1YDJA9OfxB8w-VM6yL239Ce5kvVgPzoyMhNlWc2Kkh-tHN12oVHsV0NTok5TE-kRpSI0wN-44sG0iTD8y6kfrxXYVk2hmD3CA9ikgN6ismlgZRc_OfWQnMyLXaKVvj-xsQT6hBOi3wyHIFTtCmgyYw/w538-h640/IMG_2116%20city%20hall.jpg" width="538" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colonial Town Hall, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Malaysia is known for it's variety and tolerance when it comes to religion, and Penang island, being so compact seems an intense microcosmos of that diversity. The main faiths in Penang reflect the biggest ethnic groups- Malays, Chinese and Indians.</span> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghd2zyrdo7ZHSM0LbI4-iK46Lp1vTkmzdyeG0AsmRKl6P6kYMXIRKpLutYXhWExeTaIbYNHiQouGJahtiDtRPxcj4hnHjlfUO8U2Ip9LydIQMks3aKelia0y8ICFOKTweAVNu44aauoU9nfAm5xXTdxRfp9W2ILm-Q2KkXu-hBtFRf8uoEJpJH21ml4g/s3683/IMG_2484.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2613" data-original-width="3683" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghd2zyrdo7ZHSM0LbI4-iK46Lp1vTkmzdyeG0AsmRKl6P6kYMXIRKpLutYXhWExeTaIbYNHiQouGJahtiDtRPxcj4hnHjlfUO8U2Ip9LydIQMks3aKelia0y8ICFOKTweAVNu44aauoU9nfAm5xXTdxRfp9W2ILm-Q2KkXu-hBtFRf8uoEJpJH21ml4g/w640-h454/IMG_2484.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many prayer wish topics, Buddhist Temple Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIu32xKQMrr3ZgnI2HgaGYIamhGXui-HqtWw00fYFraHpmUVGqWVB1vy-DOOSh69MfNzmQpM80pXlPx1L86kmDywwznCXfgmUw8H_UadrEGh-w3b-77_UknJg_LAvtr-sTmS3pzuRFGw103SpxzOAEH7QF7phSXksNDOT8TOkusuW--VW3T3PF31u-Q/s4000/IMG_2500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2821" data-original-width="4000" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIu32xKQMrr3ZgnI2HgaGYIamhGXui-HqtWw00fYFraHpmUVGqWVB1vy-DOOSh69MfNzmQpM80pXlPx1L86kmDywwznCXfgmUw8H_UadrEGh-w3b-77_UknJg_LAvtr-sTmS3pzuRFGw103SpxzOAEH7QF7phSXksNDOT8TOkusuW--VW3T3PF31u-Q/w640-h452/IMG_2500.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful room, Buddhist Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Kapitan Keling Mosque, representing Islam, is a glorious white domed building in central Georgetown, down the road from the more modest Lebuh Aceh Mosque, built by the Acehnese in the 19th century and resembling a lighthouse. Tanjung Bungah's Masjid Terapung juts out magnificently into the sea in the north of the island. Interesting fact- all Malaysian Malay people are Muslim by law.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyF1vXrZersb2AMsohTnnTQq3KhQtnlGH3q0KeMVXrKmns_FvahXN3zq673KcEZdKBShr6IEqa7xlNUjAkBcANqOd84c4OJuME4jN6k9z2ceOMtiAPnyRKaS-A1L_chZ2aOQBnDZnJhPwvyD_SyU6Bcq3Ms5nfL37bw2g8KzCv_G0JzH8Un6E8lR8SA/s4000/religion%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2776" data-original-width="4000" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyF1vXrZersb2AMsohTnnTQq3KhQtnlGH3q0KeMVXrKmns_FvahXN3zq673KcEZdKBShr6IEqa7xlNUjAkBcANqOd84c4OJuME4jN6k9z2ceOMtiAPnyRKaS-A1L_chZ2aOQBnDZnJhPwvyD_SyU6Bcq3Ms5nfL37bw2g8KzCv_G0JzH8Un6E8lR8SA/w640-h444/religion%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kapitan Keling Mosque at dusk, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSrQnnX2x6-uvgi2qN3TcT_in6J2XT235BTqK4kfw4GL1eYpQs2BEDzlvD2ODa1v7UF866GcN4wbYa3mQSGrokgPsPjVq62wQ8KV8POAF7VUFTg7_FsNngkjIyUOxg1IyPQvCLMhHgBnNktDIz4cZyfCKZK2XXsmCCoLj16LXHx_48tTXSMRuXrkwrg/s4000/religion%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSrQnnX2x6-uvgi2qN3TcT_in6J2XT235BTqK4kfw4GL1eYpQs2BEDzlvD2ODa1v7UF866GcN4wbYa3mQSGrokgPsPjVq62wQ8KV8POAF7VUFTg7_FsNngkjIyUOxg1IyPQvCLMhHgBnNktDIz4cZyfCKZK2XXsmCCoLj16LXHx_48tTXSMRuXrkwrg/w480-h640/religion%20(5).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The unusual Aceh Mosque, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuQzTgJHgv-SVON9JivztUoj4viIKCMCQ2omw0E9gpCUBEmuaGXO7xMopFVtTbZCS7S690C_gnESoHyPVJrxOst6hBj0Ge7hy5mVP4caJLyTDJakld-7_Sw2-OSWv124OBHAHli1L57yakGqA4103p2RMWcyYFGWAjU7bBofhFzl4DoV4BT5v8SLe-A/s3792/religion%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2844" data-original-width="3792" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuQzTgJHgv-SVON9JivztUoj4viIKCMCQ2omw0E9gpCUBEmuaGXO7xMopFVtTbZCS7S690C_gnESoHyPVJrxOst6hBj0Ge7hy5mVP4caJLyTDJakld-7_Sw2-OSWv124OBHAHli1L57yakGqA4103p2RMWcyYFGWAjU7bBofhFzl4DoV4BT5v8SLe-A/w640-h480/religion%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Tanjung Bungah's Masjid Terapung, Penang</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Tamil population's Hindi temples stand out for their vibrant colours and busy paint work. When we travelled in India, the Tamil temples of southern India were our least favourite buildings- they just all seemed a bit too over the top and Disney-like. Here, however, somehow they balance out the other religious buildings and fit in perfectly.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkgdFSLI-isgDFA6eMCS6LipnPN3W7krVDFu9B_h7emi161dz2KPD5JmXRDL3SiZKBU3zCACCLvXLRYR1SYOWYJpty0XPrxzZMhhpk1jgyUn68h2ZyKefnOH2vk5TFnyrxldGVXWvZnM39KQMXw1077VQZsiC_va-jXtfWungcKYL2vxZu8yNd-9oOg/s4507/hindu%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4507" data-original-width="3184" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkgdFSLI-isgDFA6eMCS6LipnPN3W7krVDFu9B_h7emi161dz2KPD5JmXRDL3SiZKBU3zCACCLvXLRYR1SYOWYJpty0XPrxzZMhhpk1jgyUn68h2ZyKefnOH2vk5TFnyrxldGVXWvZnM39KQMXw1077VQZsiC_va-jXtfWungcKYL2vxZu8yNd-9oOg/w283-h400/hindu%20(1).jpg" width="283" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplsbLFIEOqCJ5qk8CEyf2zkWxSEEDJnsmaxrq48_hNc2OVhWSlAG4J8FislvUp7pv_zM5-aw9_y8XccCq6SxaiZCVUrX5zU29eWzUdZCbV9owJMDJGEaT9SQPG_w5usPjrLkVxeKtLN-5UIu2XBkZrAzK3Hds50PzGa2LSFk808Lx-PUZwKHsV3H-VA/s4000/hindu%20(3).jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplsbLFIEOqCJ5qk8CEyf2zkWxSEEDJnsmaxrq48_hNc2OVhWSlAG4J8FislvUp7pv_zM5-aw9_y8XccCq6SxaiZCVUrX5zU29eWzUdZCbV9owJMDJGEaT9SQPG_w5usPjrLkVxeKtLN-5UIu2XBkZrAzK3Hds50PzGa2LSFk808Lx-PUZwKHsV3H-VA/w300-h400/hindu%20(3).jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6ub3hOwEjqT9KDIZLNgS84rOxNI1cGn0B5tTA8M7AN4EqmnO6twbZ1R7jU9D-SLdhIhVRb5YtmKni4I_xY_vrmZEYpWwCg-_k1hO-WkwBDWoNc11cMk-ln_6iLJ12prKVKUBcddaVppdmsv_QB7JTa_gRWWvsu1JHDah54-GAK9B04elZe4FXPG9eQ/s5184/hindu%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6ub3hOwEjqT9KDIZLNgS84rOxNI1cGn0B5tTA8M7AN4EqmnO6twbZ1R7jU9D-SLdhIhVRb5YtmKni4I_xY_vrmZEYpWwCg-_k1hO-WkwBDWoNc11cMk-ln_6iLJ12prKVKUBcddaVppdmsv_QB7JTa_gRWWvsu1JHDah54-GAK9B04elZe4FXPG9eQ/w640-h426/hindu%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A faithful's mark on each step leading to the hilltop temple, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFBiYb6e2bfLI9i-k1QlRQN2Qadh5SyRgNvdeA45tnOrPOm4q8KaisSdsTS3vxGVdKRg5Iz_rT8gaUCuTX6h_Ov7rbHCrRGsWr--ZP10V6MAZjmmuFmlUqUyRRBd4zdDXqzuHMFXmp2TPtHncUpt_Pwo24-1WiEWxE4hnmbfoWPe3-_KxsfAdVO-AOg/s5184/hindu%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFBiYb6e2bfLI9i-k1QlRQN2Qadh5SyRgNvdeA45tnOrPOm4q8KaisSdsTS3vxGVdKRg5Iz_rT8gaUCuTX6h_Ov7rbHCrRGsWr--ZP10V6MAZjmmuFmlUqUyRRBd4zdDXqzuHMFXmp2TPtHncUpt_Pwo24-1WiEWxE4hnmbfoWPe3-_KxsfAdVO-AOg/w426-h640/hindu%20(5).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siva with his trident, Waterfall Temple, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK898SL6vFJ7dWRLuUa3WsXzHlUljADYFIso0Rs2iZMMkpKgK2Jr5_cG_yuhq8TI1sIbwQo26JAPNnARoZfZ7xKOOmxQq3-d3MjCEklXoCx_PyHrBDU0PyRpRV_dmKAGgYPFqrIi00cJ2sM5MWKw6FYqwCMdyQjLcy9RPVccU1Sm8ZCHCOtx__BDSrTQ/s3997/hindu%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="3997" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK898SL6vFJ7dWRLuUa3WsXzHlUljADYFIso0Rs2iZMMkpKgK2Jr5_cG_yuhq8TI1sIbwQo26JAPNnARoZfZ7xKOOmxQq3-d3MjCEklXoCx_PyHrBDU0PyRpRV_dmKAGgYPFqrIi00cJ2sM5MWKw6FYqwCMdyQjLcy9RPVccU1Sm8ZCHCOtx__BDSrTQ/w640-h466/hindu%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top of Waterfall Hindu Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Chinese have a number of faiths represented all over Penang- Taoist, Buddhist, Christian, as well as their own kind of folk religion. Particularly noticeable around Georgetown are the numerous secret little shrines down side streets and under trees. </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyBeMu5wAOH8_3M2dAO4H9-GYp6svUfKhr3c6wnuHSyJbz0zqTL87tAJ-94OkrNuzSgacF0rhBcpbXEi0K8alGJoS5-42220xnbDNjI5JnHLR1n7aI1xaeG-3TjRWogz7BB2J3ppeTjzeuhSIrVzLWVc0fSp5K0ZiJD3k52cHxE-_0HWHniMgDkyUWQ/s3721/religion%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3721" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyBeMu5wAOH8_3M2dAO4H9-GYp6svUfKhr3c6wnuHSyJbz0zqTL87tAJ-94OkrNuzSgacF0rhBcpbXEi0K8alGJoS5-42220xnbDNjI5JnHLR1n7aI1xaeG-3TjRWogz7BB2J3ppeTjzeuhSIrVzLWVc0fSp5K0ZiJD3k52cHxE-_0HWHniMgDkyUWQ/w516-h640/religion%20(1).jpg" width="516" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny red shrine, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PKWY3Bza73RmlPEhY4lW5ZUh8wxnuJTNV7uJbYc-LTAJHsYWzL8mgcYrd7_1-JCW1nYqkmFw4xp982xkwj3GYaKgd-t74a5sc5BnAa0DtZsTtZDw9mEQrzJL6DS3dvU1gS5B3Okn_JyjcDUEQedhQHfEpLuJRN7R8cFzTd2sHmklH1kUcp9oH_ap7Q/s4000/georgetown%20streets%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PKWY3Bza73RmlPEhY4lW5ZUh8wxnuJTNV7uJbYc-LTAJHsYWzL8mgcYrd7_1-JCW1nYqkmFw4xp982xkwj3GYaKgd-t74a5sc5BnAa0DtZsTtZDw9mEQrzJL6DS3dvU1gS5B3Okn_JyjcDUEQedhQHfEpLuJRN7R8cFzTd2sHmklH1kUcp9oH_ap7Q/w640-h480/georgetown%20streets%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful Chinese incense sticks, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEMAfYpoJ1ac9ii7KO_DfFwALI9zG8zGReaURR8LEqCih82G1wD8fb9tTuhuFuv-Ohltj-1vrwMVoCxUeDMl1hPB-bq_na841FUT_k5Ax8ubETWdu-1Cb3N06OmLizhfquPWpIsmpf15FX5Jb7to58HwVqlZVIYyAH-OXDznrdJGzIgbfWy1Cej8e_A/s3921/religion%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2387" data-original-width="3921" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEMAfYpoJ1ac9ii7KO_DfFwALI9zG8zGReaURR8LEqCih82G1wD8fb9tTuhuFuv-Ohltj-1vrwMVoCxUeDMl1hPB-bq_na841FUT_k5Ax8ubETWdu-1Cb3N06OmLizhfquPWpIsmpf15FX5Jb7to58HwVqlZVIYyAH-OXDznrdJGzIgbfWy1Cej8e_A/w640-h390/religion%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neo-classical style St George's Anglican Church, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Then there's the less common assemblies- Baptists, Catholics, Sai Baba's followers, Sikhs, Evangelicals and many others. These religious groups are mostly represented with substantial buildings indicating large followings.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVPUWvUgfrOe_e7kXZ-pQn_g9nrhQwM5kD-RwlOZAmMRAORAjQveiAPkXlZLMKhtf_lM5JHPO6jwJU88g8FF4rXSV3wl6kDZUbBgMdneGhyay7sBzG9iDuxPIW_H8wRyW4P54aAmKoq2zRJUVBsSXtgGuBbHRpiTP5trigseAnbqIz0sA_Ro0vDVocg/s3595/religion%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2491" data-original-width="3595" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVPUWvUgfrOe_e7kXZ-pQn_g9nrhQwM5kD-RwlOZAmMRAORAjQveiAPkXlZLMKhtf_lM5JHPO6jwJU88g8FF4rXSV3wl6kDZUbBgMdneGhyay7sBzG9iDuxPIW_H8wRyW4P54aAmKoq2zRJUVBsSXtgGuBbHRpiTP5trigseAnbqIz0sA_Ro0vDVocg/w640-h444/religion%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the main languages of Penang on one Sai Baba sign</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfBbUpETqSCkZk1rtl6NBeFfIHQE4Zlo9lciWE2qLosMTfEKfijXennOQYDqIR0jBtNtdlCxauXPA8sN7XmLWhZpX-b8p7OUsFPqQAiAuf3325CJcjgr5QZB3HzrR62ztpmlwylDWjpl7j3St1APQjHkjd--Jm5UFfWSrMF_MCJt7JvPaz1IRPCGL_g/s2088/religion%20(16).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2088" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfBbUpETqSCkZk1rtl6NBeFfIHQE4Zlo9lciWE2qLosMTfEKfijXennOQYDqIR0jBtNtdlCxauXPA8sN7XmLWhZpX-b8p7OUsFPqQAiAuf3325CJcjgr5QZB3HzrR62ztpmlwylDWjpl7j3St1APQjHkjd--Jm5UFfWSrMF_MCJt7JvPaz1IRPCGL_g/w640-h408/religion%20(16).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would love to know what goes inside this one</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For us, though, the Buddhist community has the most evocative and spectacular temples. Burma Road is a treasure trove of dramatic and dazzling temples serving the mostly Thai and Burmese worshippers. Kek Lok Si temple in Air Itam, as gaudy as it may be construed, must be the height of kitsch Buddhist Chinese temple architecture. Last time we visited it was during<a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2012/02/year-of-dragon-vs-thaipusam-two-weeks.html" target="_blank"> Chinese New Year celebration</a>, and the sight of the temple lit up up like a Christmas tree was absolutely astonishing. </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5HNrkt9_Q9wJ4w42OfZaJ8jbBMEZOwaMoE-XQaf-xYfN7G0a2bOa2Bj_TxL-uWSVw2TMoU1-mCbWSNYfFgR1bMiL6UskNU4xVr_nVFPWLd5Fs0PTUC0Hcz1uiKWBDJnRhpZIJ3Jk4B58ShGx8hIVJin4dj3MUKbpdh3FLgWC8W3K0CjvB3AP2eivWw/s5184/religion%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5HNrkt9_Q9wJ4w42OfZaJ8jbBMEZOwaMoE-XQaf-xYfN7G0a2bOa2Bj_TxL-uWSVw2TMoU1-mCbWSNYfFgR1bMiL6UskNU4xVr_nVFPWLd5Fs0PTUC0Hcz1uiKWBDJnRhpZIJ3Jk4B58ShGx8hIVJin4dj3MUKbpdh3FLgWC8W3K0CjvB3AP2eivWw/w640-h426/religion%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky tortoises in the temple grounds, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjuRqS4R9_zdVbU2Kua8W1dkE6vk1AR5fkJHx_XB6O5oDCuKFFt_rVZZYhKb-CmmsQqjaFECO5F3cXgLwGrhH2AK-OJaVAyD_jFqq15ybLSmtNdwPe6GLfhxZcRPDxCjn_BhgYtg6w92e1aUvgl8zg9VS1K1oqay_jmpLtKidfYBS2KPkfcd2K8X62Q/s5078/religion%20(11).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3386" data-original-width="5078" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjuRqS4R9_zdVbU2Kua8W1dkE6vk1AR5fkJHx_XB6O5oDCuKFFt_rVZZYhKb-CmmsQqjaFECO5F3cXgLwGrhH2AK-OJaVAyD_jFqq15ybLSmtNdwPe6GLfhxZcRPDxCjn_BhgYtg6w92e1aUvgl8zg9VS1K1oqay_jmpLtKidfYBS2KPkfcd2K8X62Q/w640-h426/religion%20(11).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting Buddha, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkUA-pmla08hTifDi3klqANXsgK5vf5fEJFHUFkymtRlXB8kSsfvK9eaZyy4cCODKwGUbWLVzO0vpHZ3dEZRmDgQdzmRbTJxey9b9xTZNAHiWkgpG39_BQySQK_F4CqNWJV9u0QCtOd9b1K_Wtfg0IEQINE5gsDbYoLUoRWJzneK1S5EagoNJvX7L2g/s4823/religion%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4823" data-original-width="3437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkUA-pmla08hTifDi3klqANXsgK5vf5fEJFHUFkymtRlXB8kSsfvK9eaZyy4cCODKwGUbWLVzO0vpHZ3dEZRmDgQdzmRbTJxey9b9xTZNAHiWkgpG39_BQySQK_F4CqNWJV9u0QCtOd9b1K_Wtfg0IEQINE5gsDbYoLUoRWJzneK1S5EagoNJvX7L2g/w456-h640/religion%20(12).jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Golden stupa, Burmese Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqsayIy4KJ_4bZ3clMd0jhnAC8of_HgSsoSWWW6k0yljsL67zVZTkl7PUsQr6gKFIkkYkfT6NJGHnRi1XMgKhNyHrVT-mMPxsQHS_60CkjJqHRPAJQ1OjWt6SywO-F-sRqxYxikdNbGnqaokmUINley4JsFhebPvy879xBDXmOuWM-hjfSZ3Qt4mN_w/s4941/religion%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqsayIy4KJ_4bZ3clMd0jhnAC8of_HgSsoSWWW6k0yljsL67zVZTkl7PUsQr6gKFIkkYkfT6NJGHnRi1XMgKhNyHrVT-mMPxsQHS_60CkjJqHRPAJQ1OjWt6SywO-F-sRqxYxikdNbGnqaokmUINley4JsFhebPvy879xBDXmOuWM-hjfSZ3Qt4mN_w/w640-h426/religion%20(13).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant statue inside Buddhist Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE5c2zLFuFrdnphI2cXHVZ1ApWDU9fZp7Kx7r7bIPG38wRrZ8R0Q8FlvmYh_8V-VaGlBTmWWaSaF8sFxFEVAnuukpDHO_Yf9Pa31BdKDbvVylmjdrmZ5r4xv60P6ri9_WuLj00D2C_v_a9FNz_-gYglgMbAK7IDm8QN0nYos_hWY6646l7m6W101FCQ/s5184/religion%20(14).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE5c2zLFuFrdnphI2cXHVZ1ApWDU9fZp7Kx7r7bIPG38wRrZ8R0Q8FlvmYh_8V-VaGlBTmWWaSaF8sFxFEVAnuukpDHO_Yf9Pa31BdKDbvVylmjdrmZ5r4xv60P6ri9_WuLj00D2C_v_a9FNz_-gYglgMbAK7IDm8QN0nYos_hWY6646l7m6W101FCQ/w640-h426/religion%20(14).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Representations of how different countries portray Lord Buddha</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmwtrHWso2ScKTYGUisZLwDFxPMlL53Tbe9xRsUuemNRplZJ1FuEr4ip8zAoEY8TOzeKD5cAB0Dahcd0qc1bFQICc6W-dTAvP2IdGk6P_I80jl3Bt4YNvLwKT7G5Qq1jbru8nRA_6IKnuVhpD3ITceKgFDjn5JvYiV60ZTVqGmLU5YezPNTjzL22IZQ/s5184/religion%20(15).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmwtrHWso2ScKTYGUisZLwDFxPMlL53Tbe9xRsUuemNRplZJ1FuEr4ip8zAoEY8TOzeKD5cAB0Dahcd0qc1bFQICc6W-dTAvP2IdGk6P_I80jl3Bt4YNvLwKT7G5Qq1jbru8nRA_6IKnuVhpD3ITceKgFDjn5JvYiV60ZTVqGmLU5YezPNTjzL22IZQ/w640-h426/religion%20(15).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It could only be the exterior of the local Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr1amligevCMqqFKy8CN1S9nil_ZMrWUar95TUnstaBuCYjsudZTDuw36mxo8jrHA5bgRKL1J151VkrN4C_ccqfo5_Q4lIDL013tIH7tD2I13prm02FQ4f8P3b2mMI_59RbYhI2TzU3TtpS-ywd6slkKpJOb8yZLdAXctbT9H06hg4brAXrjDTXFUcg/s4000/IMG_2505.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr1amligevCMqqFKy8CN1S9nil_ZMrWUar95TUnstaBuCYjsudZTDuw36mxo8jrHA5bgRKL1J151VkrN4C_ccqfo5_Q4lIDL013tIH7tD2I13prm02FQ4f8P3b2mMI_59RbYhI2TzU3TtpS-ywd6slkKpJOb8yZLdAXctbT9H06hg4brAXrjDTXFUcg/w480-h640/IMG_2505.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out over the city, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TzwqcjMGsJHyK5z0tYB1AdyfCq834NXKUHKthweJnnFBil2HbovkAvkHksWNMotS7w5hOvpADp9wkd1ORdMe0A51pMgsH-lEHXWuTFo0vPM73Hm4PnRPbpfAan0xF-laZbVrVuVK_H3Xsyt3aLy0h5KpBfix8TQQx2BQVW8DN-4KS-9MZMU5Xn9rmw/s4000/IMG_2499.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TzwqcjMGsJHyK5z0tYB1AdyfCq834NXKUHKthweJnnFBil2HbovkAvkHksWNMotS7w5hOvpADp9wkd1ORdMe0A51pMgsH-lEHXWuTFo0vPM73Hm4PnRPbpfAan0xF-laZbVrVuVK_H3Xsyt3aLy0h5KpBfix8TQQx2BQVW8DN-4KS-9MZMU5Xn9rmw/w640-h480/IMG_2499.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rows of Buddha tiles, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijknGMW1zzGYSln1S63EgV25VYs-Bwz7CzLQ61sjZsTSKWEwnZapWT0NjCwwUN4KnLg_bQmTEmj1yd4sS37MaXggyaUxPc98Xq0V2VeCpvibdloyVgC58Yt4jekqoMkykpvd5D4i6GmwU5QIYp06rtoNiCSd2SfWTK4P2uMvwD6ubdzAh-dlPwlXrygg/s3832/IMG_2459.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2874" data-original-width="3832" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijknGMW1zzGYSln1S63EgV25VYs-Bwz7CzLQ61sjZsTSKWEwnZapWT0NjCwwUN4KnLg_bQmTEmj1yd4sS37MaXggyaUxPc98Xq0V2VeCpvibdloyVgC58Yt4jekqoMkykpvd5D4i6GmwU5QIYp06rtoNiCSd2SfWTK4P2uMvwD6ubdzAh-dlPwlXrygg/w640-h480/IMG_2459.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pagoda, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4D6ZhGGXRi05FAP55sbnv25Vj2iZqn9u5JrzrWH0_mPv7cjSde0VNpsAUGsTshi0qAyohMgfNpLc3-WmN9C-_niKt_l0HSS1E7PYWZeXEyd-1UykbkWJcfdv6Uo-kZ-9xNlFGj54JfoXZ93D-P-pM_3OuRWJBWkyur_zAhWcBdt2YBRkk4oSr4r-ew/s4000/IMG_2482.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4D6ZhGGXRi05FAP55sbnv25Vj2iZqn9u5JrzrWH0_mPv7cjSde0VNpsAUGsTshi0qAyohMgfNpLc3-WmN9C-_niKt_l0HSS1E7PYWZeXEyd-1UykbkWJcfdv6Uo-kZ-9xNlFGj54JfoXZ93D-P-pM_3OuRWJBWkyur_zAhWcBdt2YBRkk4oSr4r-ew/w640-h480/IMG_2482.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny, colourful Buddha, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">That the many religions of Penang, and Malaysia, co-exist amicably is a wonderful example of harmony and peace.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMxpFeTo2fGw2P9aqMu5xs4HvaOLuXzfuX84SwAM27FVJDCDHMchN75Ewd-oLfdprxi7gEvYxzpQuSY7LF2uQ8n0gIGxvxxsXTwxU7Ojnwzfyhepyt677YP9_2cFRysL5dYqK5v_Bkx_sjBPR0dDticVM5C2sQ2isWGryAU8_GpLUDPmb-TxuvZCSSQ/s4000/IMG_2507.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMxpFeTo2fGw2P9aqMu5xs4HvaOLuXzfuX84SwAM27FVJDCDHMchN75Ewd-oLfdprxi7gEvYxzpQuSY7LF2uQ8n0gIGxvxxsXTwxU7Ojnwzfyhepyt677YP9_2cFRysL5dYqK5v_Bkx_sjBPR0dDticVM5C2sQ2isWGryAU8_GpLUDPmb-TxuvZCSSQ/w640-h480/IMG_2507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm light , Buddhist temple, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSoidJCpfZy3AaQ_UueQ9PAXrqtmNnmmOzqohGF4llOYk7gCpjyGrLQTQHXKGBf_LzT1pQAkHtZgnudHrrVJZjbpuFjS1FLceKaivjeIGoHVhA6JZ8vo5QYfYXAnTevDgwBuYS9rnf9aNOp5w07UkAkRHnU5iDGSoEkJksNC6xGJZz2OTIWd35pTQ8g/s4000/IMG_2515.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSoidJCpfZy3AaQ_UueQ9PAXrqtmNnmmOzqohGF4llOYk7gCpjyGrLQTQHXKGBf_LzT1pQAkHtZgnudHrrVJZjbpuFjS1FLceKaivjeIGoHVhA6JZ8vo5QYfYXAnTevDgwBuYS9rnf9aNOp5w07UkAkRHnU5iDGSoEkJksNC6xGJZz2OTIWd35pTQ8g/w640-h480/IMG_2515.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddhas in the garden, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Other days were spent in various contrasting parts of Penang island. The beaches in the north weren't spectacular, but a pleasant place to read a book in the shade, enjoy the constant ocean breeze and feel some sand between our toes. It had been about a year since we had been at the sea, and we looked forward to returning. </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSkgOOVp-0RHCy1cWFdJA8YE6ZaI8OClq29E_kjB343V8F6evbNIpELlKhZDVY1oNMo1bes-bnwZFCEtMdHAq6NRyNYLJrGWl5E59o2kA3XcAIxUtzv92ACpTtGPgNAaRQnz2ntzdWfsWNQnXbkKChZNTR8PWzK5OajDW4rY8p0fJt6YX6rWsXofVtA/s3942/IMG_2202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2612" data-original-width="3942" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSkgOOVp-0RHCy1cWFdJA8YE6ZaI8OClq29E_kjB343V8F6evbNIpELlKhZDVY1oNMo1bes-bnwZFCEtMdHAq6NRyNYLJrGWl5E59o2kA3XcAIxUtzv92ACpTtGPgNAaRQnz2ntzdWfsWNQnXbkKChZNTR8PWzK5OajDW4rY8p0fJt6YX6rWsXofVtA/w640-h424/IMG_2202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to be on the sand, Tanjung Bungah, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqL1LmRP9zHggPFMxOn95f_5HWCIdiIgKHnUuDlRSpZR7_fXkGuSP9K_9BGI1qvjfjU4BCa9ytjyruGiaC5fKfk1IywjyRhmJrJnk3xbxVxCLuN7aWMAmIk7j08CLgIpnB3y1Cyinzg2mHlQsT12ID3Jg6kRqDcE6vnHCs2RonedyzzZBO4PFxaQWoA/s3567/IMG_2209.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2315" data-original-width="3567" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqL1LmRP9zHggPFMxOn95f_5HWCIdiIgKHnUuDlRSpZR7_fXkGuSP9K_9BGI1qvjfjU4BCa9ytjyruGiaC5fKfk1IywjyRhmJrJnk3xbxVxCLuN7aWMAmIk7j08CLgIpnB3y1Cyinzg2mHlQsT12ID3Jg6kRqDcE6vnHCs2RonedyzzZBO4PFxaQWoA/w640-h416/IMG_2209.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanjung Bungah Beach, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil8AhhLK8UqBgjj-WzGourT-zmEWPucyR60RXxSZKNBbWuE4_u0E93rohkalEjFWB4hULTVRNt0QQvYU-8iclyqzAw_-jZjioW1O6THL2BtmqmSg2i1t99N_aktga8_uEVFb2Ol6RvwvGnt59MUzgU2rUpvmhPqtAu6vTsQ2FCI8DXH5ejxlry2AybQ/s4000/IMG_2212.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2737" data-original-width="4000" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil8AhhLK8UqBgjj-WzGourT-zmEWPucyR60RXxSZKNBbWuE4_u0E93rohkalEjFWB4hULTVRNt0QQvYU-8iclyqzAw_-jZjioW1O6THL2BtmqmSg2i1t99N_aktga8_uEVFb2Ol6RvwvGnt59MUzgU2rUpvmhPqtAu6vTsQ2FCI8DXH5ejxlry2AybQ/w640-h438/IMG_2212.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small waterway, Tanjung Bungah, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A walk up Penang Hill was not tempting due to the thick air and high temperature. We have done it before, once, and it nearly killed us! The Botanic Gardens was a fabulous alternative. The gardens are set into the thick jungle of the hill, and are a wonderful spacious place to join the locals for some exercise. Early in the morning, strollers take advantage of the cooler temperatures and walk the circuit of the gardens. For us, a slower stroll was required at first to spot the many tropical plants and dazzling setting, before a more speedy couple of laps. Colossal trees with massive seed pods, exotic flowers, vines and giant leaves stand on manicured lawns, and the air is perfumed and alive with the sounds of insects, birds and monkeys.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AAuzZM72arlbMFCnpYSy-umDlNq1C1BBiwgF_aDKEx-NToUi1rD-M8Ya6s0zAmk0WMz_Sr0qlL58udpMNavTL41sAW_G8DF-6gyL5ecjH8rQcnW1bSTfmnsGh-KHSdZTI4XR0hxoC_GOpQZGSbujAbXAn1ZzaXu43iWWzh3Ug4UmRp3vU-K1hhFpsw/s4000/IMG_2281.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AAuzZM72arlbMFCnpYSy-umDlNq1C1BBiwgF_aDKEx-NToUi1rD-M8Ya6s0zAmk0WMz_Sr0qlL58udpMNavTL41sAW_G8DF-6gyL5ecjH8rQcnW1bSTfmnsGh-KHSdZTI4XR0hxoC_GOpQZGSbujAbXAn1ZzaXu43iWWzh3Ug4UmRp3vU-K1hhFpsw/w640-h480/IMG_2281.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning tropical flower, Botanic gardens, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UGtQ2JEFkA5cHrczgnH4iuaFk_MZ_SzMpNcvSWNpM2pARHEVmtAWcTn_h256WArXRXWpJIm5ctR9DXE9uMnaeEbLSmLcfmskjfYNFq6D0z1FX4K6OHd-2aGO9AGWoGFc0tiEGZOg6OEmZErX0xJVo6gsvi2HD60eoSMexJwJ3c_dpkf8rCCV5R5g7A/s4000/IMG_2283.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UGtQ2JEFkA5cHrczgnH4iuaFk_MZ_SzMpNcvSWNpM2pARHEVmtAWcTn_h256WArXRXWpJIm5ctR9DXE9uMnaeEbLSmLcfmskjfYNFq6D0z1FX4K6OHd-2aGO9AGWoGFc0tiEGZOg6OEmZErX0xJVo6gsvi2HD60eoSMexJwJ3c_dpkf8rCCV5R5g7A/w480-h640/IMG_2283.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9Ucnv8ngNkmT6OXZzGgKGmBBzHRXIB4yt-BQDtxrU5BPHGCCEUzr0Ro2eeO24cCU9ed16rJNv-wOjdvHqYaSu5I-3607eOT0OXxCsFQCsYtBSk79NCI-gAQTrx2fpluBEMrNw8gYG_SmbX0eBj4cOYEMEYgi1kwuZ1sXXvVsyeRmFNjc1qfXLfimwQ/s4000/IMG_2292.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9Ucnv8ngNkmT6OXZzGgKGmBBzHRXIB4yt-BQDtxrU5BPHGCCEUzr0Ro2eeO24cCU9ed16rJNv-wOjdvHqYaSu5I-3607eOT0OXxCsFQCsYtBSk79NCI-gAQTrx2fpluBEMrNw8gYG_SmbX0eBj4cOYEMEYgi1kwuZ1sXXvVsyeRmFNjc1qfXLfimwQ/w640-h480/IMG_2292.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicate fungi, Botanic gardens, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9w48x2S3Tpz0qYnGLs1UEoEmcUUfpH1E7Oyjqh_Q6sznnHuJhh_geyBPTMOf1eH09pTdyA1pZ7P1KrXa0tLbn_YMusU3V_VrdYqnIzORd2DLIwnHyvUpIAp65h7qtRMcc-Z31Ourw6E15OkrCiT6Kv0IAmZVAsoeRdftDdEsK-ulR5gR59N6YTlhVNQ/s3820/IMG_2309.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2366" data-original-width="3820" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9w48x2S3Tpz0qYnGLs1UEoEmcUUfpH1E7Oyjqh_Q6sznnHuJhh_geyBPTMOf1eH09pTdyA1pZ7P1KrXa0tLbn_YMusU3V_VrdYqnIzORd2DLIwnHyvUpIAp65h7qtRMcc-Z31Ourw6E15OkrCiT6Kv0IAmZVAsoeRdftDdEsK-ulR5gR59N6YTlhVNQ/w640-h396/IMG_2309.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue tounged monitor lizard, Botanic gardens, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Various markets visits were a must. The Hin Bus Depot market was a new one for us. A bit of a hipster hangout, this is a lovely place to linger on a Sunday, listen to DJs play some 80's music, browse the second-hand clothes and vintage junk, and people-watch the trendy and alternative population of Penang. The Thieves Market is a completely different scene, with everyday items such as tools and electronic goods being sold alongside second-hand clothes and antiques of a sort. Even early in the morning the crowds and heat, not to mention the long walk to get there, made for a draining experience.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtjT9zqVUDo7KKwlEQums0Kes9YtmJmrEDD01kvO1LfsCpxth3F-covduuP5WTEfFcwhrLl3RMXeDSajDEuDPdo6EO7ZbOkZDbt68sVc6UK83N06bzB06a_jqIpOMIIb4mjSCK_OHdvbVQ9ZKivTZXCuj55n_-n1idKL4r1UqYhtW2pYKTnZaD3gjtA/s4000/IMG_1992.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtjT9zqVUDo7KKwlEQums0Kes9YtmJmrEDD01kvO1LfsCpxth3F-covduuP5WTEfFcwhrLl3RMXeDSajDEuDPdo6EO7ZbOkZDbt68sVc6UK83N06bzB06a_jqIpOMIIb4mjSCK_OHdvbVQ9ZKivTZXCuj55n_-n1idKL4r1UqYhtW2pYKTnZaD3gjtA/w640-h480/IMG_1992.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Retro junk for sale, Hin Bus Depot Market, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrixoXLi3MwxpkwBjHmsHeDGQTOVnCYybyzAtM4N-uyJjGApCfsxZ_iePka4aQEVKYXvlQp7p_UkFZibK9Lo4Q66X1jhkzvKTpWeGhMc_P6aNBx_tWJDg8F7ffiBvyrdP-BlWyNzDkLfoKj1q8aN786oKBZ7o3GhsqiDcysCzenqUnEaiGkHEAhCo-w/s4000/IMG_1993.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrixoXLi3MwxpkwBjHmsHeDGQTOVnCYybyzAtM4N-uyJjGApCfsxZ_iePka4aQEVKYXvlQp7p_UkFZibK9Lo4Q66X1jhkzvKTpWeGhMc_P6aNBx_tWJDg8F7ffiBvyrdP-BlWyNzDkLfoKj1q8aN786oKBZ7o3GhsqiDcysCzenqUnEaiGkHEAhCo-w/w640-h480/IMG_1993.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food area at Hin Bus Depot Market, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3VF5hCYjNczkChTeK-51Lo-7xMNaa-nNBXtTXUDC2IcJ05kTQjvvSRmQVJsf2efNw52VWv3CHDqddvkr8X6EgWX-uAj5pN0bE7LyxZLN6kmUaU6-fRv35MqevjUcMuj7m5PDbSuEqW-pESw3lre3YNWHFmbdqLiapbkBeWjyWnwNqqCGYIB597Sf-Q/s5152/IMG_9101.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3220" data-original-width="5152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3VF5hCYjNczkChTeK-51Lo-7xMNaa-nNBXtTXUDC2IcJ05kTQjvvSRmQVJsf2efNw52VWv3CHDqddvkr8X6EgWX-uAj5pN0bE7LyxZLN6kmUaU6-fRv35MqevjUcMuj7m5PDbSuEqW-pESw3lre3YNWHFmbdqLiapbkBeWjyWnwNqqCGYIB597Sf-Q/w640-h400/IMG_9101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phone interest, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">One of the pleasures of arriving and departing Penang island, has always been the big old ferry, cars on the bottom and passengers up top, slowly chugging it's way from Butterworth to Georgetown and back. The fresh air and views from every direction of the open sided vessel was an agreeable way to move between the mainland and Penang. Unfortunately, this experience has now been replaced with the awful, cramped old Langkawi ferries. With no outside area, everyone is now packed inside with freezing cold AC, no room for luggage and no hope of escape should the thing go down in the sea. As we left Penang, we were not impressed and hoped this situation would be temporary. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiph1QlYGZldPKNlJURp8Pfz9MpFDYACRIHYHn0P66ga61eTFnslj6ZdO6lVbjgGiNXc1H-vV2k0QBqy-l8vE6k17dPGSFqxl3Ida-NrnkX2vBLBr0NNUDHSunHi0O4ZP9xdNqIlcBZ1oUX6sDKa_yBE46MCFvWzXJv75w1RbKgPcPedDN8fKuvv9xXJw/s4000/IMG_2355.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2477" data-original-width="4000" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiph1QlYGZldPKNlJURp8Pfz9MpFDYACRIHYHn0P66ga61eTFnslj6ZdO6lVbjgGiNXc1H-vV2k0QBqy-l8vE6k17dPGSFqxl3Ida-NrnkX2vBLBr0NNUDHSunHi0O4ZP9xdNqIlcBZ1oUX6sDKa_yBE46MCFvWzXJv75w1RbKgPcPedDN8fKuvv9xXJw/w640-h396/IMG_2355.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor old ferry in the dock, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Although we hadn't at all tired of Penang, a special place further north called to us. Now that Covidian entry requirements in Thailand had been abandoned, we planned a couple of months in Ko Fruitopia, our healing place, which we had previously visited most years around this time. We had been shut out for too long, and felt the need to return. We for sure will be back in Penang, though- it's such a fantastic place to hang out, with really good vibes and heaps to do and see (and eat!). Stay tuned............</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLnPZr_mWgX5AOhph3X32j1wIW38_6R7m0g48ngEvHHgZIZ1uXGEy1PfaFHM-KLeXXayg58SXzueOs7QxnHXYLGZo9gNHJ7s8rJs6_hsKcxMnHPOGTC-czcCQ9U86V2JqkEGEdDz52VZug_9oteD08A1sUeTtffQC2xyYsrWhBDHV8Gsx3qiKl2Y4YA/s4000/IMG_2407.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLnPZr_mWgX5AOhph3X32j1wIW38_6R7m0g48ngEvHHgZIZ1uXGEy1PfaFHM-KLeXXayg58SXzueOs7QxnHXYLGZo9gNHJ7s8rJs6_hsKcxMnHPOGTC-czcCQ9U86V2JqkEGEdDz52VZug_9oteD08A1sUeTtffQC2xyYsrWhBDHV8Gsx3qiKl2Y4YA/w480-h640/IMG_2407.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wee rest climbing some temple steps in the midday heat, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc3xVtEa5MXAMRYWf3ctsev06WlTnuR4r3haQqkckjvq26BJwkHz1l-43kIa4WY7WGIKflNEVnWHtin7sgUzUkVIA0T9ryiA0F32joPOgLBUdgWHe6lk87h7CqUONxUT80NAC2_0j2TgGGSw7DXUWQ5yPeJCWKkwavzz22gXNEIZk84O8dBceNEftBA/s5184/IMG_9107(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc3xVtEa5MXAMRYWf3ctsev06WlTnuR4r3haQqkckjvq26BJwkHz1l-43kIa4WY7WGIKflNEVnWHtin7sgUzUkVIA0T9ryiA0F32joPOgLBUdgWHe6lk87h7CqUONxUT80NAC2_0j2TgGGSw7DXUWQ5yPeJCWKkwavzz22gXNEIZk84O8dBceNEftBA/w640-h426/IMG_9107(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the top, Sal happy in Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><span style="font-size: medium;">.....<a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2023/02/short-and-sweet-ko-fruitopia-andaman-sea.html" target="_blank"><i>..onto our beloved Ko Fruitopia for the first time in more than 3 years........</i></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-5717869225689034362022-10-19T19:25:00.001+08:002023-05-06T00:30:47.199+08:00FOOD FOR THOUGHT - Penang, Malaysia<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i> <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/09/high-spirits-return-to-penang-malaysia.html" target="_blank">......the previous blog was an introductory post about our return to Malaysia after three years away......</a></i></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We know some of our
readers absolutely hate blog posts about food, and others cannot get
enough of seeing the exotic dishes we're currently eating. Believe it or not, we do get requests for <i>more </i>food photos on our blogs! We can't
please everyone, and since the main thing we have been doing in
Penang for the past 6 weeks is eating, we thought we'd dedicate a
entire blog post to the wonders of Penang cuisine. So, stop reading
now if you're one of those sensitive souls who finds foodie blogs an
annoyance, and read on if you rejoice in international dining delights!</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJozqEHR_RGUfEyfEaqapn8zJVulQDuiFSnedQTs8Hg9zbftPmwiOvc90L7MKd_Ge_z0FUfTqlzPFPIZtmfpcizlG6o-ag4MaCna8iAlc20NBPyVrBsfuRas0-Cs3D_Ikve2nqow0X-hHt32dECIALtiPG6yrIcGOrVPRnKX-NIZdM2kbs0BxVANQrTw/s3790/IMG_2519.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2083" data-original-width="3790" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJozqEHR_RGUfEyfEaqapn8zJVulQDuiFSnedQTs8Hg9zbftPmwiOvc90L7MKd_Ge_z0FUfTqlzPFPIZtmfpcizlG6o-ag4MaCna8iAlc20NBPyVrBsfuRas0-Cs3D_Ikve2nqow0X-hHt32dECIALtiPG6yrIcGOrVPRnKX-NIZdM2kbs0BxVANQrTw/w640-h352/IMG_2519.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local night food market, Georgetown, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Most people know Penang is
a wonderland of food, with a mixture of Malay, Chinese and Indian
fares on offer. We've always enjoyed eating our way around the
island, but on this visit, perhaps after being away for so long, we've been super enthusiastic in trying more restaurants, stalls, and dishes
and discovering some new favourites.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Economy rice</span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">These cheap and cheerful
joints serve a plate of rice and a choice of a plethora of toppings kept hot in metal
trays. Mostly it is self service, and we found them
best patronized early in the day whilst everything is still fresh and
hot. We liked them for the large range of greens usually on offer,
amongst all the other appetizing dishes. There are both Chinese and
Malay Economy rice places, with the later called <i>Nasi Campur</i>,
with a different style of toppings, and without the pork dishes.
</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_Sfw_0Vhuc90uc9AX5t23GPUSdLOkA7c4y854EwA4hlkvgpvpWmw0C0hD5-GidKplBhpCeOmAlCg9v5dAi3KgG5_v_nZLk6tbr9ppRJuJR8AKtM2ZLCuzOis8iFYlwMJteaEIfhFuPs13ptn1Ug4XihuRjlpaVFJkxqXdwjmilzBBFbFde6oxe8Wqg/s4000/IMG_2342.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_Sfw_0Vhuc90uc9AX5t23GPUSdLOkA7c4y854EwA4hlkvgpvpWmw0C0hD5-GidKplBhpCeOmAlCg9v5dAi3KgG5_v_nZLk6tbr9ppRJuJR8AKtM2ZLCuzOis8iFYlwMJteaEIfhFuPs13ptn1Ug4XihuRjlpaVFJkxqXdwjmilzBBFbFde6oxe8Wqg/w480-h640/IMG_2342.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge selection of food, economy rice, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Nasi Kandar</span></b></i></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This is the Malaysian Tamil version of economy rice, and we loved the halal thick curry specialities,
especially the beef option, tender and flavoursome. Our favourite
<i>nasi kandar</i> place to eat in Penang had been closed for the
past two years and only just re-opened when we arrived.
Unfortunately, they had attempted a renovation that stripped all of
the old fashioned charm of the basic restaurant we had loved. That, along
with the rise in prices and decline in the food quality had us
searching for a new regular <i>nasi</i> <i>kandar</i>. Luckily,
Penang is full of such places, and we were spoilt for choice.
</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGTLMMeP3kKocKprBFeUr_HMKDpTwnc2tfNmCJTVECSrz7j2PmwK0lkXBn95527UKVtBwnj747zNPeHF_EUDOOsQ2CK_9cunBslqMxJ0IpWqEyGWYMSuGpGsnTl46SAKDFtfooOe5ii9fLxjYJYzbNGWErLst_B4BEMKNWaCKB0LigpjQzhI7QunLvg/s2834/IMG_2386.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2075" data-original-width="2834" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGTLMMeP3kKocKprBFeUr_HMKDpTwnc2tfNmCJTVECSrz7j2PmwK0lkXBn95527UKVtBwnj747zNPeHF_EUDOOsQ2CK_9cunBslqMxJ0IpWqEyGWYMSuGpGsnTl46SAKDFtfooOe5ii9fLxjYJYzbNGWErLst_B4BEMKNWaCKB0LigpjQzhI7QunLvg/w640-h468/IMG_2386.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new favourite <i>nasi kandar</i> place, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwddqTWIf4BuzBgvSO6rFH8qvw6HeYr5Wn0X4i1-R7kte_pw7447dULgb-sQqdEWZ_Ayt-FFEB-ERMJ5MS-VO4XrKFYZhta5bbcN_asF0eL4FnG398Edasqqs0avkx3k-HFjQ5KYn0Xg72QqEkIoR_KoXKxDS9HwmkckKI-8yE9cwIPRED-RUBmHC7hA/s4000/IMG_2426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwddqTWIf4BuzBgvSO6rFH8qvw6HeYr5Wn0X4i1-R7kte_pw7447dULgb-sQqdEWZ_Ayt-FFEB-ERMJ5MS-VO4XrKFYZhta5bbcN_asF0eL4FnG398Edasqqs0avkx3k-HFjQ5KYn0Xg72QqEkIoR_KoXKxDS9HwmkckKI-8yE9cwIPRED-RUBmHC7hA/w480-h640/IMG_2426.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sumptuous meat curries, <i>nasi kandar</i>, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Other Malaysian Indian Food</span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Malaysian Indian food has to be our
favourite cuisine overall in Penang. <i>Roti canai</i> is the classic
Malay breakfast- dough that's oiled, rolled, pulled about, and then flattened and cooked on a hotplate until a flaky piece of paradise is served up. The basic version is served with <i>dahl</i> and other curry
sauces. There are many other versions with condensed milk, banana and other
fillings also. Its super cheap, filling and a great start to the day.
Simple street stalls selling <i>roti</i> and <i>chapati</i> are common
in Little India in Penang.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZft_FrzKd8rkc2_VIakIaHeYR7j9jOFGDtFdxVRHVKKgdkTEdl_HRclGhCccy7rrYwRlxZy62zPLIz6kcgYRMHzdD7ff3DyTwUOxMywzENFPcQxPAtLgiUyZ01ssKySwvGP13UH2zYAEd/s4000/IMG_2082.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZft_FrzKd8rkc2_VIakIaHeYR7j9jOFGDtFdxVRHVKKgdkTEdl_HRclGhCccy7rrYwRlxZy62zPLIz6kcgYRMHzdD7ff3DyTwUOxMywzENFPcQxPAtLgiUyZ01ssKySwvGP13UH2zYAEd/w640-h480/IMG_2082.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning <i>roti canai</i> stall, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Banana leaf meals are basically the same as a <i><a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RKda6kjvTgE/maxresdefault.jpg" target="_blank">thali</a></i>, but served on a banana leaf. These affordable and filling feasts differ depending on the restaurant. The Tamil version is usually vegetarian, and generally consists of rice and variations of vegetarian curries, pickles, <i>dahl </i>and <i>papad</i>. We don't often indulge in banana leaf meals in Penang- it always seems a let down when compared to the experience of eating a <i>thali </i>in India. There, the waiter's hand dollops the rice upon a leaf on the table in front of you, then slops unlimited amounts of a cacophony of spicy delights on top with a ladle. You could literally eat all day for cents. Or then there's the fancy versions, such as the Gujarati variant where the spread is unbelievably diverse and plentiful and even includes dessert. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4-7UCCXHJljdpZwayoQlPlbNiS4RepIq4npuYYQl8dmjWRvlONJSY9DFIQWTxs_wxcYm3B9-xqxYKPllgRhQJ8GN6FyCcogYHPmLoUE5vwV87oHbU4lCFZlCFf7JMCvDb1Ema4eX_X3Xys_dEclU1D8cX5GhvKife3SJRRdfkxj0TYQUi3Oe3TNkxQ/s4000/IMG_2534.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4-7UCCXHJljdpZwayoQlPlbNiS4RepIq4npuYYQl8dmjWRvlONJSY9DFIQWTxs_wxcYm3B9-xqxYKPllgRhQJ8GN6FyCcogYHPmLoUE5vwV87oHbU4lCFZlCFf7JMCvDb1Ema4eX_X3Xys_dEclU1D8cX5GhvKife3SJRRdfkxj0TYQUi3Oe3TNkxQ/w640-h480/IMG_2534.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegetarian banana leaf meal, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Then there's what we've always know as
<i>dosa</i>. To the Tamils it's called <i>thosai</i>- a large
crispy crepe made from fermented batter. It's much more tasty than it sounds! Dished up for breakfast or dinner (but never lunch), it's served with <i>sambar </i>(a thin,
<i>dahl-</i>like soup)<i>
</i>and coconut chutney. The version with a potato and pea curry
filling (<i>masala thosai</i>) is a particular favourite of ours.
It's a staple we love in India, and we always seek it out in Penang.
</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnwvjlas8geJbl1i23VPw1o58CupsNkJ59dpSuEXJs6LgaAv1GR-GpPRTnJSfrBmBN0CqYMAIZ6EXSyhsYwY9qEMLsJidPUI4bsqy-Izlr0iCrL6VwQu5wZDBgI7uVueL1Pj7nnrdxLjmtCG-Yh0RAvTYbrHQQ9bOMM4eOsaOTR9cJzQrVqYogzJaEg/s3352/IMG_2265.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="3352" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnwvjlas8geJbl1i23VPw1o58CupsNkJ59dpSuEXJs6LgaAv1GR-GpPRTnJSfrBmBN0CqYMAIZ6EXSyhsYwY9qEMLsJidPUI4bsqy-Izlr0iCrL6VwQu5wZDBgI7uVueL1Pj7nnrdxLjmtCG-Yh0RAvTYbrHQQ9bOMM4eOsaOTR9cJzQrVqYogzJaEg/w640-h544/IMG_2265.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sloppy but yum, a basic <i>thosai </i>meal, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Richard's daily treat in
Penang was <i>samosa</i> from a small stall in Little India. The choice of fillings ranged from mutton, sardine, egg, vegetable, or Rich's favourite, chicken curry. Piles
of fried snacks including <i>vada, murukku</i>, and <i>samosa</i>, as
well as a colourful display of traditional sweets and bags of Tamil
style tidbits were too tempting to resist!</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYdF1br3OkVI0hw-Z4QjlvZ2Cmhxzmi-2wNTnTTmFLw-VkxmyUE3bCyUl-R2M5jvQnSY5mHtrF_5-_Tt8pKLWie19Z2kElJp7GlmhrUJwx8b-83dS2F7SlNl0exLbTUYc_cNOfhVQdNrnB_hzh98VQpYypiSuTRGB-Jk2OD8R5gnzBl9aWBVRB2TWGA/s4000/IMG_2141.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYdF1br3OkVI0hw-Z4QjlvZ2Cmhxzmi-2wNTnTTmFLw-VkxmyUE3bCyUl-R2M5jvQnSY5mHtrF_5-_Tt8pKLWie19Z2kElJp7GlmhrUJwx8b-83dS2F7SlNl0exLbTUYc_cNOfhVQdNrnB_hzh98VQpYypiSuTRGB-Jk2OD8R5gnzBl9aWBVRB2TWGA/w640-h480/IMG_2141.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian treats, Little India, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Nasi Lemak</span></b></i></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A classic Malay dish,
there are many varieties of <i>nasi lemak</i>. Mostly there is coconut rice
as a base, boiled egg, cucumber slices, peanuts, <i>sambal</i> (spicy
hot or sweet sauce), and maybe pieces of fried chicken, fish or anchovies. This dish is very commonly found in the morning on street
stalls wrapped in little banana leaf packages.
</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-GlDSewpfZvCfmOd601qBhJGaSMXGkdG28BdsbP6qSVXaB6I6HyC9zbuQis0jqe3MlDXdKqo8rx1N5PytFY_6NCV0X0aQu4iDKH1OG6gtssqAWZD1E2NzxeSiuxnarZoQfCIXZ2yXGY0Yz3t15Eeb1NmE414G2AbRT4OV3bYiAJAoRzXHfuYVJQqZw/s3203/IMG_1960.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3203" data-original-width="2920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-GlDSewpfZvCfmOd601qBhJGaSMXGkdG28BdsbP6qSVXaB6I6HyC9zbuQis0jqe3MlDXdKqo8rx1N5PytFY_6NCV0X0aQu4iDKH1OG6gtssqAWZD1E2NzxeSiuxnarZoQfCIXZ2yXGY0Yz3t15Eeb1NmE414G2AbRT4OV3bYiAJAoRzXHfuYVJQqZw/w584-h640/IMG_1960.jpg" width="584" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a breakfast!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDwV7fLgnwsgUHVEgJ3EexeQ87JGAcRystFMkmwHd7mZ5HlOjirexkIU8cfWZMx6vIljJpXchy8jBNZ7WyAlk5uymWGvcRoX1pYE96MtrCwJu7oZ-L-zJMMGz2TBJqUyxtfZMeGD1TJr-iw5vL1hLaEBL1zEcDzDVTKaC80zAsVBsp8-cIjegSZxVOQ/s3649/IMG_2362.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3649" data-original-width="2855" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDwV7fLgnwsgUHVEgJ3EexeQ87JGAcRystFMkmwHd7mZ5HlOjirexkIU8cfWZMx6vIljJpXchy8jBNZ7WyAlk5uymWGvcRoX1pYE96MtrCwJu7oZ-L-zJMMGz2TBJqUyxtfZMeGD1TJr-iw5vL1hLaEBL1zEcDzDVTKaC80zAsVBsp8-cIjegSZxVOQ/w500-h640/IMG_2362.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrapped up in banana leaves, <i>nasi lemak </i>packages</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2EQANu5teThs_ORAQvztTE2fboCIyrVRXNbczDHxW4dIoGJ5skfgAO3BODqpdZsChFSv4AV3QkJs7mOkTy_Q50tNf47BLyIcBa5BJQTZyesoT9uSHs2gbrfT9JxfLahEHy0y08f5k6CE9i2ZAZIe4ZLaZErdCPkHLSk2isSBwdvDjHylfOtpFcY9rQ/s2696/IMG_2249.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1942" data-original-width="2696" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2EQANu5teThs_ORAQvztTE2fboCIyrVRXNbczDHxW4dIoGJ5skfgAO3BODqpdZsChFSv4AV3QkJs7mOkTy_Q50tNf47BLyIcBa5BJQTZyesoT9uSHs2gbrfT9JxfLahEHy0y08f5k6CE9i2ZAZIe4ZLaZErdCPkHLSk2isSBwdvDjHylfOtpFcY9rQ/w640-h462/IMG_2249.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The goodies inside, <i>nasi lemak</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hainan Chicken and Rice</span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">One of the rare Malaysian Chinese dishes we regularly eat in Penang (Rich could eat
it every day) is chicken and rice. It's a dish originally from Hainan
island in China, now found all over South East Asia, and here has
been modified over the years to suit Malaysian tastes. Delicious
roast chicken chopped and marinated in soy sauce is served with
“oily” rice and chilly sauce. There are alternative versions with
roast or crispy pork, and duck, but generally we stuck with the chicken.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uF5qApaBbV1OFLuraZH1Nmg0thNEEPWuXyGWzGVK1Ik9arvCyBorcFC_UrcjqrAC8VzNRI5Cw2ol0i22S54MfIClVmIIYZAOjmzDqiSL2RazLN4w7rFDD8OJ2mPufgt1nJrfDhUgByfiAwldBEKV5EDwxiHuqBR8iBOxZxJkEXE-eqOgpAnmkldv6A/s4000/IMG_1959.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uF5qApaBbV1OFLuraZH1Nmg0thNEEPWuXyGWzGVK1Ik9arvCyBorcFC_UrcjqrAC8VzNRI5Cw2ol0i22S54MfIClVmIIYZAOjmzDqiSL2RazLN4w7rFDD8OJ2mPufgt1nJrfDhUgByfiAwldBEKV5EDwxiHuqBR8iBOxZxJkEXE-eqOgpAnmkldv6A/w480-h640/IMG_1959.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken and rice- a regular for us in Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Noodle Dishes</span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">From the humble<i> mee goreng</i> (fried noodles) to more complex creations, noodles are a staple in Malaysia, and a stall selling them can be found every few steps in most areas. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Many of the following dishes are served in hawker centres, or food courts- modest open air covered areas where several tiny stalls specializing in one dish serve food side by side, with tables for patrons and a little drinks station.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Char kway teow </i>is the most common noodle dish seen in Penang, and presumably the most popular. Chock full of flavour, it features flat rice noodles, egg, bean sprouts, Chinese sausage, prawns, and a mixture of spices and pastes. Delicious literally any time of the day or night.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Chee cheong fun</i> for breakfast is like an explosion inside one's mouth. Thick rice noodle packages are mixed with a concentrated spicy and sweet sauce and combined with shrimp paste and sesame seeds. Accompanied by a strong <i>kopi beng </i>(iced coffee), it is a sure way to get going in the morning! An added bonus is the price, which at 2.60RM/£0.50 a portion, challenges <i>roti canai</i> as one of the cheapest breakfasts in Asia.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sal's favourite noodle
dish, however, was <i>wanton mee</i>, a comforting soup with sliced roast pork
pieces, flour noodles, shallots, choy sum and minced pork <i>wantons</i>,
usually served with green chillies on the side. Yum!</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEtwRcMjAO3KmtgpB78k-JVRcGs49lfiOFtFx5T6VHfw5iENWmXAQ1IAlfxcT7KiNto28E_IngJaazbYHu9JsEtE8deFq_lWOalINDQigD0E1L69A2_9mlXbM9WwMO9Z7qa8zs5o8iXztKLUbgGN6iXhTvrDYmFA0q4wUWCj698gkQNv-lMYVYhyoRA/s4000/IMG_2036.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEtwRcMjAO3KmtgpB78k-JVRcGs49lfiOFtFx5T6VHfw5iENWmXAQ1IAlfxcT7KiNto28E_IngJaazbYHu9JsEtE8deFq_lWOalINDQigD0E1L69A2_9mlXbM9WwMO9Z7qa8zs5o8iXztKLUbgGN6iXhTvrDYmFA0q4wUWCj698gkQNv-lMYVYhyoRA/w640-h480/IMG_2036.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wanton mee soup, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGu5vaXO7O6FC0sGtCl8mVc9nMqgR-7IcKYcjREzFBbLucXOJmFHDxHcOe28BZIqnzKhjUUkcAHiUt7eQ9Cneorz29tOZTzd6HKMF0xgtS_OLA1B6nS1cG3cYOzhnzgWc5xkX1vB2-Z_TX2J_-xDc0IczlB0SXi4jJAXZUrgdKdejEtwOf-tqjsngxwQ/s4000/IMG_2072.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGu5vaXO7O6FC0sGtCl8mVc9nMqgR-7IcKYcjREzFBbLucXOJmFHDxHcOe28BZIqnzKhjUUkcAHiUt7eQ9Cneorz29tOZTzd6HKMF0xgtS_OLA1B6nS1cG3cYOzhnzgWc5xkX1vB2-Z_TX2J_-xDc0IczlB0SXi4jJAXZUrgdKdejEtwOf-tqjsngxwQ/w640-h480/IMG_2072.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Char kway teow</i> for breakfast, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZv4s_4pw8YrXv7MTDW8jeFMvtzNjHsZhF3ucbbMhHQ4ksRrz2CmQz2-1Gz7xJmu8Aq9uW1VKREtkKhZdEBXYiBIGWjrQ539MpcuMOxJaHXp5vI9TsQF4AJ4tmHATLd61aOWdsocHSX9d4tDUFReHt4t6Mg8zjI_P6VoHBepnnzYXIZjqvcv72QY4U4w/s3084/IMG_2161.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2069" data-original-width="3084" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZv4s_4pw8YrXv7MTDW8jeFMvtzNjHsZhF3ucbbMhHQ4ksRrz2CmQz2-1Gz7xJmu8Aq9uW1VKREtkKhZdEBXYiBIGWjrQ539MpcuMOxJaHXp5vI9TsQF4AJ4tmHATLd61aOWdsocHSX9d4tDUFReHt4t6Mg8zjI_P6VoHBepnnzYXIZjqvcv72QY4U4w/w640-h430/IMG_2161.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking up a storm, hawker centre, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxeYe4R_FwVnXPF0azonqwHaTOqSRcoQYRFNFeZqfiFlJdfQh-NiE19s4SgImbLIFGikS-gvxrtSI2wAL46Uq8RKa7xOQnE40VNj90ucPwSh20XW3N2oH8fQn7DUGvfzQeVRxLGGzhaPIVCzsZS6Naj1pjkXS1ejy7QmXQ0wblGuDaEyft8N39eCgiQ/s4000/IMG_2436.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxeYe4R_FwVnXPF0azonqwHaTOqSRcoQYRFNFeZqfiFlJdfQh-NiE19s4SgImbLIFGikS-gvxrtSI2wAL46Uq8RKa7xOQnE40VNj90ucPwSh20XW3N2oH8fQn7DUGvfzQeVRxLGGzhaPIVCzsZS6Naj1pjkXS1ejy7QmXQ0wblGuDaEyft8N39eCgiQ/w480-h640/IMG_2436.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy little parcels, <i>chee cheong fun</i>, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><br /></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMeuxid_CrqGUzHRy8hB5G6U1N9uvTA8fUrcCnWjmp7KRo-iuT4FDoYfvCDuYqYBsrTxf9d8mdq9RbzosDFT6DQ0OZAhPhkEjgY2De4h6DrUBMxaQb_87-bV0d37KbEcef5ewtm9w6IyaKLDonZ3PeDmiQpVAYd0qCNrx4GRVPVZg2BrTsXAajB_JuQ/s2773/IMG_2450.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="2773" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMeuxid_CrqGUzHRy8hB5G6U1N9uvTA8fUrcCnWjmp7KRo-iuT4FDoYfvCDuYqYBsrTxf9d8mdq9RbzosDFT6DQ0OZAhPhkEjgY2De4h6DrUBMxaQb_87-bV0d37KbEcef5ewtm9w6IyaKLDonZ3PeDmiQpVAYd0qCNrx4GRVPVZg2BrTsXAajB_JuQ/w640-h508/IMG_2450.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical hawker centre, Penang, Malaysia</td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Laksa</span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This should probably be in the noodle section, but it is such an island obsession, I've dedicated a little section of it's own to the soup. I was amazed upon looking on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laksa" target="_blank">Wikipedia page about laksa</a>, how many varieties there are spread out over Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. People here on Penang are very serious about their <i>laksa</i>, and will travel miles to try a reportedly good one. I kind of did the same, and took a bus to Balik Pulau, 1.5 hours away on the other side of Penang to try Kim's Siam Laksa. It is well know for being different to the usual <i>assam</i> (sour) version predominantly found on Penang. It was indeed wonderful - probably one of the best things I have ever eaten in Malaysia. Dense and packed full of tastes, I could distinguish fish stock, shrimp paste, thick rice noodles and pineapple. The tamarind and coconut milk, however, took this soup to another level.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM5aKbKlVfb_gldfTs5GujKZZRL_A7IXbOv9S8QbR9Zd859ydYJ-yWZNZpIZ9kmC9vuG0jTejaoS1qR3wmQIKUgIRv5-zbXbMCwwBr14shqnoqdOeZWSD0OHsBvNkS08uMJzvovJDlKFkpU1HgsWeRh68B_NdpsWXrcf6udbR3sw0V2GNoSav_HGhTQ/s3805/IMG_2533.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3805" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM5aKbKlVfb_gldfTs5GujKZZRL_A7IXbOv9S8QbR9Zd859ydYJ-yWZNZpIZ9kmC9vuG0jTejaoS1qR3wmQIKUgIRv5-zbXbMCwwBr14shqnoqdOeZWSD0OHsBvNkS08uMJzvovJDlKFkpU1HgsWeRh68B_NdpsWXrcf6udbR3sw0V2GNoSav_HGhTQ/w504-h640/IMG_2533.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best <i>laksa </i>on Penang?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Drinks</span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Our preferred liquid accompaniment to a meal, depending on the place were as follows. <i>Kopi
beng</i>- strong local coffee with condensed milk and ice. <i>Teh
halia</i>- hot, milky ginger tea with a taste similar to Indian chai.
<i>Limau ice</i>- lemon juice with or without sugar on ice with
wedges of lime. <i>Milo beng</i>- cold Milo with condensed milk and
ice. Milo made it to South East Asia years ago, and is now more
popular here than it is in Australia. Obviously, we coped with the intense humidity by drinking gallons of water throughout the day and night.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Fruit</span></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Although we missed the
berries and stone fruit from Eastern Europe, we rediscovered a few
tropical fruits that we delighted in. Beautiful blood red dragon
fruit, mangoes and papaya were our main indulgences.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bc6Yg3NzJB2h2mWy9mGhIL10QpRDhZc1kU3-TU4T2K_qqUL-60K44UQ_RWAx-oKUkcixWYVFhrfHOC-FiDLvjTPUIdf3wwbDHWptzbXPq5VU9mClLwNAlGeyejlGZbLlfIehrP5KEW-eI7Sq9_4Te0_nPEbmuzcNTT7qR9Ey82VRzHBxsOH1PcD2qA/s4000/IMG_2150.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bc6Yg3NzJB2h2mWy9mGhIL10QpRDhZc1kU3-TU4T2K_qqUL-60K44UQ_RWAx-oKUkcixWYVFhrfHOC-FiDLvjTPUIdf3wwbDHWptzbXPq5VU9mClLwNAlGeyejlGZbLlfIehrP5KEW-eI7Sq9_4Te0_nPEbmuzcNTT7qR9Ey82VRzHBxsOH1PcD2qA/w640-h480/IMG_2150.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cacophony of tropical fruits, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/11/sweaty-spells-and-shite-spirits-penang.html" target="_blank">.........please tune in to our next blog post when we highlight some more of the wonderful things to see around Penang island...........</a></span></i></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><br /></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-26985477862723844952022-09-30T20:20:00.001+08:002022-10-19T19:26:22.300+08:00HIGH SPIRITS - Return to Penang, Malaysia<p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/08/a-little-bit-of-art-and-history-in.html" style="outline-width: 0px; user-select: auto;" target="_blank"><span>........here's our previous blog post, the last from the Balkans for a while..........</span></a></span></i></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There seems to be a myth
surrounding international travel during these times. It is presented
as more difficult nowadays, with vaccine certificates, quarantining,
PCR tests, tracing apps, masks and declaration or registration forms
to contend with. Long haul travel has always been painful, especially
for Sal. But on this particular journey, apart from the usual
irritations of lack of sleep, turbulence and inconsiderate fellow
passengers, the only real bother was the longer than usual check-in
in Belgrade. We didn't have to present anything to
staff apart from our ticket- no testing, no extra forms, no
downloading apps. Most amazingly, we were not asked to wear a mask on
any of the three flights we took, or inside any of the airport
terminals. We were not expecting that! Arrival in Malaysia was
equally straight forward, only being asked to scan our thumbs-
exactly the same as pre-plandemic days.
</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We greatly deliberated
over the decision to leave Europe and come back to South East Asia.
On the one hand, we had come to love the Balkans, with it's huge
advantages of great friends, fantastic fresh food, cheap and good
quality booze and a population with a no bullshit attitude. Due to
its ties with Russia, Serbia wasn't facing the same “dark winter”
as the rest of Europe, but we could see the trajectory of higher
prices for accommodation and food coming to the area. We didn't fancy
another snowy winter, and when we saw Malaysia had dropped all it's
entry requirements, the time seemed right to go for it and finally
leave the Balkans.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVzK4kZBoafPf268RCF5KwRvibMGnPbVcnKCqdcQxKpEyzUISXOp-sV-vsfhw68U7ys767_huilst6cSMGswteXo0C7MKAUGQasqD0Y21U83Mf9d5CDJq-6Ho-UxIJ7v_jZLW6XTG7tJi8hQ03WX5_ErDItkU6OeSDJ8r7LwELL9ZeL6Q96k8X4hnFA/s4000/IMG_2223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; outline-width: 0px; user-select: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVzK4kZBoafPf268RCF5KwRvibMGnPbVcnKCqdcQxKpEyzUISXOp-sV-vsfhw68U7ys767_huilst6cSMGswteXo0C7MKAUGQasqD0Y21U83Mf9d5CDJq-6Ho-UxIJ7v_jZLW6XTG7tJi8hQ03WX5_ErDItkU6OeSDJ8r7LwELL9ZeL6Q96k8X4hnFA/w640-h480/IMG_2223.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picturesque Floating Mosque, Tanjung Bungah, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JC5vutaMg8s__Mu_R29fFrTl5ibTRG6WNdQRuyExjrz5dZMbK-rDrsqhZbCswGM5GrlL31WjPAnEjQpjndQRVZ1WF-WhXPITM0vu8hyIxJauxSEhY5_H17aW7OR-_cxJ1xbYdYO0yIcp1VELCedwhHotFVJ53j-Qq7AQi9kVBGqogHyK6jh9LN-wDg/s4000/IMG_2140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JC5vutaMg8s__Mu_R29fFrTl5ibTRG6WNdQRuyExjrz5dZMbK-rDrsqhZbCswGM5GrlL31WjPAnEjQpjndQRVZ1WF-WhXPITM0vu8hyIxJauxSEhY5_H17aW7OR-_cxJ1xbYdYO0yIcp1VELCedwhHotFVJ53j-Qq7AQi9kVBGqogHyK6jh9LN-wDg/w640-h480/IMG_2140.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A firm favourite, <i>samosa</i> on street stall, Little India, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The timing wasn't perfect,
as Malaysia hadn't yet recovered from more than two years of closed
businesses and lockdowns. Many locals still seemed apprehensive, and
countless business had suffered. Some had only just recently opened
and others had been closed down completely. The streets were
noticeably quiet, not just from a lack of tourists, but the general
population. It was difficult to be understanding with the high
numbers of locals still wearing masks even though there was no mask
mandate, and their politicians had been on TV telling them it was OK
to take them off. Most challenging to see were the masks on little
kids. Also, the businesses with barricades to the entrance of the
shops seemed counterproductive to sales. But, as Rich said, no-one
harassed us or the other non-mask wearers for not covering up, so we
should tolerate their actions also. Despite all this, we were
delighted to be back and felt upbeat and positive that things would
continue to change here for the better as the town recovered further.
After all, these rules had been ingrained into the people for nearly
three years, and apparently it would take time for Malaysians to
recover.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTTOLODX7rIeL5KrAsj1e7iX2JC3eIBHwOyUfm1ast1N-Vicnzmxz8ZHY8AgmIK0LPoYBa6C3-hdxt8aV4XsfdtlMB9CkQAx3dg-SaLNXUhkhy0W-n36-91k_gb8rcN1za2dIA-9YY1_DgYrIS9hJJKx_AkyMWQB9bK3mh4q0unlabPNJUThn2FG-7g/s3809/IMG_1985.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3809" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTTOLODX7rIeL5KrAsj1e7iX2JC3eIBHwOyUfm1ast1N-Vicnzmxz8ZHY8AgmIK0LPoYBa6C3-hdxt8aV4XsfdtlMB9CkQAx3dg-SaLNXUhkhy0W-n36-91k_gb8rcN1za2dIA-9YY1_DgYrIS9hJJKx_AkyMWQB9bK3mh4q0unlabPNJUThn2FG-7g/w640-h504/IMG_1985.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5C4o4dkt2gDrYXLxg3GxvWcEwytHkFcKl2DZJedJuDqbnUC-fIDFRoFpIAmXktEaMixYUZ4p1F90TLtmmC8sCCGHMzWaJV6Ffn6s-UtbQwiSahmL7wwAuh96fvuuzYdwZV7WfFA8tVI5YOFYNr2oirX6lRkcZEzzb5xUmOLbvh9kOEpK10kwiURw2A/s4000/IMG_2155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5C4o4dkt2gDrYXLxg3GxvWcEwytHkFcKl2DZJedJuDqbnUC-fIDFRoFpIAmXktEaMixYUZ4p1F90TLtmmC8sCCGHMzWaJV6Ffn6s-UtbQwiSahmL7wwAuh96fvuuzYdwZV7WfFA8tVI5YOFYNr2oirX6lRkcZEzzb5xUmOLbvh9kOEpK10kwiURw2A/w640-h480/IMG_2155.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2GrDT7HMF7vcQu6OF3zmsQicHQrSXD2EWQ_GENrAmzWkbA84e2997zeBKt9oKTyfst1JpBcgEz_lp5y563-k7l8RvHNrTSzY7kf2JrRyHWQsHYjpdcHiVBkzvyLW-6OvfornXQieZZTcAWd-BJld8cbrWge-yOq2onnKXzhFXwaGva3F6OLD-47-fw/s3884/IMG_2158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3884" data-original-width="2912" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2GrDT7HMF7vcQu6OF3zmsQicHQrSXD2EWQ_GENrAmzWkbA84e2997zeBKt9oKTyfst1JpBcgEz_lp5y563-k7l8RvHNrTSzY7kf2JrRyHWQsHYjpdcHiVBkzvyLW-6OvfornXQieZZTcAWd-BJld8cbrWge-yOq2onnKXzhFXwaGva3F6OLD-47-fw/w480-h640/IMG_2158.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">To say we were relieved to
arrive in Penang was an understatement. Before we left Serbia, we'd
made contact with the old favourite amongst long stay foreigners, the
Hotel Noble. After being closed for more than two years, the
perennial stalwart had opened two months previous to our arrival, and
we were overjoyed to see it hadn't changed a bit. The only noticeable
difference was the price, which had actually gone down since our last
stay three years before (and was half the price of the cheapest
places we had been staying in in Europe for the past couple of
years). The minute we walked into our simple room, we immediately
felt comfortable again. The bare basics- only two beds, minimal
furniture, a shower (toilet was shared) and a ceiling fan was just
what we had missed in the past few years. We are much happier in a
cheap, modest room than the fancy rooms we had become used to in
Europe.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_167cen26PLlhPsJ1r9UKkkxFNw6eHKHwTycyp_YOTVfAJODTRy9J_nNKd4y02IFYdo4iAxGuEQ6G_QVfU1mzCrfsO9kuzmGxm90B4A8d33wp-QEoi_wc7J8HEf3t0KOuZS-6mpoeFWrvL0dp_3vkxRYhvAgW5GWtgckg35VoXkTw--6dm7EA--_nw/s4000/IMG_1954.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2762" data-original-width="4000" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_167cen26PLlhPsJ1r9UKkkxFNw6eHKHwTycyp_YOTVfAJODTRy9J_nNKd4y02IFYdo4iAxGuEQ6G_QVfU1mzCrfsO9kuzmGxm90B4A8d33wp-QEoi_wc7J8HEf3t0KOuZS-6mpoeFWrvL0dp_3vkxRYhvAgW5GWtgckg35VoXkTw--6dm7EA--_nw/w640-h442/IMG_1954.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our street, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4fWCi-Y6ia0jDu-kId-C5Ud8AyFtaiAponZAZTda1lnptj6OJEoTnN3aMfCapOtnToxB2t2-vr9sXia4J_yEOwG9iY8481NckFGDul8q6-Czam0GZIKTILuk_7V0_fSbvaVmRpK6wTiLae0WA_1nV8AISRpbC6OTsX-V6ndLOIohgspVhtF9OpjPmA/s4000/IMG_2017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4fWCi-Y6ia0jDu-kId-C5Ud8AyFtaiAponZAZTda1lnptj6OJEoTnN3aMfCapOtnToxB2t2-vr9sXia4J_yEOwG9iY8481NckFGDul8q6-Czam0GZIKTILuk_7V0_fSbvaVmRpK6wTiLae0WA_1nV8AISRpbC6OTsX-V6ndLOIohgspVhtF9OpjPmA/w640-h480/IMG_2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely simple room, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzEOAbcnsVZpIQyIXl_uLW6R-tLodCahjFiucnN8yp9GUatCd2GvkfDVol-o1fQH5Tc28LcMScPzxctwtalYd-cx2fQt2CQvDbIK5i4KkHf0_OB9kXxfVDsYMCGMYcHd7sK_0db0Ph3jAT1U2itJb2Z7p6ZJWG44cWa4vNowJFFnYd8o8exRduCP2Tg/s3770/IMG_2035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3770" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzEOAbcnsVZpIQyIXl_uLW6R-tLodCahjFiucnN8yp9GUatCd2GvkfDVol-o1fQH5Tc28LcMScPzxctwtalYd-cx2fQt2CQvDbIK5i4KkHf0_OB9kXxfVDsYMCGMYcHd7sK_0db0Ph3jAT1U2itJb2Z7p6ZJWG44cWa4vNowJFFnYd8o8exRduCP2Tg/w510-h640/IMG_2035.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Noble, still soldering on! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaR3woR-uxCgI1cavhSjYYUrypvCnyCOVLvMPUZMW9fGi26n40US0vQjm_yezsr32bNQ8WlqPVQK-v2sV5DXEXkbCz4QAbLE-BUxVgoWzj4ikJhmKKHHWARY6zXbbJXHpSnohy2o87DFTXauIoyp3uYu1S05Ievnn1qAmOEGrX32NFYWSpiZPucwB4fA/s3663/IMG_2032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2546" data-original-width="3663" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaR3woR-uxCgI1cavhSjYYUrypvCnyCOVLvMPUZMW9fGi26n40US0vQjm_yezsr32bNQ8WlqPVQK-v2sV5DXEXkbCz4QAbLE-BUxVgoWzj4ikJhmKKHHWARY6zXbbJXHpSnohy2o87DFTXauIoyp3uYu1S05Ievnn1qAmOEGrX32NFYWSpiZPucwB4fA/w640-h444/IMG_2032.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our old haunt, 75 Travellers Lodge, sad to see it closed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOojZjq0mtQ" target="_blank">A two minute video of the Noble Hotel</a></i></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The first couple of weeks were
spend in a daze trying to get into some kind of sleep routine-
difficult after so long in another time zone. Considering we had been
in Europe for more than two years with completely different cultures,
weather, people, attitudes, food and landscapes, we slipped back into
Penang life pretty damned quickly! We have spent a great deal of our
travelling life in this town, and although many things had changed in
the three years since our last visit, enough was still familiar for
us to feel at home. A few of our old favourite places to eat were
gone, or changed, but most remained, and our first morning found us
at dawn in Little India scoffing down <i>roti</i> <i>canai</i> with
curry sauce accompanied by <i>puja</i> from the nearby Hindu temple.
It was fantastic to be back!</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-OrtEPpuZ8aweryviDqWd2OqBunPuzoa-j5jZ9dFtgz9xx8GDp4hiLCRrb-slV4eeRqeazUVaBaqFmXfDPazrkCXjsWZmQ6erb3Hyi4vB6EwByHCkZCh5idfdsvn2aGgl3ChX2pEfLmcFuXmz0QKoxr7tuLc_NdxQW7nT5KuJGUxJbwsfaz2-x64RQ/s4000/IMG_1958.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-OrtEPpuZ8aweryviDqWd2OqBunPuzoa-j5jZ9dFtgz9xx8GDp4hiLCRrb-slV4eeRqeazUVaBaqFmXfDPazrkCXjsWZmQ6erb3Hyi4vB6EwByHCkZCh5idfdsvn2aGgl3ChX2pEfLmcFuXmz0QKoxr7tuLc_NdxQW7nT5KuJGUxJbwsfaz2-x64RQ/w640-h480/IMG_1958.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our favourite breakfast, <i>roti canai</i>, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UwKhNHsmAVCFMFdRQ8ynxsoYwvdPWvVYyMHffr9Mbb9gZVmiDNcib3NbLMA2gm5pkCxOQObjA-Mca-2KiM66p92xZRKQ3bQ0QTRBP2KMgpL2vWHj292JGOQz98bQtQ692gy_TOAKMaLC946JbCiiPihlTHMUnZIDTzOpsQI42JGQicLUvz2OBb2nAw/s4000/IMG_2186.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UwKhNHsmAVCFMFdRQ8ynxsoYwvdPWvVYyMHffr9Mbb9gZVmiDNcib3NbLMA2gm5pkCxOQObjA-Mca-2KiM66p92xZRKQ3bQ0QTRBP2KMgpL2vWHj292JGOQz98bQtQ692gy_TOAKMaLC946JbCiiPihlTHMUnZIDTzOpsQI42JGQicLUvz2OBb2nAw/w640-h480/IMG_2186.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talking up the business, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEBTwapDB-Cq98tQpPhh9JSDiOvNlE9zlJNgRSPwElJVyyGvVUb2ry1X6GuhAI1nkwNMB44ioPnQQv09-a9oa4QHsVrfjQwVEZa8o1RBr93p_IbZqPtG6L0SUj4bhFGzK6TgnkNV7qDHXZbvP8vAymncWxLA0bItlNs-nCcA_nOCMLF_AFF__J8gPJQ/s3875/IMG_2137.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3875" data-original-width="2947" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEBTwapDB-Cq98tQpPhh9JSDiOvNlE9zlJNgRSPwElJVyyGvVUb2ry1X6GuhAI1nkwNMB44ioPnQQv09-a9oa4QHsVrfjQwVEZa8o1RBr93p_IbZqPtG6L0SUj4bhFGzK6TgnkNV7qDHXZbvP8vAymncWxLA0bItlNs-nCcA_nOCMLF_AFF__J8gPJQ/w486-h640/IMG_2137.jpg" width="486" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masses of colour, Little India, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We had been dreading
adjusting to the extremely humid weather, but as it happened, there
was no problem adapting to the change. Rich joined the fabulously
equipped (and extremely economically priced) gym down the road, and
Sal was more than happy to walk and explore the streets everyday.
There was always something to investigate in Penang! The wonderful
ease in finding out information, getting around and generally
communicating with people was a stark contrast to being in Europe.
This is partly because most people, young and old, speak English, but
also because people are genuinely friendly and helpful.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zV7seY3ytiNEBMeHRH6HlTuVMzAHLokycgNeznP_m_579q_0RKHcT-IakeZhYAi2bwuxwrDWZC6G4obUmDus6a-EouJObjtO4ukxtSMBAWCQlWB3rauRHApariUuVLxDvAXu0o7u5225FAlejMuNV2krOO7WlYI-2Xixf4fG2lm5JV6MUO3MB1lBfA/s3319/IMG_2025.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="3319" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zV7seY3ytiNEBMeHRH6HlTuVMzAHLokycgNeznP_m_579q_0RKHcT-IakeZhYAi2bwuxwrDWZC6G4obUmDus6a-EouJObjtO4ukxtSMBAWCQlWB3rauRHApariUuVLxDvAXu0o7u5225FAlejMuNV2krOO7WlYI-2Xixf4fG2lm5JV6MUO3MB1lBfA/w640-h404/IMG_2025.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street art in an alleyway, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxq5yAzGPYDfydXwdiVdpb-TaZsJP3gtubsYH2Zl5ND2ygo-BtdvhN73y_PGwsKhkWQjMZtEgFcItvz-vmTue4ipPxs1YHCIW-oUeqi0wfki-nRHQfB86ddWlWLUVgeeTwnx8vPXe9Kj3FIcvOp71LBDaQhB3IvQIQwm3baFjScRczIFyZtFqzdlpdA/s3578/IMG_2165.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3578" data-original-width="2857" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxq5yAzGPYDfydXwdiVdpb-TaZsJP3gtubsYH2Zl5ND2ygo-BtdvhN73y_PGwsKhkWQjMZtEgFcItvz-vmTue4ipPxs1YHCIW-oUeqi0wfki-nRHQfB86ddWlWLUVgeeTwnx8vPXe9Kj3FIcvOp71LBDaQhB3IvQIQwm3baFjScRczIFyZtFqzdlpdA/w512-h640/IMG_2165.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many rickshaws, not many passengers, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XeE6BtdNzjmFpRu-802gKN4FSKwfMGOZLyPLxdk8A0IMWWpkKF-OB3HaV2nUjhBvZp-1h0yMHLURX2wVgz960id16Zf7Y6tcF9f19TNHI8nm613DrPUHVd_wLnCIQ3HobexaXZD69T9CIkg9P4Jadl4CoOLgVEKUxylPv0s8gCD0VIrMWg31TXi1JA/s4000/IMG_2187.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XeE6BtdNzjmFpRu-802gKN4FSKwfMGOZLyPLxdk8A0IMWWpkKF-OB3HaV2nUjhBvZp-1h0yMHLURX2wVgz960id16Zf7Y6tcF9f19TNHI8nm613DrPUHVd_wLnCIQ3HobexaXZD69T9CIkg9P4Jadl4CoOLgVEKUxylPv0s8gCD0VIrMWg31TXi1JA/w480-h640/IMG_2187.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO GOOD!!! <i>Nasi kandar</i> meal, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>Cautiously</span><span> positive, we hoped things would continue as brilliantly as they had started, and very much looked forward to a long stay in Malaysia, and hopefully other places in South East Asia for the coming winter.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit290fBFByGvSR-rPTxQOQ4c_zFqJYtWVf9HM7JxgLAs-o7wbuIMpws2y7YIKTlfWsDNCTgpU8Cs19oX9w7jBoq6MWHDb3L-U92x8236dIk4KlLMjKxsJ8wGJ2WDXaJXmyowlXhnC2Ep2oEeHMWX01aJJmdyXypP1wafe90r7IYpWrFjRL3dacuiD6Ig/s4000/IMG_2057.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit290fBFByGvSR-rPTxQOQ4c_zFqJYtWVf9HM7JxgLAs-o7wbuIMpws2y7YIKTlfWsDNCTgpU8Cs19oX9w7jBoq6MWHDb3L-U92x8236dIk4KlLMjKxsJ8wGJ2WDXaJXmyowlXhnC2Ep2oEeHMWX01aJJmdyXypP1wafe90r7IYpWrFjRL3dacuiD6Ig/w640-h480/IMG_2057.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha wallpaper, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD889YqyNrEcqn4BEtGgMYFXPmXiYYBkU8bNgMt1LJpsVPJ0JS_JXGN9gWXW7Bm1Gu1LGgk5P9BM70nCErS1gfnKz6oPGfw_ylut5EBAe7BLTKoW8OygiGWnSnecAzh1-g8UNqN9V8gHSGqkpDWnIbv986PwKIRy-EtINicRBIdUOCdHsvbm4PxPl7xw/s3883/IMG_2232.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2929" data-original-width="3883" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD889YqyNrEcqn4BEtGgMYFXPmXiYYBkU8bNgMt1LJpsVPJ0JS_JXGN9gWXW7Bm1Gu1LGgk5P9BM70nCErS1gfnKz6oPGfw_ylut5EBAe7BLTKoW8OygiGWnSnecAzh1-g8UNqN9V8gHSGqkpDWnIbv986PwKIRy-EtINicRBIdUOCdHsvbm4PxPl7xw/w640-h482/IMG_2232.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic Georgetown, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4glcBdQq6iBo_DHEk7aZiDT0XppeBEShamzTWHJGjFdnk0stTHqIyyyF3XrvpW_J96gKOmkxNlsZsPLrYz4Cc0FnM41cnoWcE0Owzt51url-e6HMVZ0Fkb9k7IO4dErRA426LUvy8TDbTQd4nLDYTP3C-d9-qOJ-EQ8P9-5JGG9D_Qum35VDDHCWHg/s3851/IMG_2261.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3851" data-original-width="2936" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4glcBdQq6iBo_DHEk7aZiDT0XppeBEShamzTWHJGjFdnk0stTHqIyyyF3XrvpW_J96gKOmkxNlsZsPLrYz4Cc0FnM41cnoWcE0Owzt51url-e6HMVZ0Fkb9k7IO4dErRA426LUvy8TDbTQd4nLDYTP3C-d9-qOJ-EQ8P9-5JGG9D_Qum35VDDHCWHg/w488-h640/IMG_2261.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Market vendor, Penang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/10/food-for-thought-penang-malaysia.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">......strange for us, but next up, a foodie blog about Penang's famous </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">cuisine.........</span></i></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-75471839538639782642022-08-31T22:51:00.001+08:002022-09-30T20:28:44.356+08:00 A LITTLE BIT OF ART AND HISTORY IN THE SUMMER TIME - A Journey from Subotica, Serbia to Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina <p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/07/re-examining-romania-summing-up-of.html" target="_blank">........our last blog post detailing practical things about travelling in Romania......</a></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PcD7RpjJCi4FI9LueeIOPmbvNbYgXljs5rd0-oa2sIIJyJnF6Bv6a3rHNvYW6S-SZhtlDhZ33k8EGVdq_F7CJgo9dFHBF1p5kpKoiD-XV86zOpXUmDNaas_v8VH_OucJZRClMfW0X_Zj12qvoKbFv-0ASbM_PQ3NBKEFSU4sTplzIAxmN32cBQ5xTg/s4000/IMG_1907.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PcD7RpjJCi4FI9LueeIOPmbvNbYgXljs5rd0-oa2sIIJyJnF6Bv6a3rHNvYW6S-SZhtlDhZ33k8EGVdq_F7CJgo9dFHBF1p5kpKoiD-XV86zOpXUmDNaas_v8VH_OucJZRClMfW0X_Zj12qvoKbFv-0ASbM_PQ3NBKEFSU4sTplzIAxmN32cBQ5xTg/w640-h480/IMG_1907.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After climbing the hill in Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSm6SnJ1VdPmNxbRybDIGMa6bZHx-2JIiohRE1lAbL0Q5aUXTw_rVD5QGaEDN_evM5eKkUO3sIibWJk0azXAL05ClVkk38m6NgLexc34VcKRxdPyZ8K1KhvLkgmjUs5PkopERCkBwcoce_KEJyQe2XAVQJcyJwowM-eArXHIbIZg89m36EG_UVAIIzFw/s4000/subotica%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSm6SnJ1VdPmNxbRybDIGMa6bZHx-2JIiohRE1lAbL0Q5aUXTw_rVD5QGaEDN_evM5eKkUO3sIibWJk0azXAL05ClVkk38m6NgLexc34VcKRxdPyZ8K1KhvLkgmjUs5PkopERCkBwcoce_KEJyQe2XAVQJcyJwowM-eArXHIbIZg89m36EG_UVAIIzFw/w640-h480/subotica%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p>We needn't have been concerned about missing out on staying in Hungary. After enjoying <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/07/turdy-times-turned-around-turda-and.html">our brilliant time in Oradea, Romania</a> on the Hungarian border, we then found ourselves in the even more Hungarian influenced city of Subotica, Serbia. We've travelled to quite a few places now in Serbia, and have loved them all. Subotica, however, was by far the prettiest, most diverse, and had the most welcoming locals. Most people spoke Hungarian as well as English, and communicating was easier than in other parts of Serbia we have visited.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EZjiEBZn0EzDFNrUl4gvXxXAzNh5GYn9a1QGw259mk3K3yKQu13WxqApzQyOdsC2Ym-vQXqYBmZT50CVZXK2DJcdqLc-iexZ2J6KpJ1sSjKiP1wlpv4sAczJYGG20cUk49Y_KT8eVO-_AZ2jpsbmJ7EQJrDLfuR0FVZJrieoL41blSVn9qOR_cPbog/s3831/subotica%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2839" data-original-width="3831" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EZjiEBZn0EzDFNrUl4gvXxXAzNh5GYn9a1QGw259mk3K3yKQu13WxqApzQyOdsC2Ym-vQXqYBmZT50CVZXK2DJcdqLc-iexZ2J6KpJ1sSjKiP1wlpv4sAczJYGG20cUk49Y_KT8eVO-_AZ2jpsbmJ7EQJrDLfuR0FVZJrieoL41blSVn9qOR_cPbog/w640-h474/subotica%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graceful shady streets, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcreTR_T9Dp_-GDKDQPi1TsbIQ3IJBXqqzkY3xvhoC_tqMJwFsl3xqnMdYn22HzvcgLX7RZIjCop_JljwxyRW2Od9OaHvpJiXm7DlThErOtmALC9xShmHlyZnSUo6rc-VoHDlMOLU9-5chufoBMwzvqMMnfTMgnbgLBl0g-ZVyL3wLVksQuzWoKVdVQ/s4000/subotica%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="4000" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcreTR_T9Dp_-GDKDQPi1TsbIQ3IJBXqqzkY3xvhoC_tqMJwFsl3xqnMdYn22HzvcgLX7RZIjCop_JljwxyRW2Od9OaHvpJiXm7DlThErOtmALC9xShmHlyZnSUo6rc-VoHDlMOLU9-5chufoBMwzvqMMnfTMgnbgLBl0g-ZVyL3wLVksQuzWoKVdVQ/w640-h450/subotica%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizS-UpgAZYdXmtGifcHW9zc2WUuYn1UacpLguQt8IxJS0kUHzRzrwuRgfqsyF3GPONJFHukRZmaptPc2TpJu5S82HczhIOpT0Q5V5VXNM5sxWeBGbPA0wSpX2IxNr_9f0i2zLZzMhIeOkEe7Y29VgEihhGG7FNUcjLjuWREjwzXCRrYn4GlCxR7HX7qw/s5184/subotica%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizS-UpgAZYdXmtGifcHW9zc2WUuYn1UacpLguQt8IxJS0kUHzRzrwuRgfqsyF3GPONJFHukRZmaptPc2TpJu5S82HczhIOpT0Q5V5VXNM5sxWeBGbPA0wSpX2IxNr_9f0i2zLZzMhIeOkEe7Y29VgEihhGG7FNUcjLjuWREjwzXCRrYn4GlCxR7HX7qw/w426-h640/subotica%20(9).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65Tfm_DVCXabS4kC7zlqMUczmeXYxmNKJyLZ_9JjnkZH1PNY80q-rZYVenmx6QIQx2iyFkj1rQJKgM4RfzXAtC5CDSMBSvcPeYew148MgqZSU9pzn8RzicLJYJjMcptsZXfU7jR5KeRYAZFYChks_DE72uzFByJDp1bdjad2aQKCoUevAYZrUO_osrA/s5184/subotica%20(11).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65Tfm_DVCXabS4kC7zlqMUczmeXYxmNKJyLZ_9JjnkZH1PNY80q-rZYVenmx6QIQx2iyFkj1rQJKgM4RfzXAtC5CDSMBSvcPeYew148MgqZSU9pzn8RzicLJYJjMcptsZXfU7jR5KeRYAZFYChks_DE72uzFByJDp1bdjad2aQKCoUevAYZrUO_osrA/w640-h426/subotica%20(11).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6jHLf2dZJxP-iqHOqMAfa6JI0YuSOe7Cmrw9eCrLwE5zR0u6QB95Ia5zk-CHizfk3UtyY3Rk7MPgYt2dQ87TaiwBmkcuAyGKCRDC4GZxBvr-wNVeRDA5sn-N0BJtF4kVuj937auCaFhVmTHfsvS1Tzn-SLE4ujVgXD_Vk9A0MSa1GUqRMUwSpQ1uVw/s5184/subotica%20(14).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6jHLf2dZJxP-iqHOqMAfa6JI0YuSOe7Cmrw9eCrLwE5zR0u6QB95Ia5zk-CHizfk3UtyY3Rk7MPgYt2dQ87TaiwBmkcuAyGKCRDC4GZxBvr-wNVeRDA5sn-N0BJtF4kVuj937auCaFhVmTHfsvS1Tzn-SLE4ujVgXD_Vk9A0MSa1GUqRMUwSpQ1uVw/w640-h426/subotica%20(14).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weird street art, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2hrRdK679TLN0wvHPRP4jQeKpjapHSSpKv-TewZnQ7Q16dlcHeNcgMFHBdqQGYgcV1HXGr7mDY33kLOjdY57SgxAVRMVxw5mE0r6oHCz0YAJKAKEosldOazS37J9xXJIVl4HfyjDv_WEn41EtIKsXiFljii568vAAfkPdN7PcWweDPKU04urYjj-eg/s3982/subotica%20(16).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2986" data-original-width="3982" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2hrRdK679TLN0wvHPRP4jQeKpjapHSSpKv-TewZnQ7Q16dlcHeNcgMFHBdqQGYgcV1HXGr7mDY33kLOjdY57SgxAVRMVxw5mE0r6oHCz0YAJKAKEosldOazS37J9xXJIVl4HfyjDv_WEn41EtIKsXiFljii568vAAfkPdN7PcWweDPKU04urYjj-eg/w640-h480/subotica%20(16).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand shopping precinct, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX66FbN0k1xOb5RoZrkUMO0P4iKq5abeWZMnfGlx7hvhQAgXtgXa2L7DqBMBXbUWEGi8mAoi6gYgTu78mDv13zsUDkfp8Jv-N4cGDhT-mh2sO-NGm0T3-OoxxcHVBaiY2Kt2juS740OdXGGKniqnuvNt6qyJ5zvIKA9yMDib4cf4eCCOZW-h1kuneBdQ/s4000/subotica%20(17).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX66FbN0k1xOb5RoZrkUMO0P4iKq5abeWZMnfGlx7hvhQAgXtgXa2L7DqBMBXbUWEGi8mAoi6gYgTu78mDv13zsUDkfp8Jv-N4cGDhT-mh2sO-NGm0T3-OoxxcHVBaiY2Kt2juS740OdXGGKniqnuvNt6qyJ5zvIKA9yMDib4cf4eCCOZW-h1kuneBdQ/w480-h640/subotica%20(17).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful detail on Art Nouveau window, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Subotica is another city majorly influenced by the Austro-Hungarian Art Nouveau movement of architecture, also called Secession style. The turn of the century buildings all over Subotica were complimented by the gorgeous tree-lined streets, shady parks, cafes and many students milling around. As famous as Oradea, Romania is for being a beautiful Art Nouveau city, for us, Subotica far outshone it. It had a much more casual feel, and the buildings were not perfectly kept, yet still cared for. It felt less fussy than it's Romanian counterpart. There was very lively and busier feel than anywhere we'd been in Romania. The few days we had in the city were mainly spent wandering, a favourite pastime of ours! </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCNM8FdPIqYgpM-dhFZEy19seg5DANnU44vceHhrxVcihrsd9lHIrVUnKbaleQbAycQUDAaKY7nUsrglJBsxX_5rF7spJ80cOzie-gU742whIVz3HjQNn71nUyzNVvG77Ws6nT2RWksk_3Pv49Oe01Q819Wo4aWrt3DF7CYOq-qvyz3hyxDeV_2xZWQ/s3884/subotica%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3884" data-original-width="2912" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCNM8FdPIqYgpM-dhFZEy19seg5DANnU44vceHhrxVcihrsd9lHIrVUnKbaleQbAycQUDAaKY7nUsrglJBsxX_5rF7spJ80cOzie-gU742whIVz3HjQNn71nUyzNVvG77Ws6nT2RWksk_3Pv49Oe01Q819Wo4aWrt3DF7CYOq-qvyz3hyxDeV_2xZWQ/w480-h640/subotica%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old shop with original door, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmSGq3sjWIUbVy-wQ30DkTl3evNd-TViWzzQo7ACStCiwBpeAS-kgzLkIYeUV1YDUywTY1mJe0gGQ56LvJy-VKtbAZkuHRfU8yc1NE5z0M26QLuMm59EAKccCih_9H9Wm9A-a_T-X7XQ84wehk8yvE1JiQbix0ZxBvGAZZQ3-KHe7ZHjN6xhtKJ4rCw/s3785/subotica%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2826" data-original-width="3785" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmSGq3sjWIUbVy-wQ30DkTl3evNd-TViWzzQo7ACStCiwBpeAS-kgzLkIYeUV1YDUywTY1mJe0gGQ56LvJy-VKtbAZkuHRfU8yc1NE5z0M26QLuMm59EAKccCih_9H9Wm9A-a_T-X7XQ84wehk8yvE1JiQbix0ZxBvGAZZQ3-KHe7ZHjN6xhtKJ4rCw/w640-h478/subotica%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extravagant design on corner cafe, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsULAtkJhriAI-5dvjsYdqDPLvxwYw8PVsIlRBLh3IFspGb4NWowE3lQYryphMaS7WznpZ9BGrRaepQ2u-4wlgifOT1BwdefVDOSkl4LDKcJB3lJN7oVVdE5onb9otkGy6ekImGOrDLfVQ-rVZg_KjOM-me6x-AQzSWHsz1LEPeGZY1p5WbEeZQhNIA/s5184/subotica%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsULAtkJhriAI-5dvjsYdqDPLvxwYw8PVsIlRBLh3IFspGb4NWowE3lQYryphMaS7WznpZ9BGrRaepQ2u-4wlgifOT1BwdefVDOSkl4LDKcJB3lJN7oVVdE5onb9otkGy6ekImGOrDLfVQ-rVZg_KjOM-me6x-AQzSWHsz1LEPeGZY1p5WbEeZQhNIA/w426-h640/subotica%20(8).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a peek inside an old beauty, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbZ-TJ0uU_v3SyGugpTCwhR-gLCdTD7rOa-94JAoNJiR2Mig4VxiBEWatRNXCHjLdWRqqTTgKWcDXQxUMMDxjlmw2Sukjk8hEGBaCRwYcBFfrKTIprazJMr4R48Mf9qaCbbpf5WXC2wFqn79vqYiqVblazR4pdHnuQDRtlJWCp58MDtzjQ0fPQNk3GQ/s5058/subotica%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3274" data-original-width="5058" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbZ-TJ0uU_v3SyGugpTCwhR-gLCdTD7rOa-94JAoNJiR2Mig4VxiBEWatRNXCHjLdWRqqTTgKWcDXQxUMMDxjlmw2Sukjk8hEGBaCRwYcBFfrKTIprazJMr4R48Mf9qaCbbpf5WXC2wFqn79vqYiqVblazR4pdHnuQDRtlJWCp58MDtzjQ0fPQNk3GQ/w640-h414/subotica%20(12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main street, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXyvlsMgTqgmUp02-DFFveVJwAZDo5mNYJv8LHgvzlkRuEO7dSYPW1MDUjL9eY6Ko9EA7jNKlrp0_Es7UtSbJwAWch2Qb5348tOD0ziZ3r7yXpjjs8UyPsNyDP4NkH3eDjBIiLFNXIqt_y74oGKf_hHQ_bd5Q1IWVK5VuCrWYMQnbg-enZpSxfzTfvA/s4882/subotica%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4882" data-original-width="3254" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXyvlsMgTqgmUp02-DFFveVJwAZDo5mNYJv8LHgvzlkRuEO7dSYPW1MDUjL9eY6Ko9EA7jNKlrp0_Es7UtSbJwAWch2Qb5348tOD0ziZ3r7yXpjjs8UyPsNyDP4NkH3eDjBIiLFNXIqt_y74oGKf_hHQ_bd5Q1IWVK5VuCrWYMQnbg-enZpSxfzTfvA/w426-h640/subotica%20(13).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whimsical window decoration, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1q0IrMW8HwqoVP0sfeiYUPuVu88tcp3e6YsTchEeDk7-MMEf34M5Z-ITpwEeAfuNx7z_ObOwySQ8iR0vpsLc5qrwCCA1_DlC72TXb_3bUrjJIzXPJZwNPHRjwPV1PVz6TqPCRasE14GaID0hOlQWbSKLqhYz4bAcJhIRRzgJbFZo-TBkb4vGLBvv09w/s4000/subotica%20(15).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1q0IrMW8HwqoVP0sfeiYUPuVu88tcp3e6YsTchEeDk7-MMEf34M5Z-ITpwEeAfuNx7z_ObOwySQ8iR0vpsLc5qrwCCA1_DlC72TXb_3bUrjJIzXPJZwNPHRjwPV1PVz6TqPCRasE14GaID0hOlQWbSKLqhYz4bAcJhIRRzgJbFZo-TBkb4vGLBvv09w/w480-h640/subotica%20(15).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art Nouveau features, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-Pm4wqJiMJFO_OHUu39mJZX3TXwQJm70MNSAbtz2-LeSe4U_yN8vdBc-vFKuDTUbHTFNn_-MQvsVug0kHDU5dCh3sa9EZlqCtpEmnarxvSOD3KuM_7ct3ZsHwwITQ6kk4x60p0gu_gjqR-ZsMnaX0R8YXfuO6xeKYziQojJ5N_h8nHP6v34d9OOOcA/s4000/subotica%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-Pm4wqJiMJFO_OHUu39mJZX3TXwQJm70MNSAbtz2-LeSe4U_yN8vdBc-vFKuDTUbHTFNn_-MQvsVug0kHDU5dCh3sa9EZlqCtpEmnarxvSOD3KuM_7ct3ZsHwwITQ6kk4x60p0gu_gjqR-ZsMnaX0R8YXfuO6xeKYziQojJ5N_h8nHP6v34d9OOOcA/w640-h480/subotica%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street scene in Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Lake Palic was a delightful afternoon trip. A former spa resort from the 1800s, people came to the lake to participate in healthy bathing and to relax at the hotels and sanatoriums dotted around. The manicured park had ancient oak trees and pavilions, and the lake was complete with rowing boats and pedlos. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyeCeVHceQkOQqYOhzWC7RSColGysEtjZFtU55VSXLuZoJ-vtbzKbkAThTBzZWXx_IeW3oX6jFzn73cwJMuO_qWM5ZK_-FWpL0Gw9_ezp5XTHGzEh7Czm8y8gGtaO3LKKCbC4iDRTD3l8oOPY66iDacHjcLGCErtejPENOjKa_rG3Q7Zl9LcdIVaIeg/s3540/palic%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3540" data-original-width="2722" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyeCeVHceQkOQqYOhzWC7RSColGysEtjZFtU55VSXLuZoJ-vtbzKbkAThTBzZWXx_IeW3oX6jFzn73cwJMuO_qWM5ZK_-FWpL0Gw9_ezp5XTHGzEh7Czm8y8gGtaO3LKKCbC4iDRTD3l8oOPY66iDacHjcLGCErtejPENOjKa_rG3Q7Zl9LcdIVaIeg/w492-h640/palic%20(2).jpg" width="492" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strolling Lake Palic, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96URgPS6Zve15hPPeKDHuDDdlGhHmOE5i5GOtTwy7p0HYCa4i_Qgabowv9ZaMJMl2P9o4JKypnH088CgR0gHQ9B1tQINNW8B8pA-ORna-rzot_Gqxy0RTW3IJvvZ17Eta187Di1SKPYtWrX9_tdFDP2nJd2Him47DnSxST-qHNIA2ILqTuA2Lr84jCA/s3248/palic%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3202" data-original-width="3248" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96URgPS6Zve15hPPeKDHuDDdlGhHmOE5i5GOtTwy7p0HYCa4i_Qgabowv9ZaMJMl2P9o4JKypnH088CgR0gHQ9B1tQINNW8B8pA-ORna-rzot_Gqxy0RTW3IJvvZ17Eta187Di1SKPYtWrX9_tdFDP2nJd2Him47DnSxST-qHNIA2ILqTuA2Lr84jCA/w640-h630/palic%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victorian splendour, Lake Palic, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-6FNPm-7lZAodjD_DyHu8LHPpbGoFLbgv7EbpuwJaCQfJTPg9t9N9AVpckypAxns_z5Ug2cprhLQuUnHL5D4oc6fOgWnv-_uZkT_GIEdRhUUhXxNinH9bV4agd_DgRTLbhLV1aV-QfvD7_TvxMi8Xkmlyym1m722xSomUCJW15rASUyjk8--asr2rQ/s5184/palic%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-6FNPm-7lZAodjD_DyHu8LHPpbGoFLbgv7EbpuwJaCQfJTPg9t9N9AVpckypAxns_z5Ug2cprhLQuUnHL5D4oc6fOgWnv-_uZkT_GIEdRhUUhXxNinH9bV4agd_DgRTLbhLV1aV-QfvD7_TvxMi8Xkmlyym1m722xSomUCJW15rASUyjk8--asr2rQ/w426-h640/palic%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quiet forest area, Lake Palic, Subotica, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-F7gViOBHurlK75OQQAtjoWkz7zZECZ4lXPAWYucMsjMSTTjHafyZC4W0YdSgd3Absh2SlGg8tPTQdovLuBSOmVBzyITDd9Ql1hFkNXQu8ynZuwugHf7t70puqGlrE2xcfSV1Bc4JNqHbejEEA2li7cWgnljsy5_qoU2bffsBQPRVYJ_hDQ015CTKA/s4000/subotica%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-F7gViOBHurlK75OQQAtjoWkz7zZECZ4lXPAWYucMsjMSTTjHafyZC4W0YdSgd3Absh2SlGg8tPTQdovLuBSOmVBzyITDd9Ql1hFkNXQu8ynZuwugHf7t70puqGlrE2xcfSV1Bc4JNqHbejEEA2li7cWgnljsy5_qoU2bffsBQPRVYJ_hDQ015CTKA/w480-h640/subotica%20(7).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We'd forgotten how much Serbians love meat!!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A two week stay at our home away from (no) home, the Sun Hostel in Belgrade, was next. As usual, we had a brilliant stay, catching up with eight months worth of news with friends, and meeting and chatting endlessly with the mostly young backpackers staying in the hostel. It was a blur of socializing, drinking and late nights.</p><p>Walking around Belgrade during this summer in 2022 was like seeing a completely new city. It was thrilling to see businesses fully open and people smiling in the streets and enjoying the hot weather. Cafes and restaurants were full to the brim, and the whole place had a wonderful positive vibe. Of course, that also meant the tourists had come back- maybe even more then before the Plandemic, and prices were higher. We were shocked at this latter development in the Balkans in general- we had had it good for so long for the last couple of years!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Z-NQoh37Ax4w4tvQ7k6WdZlhZ1k75UJmwXLH76KXNk0zDCzSmgJh26lK3jAGvK8XmyDj4U5qCgd6F2rEOm0yKO6UzFs32aIXFwpxkpF2txxvhbtnI8AESru546l1561J6WB5zTcF-1COarej-D_XDuwowSuCVwvAA7V6NM3O-wiC133xIJp-d56gDw/s3666/IMG_1851%20belgrade.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3666" data-original-width="2875" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Z-NQoh37Ax4w4tvQ7k6WdZlhZ1k75UJmwXLH76KXNk0zDCzSmgJh26lK3jAGvK8XmyDj4U5qCgd6F2rEOm0yKO6UzFs32aIXFwpxkpF2txxvhbtnI8AESru546l1561J6WB5zTcF-1COarej-D_XDuwowSuCVwvAA7V6NM3O-wiC133xIJp-d56gDw/w502-h640/IMG_1851%20belgrade.jpg" width="502" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural of Novak Đoković, local hero (and for us too!)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A couple of weeks on, and sitting back on the train from Belgrade to Užice surrounded by the natural beauty of the Dinaric Alps, we immediately began to unwind, and we used our week in Užice as a kind of detox. We really like this town and have visited <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2020/08/saddle-sore-and-fancy-free-uzice-serbia.html" target="_blank">twice before</a>. It has a beautiful location, nestled within a valley with forests all around, and although this charming setting does contrast with it's heavy Socialist-style buildings within the town centre, we somehow still find it loveable. We spent our week catching up on sleep and good eating, and exploring the town to see what had change since our last visit. The 14th century fortress that was previously being renovated had been finished, and was bright and discordant with the natural environment in which it stood. Another example of an over-zealous renovation of an ancient relic. The wonderful river area remained unchanged, apart from a new public swimming pool being built, and the centre of town was much more lively and open than we have seen it before.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwLcQPyBwsKacJu6bmsEI6XphZjyNqtlZi6wgQs7J-rvzgCTg0MsSZ1zk6FHJgEU2VWkyaWp9v-upBUCZzgUCGxXj3_nIW4Z2_14zf9lfZmNAvKq4ew93DKJ4UhezlJPufTrsp93RpiMgTQQDAJsjLbjcu4kwo3ZVE7CtQ-aRAixOfynjB31uPQ46Tg/s4758/IMG_8976.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4758" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwLcQPyBwsKacJu6bmsEI6XphZjyNqtlZi6wgQs7J-rvzgCTg0MsSZ1zk6FHJgEU2VWkyaWp9v-upBUCZzgUCGxXj3_nIW4Z2_14zf9lfZmNAvKq4ew93DKJ4UhezlJPufTrsp93RpiMgTQQDAJsjLbjcu4kwo3ZVE7CtQ-aRAixOfynjB31uPQ46Tg/w426-h640/IMG_8976.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A walk across a bridge, <span style="text-align: left;">Užice </span>, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyugboWuGwDzzfJUbswOYaEyJoltdJjXTkRDb9IyazRArUsE5liBRzi-y1qBhawKvPPT3Ps_H8RtTSx-aNxlpNHrE9QdYNfXx_vwstJ5GiRFpvQb9Dr0geQkLRMd57DZ-UE3AUKWi2VHT0_FYHIUYTNjgw5CPZCxx1f7rjBHJMM0kMWQLdRHXSWb4kQ/s5184/IMG_8982.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyugboWuGwDzzfJUbswOYaEyJoltdJjXTkRDb9IyazRArUsE5liBRzi-y1qBhawKvPPT3Ps_H8RtTSx-aNxlpNHrE9QdYNfXx_vwstJ5GiRFpvQb9Dr0geQkLRMd57DZ-UE3AUKWi2VHT0_FYHIUYTNjgw5CPZCxx1f7rjBHJMM0kMWQLdRHXSWb4kQ/w640-h426/IMG_8982.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dramatic setting of both the castle and the town of <span style="text-align: left;">Užice </span>, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTBY1ZcOnGnFcLsd9Pyq5H-sxOTtQRDGSgDaO-GnwGlpnm9XhIqjrVeg0VCYdfRu0IyXFkdMfnqmRCk0J86lrSAkz63sYX70-xQdHs-WLJe13JEPa5iJDYsGqBi5Vu58ilTHI8ZGAvYwjYgqoeUoXcVgcNSnMTpNyXnmt6zr3ECWxu9zL9HdNEJ9rQw/s4370/IMG_8985.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="4370" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTBY1ZcOnGnFcLsd9Pyq5H-sxOTtQRDGSgDaO-GnwGlpnm9XhIqjrVeg0VCYdfRu0IyXFkdMfnqmRCk0J86lrSAkz63sYX70-xQdHs-WLJe13JEPa5iJDYsGqBi5Vu58ilTHI8ZGAvYwjYgqoeUoXcVgcNSnMTpNyXnmt6zr3ECWxu9zL9HdNEJ9rQw/w640-h376/IMG_8985.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A newly renovated fortress, <span style="text-align: left;">Užice </span>, Serbia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>From Užice we were to try something different. As previously mentioned, prices had jumped up in the whole of the Eastern European region since the warm weather had started and tourists were returning in droves. We simply couldn't afford to gallivant around as we had <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-bare-necessities-ulcinj-utjeha-and.html" target="_blank">last summer</a>. We looked for somewhere cheap for a month's stay and came up with a random town in Bosnia. After a quick check there was enough to keep us occupied for a longer stay there, we went for it, and booked a room in advance without actually seeing it- something we never do!!! (It worked out fine).</p><p>Unfortunately, Bosnia's train system doesn't reach as far as the border with Serbia, so we reluctantly took the bus. Buses in the Balkans, in our experience, are reasonably comfortable, but so much less pleasant scenically than trains, and always much more expensive. As well as the bus ticket, one must buy a platform ticket to get onto the bus and also pay for any luggage stowed underneath. On their own, these costs aren't huge, but it all adds up, and really irks us! This bus had the added grind of a border crossing, which unlike on a train, involves everyone disembarking, standing in a line in the sun waiting for passport control, traipsing back onto the bus, and repeating the whole procedure at the Bosnian border control. We had the added pleasure of an annoying and rowdy drunk guy behind us, leaning forward and breathing his disgusting breath all over us and commenting on everything. Luckily he fell into a coma after the passport checks. We seem to attract these sorts. </p><p>The scenery coming into Bosnia was breath taking- we drove along a twisty, green forested valley with steep cliff surrounding us all around and no signs of towns or people. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cG3D93_mT7xEoGYzNXfmJIzGoduJMj2mvuLbzMCzAyd6m24XHkS8CJw9D5_uwKAULTNdRuqwE9TFcoK7eRRmIlm9fOznXh2S-U-7OyzgOmA-o6eiOIBmGM0XihwKMtXOVI0qIJO216v3gIfubr_kyw5kMT5tKXBAUXPPiVz4pM-PELn2R2_k75GuSw/s5184/bridge%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cG3D93_mT7xEoGYzNXfmJIzGoduJMj2mvuLbzMCzAyd6m24XHkS8CJw9D5_uwKAULTNdRuqwE9TFcoK7eRRmIlm9fOznXh2S-U-7OyzgOmA-o6eiOIBmGM0XihwKMtXOVI0qIJO216v3gIfubr_kyw5kMT5tKXBAUXPPiVz4pM-PELn2R2_k75GuSw/w640-h426/bridge%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird's eye view of Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we descended suddenly from the countryside into Višegrad, our first thoughts were how small the town was, and that it was kind of daggy. I know I use this word a lot. It's such a perfect description for much of what we see on our travels, but I know it's difficult for non-Aussies to completely understand the nuances of the meaning. The official definition is something like, comfortably unfashionable. We use it generally as a positive description, as we like dishevelled, uncool things, or people unconcerned about appearance or trends. Anyway, Višegrad gave off this vibe big time, and we knew we were going to be happy here.</p><p>Amongst Balkan people, Višegrad is primarily famous for it's beautiful Ottoman-era Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge. This bridge was completed long ago in 1577, but became even more acclaimed after the Nobel prize winning author Ivo Andrić wrote his classic historical novel, Na Drini ćuprija, known in English as The Bridge On the Drina, in 1945. The book is set in Višegrad and tells the story of the people who lived there throughout four centuries, with emphasis on relationships between Serb and Bosnian Muslim residents. It was indeed a stunning bridge, and we enjoyed hanging out in a café right next to the river with a superb view, as well as many walks along the Drina in varying directions. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm59g4BWgVt-FQzY8CXftvSWC5Yar28yD1KdRLu-WsaW_qjcNR9wwGK386tLnuE3rHI7D_WXtMuBwgH7AbIksMfMkCTPYgUiVtXTKArKNIqo8J7GI39bLpTNzkBIG9OH_pB_QcfOLtrEqkppuFIxxai9pC8uDTxmniykkaa2PZ2ftQ3xdVTnZg_lwbDQ/s4689/walks%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2974" data-original-width="4689" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm59g4BWgVt-FQzY8CXftvSWC5Yar28yD1KdRLu-WsaW_qjcNR9wwGK386tLnuE3rHI7D_WXtMuBwgH7AbIksMfMkCTPYgUiVtXTKArKNIqo8J7GI39bLpTNzkBIG9OH_pB_QcfOLtrEqkppuFIxxai9pC8uDTxmniykkaa2PZ2ftQ3xdVTnZg_lwbDQ/w640-h406/walks%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the scenery around Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQdiqIzYYKBsc3S1qtmpgN9QiIxWWcmyzpEA4Xp_eedx6sP0DtcBQI3giYD0c7juIhl_MFkXWjgCS-e4ELYnLQUBVUEjD06OshPZAN2r91SnuA7alO1BlQTnERkmAxGZ9dVsKAI_pZaAXEmoYCfJsnt-lzOy7lYgcFLgXUaeee3FBUwLQo6y6y9Gu5Q/s5184/bridge%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3195" data-original-width="5184" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQdiqIzYYKBsc3S1qtmpgN9QiIxWWcmyzpEA4Xp_eedx6sP0DtcBQI3giYD0c7juIhl_MFkXWjgCS-e4ELYnLQUBVUEjD06OshPZAN2r91SnuA7alO1BlQTnERkmAxGZ9dVsKAI_pZaAXEmoYCfJsnt-lzOy7lYgcFLgXUaeee3FBUwLQo6y6y9Gu5Q/w640-h394/bridge%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning walk along the Drina River, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl94_QeTY3HJvYwR25ArZLPr4n7aPAcPTaXU5X7kTqJZqoyu67cGHpuOglFd9TyCQt1snWyQjkiGI6x9iiYfxjvZQ91jJ4dcz9qR7cCRN7C-nQZ4S8buE4JcTfHLYnobbJ7DITdrtx5fQf4YN2clYSsOV0U1He_WhV0eMG8y6LoeRHwQ8tJCMy2FVQJg/s4000/bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl94_QeTY3HJvYwR25ArZLPr4n7aPAcPTaXU5X7kTqJZqoyu67cGHpuOglFd9TyCQt1snWyQjkiGI6x9iiYfxjvZQ91jJ4dcz9qR7cCRN7C-nQZ4S8buE4JcTfHLYnobbJ7DITdrtx5fQf4YN2clYSsOV0U1He_WhV0eMG8y6LoeRHwQ8tJCMy2FVQJg/w640-h480/bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half way across the famous Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanBYNp-mZc10CD-Dzbf2Yb94N5Z_EVLAW0GFEo7Z4oK51Xj_c250Fo71WMWKMVhm7mfjDDrlnkxKXmrHovwoZV8HX_kdz1VXrSvOOeNZsBklJ47Mgl-K36hkPrpxuz3YnIssuEp577qGohhB_2RC42Ogjnc2fmQhVYTGQ4Iqr2J9vECYhosW6s0p4aQ/s3928/bridge%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="3928" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanBYNp-mZc10CD-Dzbf2Yb94N5Z_EVLAW0GFEo7Z4oK51Xj_c250Fo71WMWKMVhm7mfjDDrlnkxKXmrHovwoZV8HX_kdz1VXrSvOOeNZsBklJ47Mgl-K36hkPrpxuz3YnIssuEp577qGohhB_2RC42Ogjnc2fmQhVYTGQ4Iqr2J9vECYhosW6s0p4aQ/w640-h480/bridge%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorious Ottoman-era bridge, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A strange area on a small peninsula in the middle of town called Andrićgrad (named after the author) had us bewildered. It was built between 2011 and 2014, in a variety of old styles, and was mostly empty, with only a few buildings running as restaurants or cafes. It was only after we heard it had been constructed as a movie set for an upcoming film production that it made slightly more sense, although who knows if that project is still going ahead.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZAQ3WDcmFZFXg1hHchXjWkAMl5Dl3bOI61gBqbw5p3E4VsOfvZJQy7x-nF71IS0rSHmyQ4qXypBuMAGzkePUxm6_AFuBjAyQ5GzaxLEH5i75A1_uoP13SE9LUUABDqdAYTG_1NVaoINYBL3hDgcTb3UVCbohuLgwM7p_fV3ZhotKBOcNEbrrrz5bDw/s5184/andric.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZAQ3WDcmFZFXg1hHchXjWkAMl5Dl3bOI61gBqbw5p3E4VsOfvZJQy7x-nF71IS0rSHmyQ4qXypBuMAGzkePUxm6_AFuBjAyQ5GzaxLEH5i75A1_uoP13SE9LUUABDqdAYTG_1NVaoINYBL3hDgcTb3UVCbohuLgwM7p_fV3ZhotKBOcNEbrrrz5bDw/w640-h426/andric.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many statues of Ivo Andrić, in Andrićgrad, Višegrad </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Bosnia's recent history is so complicated and tragic, and perhaps better discussed in a further blog post. Višegrad itself has found itself under many rulers since its beginnings (thought to be in the 1400s). Bosnians, Serbs and Turks all had control of the town at various points in time, before the Ottomans arrived and took power in the 1500s. It was in the early 1900 under rule of the Austro- Hungarians that a railway was built that started in Sarajevo and stopped in Višegrad on it's way to Belgrade. It was the most expensive in the world at the time. What a shame maintenance wasn't kept up. The railway line is only partially running these days, and the station in Višegrad today is completely dilapidated and covered in graffiti.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmPOQ4b5RzCAG-IiEEqDOIYEKLUFiUlCNNuEfvZqQMW1Xph-xKBibIN-TSopzWaie4RYTP3pInn6AEt8UudDcbPVSLW8KFaYBCIYVLbyotPqBrLStbXCuKXwQx0MPeJv6Dzso3FHxTYSq6L0eUQbNkL5m_F1ZuAwgRr-ho8CPI2d9DSkR-yTPXMshVg/s5184/railway%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3215" data-original-width="5184" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmPOQ4b5RzCAG-IiEEqDOIYEKLUFiUlCNNuEfvZqQMW1Xph-xKBibIN-TSopzWaie4RYTP3pInn6AEt8UudDcbPVSLW8KFaYBCIYVLbyotPqBrLStbXCuKXwQx0MPeJv6Dzso3FHxTYSq6L0eUQbNkL5m_F1ZuAwgRr-ho8CPI2d9DSkR-yTPXMshVg/w640-h396/railway%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sad, dilapidated train station, Višegrad </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarho3I9TZqflY5ZoDdz3KZXz9GIoTxJHAZASpG2pkt_Frq35YM7Umobr1SW0QDrT-J4AhHb8yfHzJJ0VvQ04Bvf-mCPBVJWbLnVgKHYnLJvHzUeMU-fTidpALQ1b0xT-p29UXNSGFjbbYXMU79jdslMqNeJVsqzh-scVNrmaQVNKr-QPA0RyQwaMSPQ/s4000/railway%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarho3I9TZqflY5ZoDdz3KZXz9GIoTxJHAZASpG2pkt_Frq35YM7Umobr1SW0QDrT-J4AhHb8yfHzJJ0VvQ04Bvf-mCPBVJWbLnVgKHYnLJvHzUeMU-fTidpALQ1b0xT-p29UXNSGFjbbYXMU79jdslMqNeJVsqzh-scVNrmaQVNKr-QPA0RyQwaMSPQ/w640-h480/railway%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a state, Višegrad's Railway station, no longer in use</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>World War 2 seemed to be the beginning of the country's horrific fighting between religious factions, with an unthinkable number of Serbs being killed, followed by the same on the Bosnian side. At the end of the war the Serbian nationalists had taken charge of Višegrad. </p><p>Višegrad saw much horrendous fighting during the Bosnian War of the early 1990s, being a strategically located town and having a hydroelectric dam which controlled the level of the Drina River. The Serbs were the stronger side, and military, police and paramilitary groups terrorized the Bosnian community, with many deplorable and harrowing incidents taking place over the four years. People were detained, tortured and raped in huge numbers. Thousands of Bosniaks were massacred and many remain missing to this day. Due to many Bosnian Muslims fleeing the town or being killed, their population in Višegrad dropped from more than 60% pre-war to under 10% at the end of the war. Reading about this period is difficult and uncomfortable. To think these atrocities took place in this sleepy little town, well and truly during our life time and affecting most people walking around Višegrad today is just heart-breaking. </p><p>When the Bosnian War was over, a peace agreement was signed, and although Bosnia was proclaimed a single sovereign state, it was divided into two parts - the Croat-Bosnian populated Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the mostly Serb populated Republika Srpska. This is the part in which Višegrad was located, and to be honest, apart from the different currency, it felt just like we were still in Serbia. There still seems to be a strong patriotism here, with many murals all over the town's walls with slogans and maps proudly celebrating the separate Republika Srpska. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWh-RL4knSfuIk0ecE1PIXqHzCK3tnnCR3K78jgs7VD3258GkcVQvrRXjOg3_dQd38nkv1VmHHlZ--lV-qk6XpkVv4pYZO4g1OCAnFx6Ochrf6XTw1qQtw4GC5zMqY81YDIq1toPRU_lL72UhAaNG2Th5PDf1CQkCyXpCbU3wxkrF2FrafL34bTC5Cw/s682/two%20parts%20of%20bosnia.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="682" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWh-RL4knSfuIk0ecE1PIXqHzCK3tnnCR3K78jgs7VD3258GkcVQvrRXjOg3_dQd38nkv1VmHHlZ--lV-qk6XpkVv4pYZO4g1OCAnFx6Ochrf6XTw1qQtw4GC5zMqY81YDIq1toPRU_lL72UhAaNG2Th5PDf1CQkCyXpCbU3wxkrF2FrafL34bTC5Cw/w640-h562/two%20parts%20of%20bosnia.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Separate parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cG2tpfZxiJyLfA65NFikAeeeDododMMgPQ81uwX2JAjIaNaBJiCe9ri1mmO-dfBJxmjw8qOVazb-2Sinzuo9WeLByHheZsXqqwBR4yWBoZMlAY8Wv5cXHhJPKilD0RJqbZdpzcOlPu4j5dTn9qqgnnpGJtFwTzrVf6aYL1gqTxPnVD5h5bXdHcpF4g/s3720/IMG_1929%20visegrad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1436" data-original-width="3720" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cG2tpfZxiJyLfA65NFikAeeeDododMMgPQ81uwX2JAjIaNaBJiCe9ri1mmO-dfBJxmjw8qOVazb-2Sinzuo9WeLByHheZsXqqwBR4yWBoZMlAY8Wv5cXHhJPKilD0RJqbZdpzcOlPu4j5dTn9qqgnnpGJtFwTzrVf6aYL1gqTxPnVD5h5bXdHcpF4g/w640-h248/IMG_1929%20visegrad.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Your honourable fight is our eternal freedom"</td></tr></tbody></table><br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<p></p><p>We alternated our time in Višegrad between walks in and around the countryside and sorting out our digital life. It was a perfect opportunity to get ourselves splendidly up to date. Mostly, walks centred around the river, wandering early in the morning when the water was flat calm, watching the many fishermen not having much luck and occasionally being accompanied by one of the towns relaxed cats. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1QYAddoiZ78l92iOlrBTbqw3MksfUV59SLi5KSwmyzkNgyLfrWw7bHNRW81uA7nFrbukG1DFEXqdc8W6U9z1furYoREKN_YSnLwpJmMdtGMXR3StQVryRTBCaP5a-SW8Dfxc5byt38NPhHH8P7RgXTCknxsDC-lKCrlhKS48JwxiWVMUzhUkekvNAQ/s3818/walks%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2213" data-original-width="3818" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1QYAddoiZ78l92iOlrBTbqw3MksfUV59SLi5KSwmyzkNgyLfrWw7bHNRW81uA7nFrbukG1DFEXqdc8W6U9z1furYoREKN_YSnLwpJmMdtGMXR3StQVryRTBCaP5a-SW8Dfxc5byt38NPhHH8P7RgXTCknxsDC-lKCrlhKS48JwxiWVMUzhUkekvNAQ/w640-h370/walks%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat on the Drina, Višegrad </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVlfjPrgoSNEq-fgzUIxY1xLivZ4z0YsRkJxzetoXyxptdO_oz5jXcZisgQyEjAFjwDNoJNxS-cQUW21ers40BnJN3NFX1xkgShHsP8fGmO6NZQZj9Q6R_Na2eN_kt1cTu_toPHRsSiuciv_l22T9I4z-jXvEsYprWA-AvL9ZDt-YsNSyFet-nzrbDw/s4860/fishing%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3140" data-original-width="4860" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVlfjPrgoSNEq-fgzUIxY1xLivZ4z0YsRkJxzetoXyxptdO_oz5jXcZisgQyEjAFjwDNoJNxS-cQUW21ers40BnJN3NFX1xkgShHsP8fGmO6NZQZj9Q6R_Na2eN_kt1cTu_toPHRsSiuciv_l22T9I4z-jXvEsYprWA-AvL9ZDt-YsNSyFet-nzrbDw/w640-h414/fishing%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many fish, not many bites, Višegrad </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8HLkKCfdJUCreDppkdwSUHNzMaKQ8rSLo3tQ5MaAyxtOkemgyserL7spFhhwAUf1QmzusL3sPP2qziFw2_vB-HBduXQJD3LIVCZdv4xaVAAPRqDIOdKDPO6NEc7s1a8drIO1z5RycW3a7ugCUboUM5ku0FYi2ry-57aMjJ0zD88wLa29BXvlYqabqg/s3836/walks%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2725" data-original-width="3836" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8HLkKCfdJUCreDppkdwSUHNzMaKQ8rSLo3tQ5MaAyxtOkemgyserL7spFhhwAUf1QmzusL3sPP2qziFw2_vB-HBduXQJD3LIVCZdv4xaVAAPRqDIOdKDPO6NEc7s1a8drIO1z5RycW3a7ugCUboUM5ku0FYi2ry-57aMjJ0zD88wLa29BXvlYqabqg/w640-h454/walks%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our friend for the day, Višegrad </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbfUNCBLlXkoiaFFxY6ErF_Ol5LgVLQghPCUkKF2wtZON72EZ1w2SlYgRNst3QMJqqMveyfwoVUzXkoMrj1cdWhmYfArIvDSts3F62jElrKQNK2euwvP7v15t4usZqILBNsu7d5oPfEHbrJDoGdCoiGO8t-uy_uvhQs6Jbps5Zwru7_hWm4_vjKbSrg/s4000/walks%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbfUNCBLlXkoiaFFxY6ErF_Ol5LgVLQghPCUkKF2wtZON72EZ1w2SlYgRNst3QMJqqMveyfwoVUzXkoMrj1cdWhmYfArIvDSts3F62jElrKQNK2euwvP7v15t4usZqILBNsu7d5oPfEHbrJDoGdCoiGO8t-uy_uvhQs6Jbps5Zwru7_hWm4_vjKbSrg/w480-h640/walks%20(4).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly built Orthodox cathedral, Andrićgrad, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07frAv5_NCPD4fo_u3bawGGqrmmNaiq1UjlstpWdEYE4zurBaSnY2EqcB2KBIzylvKKn-9t7xvSwBfWFEE0mXNMBybjk97R0uopebX3WvTUYPnHu54ZsKOe5PLV6uCMrHQRaWihYKvRgo4oJQtnR-3rLGgaUaToofULSQdusG-6EwzolOb7FBUoU8pA/s5184/walks%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07frAv5_NCPD4fo_u3bawGGqrmmNaiq1UjlstpWdEYE4zurBaSnY2EqcB2KBIzylvKKn-9t7xvSwBfWFEE0mXNMBybjk97R0uopebX3WvTUYPnHu54ZsKOe5PLV6uCMrHQRaWihYKvRgo4oJQtnR-3rLGgaUaToofULSQdusG-6EwzolOb7FBUoU8pA/w640-h426/walks%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little shack, Višegrad </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Weekends were a good time to hang out at one of several overflowing cafes, and watch local tourists often dressed up in their best outfits, milling around, and taking tour boats on the river. We also had our "local" café, all of two minutes walk from our little apartment. Here we stopped most days under the shade of some large trees and unwound with a draught Nikšićko beer, apricot <i>rakia </i>or coffee. After we had drunk the place out of apricot <i>rakia</i>, we moved onto another, equally delicious liquor made from hawthorn berries. *A funny note - on our first day in town, we chose an extremely dodgy looking bar to try. A handsy and very drunk guy ushered us inside and tried to push us into sitting at a table. This "welcome" combined with the ridiculously loud Serbian music playing and them only serving Jelen beer (not a fan), we realized the rowdiest bar in town is not always the best choice!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVLi2sZZwh9BGs5NKjRPAj7UOHuuYiib94Fw1SSoyn2dljuOtQd2-M6l3llwKhu72PXORV0tZQKdWAA2xq01wXN_1LZ_IS-1zrDOwGQM8-GNd8lEKeY0SmfCbM6ng7A-Xtaxuxz8LW84j-okR4rWzzshrhIQVC0iE2YnPoF0bz4vRGk61ToPnqLKRHQ/s4000/eat%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVLi2sZZwh9BGs5NKjRPAj7UOHuuYiib94Fw1SSoyn2dljuOtQd2-M6l3llwKhu72PXORV0tZQKdWAA2xq01wXN_1LZ_IS-1zrDOwGQM8-GNd8lEKeY0SmfCbM6ng7A-Xtaxuxz8LW84j-okR4rWzzshrhIQVC0iE2YnPoF0bz4vRGk61ToPnqLKRHQ/w480-h640/eat%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local beer and apricot <i>rakia</i>, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsEJAzCv2R5-05SuJfBqfKQCxqLWAtjs-SHoTwMNtDygUtnh6O6AJejSGXXTSU2giOGEZCZ-RGbOf2par9BksjE731W0l_QrGqOM9P_jMzfIgSQanLY_ASFPwsbPHuLdh7pgjNIbOy1Dps5dcuQU8lyjJDrhKYnZea9cuK25apo2Dl8E_dAxJJQGYYw/s4000/eat%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsEJAzCv2R5-05SuJfBqfKQCxqLWAtjs-SHoTwMNtDygUtnh6O6AJejSGXXTSU2giOGEZCZ-RGbOf2par9BksjE731W0l_QrGqOM9P_jMzfIgSQanLY_ASFPwsbPHuLdh7pgjNIbOy1Dps5dcuQU8lyjJDrhKYnZea9cuK25apo2Dl8E_dAxJJQGYYw/w480-h640/eat%20(3).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Bosnian cevapi meal, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Days were typically hot during our July stay, although a few rainy periods were a welcome break from the heat. We set out early on our walking days to avoid becoming overheated. The Orthodox Christian cross at the top of a nearby hill proved to be too much of a temptation, and we slogged our way to the top to find a magnificent 360 degree view and a plethora of butterflies and bees in amongst the wild flowers. The further we walked out of Višegrad, the more rustic and quaint the scenery became. People had set up summer gardens- an couple of folding chairs and old table in the shade of a grape vine, with shot glasses at the ready for homemade rakia. Gardens usually had plum trees and another kind of stone fruit tree at the very least. Berries on canes, and apple and pear trees heavily laden with fruit were also prevalent.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs38BQAJ4LIoHTVsfLzcARE2X9jJ-XY2kGv3Nhu8AuB0Q1nNhAtVwlerQJuRJDYXfpnCGsIS6cVPXAew9ZjMDjeV-vBTyOMXDJvb92YBKIYwQnMSFS4zrl54A1lHABfl9rDuzoL7CcHy-soKjRUIy_6fwfUcBABOdPpYeJszXVCxrGNP_cHyP6xdAow/s4704/walks%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3136" data-original-width="4704" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs38BQAJ4LIoHTVsfLzcARE2X9jJ-XY2kGv3Nhu8AuB0Q1nNhAtVwlerQJuRJDYXfpnCGsIS6cVPXAew9ZjMDjeV-vBTyOMXDJvb92YBKIYwQnMSFS4zrl54A1lHABfl9rDuzoL7CcHy-soKjRUIy_6fwfUcBABOdPpYeJszXVCxrGNP_cHyP6xdAow/w640-h426/walks%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the top, hillside, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOnlCn4xnEII17mk1HAfVj-cN6OtF9I3Z6cKKfk6AbM7QEk79mbdsLuA7MmQBhm9n4BTY_xt_yOypv3Um-wnsIDJzppdyaV_Pjd6qMLNresgDzsdSzaaZWaA3Y3jGWQlkdZbuuCCoV10OWG-2BJACBNy2lMzcu1lejSA5KkaXOLdDimVdXzVq0McMiA/s2657/nature%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="2657" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOnlCn4xnEII17mk1HAfVj-cN6OtF9I3Z6cKKfk6AbM7QEk79mbdsLuA7MmQBhm9n4BTY_xt_yOypv3Um-wnsIDJzppdyaV_Pjd6qMLNresgDzsdSzaaZWaA3Y3jGWQlkdZbuuCCoV10OWG-2BJACBNy2lMzcu1lejSA5KkaXOLdDimVdXzVq0McMiA/w640-h508/nature%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUMFnU87ljdvYma5C95DH8LbDJjqUs92qLDNnSgrf0uL7qGeVWdbtQLHitt_ME0NVjnQGbdvB5a40ADr96Ms-8CGgS3EdblU_XS3lzPc_LkFGPpK_kJGTwReH67fZ86nzggQB_BWCqLv4fFq_lenLuGwKxzBt4XASCaM7vIl_y_GWoQWzZJLvY1BGyA/s2890/nature%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1788" data-original-width="2890" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUMFnU87ljdvYma5C95DH8LbDJjqUs92qLDNnSgrf0uL7qGeVWdbtQLHitt_ME0NVjnQGbdvB5a40ADr96Ms-8CGgS3EdblU_XS3lzPc_LkFGPpK_kJGTwReH67fZ86nzggQB_BWCqLv4fFq_lenLuGwKxzBt4XASCaM7vIl_y_GWoQWzZJLvY1BGyA/w640-h396/nature%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnr73Pkl63YBEYyKNVib-JOc8IjUOk4uAeAFeW-RMoqe1Ri0VsWtqzn9gFqtLKWcbC2nTetkXUZlfdjvUrALTAbeeipJEr2P8u4NrlcAYmYBKL9oDnyjwpIgDObstubOXPLufW9kK9eezb_b0r568TlGqP9HxSJUmXYrj29l_Ww0ticdfiDFIwYl9Irw/s4077/nature%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4077" data-original-width="3323" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnr73Pkl63YBEYyKNVib-JOc8IjUOk4uAeAFeW-RMoqe1Ri0VsWtqzn9gFqtLKWcbC2nTetkXUZlfdjvUrALTAbeeipJEr2P8u4NrlcAYmYBKL9oDnyjwpIgDObstubOXPLufW9kK9eezb_b0r568TlGqP9HxSJUmXYrj29l_Ww0ticdfiDFIwYl9Irw/w522-h640/nature%20(3).jpg" width="522" /></a></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7az43HZO7eBrYVmU78MtKfhjBYS_cq_GBoeCEallEiKdfYxhP0rbXppWHUhup9Q02QjM9zsP0Y1idtbrFJ1Co_pOiIqS_OValn6Lk8MFASbi9I7Ud6iMk5U8bnuYGIcdYOyOvwYzNEPDUW3gIE7B0ZEKBh6kFAQmttCddbnziANEj4JPjoR_bMB_Ow/s4547/walks%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4547" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7az43HZO7eBrYVmU78MtKfhjBYS_cq_GBoeCEallEiKdfYxhP0rbXppWHUhup9Q02QjM9zsP0Y1idtbrFJ1Co_pOiIqS_OValn6Lk8MFASbi9I7Ud6iMk5U8bnuYGIcdYOyOvwYzNEPDUW3gIE7B0ZEKBh6kFAQmttCddbnziANEj4JPjoR_bMB_Ow/w640-h486/walks%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside an Orthodox church, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqjIMGJLhe1sWQglmdkWZ9Tp5w3KE5UtFEiYUjRZ6rNpRz3yRPcKWlcEr3xdI-d1WV2o8JrPf6Rz752ZHwTKUIpzTaLlZSIte4K0yZ6IASkkwSG8Xm0e0fvaHhVX3uZSjjNgPt_PKZGz-TQV3ih_fAGALEuTBK_PXaaUWElaxXEBVnZ8Rk7yhuc5g7w/s4000/eat%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqjIMGJLhe1sWQglmdkWZ9Tp5w3KE5UtFEiYUjRZ6rNpRz3yRPcKWlcEr3xdI-d1WV2o8JrPf6Rz752ZHwTKUIpzTaLlZSIte4K0yZ6IASkkwSG8Xm0e0fvaHhVX3uZSjjNgPt_PKZGz-TQV3ih_fAGALEuTBK_PXaaUWElaxXEBVnZ8Rk7yhuc5g7w/w640-h480/eat%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious bounty of red and black currants we picked, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The Drina River was chock full of fish, and Rich was in heaven watching the many fisherman giving it a go. Chub, trout and roach were all there for the taking, as well as the elusive Mladica, a famous fish called The Queen of the Drina. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gFJiWwNmZs5eI0CwS8WzNv7OuBHLFHeldfTye8-_rhbrytJZeQbNp1RCxnKS0GnuQjTAe2H_SArJxnFJq4BXvPXsHyW90DdW6xF83cCM654VEf7IHv-aRcCE4DoNP0e6S9aFNZRnQJuz8MXEnTvQWVFhq7XmzmZLtUf3ZT2um7XJb9eEVmh3QAJOzw/s4661/fishing%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3093" data-original-width="4661" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gFJiWwNmZs5eI0CwS8WzNv7OuBHLFHeldfTye8-_rhbrytJZeQbNp1RCxnKS0GnuQjTAe2H_SArJxnFJq4BXvPXsHyW90DdW6xF83cCM654VEf7IHv-aRcCE4DoNP0e6S9aFNZRnQJuz8MXEnTvQWVFhq7XmzmZLtUf3ZT2um7XJb9eEVmh3QAJOzw/w640-h424/fishing%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lucky catch, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Although we had a productive and relaxing time in Višegrad, after one month we were ready to leave, and move on to further travels - where to, who knows?</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyE5rcLBuTzDnC0OG91gmOGuzwaWE8zZGfXvxbQTeFxsGl-mREmckNrC3ORfcag92r-xGOgyJkY6wfRhsRWUCDKjzxJPxHonXMMTk8KY09glbsAx-_wV4tok4ENdKj3qfZqpq-jOx7DyDweWCGaRKyQ4uE7OJaASJ0kBwiMHWkWImyXPLLpvxt1THIhw/s5184/bridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyE5rcLBuTzDnC0OG91gmOGuzwaWE8zZGfXvxbQTeFxsGl-mREmckNrC3ORfcag92r-xGOgyJkY6wfRhsRWUCDKjzxJPxHonXMMTk8KY09glbsAx-_wV4tok4ENdKj3qfZqpq-jOx7DyDweWCGaRKyQ4uE7OJaASJ0kBwiMHWkWImyXPLLpvxt1THIhw/w640-h426/bridge%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yet another view of the stunning Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, Višegrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3nEZ23XDtrRJufM2K16HPKqQ48Bt34CpUYt--MTDPmXW6IBIPrPzJHFGb8c9Zw548XBIUG0WnOLC209RZfuJrX7GFP1jBfFAZ3muA0167bP6fd2Vf3-GZVcSurq7g9EMvJceFq_RAHTlCzII_vVqOxUu2qMW0_JpcnwIIGupnRhZxFFE5OAQVzjH5Q/s2071/bosnia-flag-5.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="2071" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3nEZ23XDtrRJufM2K16HPKqQ48Bt34CpUYt--MTDPmXW6IBIPrPzJHFGb8c9Zw548XBIUG0WnOLC209RZfuJrX7GFP1jBfFAZ3muA0167bP6fd2Vf3-GZVcSurq7g9EMvJceFq_RAHTlCzII_vVqOxUu2qMW0_JpcnwIIGupnRhZxFFE5OAQVzjH5Q/w640-h428/bosnia-flag-5.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cool-looking Bosnia and Herzegovina flag</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/09/high-spirits-return-to-penang-malaysia.html" target="_blank">.........a complete change of location and vibe.....see us here in Penang, Malaysia.........</a></i><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-75123821617122558872022-07-24T13:33:00.001+08:002022-08-31T23:10:41.168+08:00RE-EXAMINING ROMANIA- A summing up of the state of affairs<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/07/turdy-times-turned-around-turda-and.html">.......previously, our last blog post from Romania, featuring the towns of Turda and Oradea, and our train journey through Hungary to get back to Serbia........</a></i></p><p>Considering Romania was a brand new country for us to travel around in, we thought we would take a minute to record some practicalities of the country. 1 GBP=5.70 RON</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB_KFLhJgw6_UIZf8n62BqVNddYHiiiAKljmKH9R0w_2_KuLMFfRZOVibcTh6-RLmasW-tQUuShclFH-TpZkZPzanK6i1ViIpG8oGvpFXNfmea0uJ9p92gwQbgUZjUx1Ts-fYFrdrZHUUmp_tygc7GLYpUlhJBREzThjjRf6HK-elEvr1iRAZOK46XA/s5184/6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB_KFLhJgw6_UIZf8n62BqVNddYHiiiAKljmKH9R0w_2_KuLMFfRZOVibcTh6-RLmasW-tQUuShclFH-TpZkZPzanK6i1ViIpG8oGvpFXNfmea0uJ9p92gwQbgUZjUx1Ts-fYFrdrZHUUmp_tygc7GLYpUlhJBREzThjjRf6HK-elEvr1iRAZOK46XA/w640-h426/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breb village- our favourite place in Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Train travel in Romania was every bit as terrific as we had hoped. The <a href="https://bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en/booking/search" target="_blank">Romanian Railway website</a> was available as an English version and was easy to use. We would find out routes, times and prices online, and then buy a ticket directly from the station just before our trip. It also appeared that tickets could be bought on the train at the same cost. Most of the time we were able to travel where we wanted to via a direct train. Although not as cheap as in, say, neighbouring Serbia, the train price to service ratio was acceptable. The state run service CFR (!!) competed with private companies, but we found them all to be of comparable quality. Most of the trains we took were practically empty- Romanian people prefer the buses due to time restraints.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKzn9q3ErzHIwx5Z1WBmHBD8zH_xZcmnpAi8O2kABmOO8lCq2fPPnHGqkRcu9_5KEjrCoaagR-Tq4fsEM_5YQ-EAektvdW6qzjqDg9OHLIGJOvEUoFKMZLb-udnBAXtLvGAbRfpKtUginWP4JBIs0cKVFr_7x07OQt0Th6oeoO4OZXBaxd8IVy5XBIA/s4000/train%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKzn9q3ErzHIwx5Z1WBmHBD8zH_xZcmnpAi8O2kABmOO8lCq2fPPnHGqkRcu9_5KEjrCoaagR-Tq4fsEM_5YQ-EAektvdW6qzjqDg9OHLIGJOvEUoFKMZLb-udnBAXtLvGAbRfpKtUginWP4JBIs0cKVFr_7x07OQt0Th6oeoO4OZXBaxd8IVy5XBIA/w640-h480/train%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romanian train at station</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pkm7AiCSFpNFxnvjMvxHoEDY2NcT71eAUm5rIx9CEYWfjorlWsXVKqc3Kd8R6kEt_gcw3G69hxocgTTCLnJLmTnN-BIozFoNqXs5ODeGtY81mbLqJtFdtu6fd0LvqwWYT0N5bp8tSt7W4jExVWgxTmPab_ZwB654y1H0dgUcf_0r1Mw7xDLe7fQd9w/s4000/train%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2747" data-original-width="4000" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pkm7AiCSFpNFxnvjMvxHoEDY2NcT71eAUm5rIx9CEYWfjorlWsXVKqc3Kd8R6kEt_gcw3G69hxocgTTCLnJLmTnN-BIozFoNqXs5ODeGtY81mbLqJtFdtu6fd0LvqwWYT0N5bp8tSt7W4jExVWgxTmPab_ZwB654y1H0dgUcf_0r1Mw7xDLe7fQd9w/w640-h440/train%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romanian train inside</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Speaking of buses, this was a common transport in Maramures. There are some trains in the region, but they didn't match up with our destination preferences and times. Mostly minibuses, they were fine- comfortable, direct, reasonably priced and the drivers didn't speed.</p><p>Hitch-hiking, however, was our main mode of transport in Maramures. It is a very acceptable way of travel in Romania, locals also partake. Sometimes money is exchanged, sometimes not. Mostly we were picked up by people curious to meet us, and the offer of money was refused. One exception to this was the main road between Sighetu and Sapanta, which seemed to be solely serviced by shared taxis. It was, perhaps, slightly more pricey than a bus, but as we paid the same as the locals, we couldn't complain. </p><p>Accommodation was the biggest strain on our budget whilst travelling in Romania. Again, we had the issue of a unwanted and unnecessarily high standard of rooms- we are most happy with a cheap and cheerful basic room, but there are not too many of those in this part of the world. We were able to get over it, however, and enjoy the luxury! Rooms varied between wee studios, proper big apartments, hostel rooms, a shared Air B and B flat, a village cottage and small guesthouses. Regardless of the type of digs, we were paying on average around 110 RON/20GBP per night. Obviously, the accommodation with kitchens were better value, as we had the advantage of cooking for ourselves. We have found hostels in Europe to be overpriced in general, and although we sometimes stay in them for the social aspect, there are much better value for money options out there travelling as a couple. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijviGIjkFgXcvSlYIb481Myyc3M-goD-JpflRN3gJEzLtqdEmi8pwG-xtnbXKXHP1l2SUzEVB1OsGtJThZ8UfLX-li3V4DGVeU7fjfkdWxhaulHwSpOdePeXhGv5NkTtnf44jI3pq3pUbvgEM3P-LKMbTT4A-SF7puKaqcSp01z6OQZ6bw4ydezTo12g/s4000/accommodation.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijviGIjkFgXcvSlYIb481Myyc3M-goD-JpflRN3gJEzLtqdEmi8pwG-xtnbXKXHP1l2SUzEVB1OsGtJThZ8UfLX-li3V4DGVeU7fjfkdWxhaulHwSpOdePeXhGv5NkTtnf44jI3pq3pUbvgEM3P-LKMbTT4A-SF7puKaqcSp01z6OQZ6bw4ydezTo12g/w640-h480/accommodation.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fancy studio in Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3-MVmYhlJQvqvKVjYx2cgluzr2WCvJwynSijR1-4opkPYa3zvpLdyYe-y8HTvc-5ZC3gO4zvRxqUGqg7F0_waz8D8aWQWPK9mjFYvXsQMxkofnuD9XY-ge6ZMarRxZdGNJ59KUKBqHfAwfxnPFLDcTojjazs8r-W94y2FS7VXL3XpTASp3DHZGpmBQ/s4000/IMG_1661%20oradea.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3-MVmYhlJQvqvKVjYx2cgluzr2WCvJwynSijR1-4opkPYa3zvpLdyYe-y8HTvc-5ZC3gO4zvRxqUGqg7F0_waz8D8aWQWPK9mjFYvXsQMxkofnuD9XY-ge6ZMarRxZdGNJ59KUKBqHfAwfxnPFLDcTojjazs8r-W94y2FS7VXL3XpTASp3DHZGpmBQ/w640-h480/IMG_1661%20oradea.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of our apartment in Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As people who know us, or read our blog will know, we love second hand clothes shopping, and Romania was a perfect place to restock our falling apart wardrobes for the coming summer. All the towns we visited had many small op shops, with fine prices and items often imported from Germany. We also visited a few big second hand clothing markets, but these didn't seem as common as, for instance, in the Balkans.</p><p>At the beginning of our visit, as we had chosen to travel in spring, there wasn't a particularly great range of fresh produce around, and many items were imported from Greece or Spain until the season got underway in Romania. As summer began in earnest, more local items such as tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, spring onion and herbs, and eventually some stone fruit started to appear on market stalls. Best of all was when the amazing strawberry season began- big, juicy and flavoursome. All the big European supermarkets were represented in Romania, and most stocked a good range of local foods and drinks. Markets were predictably fantastic. As well as offering mostly regional produce, they were great places to people watch, and see the peculiarities of a particular town. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wikGL8LdopKpN5oNqFm_CItM_bsqOfJvfXoNxpRrcEf6rd04rBm2Bd4gHWUkncdCMNavzG2rnnhfi1TL8JALVqi9fW7sxlcTUfR7vFhTVaakgzZlUsFKKyCrIXp8PZ9B-DML_TC1X0xMuxSA-p_Ah0QIQr3cgSN4s2aRcC1t73SwpQFY1X85kBhDyA/s4000/IMG_1523.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2388" data-original-width="4000" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wikGL8LdopKpN5oNqFm_CItM_bsqOfJvfXoNxpRrcEf6rd04rBm2Bd4gHWUkncdCMNavzG2rnnhfi1TL8JALVqi9fW7sxlcTUfR7vFhTVaakgzZlUsFKKyCrIXp8PZ9B-DML_TC1X0xMuxSA-p_Ah0QIQr3cgSN4s2aRcC1t73SwpQFY1X85kBhDyA/w640-h382/IMG_1523.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy strawberries at Romanian market stall</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Travelling on a budget, we mostly tried to cut costs by cooking ourselves and eating simply. When we sussed out the lunch special many restaurants had for the equivalent of 15 RON/2.50GPB, we ate a few meals out in traditional restaurants to try different dishes.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiJKnzmO8-wCgJT23Tpm5ioF6VR175ruFfOfVfC4ocCvLtMmBSP1OinKuG7qje4wlQ-W9WvDT4EnSGPsEdU4pJxujljas9J6YLrdeo9eHj_DWBnxX3D2NtDzM6ljBnq1FyQsZBLjrGTNfafZAF4NCntUxBjJBdFaBymaTQ2pPMFlDixDF_L93_mE6zw/s4000/IMG_1665.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiJKnzmO8-wCgJT23Tpm5ioF6VR175ruFfOfVfC4ocCvLtMmBSP1OinKuG7qje4wlQ-W9WvDT4EnSGPsEdU4pJxujljas9J6YLrdeo9eHj_DWBnxX3D2NtDzM6ljBnq1FyQsZBLjrGTNfafZAF4NCntUxBjJBdFaBymaTQ2pPMFlDixDF_L93_mE6zw/w480-h640/IMG_1665.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabulous food at home, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvk97Bp93mpSAkeHaPdS_gh2hrHZEMonX_KEw63mrBSOZTdplgy8V_hB79UCjRONvZiIIYgIlKi94QdIdq2ozqSsv4L0OEt4t2xRL1EhVF8C-JxI1gt8f1-FM-7sVdiMr5nVdpd9g65ftIAaST_CLvNZZO7wbLKlB6heagabiWMviVsgoMr6s1U_5zA/s4000/IMG_1519.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvk97Bp93mpSAkeHaPdS_gh2hrHZEMonX_KEw63mrBSOZTdplgy8V_hB79UCjRONvZiIIYgIlKi94QdIdq2ozqSsv4L0OEt4t2xRL1EhVF8C-JxI1gt8f1-FM-7sVdiMr5nVdpd9g65ftIAaST_CLvNZZO7wbLKlB6heagabiWMviVsgoMr6s1U_5zA/w640-h480/IMG_1519.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restaurant feast, with <i>snitel</i>, cabbage, <i>mamaliga </i>and pork with horseradish</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We noticed many influences from the Balkan and Ottoman worlds in the Romanian cuisine- <i>ciorba </i>soup (the tripe version was the most popular), <i>chiftele </i>(kofta), <i>fasole</i> (bean casserole) and stuffed cabbage leaves/peppers. Austria and Hungary were represented with <i>snitel </i>(schnitzel) and <i>gulas </i>(goulash). <i>Mamaliga </i>(polenta) was a staple, and garlic, dill and pork appeared in a great many dishes. Rich loved the alcohol soaked "chocolate salami", a moist cake log. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNc6c4qGhVeksf4gDoCvxq6HrBSJb0aVyPSTspNDE1HlC_DSk-xX9RVBbwS8CX57eaKRmKV9hB0F9Zf8zedssnLo_UPV6SgclVJ2Tqt7ugT7_IXWC6eWyzkATd3GISpwDzx7z0DIvDJBpVoP7mUOI4rIZT3HrFVjbK0lu2Uiuigo2dqeWvF_wqg2COyw/s4000/food%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNc6c4qGhVeksf4gDoCvxq6HrBSJb0aVyPSTspNDE1HlC_DSk-xX9RVBbwS8CX57eaKRmKV9hB0F9Zf8zedssnLo_UPV6SgclVJ2Tqt7ugT7_IXWC6eWyzkATd3GISpwDzx7z0DIvDJBpVoP7mUOI4rIZT3HrFVjbK0lu2Uiuigo2dqeWvF_wqg2COyw/w480-h640/food%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every kind of sausage in pastry, Bucharest</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGj-YgAOEEDVgDVBU8ltpz6UjoIItlcRwVj2MHYKE-OAM6IkZMQ6sWqCmBEAPCNQtpwkdjbMg8xE0J3uFGhTZ7Yhi8B5HpwWEga3jJalKNlsReGmZYtx7XRwAWoh9hCATa3olBSQPUGeLge-E0TZVljShnTFvCq1u2fPV_s6UfOiQayjW5lMM3oREWA/s4000/food%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGj-YgAOEEDVgDVBU8ltpz6UjoIItlcRwVj2MHYKE-OAM6IkZMQ6sWqCmBEAPCNQtpwkdjbMg8xE0J3uFGhTZ7Yhi8B5HpwWEga3jJalKNlsReGmZYtx7XRwAWoh9hCATa3olBSQPUGeLge-E0TZVljShnTFvCq1u2fPV_s6UfOiQayjW5lMM3oREWA/w640-h480/food%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beans and sausage</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfyB0v4HHwc8covhsy7CnkGnwp4plTanv1zCSuJX2KZM0qtiSfJ7VQ_rXwf3Vv869f0GmnTbHKY-1ok6ohZaMuT4WN1IgMXRq_tI8gppdeCfM9l5Y3mTLGM9fZjf40RAt9nzxq6cqYn240pJP8NQWF1NAfUGG8KY0--sgESxC0KE2TLeeYD9ejskDVw/s4000/food%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfyB0v4HHwc8covhsy7CnkGnwp4plTanv1zCSuJX2KZM0qtiSfJ7VQ_rXwf3Vv869f0GmnTbHKY-1ok6ohZaMuT4WN1IgMXRq_tI8gppdeCfM9l5Y3mTLGM9fZjf40RAt9nzxq6cqYn240pJP8NQWF1NAfUGG8KY0--sgESxC0KE2TLeeYD9ejskDVw/w640-h480/food%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate salami log</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Booze was everywhere and some quite cheap and delicious local wines and beers could be found in the supermarkets. Interestingly, we didn't try the local tipple <i>palinca </i>(or <i>horinca </i>as it's known in the north) until we arrived in Maramures region, and then we had the delicious plum spirit almost every day.<i> </i>Another cherry flavoured liqueur we never got the name of, was also popular in this region, but it was too sweet for us. We were informed it was a ladies drink! Draft beer and <i>palinca </i>at a cheap bar were 4 RON/0.70GBP.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I-vBT8rWMRJZuWcoda-U2t86A8IvL3cl2xokiEEWhOA9zlVnWzmvcuwQ0MUiNOxu_yA6bcI3wp3fCVmvt7olx82QDBRIZbRpuwIHkA2SBUiuftJcV9Nus3t3ZcUZdyNGRDP5fu-vD2nApxZpNlXwgRb17Bo5EyMwGdpzSYCGfBO5JisCka5dbxhqhA/s3629/drink%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3629" data-original-width="2707" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I-vBT8rWMRJZuWcoda-U2t86A8IvL3cl2xokiEEWhOA9zlVnWzmvcuwQ0MUiNOxu_yA6bcI3wp3fCVmvt7olx82QDBRIZbRpuwIHkA2SBUiuftJcV9Nus3t3ZcUZdyNGRDP5fu-vD2nApxZpNlXwgRb17Bo5EyMwGdpzSYCGfBO5JisCka5dbxhqhA/w478-h640/drink%20(1).jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5QGNFQH7vTrvo-wtkkJpi53_DlvIZZUjlgSPb-TZ-TZ8TSW7qHfpInhoFlkAB_4CAL0azObDMTexYUCHRycwnxYB1mtFkjWJG9sJgepWFMtqqU8Fi4RS_srLogQgTt6z8xJxW3GKqk9fdis7HL5JRgJP7p19j0YFhgh76lAGT7UB3DIk6t6l5B0H2g/s4000/drink%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5QGNFQH7vTrvo-wtkkJpi53_DlvIZZUjlgSPb-TZ-TZ8TSW7qHfpInhoFlkAB_4CAL0azObDMTexYUCHRycwnxYB1mtFkjWJG9sJgepWFMtqqU8Fi4RS_srLogQgTt6z8xJxW3GKqk9fdis7HL5JRgJP7p19j0YFhgh76lAGT7UB3DIk6t6l5B0H2g/w480-h640/drink%20(2).JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the most popular beers in Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Romanian people could not be described as having a specific look, more of a homogenous "European" presence (whatever that means, these days). Fair-haired Saxon descendants and the odd red head, mingled with very dark, Indian-looking Roma people. The was also a relatively high presence of other ethnicities in the bigger towns, eg. Asian. We were often asked for directions etc in Romanian, indicating that if we could pass for locals, the look of the population was indeed very diverse! Roma people, although a minority, stood out in their often brilliant coloured clothes. Women went for sparkly shirts and aprons with scarves in their hair, and men often wore large brimmed black hats and waistcoats. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9JRj5dWUFDBaI_sdmUNhJJirGSBAgVeZZaabG3Qw2x4u-gD4CNS-o-aw9gjH50jYre2ufmjsfcB0toO79HEekQDOgFNMhVdcC5rnE9vIal0bFsFu0JJZECNGqmumVRt45vnh_vfN2jgD6iPR70tfcJ7JVjPeokDu8Vj0qgjF9E2RrJH_shE2T4JHiQ/s4665/gypsy%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3292" data-original-width="4665" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9JRj5dWUFDBaI_sdmUNhJJirGSBAgVeZZaabG3Qw2x4u-gD4CNS-o-aw9gjH50jYre2ufmjsfcB0toO79HEekQDOgFNMhVdcC5rnE9vIal0bFsFu0JJZECNGqmumVRt45vnh_vfN2jgD6iPR70tfcJ7JVjPeokDu8Vj0qgjF9E2RrJH_shE2T4JHiQ/w640-h452/gypsy%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romanis dressed up for market day, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQYbGtM4odQiohDHB4lUG5Jtmy_nAW21u4xIn2K3w5JfB9zGY3srqAZZiKoJxVTu7hVCW16rY9YTH8MUnd_lKuSbh_4mBFBwyMQZ8ce69eZ_42Fj7dxXVzJxS1rxEE6GFSHdbk562O82injY7692Dfr-O0M2g9kuVRVdJZpS4Jtwe0O3xRmnUf3igZA/s4183/people%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2798" data-original-width="4183" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQYbGtM4odQiohDHB4lUG5Jtmy_nAW21u4xIn2K3w5JfB9zGY3srqAZZiKoJxVTu7hVCW16rY9YTH8MUnd_lKuSbh_4mBFBwyMQZ8ce69eZ_42Fj7dxXVzJxS1rxEE6GFSHdbk562O82injY7692Dfr-O0M2g9kuVRVdJZpS4Jtwe0O3xRmnUf3igZA/w640-h428/people%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The all important scarf, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we've said previously, Romanian men really do love a hat. Almost all older gentlemen wore them, as well as many younger members of the population. In particular in Maramures, men seem to stick just about anything on their head and call it a hat!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn457c3RmPMovMzGtPS0aDxha2iGlH1cPHk3L3TL3JtpcOjETB8e97A7aimjq58l6ivFpM8GmnAfu2qOYgfKkdwxopQM3D0RAVK8qZEzM7e1jPVVQCXtmI2keSdMenZrguiNFdh01ALzj6Wila6Nj55yQeNOMhzUBNXAGiYQ_rOSin678GhHm_YnSBg/s4884/hat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3012" data-original-width="4884" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEn457c3RmPMovMzGtPS0aDxha2iGlH1cPHk3L3TL3JtpcOjETB8e97A7aimjq58l6ivFpM8GmnAfu2qOYgfKkdwxopQM3D0RAVK8qZEzM7e1jPVVQCXtmI2keSdMenZrguiNFdh01ALzj6Wila6Nj55yQeNOMhzUBNXAGiYQ_rOSin678GhHm_YnSBg/w640-h394/hat.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common hat look in Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Saxons, Romani and Hungarians are the largest minorities in Romania today. Saxon culture remains strong, particularly in Transylvania, and Hungarians the same in the Banat region (western Romania). Numbers are less these days after the Romanian Revolution, when masses left to return to their homelands of Germany and Hungary. The Jewish community also greatly diminished after World War II when huge migration to Israel and the USA occurred. </p><p>We noticed the difference distinctly moving from region to region, visually, but also in the attitude of people, especially when we entered the region of Maramures (populated mostly with Romanians). In the bigger towns of Transylvania and Banat people were pleasant enough, smiley and helpful if we needed it. But from Baia Mare northwards, locals showed us real kindness, and were genuinely welcoming, usually with smiles and sign language as less people spoke English in this area.</p><p>One cannot write about the Romania without mentioning how quiet the country is. Even in the bigger towns, we were rarely disturbed by any kind of noise whatsoever. Occasionally in country areas, dogs barking in the distance could get slightly annoying, but generally Romanians are subdued and calm people. This was especially amazing for us after spending the six previous months in Egypt, which is the exact opposite!!</p><p>They are a patriotic people, with Romanian flags on the streets, houses and businesses, as well as plastered on their clothes and even hats. They seem proud of the culture and heritage, and not ashamed to visually proclaim as much.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OqhnzKtN4kMsqoL_yukXBsUSG3ti13vBAj7kjFPybhB8nxJqr0jtKAbhnanRKj_prHgrHrcB3fyrVnhaW-WWMaBP45Asx3w0cIVZ8qCxv5LrCGxJLD7Z5sgkpYqEbj5afaIpIoQVXK5uVTRO19HHD7WTVp60_NX7I8RuNSTXOXx2A-tNClHmkhFYPw/s4704/IMG_8914%20turda.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4704" data-original-width="3136" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OqhnzKtN4kMsqoL_yukXBsUSG3ti13vBAj7kjFPybhB8nxJqr0jtKAbhnanRKj_prHgrHrcB3fyrVnhaW-WWMaBP45Asx3w0cIVZ8qCxv5LrCGxJLD7Z5sgkpYqEbj5afaIpIoQVXK5uVTRO19HHD7WTVp60_NX7I8RuNSTXOXx2A-tNClHmkhFYPw/w426-h640/IMG_8914%20turda.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>We've been reproved for our lack of maps in these Romanian blogs, sorry for that, George! Here's our movements for the last couple of months below........</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_lpUAo4lshExTZ0w5jm5UVri1cB7IIJInp9y4DY-wyVixkjBDKrC5-0APFO5Rrv-Y1wZNVR_QOBNFEfhlnOv4HRYYx_lajt04Wort4aDbgXMA8yx_WbmiPkDlfTd1-qkXc_HOFN0kjzLhH_ZAGfsk_T0ijipcqRYNxEevmka3rKfbUlnfdUaxjB5YQ/s2048/Romania%20hd%20map.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="2048" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_lpUAo4lshExTZ0w5jm5UVri1cB7IIJInp9y4DY-wyVixkjBDKrC5-0APFO5Rrv-Y1wZNVR_QOBNFEfhlnOv4HRYYx_lajt04Wort4aDbgXMA8yx_WbmiPkDlfTd1-qkXc_HOFN0kjzLhH_ZAGfsk_T0ijipcqRYNxEevmka3rKfbUlnfdUaxjB5YQ/w640-h474/Romania%20hd%20map.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rough idea of our route through Romania, starting in Bucharest, and exiting into Hungary in the west</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div>And that's all for Romania! We loved the country, and would definitely return for a visit, especially to the north. For now, however, we move on to new countries, and find somewhere to spend the summer.<div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEy7p9KfSlejcvdOrhjgjwdmwmLrOPNdznVCQIzZtpYKcKSuJrp80cVDDtviiuQ77fo565AuBeSCIfQRE3b7EVICeKy4TO3B3sFIkk8aX723us9So_Gvgkk7Vm6Nwcviim9D7XqgtTXT-2v1j-S4PLmTqSXP5wbUmdgTw65Y1ZqKiDPOwb5aI1eUqP2w/s4000/cluj%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEy7p9KfSlejcvdOrhjgjwdmwmLrOPNdznVCQIzZtpYKcKSuJrp80cVDDtviiuQ77fo565AuBeSCIfQRE3b7EVICeKy4TO3B3sFIkk8aX723us9So_Gvgkk7Vm6Nwcviim9D7XqgtTXT-2v1j-S4PLmTqSXP5wbUmdgTw65Y1ZqKiDPOwb5aI1eUqP2w/w640-h480/cluj%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic old Romanian made Dacia car</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/08/a-little-bit-of-art-and-history-in.html" target="_blank"><i>......further summer travels to Northern Serbia and Bosnia...........</i></a>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-82830983238531918542022-07-07T19:17:00.004+08:002022-07-24T14:19:12.372+08:00TURDY TIMES TURNED AROUND- Turda and Oradea, Romania<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/06/drunks-on-border-sighetu-marmatiei-and.html" target="_blank">.......our previous blog post highlighting the wonderful quirky Sighetu Marmatiei......</a></i></p><p>It was always going to be difficult to live up to the wonderful experiences we had had in Maramures in the north of Romania. The friendliness of the people and the remote and unusual sights we had seen were to be the highlights of our time in Romania. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOjbVayUALsyL7xH3WVf3ZrEdpylr1u_faXyvAQ4Vj9KuG-wKgKYqtn6NjDLFarmFFWKHa87sV-u-lypz_qKel_TmPzDF7Tp7ZmS8C2NNza4qMHapq9wFQzw80PFWDsoL-ETFcfHTJpka4vXdfsnW3wHAbh1if2UsJz4attrYFysfLV7_nnH8uUxDVA/s4000/IMG_1615.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOjbVayUALsyL7xH3WVf3ZrEdpylr1u_faXyvAQ4Vj9KuG-wKgKYqtn6NjDLFarmFFWKHa87sV-u-lypz_qKel_TmPzDF7Tp7ZmS8C2NNza4qMHapq9wFQzw80PFWDsoL-ETFcfHTJpka4vXdfsnW3wHAbh1if2UsJz4attrYFysfLV7_nnH8uUxDVA/w640-h480/IMG_1615.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common sign and sight in Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Right from the beginning, everything seemed to become difficult and annoying when we left the north. Taking the train to Cluj, and finding where to catch the bus to Turda from there, should have been straight forward. But a mixture of wrong information from people who were trying to be helpful, a dearth of buses on a Sunday, and wrong timetables left us frustrated. Finally, we found said bus, and make our way over the rolling hills and fields full of corn as far as the eye could see, to the town of Turda. We'd been intrigued with the place reading about the historic salt mine, but also the many other attractions that seemed to be promised on the town's website. </p><p>We were staying right next to the town's big drawcard tourist sight- Salina Turda (Turda Salt Mine). We felt trepidation as we arrived at the accommodation we had booked, with the apartments greatly resembling council flats. The apprehension grew as we sat in the sun for some time waiting for our hosts to arrive. Luckily, when they did eventually pull up in a car, they were lovely, and had brought their nine year old grand daughter to translate the conversation into English! The apartment was much more pleasant on the inside than the out, and we were quite comfortable to stay there for the week we had booked.</p><p>The problem was, what to do for that week?</p><p>The town was not as attractive as others we'd visited in Romania, but after being in such fairy tale places such as <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/05/transylvanian-train-trundlings.html" target="_blank">Sighisoara</a>, the standards were rather high!! The small centre with a limited and slightly dodgy market area was mildly interesting (more delish strawberries), and the gardens in our neighbourhood were simply gorgeous and full of bright flowers- poppies, clematis, honeysuckle and best of all fragrant roses in every colour.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9xlxkRCESJ3WqTJ-GbXu4WDw-4Lis5DTWgaedb_lQxu6Y_QVpB_OrMD94cNLryjG5H2UE7F7mM8oQp2gbNk8FfxF6Iqqh004D4M6WCm26KrurZBTWFx-ZFl94VqHHcWsBFrkWlXIJNaqU-hRVDL51ln2TTIE-Kbmux2KN_ZcoJqgEg0ikHOd83AURA/s4095/IMG_8926.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4095" data-original-width="2868" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9xlxkRCESJ3WqTJ-GbXu4WDw-4Lis5DTWgaedb_lQxu6Y_QVpB_OrMD94cNLryjG5H2UE7F7mM8oQp2gbNk8FfxF6Iqqh004D4M6WCm26KrurZBTWFx-ZFl94VqHHcWsBFrkWlXIJNaqU-hRVDL51ln2TTIE-Kbmux2KN_ZcoJqgEg0ikHOd83AURA/w448-h640/IMG_8926.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EOW30K8ty61WwfZ-5Hfk8qVjPFD4luYVAmKSzAe0BXq6aCwnjkIZ74D7HDurOlBmz_yxdx1_vUwC10K8nEjeiL42jpfSbZRJ_8XYCkpUHGQ9G7c2LV-Xr5vhyUr2C0de862JgG4GeGw2ib9A-caoL5CpIhljWS82Mz7YkKuGcT_NwezkwTBKAeXtNQ/s5184/IMG_8929.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EOW30K8ty61WwfZ-5Hfk8qVjPFD4luYVAmKSzAe0BXq6aCwnjkIZ74D7HDurOlBmz_yxdx1_vUwC10K8nEjeiL42jpfSbZRJ_8XYCkpUHGQ9G7c2LV-Xr5vhyUr2C0de862JgG4GeGw2ib9A-caoL5CpIhljWS82Mz7YkKuGcT_NwezkwTBKAeXtNQ/w640-h426/IMG_8929.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some old beauties in the backstreets of Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5clNCiTloYW12gn0O1vZLuM8DAqWApCItzjDU979w3XU8MDRtoINhri7_w4IJm55_tYIlyFP_wNgFFWF3fIduND2h1S6Q2LwjDBAGvn3KusUR6acMcVhUcnVmy3_d1G6ATgjDJ3TLatViCs4Hxjb9FpPjkxH4G_z8DCzWdt3cBsHD1OhUr21mAaqOQ/s3549/IMG_1619.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2395" data-original-width="3549" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5clNCiTloYW12gn0O1vZLuM8DAqWApCItzjDU979w3XU8MDRtoINhri7_w4IJm55_tYIlyFP_wNgFFWF3fIduND2h1S6Q2LwjDBAGvn3KusUR6acMcVhUcnVmy3_d1G6ATgjDJ3TLatViCs4Hxjb9FpPjkxH4G_z8DCzWdt3cBsHD1OhUr21mAaqOQ/w640-h432/IMG_1619.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many rose gardens, Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeLfuqxggkVbewzeRmLsucZyYsjEhkQQWzClVCPamijPCEqsOhFI8SNNDK99JpexNzj1w_rTa4e2S6yXV56jaENzY8FSNQ-D3jM5h6gBQGHvami_YvFFL_54bLjWnFx3SQGVZI9UwnA6aENvR2vUfjf2psiwJBZy62pWncNgDJUnk6sADbZg7tGi13g/s4000/IMG_1626.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeLfuqxggkVbewzeRmLsucZyYsjEhkQQWzClVCPamijPCEqsOhFI8SNNDK99JpexNzj1w_rTa4e2S6yXV56jaENzY8FSNQ-D3jM5h6gBQGHvami_YvFFL_54bLjWnFx3SQGVZI9UwnA6aENvR2vUfjf2psiwJBZy62pWncNgDJUnk6sADbZg7tGi13g/w640-h480/IMG_1626.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sovagailor Church, or Church of the Salt Cutters, Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p>The day hikes we had planned to various natural beauty spots were not possible, due to no public transport from Turda, and being too far to walk. Hitch-hiking didn't feel a possibility in this scenario. Disheartened, but not defeated, we were determined to have a country walk, and decided on a route out of the town. Unfortunately, the beginning was the typical featureless, open farmland that is characteristic around Turda, and most uninteresting. We then became caught on a huge noisy and busy highway, with no escape. Somewhat<i> </i>beaten, we then walked to the local bar instead to drown our sorrows.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LsWlqgc0l_ADOBL3Ty_acTcBXjaAqbnCGkxIG1mjKfQids9tfojBG2HHDW-p5-RnVOgCB4tZvjs3Aj2aL9QQfV386WJ8w3qLC_Zwya2duTnRfT9WzV6zwOPbHboq14TYkbe2_OcxHbk53XqX7-Svh6v5fdFhz9MkZdTL3znlVMC4965db5oBx39pkw/s4000/IMG_1628.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2748" data-original-width="4000" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LsWlqgc0l_ADOBL3Ty_acTcBXjaAqbnCGkxIG1mjKfQids9tfojBG2HHDW-p5-RnVOgCB4tZvjs3Aj2aL9QQfV386WJ8w3qLC_Zwya2duTnRfT9WzV6zwOPbHboq14TYkbe2_OcxHbk53XqX7-Svh6v5fdFhz9MkZdTL3znlVMC4965db5oBx39pkw/w640-h440/IMG_1628.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Countryside around Turda </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Another unsuccessful day was spent trying to see the supposedly famous Roman ruins on the outskirts of Turda. After traipsing around in the heat and coming at the site from all angles, we finally worked out from a sign that the entire area was fenced off and awaiting EU funds to be renovated. The finishing date of June 2022 seemed unlikely, and we were once again foiled. Luckily, the bar wasn't too far away. Anyway, we snobbishly thought, we have, after all, been to <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2020/02/what-have-romans-ever-done-for-us-in.html" target="_blank">Baalbek</a>, some of the best Roman ruins in the world, and these Turda ones were probably crap. (Still annoying, though!)</p><p>Two things saved out Turdish stay. The first was the truly amazing salt mine. On our travels we had seen many salt plains, where people collect salt from the sea, but had never before come across a mine. Incredibly, evidence of a mine being in Turda goes back to 1075. It seemingly continued production uninterrupted until it was closed in the 20th century. After some time, the mine was renovated as a (hugely successful) tourist attraction in 2010. The whole space was extremely well organized, with signs guiding us through the various parts of the mine. The initial cool but humid long tunnel gave way to several areas with historical equipment set up, then a massive flight of stairs led down to the bottom of the main hall, with incredible views over the action on each level. It was quite busy when we visited, and we followed a guided group of Romanian school kids, who were sweetly enthusiastic joining in with demonstrating echoes. It all got a bit strange when we arrived at the bottom of the gigantic main chamber, and saw hundreds of kids and families happily playing table tennis, mini golf and riding the Ferris wheel in a bizarre amusement park. It's obviously a way for the mine to make some extra money, and the locals seemed to love it.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQesdb6uatP2j5p1oKByV5xfJqksZ__CcwEN4fLQpKzJUhGv-SWU1bbM0ZmYClcu9Yg7K-HozDtTx05Uc-s8sivpUWwxH8EUkCt67sml4zg-cQ8McuHNdWzXW6pfY-8W8ujwly0D1tTZSP3GW7PmaUWyiMecREZgLWZPY-uX_6bYuODn6atL4mR0d3A/s4000/IMG_1594.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQesdb6uatP2j5p1oKByV5xfJqksZ__CcwEN4fLQpKzJUhGv-SWU1bbM0ZmYClcu9Yg7K-HozDtTx05Uc-s8sivpUWwxH8EUkCt67sml4zg-cQ8McuHNdWzXW6pfY-8W8ujwly0D1tTZSP3GW7PmaUWyiMecREZgLWZPY-uX_6bYuODn6atL4mR0d3A/w640-h480/IMG_1594.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Display of a salt wagon, Salina Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7uEMbsA0xVnX7ewETsEaVNs7CiA2rgRS7RKOqNCaIr3QuuyJrZ9qGUaCwvWr1KaYjGjqEUZObMdlrFwM3yNtYPVZVfI47AVNZG2xmsiyX0o2g9CHS1re3SQJeEWE-5iFdRofU8mDSbiDMC61PKARlYSfhwV0EPbSOEknj34AwzWwd0J5w_eg7tpZew/s4000/IMG_1601.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7uEMbsA0xVnX7ewETsEaVNs7CiA2rgRS7RKOqNCaIr3QuuyJrZ9qGUaCwvWr1KaYjGjqEUZObMdlrFwM3yNtYPVZVfI47AVNZG2xmsiyX0o2g9CHS1re3SQJeEWE-5iFdRofU8mDSbiDMC61PKARlYSfhwV0EPbSOEknj34AwzWwd0J5w_eg7tpZew/w640-h480/IMG_1601.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descending the many levels inside Salina Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6K1D04d-FscexgnhPq-haEEc05wzft_K9TXnk4MM0Gz3bQISfxFqIK_RmClDcelFk9wu4WkaUqxIZBtnKW6zFTQ6MjIQEhZsY5mTU9VGFTFkyJsDLuqeWKUQY9WdVSKWFG-o5LFnrTZx-Hgxp1KuXeO6srUEI1W9UBAIXWWyxNqhW9XMSUfXnnivkQ/s4000/IMG_1613.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6K1D04d-FscexgnhPq-haEEc05wzft_K9TXnk4MM0Gz3bQISfxFqIK_RmClDcelFk9wu4WkaUqxIZBtnKW6zFTQ6MjIQEhZsY5mTU9VGFTFkyJsDLuqeWKUQY9WdVSKWFG-o5LFnrTZx-Hgxp1KuXeO6srUEI1W9UBAIXWWyxNqhW9XMSUfXnnivkQ/w640-h480/IMG_1613.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich and a lump of crystal-like salt, Salina Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXGPIYB3zFiJVRaD3S45yjqypVxtcLG400KdlzGoQQ117MIsGwQvDaaxTsPCRG36wckRxNhzjfFkQxu6Z4VvExBmYtZ_yW-jjn_FWQSO5HEBdhMLh8beH3W_Lkr9Cd_wv-GYJY8uHE9z3QZ5fDHq3SzmwG9v6AYYsoWPEItbZkTGrjJjrzjnNtjNmJQ/s5184/IMG_8916.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXGPIYB3zFiJVRaD3S45yjqypVxtcLG400KdlzGoQQ117MIsGwQvDaaxTsPCRG36wckRxNhzjfFkQxu6Z4VvExBmYtZ_yW-jjn_FWQSO5HEBdhMLh8beH3W_Lkr9Cd_wv-GYJY8uHE9z3QZ5fDHq3SzmwG9v6AYYsoWPEItbZkTGrjJjrzjnNtjNmJQ/w640-h426/IMG_8916.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnels deep underground, Salina Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzlNAu8cmc1att5VidXaUNPQHJm2vfArTHkZyWHicjPO8IThZXK2SBPZriGAZm4qelOKnmu3qHlvXhudyDKUYnlAsMjO7gbwGq00LEFAPoPYEWxI21XR0n9jEMyeqANGnHtzTKTI256GFnOeRIRY72oVjptNjjaS_sPmPdI1WHfmQq7J1qfZihfdHfg/s5184/IMG_8921.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzlNAu8cmc1att5VidXaUNPQHJm2vfArTHkZyWHicjPO8IThZXK2SBPZriGAZm4qelOKnmu3qHlvXhudyDKUYnlAsMjO7gbwGq00LEFAPoPYEWxI21XR0n9jEMyeqANGnHtzTKTI256GFnOeRIRY72oVjptNjjaS_sPmPdI1WHfmQq7J1qfZihfdHfg/w640-h426/IMG_8921.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at the boating area(!), Salina Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jCOqCuYUl9Pku0CgVxpYuKJRQIJX3WC9QKR6QgBSzK_bHOk3_KE33wu4SWbzc4mlp80JzVjJ_NUuQf9FQujibITnHjM3q4bZp-lp3ou-1zkxZ2jMCQZOGZO5EztX5L2v5a9_fdmrIJdkxdtclztnursfENumbnq49oV9s9ic03xGiXLiVyXmlppbXQ/s4728/IMG_8922.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4728" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jCOqCuYUl9Pku0CgVxpYuKJRQIJX3WC9QKR6QgBSzK_bHOk3_KE33wu4SWbzc4mlp80JzVjJ_NUuQf9FQujibITnHjM3q4bZp-lp3ou-1zkxZ2jMCQZOGZO5EztX5L2v5a9_fdmrIJdkxdtclztnursfENumbnq49oV9s9ic03xGiXLiVyXmlppbXQ/w468-h640/IMG_8922.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down at the bottom in the great hall with amusement park, Salina Turda, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The second magnificent day we had was spent at a spa!! Not at all something we would usually do, but when the entrance fee was 22 RON/less than 4GBP each for a thermal swimming pool, jacuzzies and saunas, we were hardly going to refuse! We were not allowed to take photos in the facility, but here is a picture from their website:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLN7HpkYQgpD5tDZjbypgQUyrufqcD6TiEbnLlsigIBGRMWOsCLOo4tWiEtumqFURYFeL2nA_k1Dsoxw2UXfPVR5FCeL-q3d0_7YX5MR0l5IqPstTmK8IiDuV0XlaAGw7FnMeXc05foQ5-FMBZNR7QRFLhzAo0yXGGlOC86uotl8_E-0IHnBH0iVUqA/s3508/spa-nou.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2480" data-original-width="3508" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLN7HpkYQgpD5tDZjbypgQUyrufqcD6TiEbnLlsigIBGRMWOsCLOo4tWiEtumqFURYFeL2nA_k1Dsoxw2UXfPVR5FCeL-q3d0_7YX5MR0l5IqPstTmK8IiDuV0XlaAGw7FnMeXc05foQ5-FMBZNR7QRFLhzAo0yXGGlOC86uotl8_E-0IHnBH0iVUqA/w640-h452/spa-nou.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>A bit bummed out from our Turdy time, things turned around when we had a brilliant catch up back in Cluj with an travel buddy we knew from "the old days" in Asia. It was really restorative for us to make a connection with a travel friend from pre-Covidian times, and chat with someone on the same level of things which we were. We whiled away an afternoon and evening in a Cluj café, and came away feeling wonderfully renewed. Also, how mad that of the places we could see a random travelling friend, it was in Cluj, Romania?!!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd5p8Jy-rWMGstiMAKqR11R0BwTvw0x1vs9XDEe17lXfmPq85FbsBzzBVecIbfScsHiQPdAIvcKbfYr7XBF5fEWkUiCGZ7C4jMDvqxXetcfOygYK6erYu9m1ETRidJv119__YkZ0igDNqL4CoA7RyOijlUIF8srlUaFN5FU90B4RMxI52xD8zvEootA/s3402/IMG_1641.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2384" data-original-width="3402" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd5p8Jy-rWMGstiMAKqR11R0BwTvw0x1vs9XDEe17lXfmPq85FbsBzzBVecIbfScsHiQPdAIvcKbfYr7XBF5fEWkUiCGZ7C4jMDvqxXetcfOygYK6erYu9m1ETRidJv119__YkZ0igDNqL4CoA7RyOijlUIF8srlUaFN5FU90B4RMxI52xD8zvEootA/w640-h448/IMG_1641.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brilliant afternoon catching up, Cluj, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6v2l1arSRnoNYQX4MvuAN-b6-nwzLhfI64llEppgE-ba5vGgH4lX6_FabMY4eXK9sMyOsA_6iEWytzXZ4j8fyrsL6x-5d-0IPuT8Fkut9o8ayWDzRVHb16rWscuE74Ienf6ilKbwDHzP92eILTe5kKpQB23zap02LP4F2rafCxJ_FQLmIC0LPkfunnQ/s3743/cluj%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1865" data-original-width="3743" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6v2l1arSRnoNYQX4MvuAN-b6-nwzLhfI64llEppgE-ba5vGgH4lX6_FabMY4eXK9sMyOsA_6iEWytzXZ4j8fyrsL6x-5d-0IPuT8Fkut9o8ayWDzRVHb16rWscuE74Ienf6ilKbwDHzP92eILTe5kKpQB23zap02LP4F2rafCxJ_FQLmIC0LPkfunnQ/w640-h318/cluj%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two exceptionally well kept Dacia specimens (the cars, that is), Cluj, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><p>Things got back on track (literally), when we took the train to Oradea, a city in the far west of Romania, in the Bihor region. We enjoyed the trip, noticing how the landscape had changed with the incoming summertime. Romanians appreciate camping, swimming in rivers and hiking, and the season for all that seemed to have begun. We spied many families enjoying the great outdoors from the train. Forests, waterfalls, great rivers and farmland accompanied us, leading the way to Oradea. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_iJzeG15hG-8TVpWCFTheIJNqJD-Ldc-Fgu9qug3xRTNL_5yOHXYXdS2R7cGc93SzZQFdjftcWU2E3PDbyspA6pbXUYJ4CfMhnBmktevTL3CXNLeHkOGB79Il8BKXeh6m_bj-s--JHdqhQcNOYqBKxpNJp6GgdFmDFPjtewlk6vZ_GesKgihklYfkA/s4000/cluj%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2267" data-original-width="4000" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_iJzeG15hG-8TVpWCFTheIJNqJD-Ldc-Fgu9qug3xRTNL_5yOHXYXdS2R7cGc93SzZQFdjftcWU2E3PDbyspA6pbXUYJ4CfMhnBmktevTL3CXNLeHkOGB79Il8BKXeh6m_bj-s--JHdqhQcNOYqBKxpNJp6GgdFmDFPjtewlk6vZ_GesKgihklYfkA/w640-h362/cluj%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the train trip to Oradea, Bihor region, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Oradea was appealing to us, as we had decided to give travelling in Hungary a miss due to high costs there. A second best choice (or maybe even better) was Oradea, a city on the border with Hungary with a high Hungarian population (around 25%) and Hungarian culture with different language, food and architecture to other regions in Romania. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jo3jElaZf2gIMpSjJHshJY51Qi0YqdIX4CLWcNTgM-T-7xrpm5TmQSMtss27JQ28pTwBd2iENGfIE_gl_RpKQzNRpEJJ3K5SK5KUCOPuQh4DcsbVak_0eVjY_vRImKh49X7bjLf5mXv6oUPZws0SOY8jVQoHS_Cl9NVWLtYnsT2M4W5TaR4QEaTZ8Q/s3928/IMG_1672.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="3928" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jo3jElaZf2gIMpSjJHshJY51Qi0YqdIX4CLWcNTgM-T-7xrpm5TmQSMtss27JQ28pTwBd2iENGfIE_gl_RpKQzNRpEJJ3K5SK5KUCOPuQh4DcsbVak_0eVjY_vRImKh49X7bjLf5mXv6oUPZws0SOY8jVQoHS_Cl9NVWLtYnsT2M4W5TaR4QEaTZ8Q/w640-h480/IMG_1672.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungarian influence, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-irVbiDOPIPtyccraiKgKSj5PXoAacBcz5gZ2Y9E0PJLgwE1AHsJMnqIbo3jq9wsMGzRX5LqCYv1rEtoReQwu7od-_61GcKwR2NcJMHpbDTOSGTjHk7U3e8fDyDSCYBVhZf1WAdG4e1xXLPFe2lwGSD88zTFYJD3BKRaBUPzhft8Q3CkhEgiFedbog/s3792/IMG_1712.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2844" data-original-width="3792" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-irVbiDOPIPtyccraiKgKSj5PXoAacBcz5gZ2Y9E0PJLgwE1AHsJMnqIbo3jq9wsMGzRX5LqCYv1rEtoReQwu7od-_61GcKwR2NcJMHpbDTOSGTjHk7U3e8fDyDSCYBVhZf1WAdG4e1xXLPFe2lwGSD88zTFYJD3BKRaBUPzhft8Q3CkhEgiFedbog/w640-h480/IMG_1712.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful detail on building, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvZqhsVSe_IVHWvkEafNwXj6qWz90g6SEJ1cxakC7AJH53Vy9Z4gJZs7G2cz2cLGe5jXYJJKuTu5DE2M0XCc7KazrfsAoNQQJvSCO93f7-Wad9A-a2XY2CROUadkdtuhau7PQwZC64YWlP9cmjJceSzoaRcZ0uAyJ34Hy2_zvVQWVp4SQFmxK2T34vw/s4704/IMG_8934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2730" data-original-width="4704" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvZqhsVSe_IVHWvkEafNwXj6qWz90g6SEJ1cxakC7AJH53Vy9Z4gJZs7G2cz2cLGe5jXYJJKuTu5DE2M0XCc7KazrfsAoNQQJvSCO93f7-Wad9A-a2XY2CROUadkdtuhau7PQwZC64YWlP9cmjJceSzoaRcZ0uAyJ34Hy2_zvVQWVp4SQFmxK2T34vw/w640-h372/IMG_8934.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grandeur of Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXtTXu8jpPMuGh6R-HGMK6EW2tbEjFmY0ZPMlRc1hr-ziOlyAOC40QOteSoLb_yjpUYlcGdYaCt6ELn_F4QBjRkLLTWQhj3qeQJTN0uw9jA35ISXzyuRWpbEEpaVbKiLfLZa9LZi1zViQsTXAecMwjOOlOsZyRWIwGdeCSCk8g7O40LlFJI8sdz8zDg/s3880/IMG_1755.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3880" data-original-width="2869" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXtTXu8jpPMuGh6R-HGMK6EW2tbEjFmY0ZPMlRc1hr-ziOlyAOC40QOteSoLb_yjpUYlcGdYaCt6ELn_F4QBjRkLLTWQhj3qeQJTN0uw9jA35ISXzyuRWpbEEpaVbKiLfLZa9LZi1zViQsTXAecMwjOOlOsZyRWIwGdeCSCk8g7O40LlFJI8sdz8zDg/w474-h640/IMG_1755.jpg" width="474" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attractive window, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_yUQYFgK6GgKgw9viJEFXq3064l_k8fily6fqZZWw0qoNivfyiXVyxewazQQsO5AvNbCqO_HStQqUKMOKkr3NIxHwA2Ex1lY84a_b-mc7-hg-Bf_fJhm1pXk_LYhur9hS7aeA0a5T4CCKqKqThIHDk8EUHQqdU1CpqVcfz1UG9BnSmZT8M0tG7oasQ/s3744/IMG_1689.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="2808" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_yUQYFgK6GgKgw9viJEFXq3064l_k8fily6fqZZWw0qoNivfyiXVyxewazQQsO5AvNbCqO_HStQqUKMOKkr3NIxHwA2Ex1lY84a_b-mc7-hg-Bf_fJhm1pXk_LYhur9hS7aeA0a5T4CCKqKqThIHDk8EUHQqdU1CpqVcfz1UG9BnSmZT8M0tG7oasQ/w480-h640/IMG_1689.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Our lovely apartment was a stone's throw from Oradea's main river, the Crisul Repede, and not too far from not one but two fabulous markets. Now we could really see the summer season fruits coming fast- berries of all sorts, including gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries and redcurrants. Even some stone fruit was making an appearance with rougey and juicy apricots being the star highlight. We had to hunt around a bit for <i>palinca </i>(Romanian plum liquor), as it was apparently not legal to sell over the counter. This seemed odd to us, as in every other market we had visited in Romania, it had been on full display. Eventually, after asking around, we found a fruit seller who furtively nipped outside and returned with a litre of the stuff for us to buy. The apartment neighbourhood was super quiet, and we were lucky enough to be staying in a socialist-era flat, that had been jazzed up inside to be modern and comfortable.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_dl3Qs9qsstXW4xbkK6ZdLDMo0al8WWrYR4An0NKAbhTnODOpxhNf7YEKROmoQKGunxwM5KF0FrM-UEwwEBzhYaZSubQ1nP_LcrZUKvSab4BrWQp7Gt-6vctatuDgO6HmRDV4sZvCMxXJkbW0Oznnrp5eCCNMi1tRgLEMvI3ppEWNPZ-w2mVCVV3YA/s4884/IMG_8931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3207" data-original-width="4884" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_dl3Qs9qsstXW4xbkK6ZdLDMo0al8WWrYR4An0NKAbhTnODOpxhNf7YEKROmoQKGunxwM5KF0FrM-UEwwEBzhYaZSubQ1nP_LcrZUKvSab4BrWQp7Gt-6vctatuDgO6HmRDV4sZvCMxXJkbW0Oznnrp5eCCNMi1tRgLEMvI3ppEWNPZ-w2mVCVV3YA/w640-h420/IMG_8931.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serene fishing scene, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONYNYurq1kxum-HD9mFbMfD8faXNIE7nVZg5212X4UJr7jv9T1-SpKPcAqUWfa1BBQ2HrNNSFIc5_GK3J_olykLCfKWauO68BACyNJsqDyDq5-GnkHfnUReG26X9vaKVKepCBzYjtg6QqbEmpLo79dZNxSeVLgy-LKPGeEbw_otzpo756t6Z9vvCPgw/s4000/IMG_1666.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONYNYurq1kxum-HD9mFbMfD8faXNIE7nVZg5212X4UJr7jv9T1-SpKPcAqUWfa1BBQ2HrNNSFIc5_GK3J_olykLCfKWauO68BACyNJsqDyDq5-GnkHfnUReG26X9vaKVKepCBzYjtg6QqbEmpLo79dZNxSeVLgy-LKPGeEbw_otzpo756t6Z9vvCPgw/w640-h480/IMG_1666.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blessed are the cheese makers, Funny hats worn by cheese merchants, Oradea market</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLxR8EAvdFU46pJJpDncD0nmMjhypoLLQNPqUMeyI9pxFFh3Rafu5Ed-ChJIUH14SOKIn_ZyCPL4kWUpHRj2b8cbZRAvw-EigBjSSy0pMydQ7wJ5fM62a7Bkgi737c1kBQphfOSvtImml2SkktRLfDWn8kNyH857aS4cNEdR1cZ9SVK-MlJYNeAKRnA/s4000/IMG_1671.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLxR8EAvdFU46pJJpDncD0nmMjhypoLLQNPqUMeyI9pxFFh3Rafu5Ed-ChJIUH14SOKIn_ZyCPL4kWUpHRj2b8cbZRAvw-EigBjSSy0pMydQ7wJ5fM62a7Bkgi737c1kBQphfOSvtImml2SkktRLfDWn8kNyH857aS4cNEdR1cZ9SVK-MlJYNeAKRnA/w640-h480/IMG_1671.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bits and pieces sold at Oradea market, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6e8UjZ1y9mhBXmV5gAfCwWpMZrHbiMFnSnyitR4byhEcdvL4Tm5Wa00JHeDXQ_wBfiR6VeP-QyXgmXIWuYzkjueVllbaTmQqjFAq9jjXCOpw96Nqn7FVSDMiKsWaWCqC1pl7r41GDeiWHAooW7GfDMHN8vzCneDrahpfv26RziQBjfJRZ-XacT7SBQ/s4000/IMG_1679.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2582" data-original-width="4000" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6e8UjZ1y9mhBXmV5gAfCwWpMZrHbiMFnSnyitR4byhEcdvL4Tm5Wa00JHeDXQ_wBfiR6VeP-QyXgmXIWuYzkjueVllbaTmQqjFAq9jjXCOpw96Nqn7FVSDMiKsWaWCqC1pl7r41GDeiWHAooW7GfDMHN8vzCneDrahpfv26RziQBjfJRZ-XacT7SBQ/w640-h414/IMG_1679.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of our favourites, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Oradea is mainly famous for it's many grand buildings in the baroque style (which didn't excite us greatly), and Art Nouveau style (which did!). Art Nouveau is also called Secession in this Austro-Hungarian influenced part of the world, and dates roughly from the late 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfwPGi7U0POaYF4WlI9mz2EvNbYz_9t5QrDPKLXqU2uXkMsHHrcO_52xnYBVYoZFdw7FQdJDKl8qyA3uQOWZY3GFi3qAhJNDKoWKsjvAU4Dc3u5CDpBzMbWaUe0Lm4CzyGXDy3PoZFShzcjc96QyP0dbacKaAQB5VHoLLOOcnIyoOHZwFUxLvjRQxjA/s4000/IMG_1739.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; outline-width: 0px; user-select: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfwPGi7U0POaYF4WlI9mz2EvNbYz_9t5QrDPKLXqU2uXkMsHHrcO_52xnYBVYoZFdw7FQdJDKl8qyA3uQOWZY3GFi3qAhJNDKoWKsjvAU4Dc3u5CDpBzMbWaUe0Lm4CzyGXDy3PoZFShzcjc96QyP0dbacKaAQB5VHoLLOOcnIyoOHZwFUxLvjRQxjA/w480-h640/IMG_1739.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baroque church with Hungarian Lazlo out the front, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVpb06yg3U1bI5BAaczNzPOsu_7ydnXVdGYgDL8jvfMUqa7AnNI4lnQPhp2DCkGeXHcGaEAxLaaTOBa60pKGwqWyTXVT9dT-RGRX7yH1BZwqA3KxAJYil14To_pWw_xag3Za95_lKLjCa5e2VY3NW5Ez2eTL8pi4xwUIOaD9FKwsodr0pdVWR9dXNGw/s4000/IMG_1747.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVpb06yg3U1bI5BAaczNzPOsu_7ydnXVdGYgDL8jvfMUqa7AnNI4lnQPhp2DCkGeXHcGaEAxLaaTOBa60pKGwqWyTXVT9dT-RGRX7yH1BZwqA3KxAJYil14To_pWw_xag3Za95_lKLjCa5e2VY3NW5Ez2eTL8pi4xwUIOaD9FKwsodr0pdVWR9dXNGw/w640-h480/IMG_1747.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rare piece of Communist era art, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAD1J2Z0O68L_YpfqGlRDfqAkeJgqKKNJ5lcmObhFfukwPIoTEXQlptcZKsuGtCqOZPKgzCpdnprl7u7hi8eJEPckI0HxIzdORF6o1lX3jpOQ6ncE64wAaMieNwkUSlangrCKyq26eyZqZAhoLfuZaPd9Zvj_v00KAyni8Ca93ibe0_vkuEoBaF5kXZw/s4773/IMG_8933.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4773" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAD1J2Z0O68L_YpfqGlRDfqAkeJgqKKNJ5lcmObhFfukwPIoTEXQlptcZKsuGtCqOZPKgzCpdnprl7u7hi8eJEPckI0HxIzdORF6o1lX3jpOQ6ncE64wAaMieNwkUSlangrCKyq26eyZqZAhoLfuZaPd9Zvj_v00KAyni8Ca93ibe0_vkuEoBaF5kXZw/w464-h640/IMG_8933.jpg" width="464" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing with a view of the main town, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OS-Ya2wd-Y7BjYkr8bk8NlCA8TLfmg6RkxZiPdjEzYKRFXY-TBHrmEa0jfiSukMFTGCSLOoaq1wBAivzvHbClKkWhIyLE75WlAAxGjVu29Q6JDLCTlaDjMEWZgXdpiddO2sQouF0azbH4QkmEGny5w9k5LfftU1Bk_sDFzGlfQ5r8SoHqyDuBwqLyg/s4000/IMG_1759.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OS-Ya2wd-Y7BjYkr8bk8NlCA8TLfmg6RkxZiPdjEzYKRFXY-TBHrmEa0jfiSukMFTGCSLOoaq1wBAivzvHbClKkWhIyLE75WlAAxGjVu29Q6JDLCTlaDjMEWZgXdpiddO2sQouF0azbH4QkmEGny5w9k5LfftU1Bk_sDFzGlfQ5r8SoHqyDuBwqLyg/w640-h480/IMG_1759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contrasting architecture from the 1960s, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p><br /></p><p>The wealthy city was extremely pleasant for summer wanderings through small parks, over picturesque bridges, pedestrianized café precincts and around soaring palaces and giant imposing town squares. But the old town did have a bit of a sanitized feeling, without much character to it, despite the history. The back streets were home to some slightly tatty dwellings with more personality, but on the whole when comparing those in Oradea with, for example, the wonderful <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2016/05/porty-mcportface-coimbra-and-porto.html" target="_blank">Art Nouveau streets of Porto</a>, it felt a little dry.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJnnrRY731Yl1izBk1Dam13XrO0IzekP_F42feuUc3PaK4Ac1IKoSzZ9iWCSkC4uPzCcs1J5aVumurRjT97_UBFMJaa1ts6rAT6vIXIzQEmeClZzb48cmPMWaMmZ8_liQSWXc51FEacZtCkfLl25Dm5gLeCRxlS3a6eiaqzNJybEniKnkkNsQUjAAtw/s4000/IMG_1699.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJnnrRY731Yl1izBk1Dam13XrO0IzekP_F42feuUc3PaK4Ac1IKoSzZ9iWCSkC4uPzCcs1J5aVumurRjT97_UBFMJaa1ts6rAT6vIXIzQEmeClZzb48cmPMWaMmZ8_liQSWXc51FEacZtCkfLl25Dm5gLeCRxlS3a6eiaqzNJybEniKnkkNsQUjAAtw/w640-h480/IMG_1699.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old beauty being renovated in the centre of Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79RkxkSRN472z713x9NXYY94xJqdHmiQH35gzJa1hT9UFKq4HKBQKqqK47maifkxVOqvW0z3lbpn_sKf5ejp3k_W-SUiTtvapqhwMG_4iENr-N7yGCs8uYjsoT60P3BzFxSbNxYv3XgiefTdfXBjNjdpVT4EXwnrY_xH20LpjP_uyq2aWVrPwTHYlfw/s4000/IMG_1727.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79RkxkSRN472z713x9NXYY94xJqdHmiQH35gzJa1hT9UFKq4HKBQKqqK47maifkxVOqvW0z3lbpn_sKf5ejp3k_W-SUiTtvapqhwMG_4iENr-N7yGCs8uYjsoT60P3BzFxSbNxYv3XgiefTdfXBjNjdpVT4EXwnrY_xH20LpjP_uyq2aWVrPwTHYlfw/w640-h480/IMG_1727.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slightly shabby (building, not Rich), Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrfIMoGlLjLjOIlz59gv3YJr1rOjf3GkZz9EmNTD6x17OxG3XQY7a7i-jZZpc2kcUWE0VGQWER4QTMO6N6yvWeroMAoc90aJKTYCAl5qBhXTd_78DD6LpRQlyV4XlI6arT6PsUo8ksQ76ftemiaUMKUb1Zol_0fNne-jey-ufhRyaftmaBoAA6ECs5A/s4000/IMG_1743.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrfIMoGlLjLjOIlz59gv3YJr1rOjf3GkZz9EmNTD6x17OxG3XQY7a7i-jZZpc2kcUWE0VGQWER4QTMO6N6yvWeroMAoc90aJKTYCAl5qBhXTd_78DD6LpRQlyV4XlI6arT6PsUo8ksQ76ftemiaUMKUb1Zol_0fNne-jey-ufhRyaftmaBoAA6ECs5A/w480-h640/IMG_1743.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorious door, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MHpsfbmWhX2v-GErnirygWzlK5S4-7slnFDPtdQP6G7MSnA-_lecIB-RIMnt98PGhU1VZKSlWt3b2dZAUpkaTNuvc8MjmNzAWce4qoRooDtDOVeodwTHYXJdNWPyLpJJqpN9F9TUbwmKc9kkkWABHJQaY0ZLcYnFB2C_93bCkvhGf8x4T3nd1scaJA/s3944/IMG_1776.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3944" data-original-width="2833" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MHpsfbmWhX2v-GErnirygWzlK5S4-7slnFDPtdQP6G7MSnA-_lecIB-RIMnt98PGhU1VZKSlWt3b2dZAUpkaTNuvc8MjmNzAWce4qoRooDtDOVeodwTHYXJdNWPyLpJJqpN9F9TUbwmKc9kkkWABHJQaY0ZLcYnFB2C_93bCkvhGf8x4T3nd1scaJA/w460-h640/IMG_1776.jpg" width="460" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely scruffy Art Nouveau example on the back streets, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidusIaq2A7bHuZYPrxV3EeM3ztLW0lyPXmhFSH0zpuv2UEBNSbMD4t88hCFXkbBa3rKNdDJBV2J0FI3Stux94mLS5AeSwPwjJYz--pslRwlKS-bWgF3oyNVeU-3EZWlPv6xMaqh9UV2axkjRAd7RNo96iu6J0S0hL5p5d5mNUnRuYJmuh8bVv_Eg5qoQ/s4395/IMG_8937.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4395" data-original-width="3344" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidusIaq2A7bHuZYPrxV3EeM3ztLW0lyPXmhFSH0zpuv2UEBNSbMD4t88hCFXkbBa3rKNdDJBV2J0FI3Stux94mLS5AeSwPwjJYz--pslRwlKS-bWgF3oyNVeU-3EZWlPv6xMaqh9UV2axkjRAd7RNo96iu6J0S0hL5p5d5mNUnRuYJmuh8bVv_Eg5qoQ/w486-h640/IMG_8937.jpg" width="486" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy wanderings in Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlp3roTtaDhR5dv_kahe9EKaRvYjbfYvkV983F4P_n8tz58_rmDlgDZIBEsY1AuHCIy4Rii01oEUa2fXhIINaggk-C8P43pWxlclmi5Ow_N9GweZZsxxgKKL24qvSYGCKofGUM5kcV0LyUO3TUpbdirtua1fHKIb84N8Vyp1sycP7YEfDtrrYAYPw2A/s4812/IMG_8949.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3208" data-original-width="4812" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlp3roTtaDhR5dv_kahe9EKaRvYjbfYvkV983F4P_n8tz58_rmDlgDZIBEsY1AuHCIy4Rii01oEUa2fXhIINaggk-C8P43pWxlclmi5Ow_N9GweZZsxxgKKL24qvSYGCKofGUM5kcV0LyUO3TUpbdirtua1fHKIb84N8Vyp1sycP7YEfDtrrYAYPw2A/w640-h426/IMG_8949.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>A few architectural highlights that were elevated above the rest were the Hotel Astoria and the similarly styled Black Eagle Palace, the bar strip inside the latter's stunning interior presently being renovated. Both featured whimsical curved windows, rounded shapes and light green tiles. The unique Roman Orthodox Luna Church had a sphere built into the tower showing the current moon phase, which was kind of cool. Piata Unirii really was splendid - a huge square surrounded by multitudes of stately leftovers from the Austro-Hungarian empire, with turrets, spires and towers galore, and the highlight of Oradea's architectural scene.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89G8PiuNdR7m4GtI9GxgdqDzjsiMt3OipwAfLYmu3woMzvlXb2a0KfuDnPLlOppfeSYLKcTWjlNiIj54yQEQUlKsX9rtriXL7t3IvIIztf45JOcilVby6NMiG0cBtTbsmYuf5yJBHUSR4kczf9wGsJPEW6nieCCfW_WUIc3bbPRUIxaAV3D1z00zusA/s3744/IMG_1701.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="2808" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89G8PiuNdR7m4GtI9GxgdqDzjsiMt3OipwAfLYmu3woMzvlXb2a0KfuDnPLlOppfeSYLKcTWjlNiIj54yQEQUlKsX9rtriXL7t3IvIIztf45JOcilVby6NMiG0cBtTbsmYuf5yJBHUSR4kczf9wGsJPEW6nieCCfW_WUIc3bbPRUIxaAV3D1z00zusA/w480-h640/IMG_1701.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Luna Church and it's moon phase display, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEF68BRCYyStxG-lpbVZvqMVyfAvUKCkcZ_I3QzS0AcwGgPOnNk3vHPX4biYNoNBoDPzQFZnSgAcnArSNZzQG-LIbV8qD5xlVlzvvtApsoufvQqKsKzN8qiAMEjKAGWVc6FOhQLBJZwjO93KtQPHTlgBkPKY9HP38m4l8BYqef3jmCOWCy5dDjZJR-g/s4000/IMG_1710.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEF68BRCYyStxG-lpbVZvqMVyfAvUKCkcZ_I3QzS0AcwGgPOnNk3vHPX4biYNoNBoDPzQFZnSgAcnArSNZzQG-LIbV8qD5xlVlzvvtApsoufvQqKsKzN8qiAMEjKAGWVc6FOhQLBJZwjO93KtQPHTlgBkPKY9HP38m4l8BYqef3jmCOWCy5dDjZJR-g/w640-h480/IMG_1710.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piata Unririi, a grand square, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTM77IsO5TlfDHihilVaYMhOgsPhiEBBbLJ6_mjronGArV-U8dZiJyEkU27qCMCxgtiMdHfv01GgQpnl1hmTtzmabatoXiacznbq031P7aYxEobeulN8_RHUC52JJXrhMWXMuKXYT-eYzv0DPDX8jWT7vNbPNLM6IluOhQ-rItM-tQBIUlIElLQq1GQ/s4000/IMG_1719.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTM77IsO5TlfDHihilVaYMhOgsPhiEBBbLJ6_mjronGArV-U8dZiJyEkU27qCMCxgtiMdHfv01GgQpnl1hmTtzmabatoXiacznbq031P7aYxEobeulN8_RHUC52JJXrhMWXMuKXYT-eYzv0DPDX8jWT7vNbPNLM6IluOhQ-rItM-tQBIUlIElLQq1GQ/w480-h640/IMG_1719.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Splendid interior of Black Eagle Palace, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQA0mzRlCdb7iGZDHywyRD56tUMa2ospxUYNPmC82DUf00nnVyls81oBwdjia-20Aek_wfXekIbBz4807qQ_IcidWsTwfPHyxYjb58QYJ8E0PppOUC2nmmjAp8SZpUFzIDjttfr_Lf1AqtBAtqOWN-tb8XTwIyHfEyAaM1O155gUeYLTXHrU9jEOBNA/s3982/IMG_1723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3982" data-original-width="2986" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQA0mzRlCdb7iGZDHywyRD56tUMa2ospxUYNPmC82DUf00nnVyls81oBwdjia-20Aek_wfXekIbBz4807qQ_IcidWsTwfPHyxYjb58QYJ8E0PppOUC2nmmjAp8SZpUFzIDjttfr_Lf1AqtBAtqOWN-tb8XTwIyHfEyAaM1O155gUeYLTXHrU9jEOBNA/w480-h640/IMG_1723.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautifully detailed features on every building, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2H5GUKMlNom-DO4zUAu2S39L5I3vxfu3Tc595axbrJyRqNm5Rom5u-fEJUMFAgHrU1VaJmFSpjcCakRm0eSNr8I7GPz2LE_BwzUEiXHNCkQAKwHVRizTkdHOKqxUubjRWe0x1mAHlxw83E-x60W8xm9x2sXJWLEjyZYVMG1QLYU9xv43Ch2i7p4CF7Q/s3792/IMG_1733.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3792" data-original-width="2844" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2H5GUKMlNom-DO4zUAu2S39L5I3vxfu3Tc595axbrJyRqNm5Rom5u-fEJUMFAgHrU1VaJmFSpjcCakRm0eSNr8I7GPz2LE_BwzUEiXHNCkQAKwHVRizTkdHOKqxUubjRWe0x1mAHlxw83E-x60W8xm9x2sXJWLEjyZYVMG1QLYU9xv43Ch2i7p4CF7Q/w480-h640/IMG_1733.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stately Grand Astoria Hotel, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMn0xIkx_sPghxVqOmmf_-N8WaCnjcWGpwUWIpIMiVH4zJu7WH4v4XFl7Hk-JT_U64BCZvONC6SmZOIuJg046YPgr2K-288Ts-tMTzKPNc1LREvaMVUG2koQtMeYjoiDGe0eIZpQ4Tajl8t1LvbIWNXk30Rulx-PA7ang2h4n2DHRi3NdtntOUmQdWA/s3928/IMG_1734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3928" data-original-width="2946" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMn0xIkx_sPghxVqOmmf_-N8WaCnjcWGpwUWIpIMiVH4zJu7WH4v4XFl7Hk-JT_U64BCZvONC6SmZOIuJg046YPgr2K-288Ts-tMTzKPNc1LREvaMVUG2koQtMeYjoiDGe0eIZpQ4Tajl8t1LvbIWNXk30Rulx-PA7ang2h4n2DHRi3NdtntOUmQdWA/w480-h640/IMG_1734.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYWFN83XWUn2uNIm0C4xl2s5DUNfXyBbKYmAFS0FgvrMP56xuuHsZbPd7iPULcTaN2fFw5xsB-xxizhtVqvvPoAKoYqMfZMW9z1-rUb5-0wRBsT8jTHhBy_pZg7xMDfW1juntURAcnPubHoamC-Dsw9thtSW79W9Vv7EURoqm_mKWnCFPp-LrWiFZOg/s3028/IMG_1754.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2720" data-original-width="3028" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYWFN83XWUn2uNIm0C4xl2s5DUNfXyBbKYmAFS0FgvrMP56xuuHsZbPd7iPULcTaN2fFw5xsB-xxizhtVqvvPoAKoYqMfZMW9z1-rUb5-0wRBsT8jTHhBy_pZg7xMDfW1juntURAcnPubHoamC-Dsw9thtSW79W9Vv7EURoqm_mKWnCFPp-LrWiFZOg/w640-h574/IMG_1754.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTV850WBxgRdzmbIjvxLCoaNdaXlWCAKvhsQ1nl7_2CE3e_GHRe6C9obtiVj1oYtIVhXSxGG1cbEa6PR_Nz3wfzyNdhMsmWFGigI2J5-AiDbvfiVA05kKDuse5ZLbSLRIAAM1LgQVK_eWdWveK6Wt7neWCqFJKAZydqTV3Hu1wcn13YBrpRG-LyJXWZA/s3524/IMG_1781.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3524" data-original-width="2641" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTV850WBxgRdzmbIjvxLCoaNdaXlWCAKvhsQ1nl7_2CE3e_GHRe6C9obtiVj1oYtIVhXSxGG1cbEa6PR_Nz3wfzyNdhMsmWFGigI2J5-AiDbvfiVA05kKDuse5ZLbSLRIAAM1LgQVK_eWdWveK6Wt7neWCqFJKAZydqTV3Hu1wcn13YBrpRG-LyJXWZA/w480-h640/IMG_1781.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUXZ2ydqh29d5baSfSHct21v1-LonvdRymdtzYeqCvfIpPuJCDs3pFHY3xgLdXjymk4uYWW-dGHQ6hqDNiimZ81jMuXngQXPR-9w55r2z74N0T4D2KLUCWi10o5XzkmaGP4rDG093R34XSaxJtbC_EV_WGvWEY9ECLr2UY5h_Qvl0XZ0N0-vEuxP5kw/s4357/IMG_8946.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3334" data-original-width="4357" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUXZ2ydqh29d5baSfSHct21v1-LonvdRymdtzYeqCvfIpPuJCDs3pFHY3xgLdXjymk4uYWW-dGHQ6hqDNiimZ81jMuXngQXPR-9w55r2z74N0T4D2KLUCWi10o5XzkmaGP4rDG093R34XSaxJtbC_EV_WGvWEY9ECLr2UY5h_Qvl0XZ0N0-vEuxP5kw/w640-h490/IMG_8946.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard continues his quest for lovely man hole covers!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Another day was spent at the Communist-era public pool, a communal place with several sulphur smelling pools, plenty of grassy space with trees for shade, a sports areas, a beer tent (of course!), and mostly fit elderly locals there on the weekday on which we visited. The vitamin D boost was most welcome, and we were reminded of how heat loving Eastern Europeans in landlocked countries are determined to get their sun fix!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjil5OflSMlETkmBWVcnQRBwwCVoOTRnDMHVIKw3LJkW0GpfCGZdO-U-7DTTC2T_Wltds9i-_RZWC0x8zOKvTYEgnq3PBvh6lmrqc07gZerFlNAiG0FueneC2CyKAbklAgNr7TcQxTD-l7PnbfonaI0Tm10nsDOTVP6zarS3Puj_79qoWPEi_fwr5wBw/s4000/IMG_1736.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjil5OflSMlETkmBWVcnQRBwwCVoOTRnDMHVIKw3LJkW0GpfCGZdO-U-7DTTC2T_Wltds9i-_RZWC0x8zOKvTYEgnq3PBvh6lmrqc07gZerFlNAiG0FueneC2CyKAbklAgNr7TcQxTD-l7PnbfonaI0Tm10nsDOTVP6zarS3Puj_79qoWPEi_fwr5wBw/w640-h480/IMG_1736.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A day at the socialist pool, Oradea, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>We knew the day we travelled from Romania to Serbia would be a big one. For some weird reason (probably political), there is no public transport between Romania and Serbia, despite a train line being in place. This is a bit of a theme with Serbia, with train lines to Hungary, Bosnia, Croatia, North Macedonia and Bulgaria also being closed from Serbia. Very frustrating for train lovers such as us. Anyway, without even a bus option between Romania and Serbia, we decided to take the train and bus route through Hungary. As previously mentioned, we had decided not to stop in Hungary due to high costs there, and head straight on through to Northern Serbia. </p><p>It was unbelievable, in a way, that during our tram ride, four different trains and a shuttle bus during the eight hour travel day, nothing was late, everything arrived as scheduled, and we made all the connections without encountering any problems. There is no way we would ever plan a trip like that in Asia- you couldn't rely on things being so punctual.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjGlLPo66xwU-Z2cHJuyG-6MtxgjQyVOjIuICZ0ZToUrA3cBdZYvc-LIrvSssRqn7Y7S3Qk0QnKmAG-DEUGv4n1f08IMTD9YmDgb3t2nbE0E9IYIZAiIP2Zkt7w2qAhx49bDTPrw30MrAfhGccdx30OjcBF3O0pqUUi3x9ICkWmxfFAUq_V8NdYZjMw/s1482/2022-06-21%2010.16.26%20www.google.com%20e424db6a88fb.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1482" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjGlLPo66xwU-Z2cHJuyG-6MtxgjQyVOjIuICZ0ZToUrA3cBdZYvc-LIrvSssRqn7Y7S3Qk0QnKmAG-DEUGv4n1f08IMTD9YmDgb3t2nbE0E9IYIZAiIP2Zkt7w2qAhx49bDTPrw30MrAfhGccdx30OjcBF3O0pqUUi3x9ICkWmxfFAUq_V8NdYZjMw/w640-h344/2022-06-21%2010.16.26%20www.google.com%20e424db6a88fb.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our route from Romania to Serbia, through Hungary</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgia_WBEAEOBVYvari82jbmhaos1GqvUw49yADJ5X-3FlHaUN4vqh3L_rb9C1_iXq7McyqTImk8lC-OS5KYfoYf7khPCZzXM0qy44iycBkdxYN4m0P8a1gM4VUP12uxnEJyNMznMyfz8c_9R8NHxadHoAyJEfoTfesatzSLbhWurPI5I7S3eI9WK6cJfQ/s4000/IMG_1802.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgia_WBEAEOBVYvari82jbmhaos1GqvUw49yADJ5X-3FlHaUN4vqh3L_rb9C1_iXq7McyqTImk8lC-OS5KYfoYf7khPCZzXM0qy44iycBkdxYN4m0P8a1gM4VUP12uxnEJyNMznMyfz8c_9R8NHxadHoAyJEfoTfesatzSLbhWurPI5I7S3eI9WK6cJfQ/w640-h480/IMG_1802.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tongue twister of a Hungarian place name</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFFP7WxGj3XVbdWfwsNcsK-k7RmDTWjR7AWfEx3NrC4-0OHo-9TUbPHrYq_jzAocZaeBfxQ1QWlA2bHtkUlM4I8waSiL_05ZrpCn09g9HF2aDXVIL9-MY0lmt_Aug6PL0Yhfp5Ph2nyTQNixCTZa2H4nIuGKiZEknikp6Qho9UFQ5fE1M_tmjYpSEow/s4000/IMG_1806.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFFP7WxGj3XVbdWfwsNcsK-k7RmDTWjR7AWfEx3NrC4-0OHo-9TUbPHrYq_jzAocZaeBfxQ1QWlA2bHtkUlM4I8waSiL_05ZrpCn09g9HF2aDXVIL9-MY0lmt_Aug6PL0Yhfp5Ph2nyTQNixCTZa2H4nIuGKiZEknikp6Qho9UFQ5fE1M_tmjYpSEow/w640-h480/IMG_1806.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train happy!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The scenery to the Hungary border was mainly sunflower fields, just coming into flower, and oddly, many bison and buffalo farms. The train waiting to take us across the border was possibly the cutest we have ever seen, and certainly the smallest we have ever travelled on. Inside the interior was old fashioned, with the bathroom looking like it was straight out the 1950s. Once in Hungary, we hardly had time to appreciate the grand stations at Bekescaba and Szeged, before we were whizzing through dry farmland, and eventually arriving back into Serbia. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPHVdwJLy46n4xikh9n9vHVO2o5V4YmeSFbj6CK4mP9IWPAdA083h7qKzmXIvMzCyipSrAPZLYLpKe5x8_lbQhTi6Ps9QT0EWKMIPkq1l45zEbAzA2AQ0f_jKNA90AIVK8pT_EeS9KM8UJRxv2DXMX7rNLwbaKklXeKg2c25CIGG5iT6fOEmAfQ546w/s3938/IMG_1788.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2608" data-original-width="3938" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPHVdwJLy46n4xikh9n9vHVO2o5V4YmeSFbj6CK4mP9IWPAdA083h7qKzmXIvMzCyipSrAPZLYLpKe5x8_lbQhTi6Ps9QT0EWKMIPkq1l45zEbAzA2AQ0f_jKNA90AIVK8pT_EeS9KM8UJRxv2DXMX7rNLwbaKklXeKg2c25CIGG5iT6fOEmAfQ546w/w640-h424/IMG_1788.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny small border train, Romania to Hungary</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1tYIV-MB_v7Mj4_v34ApQNwXT1FyJMQsZl4t5JrH1bv3p0bDbOnR2Qku6UHfbxasiU5qWJSZ4kVRisbqjysLvSionhwbKps9iI20CUwY2ML08ToelPxSO7u3DMwPhDaUm3xp9wyyZSZPJu21TcXGGD6fPD-96RDdKxh-CIKFF6-YhB1o0qmU-5lEig/s4000/IMG_1791.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1tYIV-MB_v7Mj4_v34ApQNwXT1FyJMQsZl4t5JrH1bv3p0bDbOnR2Qku6UHfbxasiU5qWJSZ4kVRisbqjysLvSionhwbKps9iI20CUwY2ML08ToelPxSO7u3DMwPhDaUm3xp9wyyZSZPJu21TcXGGD6fPD-96RDdKxh-CIKFF6-YhB1o0qmU-5lEig/w640-h480/IMG_1791.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only carriage of the cute little border train, Romania to Hungary</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPwOeAsAzYGHjjhc-XlGJoLOmtfQFy31UbkSQLcbQoGruLSMvqcJ9Z1XfYmNTce2LTkWo3ZULsFXWmLlKUI0clCRrrTZ0jIw6BvPv1ynBHCDnCgUqCNG3FqlV_savNL1XUsweGnS4gtOO1hmvY1-P_xoNQPQlfR4YEQKX61ybs_5wSugETueyQLwNhQ/s4000/IMG_1795.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPwOeAsAzYGHjjhc-XlGJoLOmtfQFy31UbkSQLcbQoGruLSMvqcJ9Z1XfYmNTce2LTkWo3ZULsFXWmLlKUI0clCRrrTZ0jIw6BvPv1ynBHCDnCgUqCNG3FqlV_savNL1XUsweGnS4gtOO1hmvY1-P_xoNQPQlfR4YEQKX61ybs_5wSugETueyQLwNhQ/w480-h640/IMG_1795.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the border stamps in this part of the world!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCdITE2pvB_vHAYTtpsatMEwl-CV3o9KhBweqYIKUvi3CSuWxUV8HCLdyGnJP21UZx3b-aE7Frj6LrbzdOtkPZycE8WbY-UySnI97f9MBDRgjcqJ8rrEhsrtLNMpVpgoH_1sGYpTCE0VZHHrlMCi87Nxq4FI5JumZKp0e1m5024EVSOzcRX8lLhU1JA/s4000/IMG_1797.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCdITE2pvB_vHAYTtpsatMEwl-CV3o9KhBweqYIKUvi3CSuWxUV8HCLdyGnJP21UZx3b-aE7Frj6LrbzdOtkPZycE8WbY-UySnI97f9MBDRgjcqJ8rrEhsrtLNMpVpgoH_1sGYpTCE0VZHHrlMCi87Nxq4FI5JumZKp0e1m5024EVSOzcRX8lLhU1JA/w640-h480/IMG_1797.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palatial train station, Bekescaba, Hungary</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0Q1751MPfjXcf8j_lbisHYM_ZDbRk5UImPOI8JXzdi6jM6-Y9QJW039pkTXd2KGUS0oOTUBCPEOGAf5DYY2NCPrFrAqvvfCzqBYsNKvsA7ZNy-jXcG-xZ-bvkvgbxth-glubbWkjGLJXipXDk1tGwjgyIE-QdDudwCs69KYHlYbi1UV-DLZ5KGG7MQ/s3985/IMG_1801.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2718" data-original-width="3985" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0Q1751MPfjXcf8j_lbisHYM_ZDbRk5UImPOI8JXzdi6jM6-Y9QJW039pkTXd2KGUS0oOTUBCPEOGAf5DYY2NCPrFrAqvvfCzqBYsNKvsA7ZNy-jXcG-xZ-bvkvgbxth-glubbWkjGLJXipXDk1tGwjgyIE-QdDudwCs69KYHlYbi1UV-DLZ5KGG7MQ/w640-h436/IMG_1801.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungarian border train station</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>For anyone that is interested, we will be posting the last Romanian blog shortly, with more details on costs, accommodation, travel details and food. Stay tuned!!</p><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/07/re-examining-romania-summing-up-of.html" target="_blank">........details and practical information about travelling in Romania.......</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-44883364569955616522022-06-14T20:27:00.005+08:002022-07-09T16:00:29.267+08:00 DRUNKS ON THE BORDER - Sighetu Marmatiei and surrounds, Maramures, Romania<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-country-life-breb-maramures-romania.html" target="_blank">.......read here about our special time visiting the wonderful village of Breb, Romania........</a></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG-O4KPLmN-vsgsueUWVEKvRhJNaoqOaMatnYR1z_DSjGaOkRWuAhe8LaqtydvRXvNDMSRgfI3sauwdQplOQud4cS5TKHL5XoR8FTDoL_kRywl267EqRTsbpKfICiEThCLmEvShKjGnzfrNG2Edo9q6mQIFKdY7jNUfngb7ni6abfpw8AdzdKrwYt7w/s4000/sapanta%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG-O4KPLmN-vsgsueUWVEKvRhJNaoqOaMatnYR1z_DSjGaOkRWuAhe8LaqtydvRXvNDMSRgfI3sauwdQplOQud4cS5TKHL5XoR8FTDoL_kRywl267EqRTsbpKfICiEThCLmEvShKjGnzfrNG2Edo9q6mQIFKdY7jNUfngb7ni6abfpw8AdzdKrwYt7w/w640-h480/sapanta%20(12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantastic tombstones at Merry Cemetery, Sapanta, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Sighetu Marmatiei was a small town in the far north of Romania, on the border with Ukraine. Our accommodation there was on the outskirts of town, and in many ways we still felt like we were in the country side. Here was the biggest number of horse and carts we had seen yet, an almost constant clip-clop outside our window, with hay and other goods being transported around in the old fashioned way. Bicycles were also an extremely popular form of transport. We noticed in this area, all small local shops had a sort of modest beer garden attached- a courtyard with chairs, tables and umbrella for the mostly workmen that gathered there to drink and chat. We had to laugh at one shop upon spotting two rough looking old boys sharing a bottle of white wine they had just bought and had opened in the shop, with plastic cups. Classy!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpP9Wll6zpLmNqh-xBSo4qVcUKsbVFMgvOWmPdIsED3rzONBS8ijjlLtQf2vtJPXvEzzSYCiTYkPO1LWB2Ggfw67qiIO_K9O4RSZjcrbwbTEH_4XqjgKcHM6Q3P01fnHtAxw8JA5lgKnGdAHXR7-9YBLqwpbGFYk5Z4vi1R7pi-tgg3L0MG3pWMmcsg/s5163/sighetu%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3254" data-original-width="5163" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpP9Wll6zpLmNqh-xBSo4qVcUKsbVFMgvOWmPdIsED3rzONBS8ijjlLtQf2vtJPXvEzzSYCiTYkPO1LWB2Ggfw67qiIO_K9O4RSZjcrbwbTEH_4XqjgKcHM6Q3P01fnHtAxw8JA5lgKnGdAHXR7-9YBLqwpbGFYk5Z4vi1R7pi-tgg3L0MG3pWMmcsg/w640-h404/sighetu%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back streets around our guesthouse, Sighetu Marmatiei</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNXE8MQt60MEiAHLyVEG1GRO4hp16r3PWNNsC1_j9lDPSd5f2mX5WRP8N4Jqko4Qpt5eo_zZW26hljgN575hR2K3mb4JGVyjjdoWUNhvU0TzcmwUbcAT89O2uKVIR8Lu2ndNRtXF-8bc12EHfW3wLBhHnKAqo9RKjq3M0GQznIHS0CtJjgT-YSliMhg/s4863/sighetu%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2756" data-original-width="4863" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNXE8MQt60MEiAHLyVEG1GRO4hp16r3PWNNsC1_j9lDPSd5f2mX5WRP8N4Jqko4Qpt5eo_zZW26hljgN575hR2K3mb4JGVyjjdoWUNhvU0TzcmwUbcAT89O2uKVIR8Lu2ndNRtXF-8bc12EHfW3wLBhHnKAqo9RKjq3M0GQznIHS0CtJjgT-YSliMhg/w640-h362/sighetu%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our train (only kidding!), Sighetu Marmatiei</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqz3HovJJZitSGgJ77S_xjil6Gks3sZjdd3syAQmtYyuoO2W-jQKU95bDctmUjGNLfCPkYGYdWdNQEkl_EzPHYZV35dXMdY0ul9aZwWmTSLCUbg3WQSIWobhc0eDEb0CE_QaXEJsBjL2qZM1aFwppq55cGw3Fc2sAa-w8VqOuRhxIRxxznfE2vK2AXMQ/s4000/sighetu.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqz3HovJJZitSGgJ77S_xjil6Gks3sZjdd3syAQmtYyuoO2W-jQKU95bDctmUjGNLfCPkYGYdWdNQEkl_EzPHYZV35dXMdY0ul9aZwWmTSLCUbg3WQSIWobhc0eDEb0CE_QaXEJsBjL2qZM1aFwppq55cGw3Fc2sAa-w8VqOuRhxIRxxznfE2vK2AXMQ/w640-h480/sighetu.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny train station, Sighetu Marmatiei</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Buses in these parts are few and far between, and finding information about transport online in English is nearly impossible. We decided to give hitch-hiking a go again to get to Barsana, after a successful and easy trip from Breb to Sighetu Marmatiei. We had a succession of lifts, only waiting a few minutes for each one, and briefly met some lovely and diverse people. </p><p>After arriving in the village of Barsana, and enjoying a stroll around the backstreets, we walked up the hill to the peaceful and deserted site of the humble Wooden Church of Barsana. We discovered a sign with the opening hours and entrance fee, but no one attending. We sat on the steps and ate our lunch and waited, and eventually had to summon a young woman who arrived shortly after and showed us around, giving us some history of the place.</p><p>Originally built in another part of Barsana, the church (officially known as The Church of the Presentation of the Virgin) was moved to it's present position and renovated around 1800. It was placed in it's current position- a cemetery for plague victims. The exterior was impressive- Richard was particularly interested in the building technique, with huge, long and thick beams held together with wooden pegs. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWC7Cmt5_SwBWbWJY6m7vlWk8sIViTIpQNzAoUt21eB_ZfIyNQNroFV5KTGZMUHOywT1UoSd1cqlDOj2MChLhPmK9um1CUAHJb4LLi3GK3JtgUDjo1G7GmPnEqk_16TaRgSYcaJMV2StR3Ot1yFCmEZXB0CNb5hV0YRG6IVZ5by7Ubh2Dnhk03FhLfw/s4766/barsana%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4766" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWC7Cmt5_SwBWbWJY6m7vlWk8sIViTIpQNzAoUt21eB_ZfIyNQNroFV5KTGZMUHOywT1UoSd1cqlDOj2MChLhPmK9um1CUAHJb4LLi3GK3JtgUDjo1G7GmPnEqk_16TaRgSYcaJMV2StR3Ot1yFCmEZXB0CNb5hV0YRG6IVZ5by7Ubh2Dnhk03FhLfw/w464-h640/barsana%20(3).jpg" width="464" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quiet location of Barsana Wooden Church</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>But it was the interior we were glad we had persisted with seeing, as it was a unique array of scenes from the Bible characterized by local and amateur artists at the time. Painted in blue, red, white and green, the portrayals were unusual in their style and unlike anything we had seen before. Every surface had been covered, some with intricate and detailed pictures. Unfortunately, a large part of one wall had suffered from damp, and that entire section was missing. The inside was dark, and photos were difficult to take, but we did our best.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnaAM7CH884YIYoeJlkxsI4-SNNRbxgCQ_eFxDm86fbofAp9Wqv2QrDq7915XwPZRPIHsLVKhePfREvjiney5qvnU59j4OENcL3CWcZm3nOpxq2K8G_uvJnl_Hlb4NIBdiT41bn4MVYFVK2tHYUp4CYqb2KGn2FDGa719JnYDef4ys-OIzs7yTY5R9w/s4000/barsana%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnaAM7CH884YIYoeJlkxsI4-SNNRbxgCQ_eFxDm86fbofAp9Wqv2QrDq7915XwPZRPIHsLVKhePfREvjiney5qvnU59j4OENcL3CWcZm3nOpxq2K8G_uvJnl_Hlb4NIBdiT41bn4MVYFVK2tHYUp4CYqb2KGn2FDGa719JnYDef4ys-OIzs7yTY5R9w/w480-h640/barsana%20(1).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eerie eye watching over, Barsana Wooden Church</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIihKd0IjzXAxfaXWcY-wKpzwJZiIMT_rF-K2s6unA2Uh5YgnftenlyZBFd60iVnPFM0biGrgNw94XO47cVvvW7TH23cMlM-LIWriA1WnkmhuzgTUxwfSeuzRfVT_kyWG0rCFmPOn4WtrubN9dyjKLqmtoRQvKZCM5Dy4ANGyJ_JW1R99rv9tW_UJKg/s4000/barsana%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIihKd0IjzXAxfaXWcY-wKpzwJZiIMT_rF-K2s6unA2Uh5YgnftenlyZBFd60iVnPFM0biGrgNw94XO47cVvvW7TH23cMlM-LIWriA1WnkmhuzgTUxwfSeuzRfVT_kyWG0rCFmPOn4WtrubN9dyjKLqmtoRQvKZCM5Dy4ANGyJ_JW1R99rv9tW_UJKg/w640-h480/barsana%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient detailed paintings, Barsana Wooden Church</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHQBbiKo9uY8qp2MpSAcnEZLp4JO-ySp-j-FvzfJW1ByhNX_8BlQ-oA4Q44Y5HU5sjh4ZpEMJnE6JF-gwkfnD6Cxg19w6fV5VjcLwCPvwbhUeAKVJLj0NARliG74D4rCmL7nKKoME0EDcFlwNsjDtFmhTrbKyWUjCZQwvig8MnUapASRthewffkW5PQ/s4000/barsana%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHQBbiKo9uY8qp2MpSAcnEZLp4JO-ySp-j-FvzfJW1ByhNX_8BlQ-oA4Q44Y5HU5sjh4ZpEMJnE6JF-gwkfnD6Cxg19w6fV5VjcLwCPvwbhUeAKVJLj0NARliG74D4rCmL7nKKoME0EDcFlwNsjDtFmhTrbKyWUjCZQwvig8MnUapASRthewffkW5PQ/w640-h480/barsana%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The eyes have it, Barsana Wooden Church</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We actually stayed in two different accommodations in Sighetu (long story!), and on arrival at our digs on the opposite side of town (hitchhiked again), we were immediately given a shot of <i>palinca</i>, although it was 9am- great way to start the day!! The host seemed conscious of building works going on in the complex, and every day appeased us with strong coffees and alcoholic drinks for free- this was our kind of hotel!</p><p>Our day trip to Sapanta was one of the best we had had yet. This stretch of road wasn't as successful for hitch hiking, as there was an established share taxi system in place. So we squashed into a Dacia (Romania's car company) with some others, Sal on Rich's knee, and paid the driver upon arrival. The cost was the same for us as the locals, but we were surprised at the slightly high price. </p><p>Souvenir stalls from the main road showed us the way to Merry Cemetery, an unexpectedly incredible graveyard filled to the brim of colourful tombstones. Apparently one villager started the custom of carving individual tombstones containing pictures of each person and a humorous poem about their lives in 1935. He wanted their lives to be remembered happily. We loved the detail in the carvings, mostly depicting the person's profession, or something they were presumably known for or loved doing. A few funny tombstones showed people drinking in a bar, or just awkwardly standing doing nothing. Mostly the women were weaving and the men were farming, but many other depictions included firemen, miners, soldiers, mothers and cooks, and some showed the manner of death. It was so delightful, and sweet, but also sad- we felt like we saw a piece of these people who had died. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq-NG6_n6f6wmUEdrfKzQBnAmrOpwUlcgRQJAltsNPvnDoDMlfl7n5QJPBang3oNwjJcRev444OqJyYaHcnEUndR0q8pXf9ev_b9_RQeNDa8wyWW2oL7Paw37oj6hjdp5Ic9qA7xSVaErdz7wmd0SbLWLDuA7rb2x5kf7P1poo0iYNcmouGZpPUmo1A/s4320/sapanta%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3144" data-original-width="4320" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq-NG6_n6f6wmUEdrfKzQBnAmrOpwUlcgRQJAltsNPvnDoDMlfl7n5QJPBang3oNwjJcRev444OqJyYaHcnEUndR0q8pXf9ev_b9_RQeNDa8wyWW2oL7Paw37oj6hjdp5Ic9qA7xSVaErdz7wmd0SbLWLDuA7rb2x5kf7P1poo0iYNcmouGZpPUmo1A/w640-h466/sapanta%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleepy stall owner, Sapanta, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQr4HqeHtgx6-Z_0hApI5HRBqW5gDo4uARM1YMtkNkpdmu_BJgWUqKpbCYFspEf7A-fhGlPjqY1OM7TZzZqkBlu2KlzyMcL0jdueZF7vF75IvAMwozR1YquIjCexMGPTwtpwoNO_XBfGd-HW_pDULR44y-WA3016jqolRsjmAl7FSM-S2XpOcgpsFuOQ/s4941/sapanta%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4941" data-original-width="3294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQr4HqeHtgx6-Z_0hApI5HRBqW5gDo4uARM1YMtkNkpdmu_BJgWUqKpbCYFspEf7A-fhGlPjqY1OM7TZzZqkBlu2KlzyMcL0jdueZF7vF75IvAMwozR1YquIjCexMGPTwtpwoNO_XBfGd-HW_pDULR44y-WA3016jqolRsjmAl7FSM-S2XpOcgpsFuOQ/w426-h640/sapanta%20(7).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys interests lay in drinking! Merry Cemetery, Sapanta</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyZ8R9Mst7t5kV1jYDi2M1ZlsZuLrZNzvbnHk6I9Q2-FqNx-RFR7NOldWuOq-MRFCoUNJXTfLfNh30NAbuV1l-MTfqoq4Ba4ckPR2W7Kb1xjcZmQUDce1cZJ3PZj4QjTltbbcccNMyxiFQyFJGxS-eYNB3omHSWMjoKntxhpQKOqNdAZhiI5R5bMflg/s4885/sapanta%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4885" data-original-width="3173" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyZ8R9Mst7t5kV1jYDi2M1ZlsZuLrZNzvbnHk6I9Q2-FqNx-RFR7NOldWuOq-MRFCoUNJXTfLfNh30NAbuV1l-MTfqoq4Ba4ckPR2W7Kb1xjcZmQUDce1cZJ3PZj4QjTltbbcccNMyxiFQyFJGxS-eYNB3omHSWMjoKntxhpQKOqNdAZhiI5R5bMflg/w416-h640/sapanta%20(8).jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Car crash scene, Merry Cemetery, Sapanta</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCI4LxuiFIY06EgqVnq5bLjrLye-0zHkeHVF4RT38qaqQFaVWNGO0LdJF_b_2CuoWu_6NRsdqbE4F9M96k4-SHMd9bqHS9x3ywIXZwxto48Bw9nQaqlAE1p7xK0mgTuajbk8_bHvG6e046xtgZvQz0xXOv7IuHX7iQm-JWMX_79uD6plviuyoIsndV4A/s4000/sapanta%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCI4LxuiFIY06EgqVnq5bLjrLye-0zHkeHVF4RT38qaqQFaVWNGO0LdJF_b_2CuoWu_6NRsdqbE4F9M96k4-SHMd9bqHS9x3ywIXZwxto48Bw9nQaqlAE1p7xK0mgTuajbk8_bHvG6e046xtgZvQz0xXOv7IuHX7iQm-JWMX_79uD6plviuyoIsndV4A/w480-h640/sapanta%20(13).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful church, Merry Cemetery, Sapanta</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhy2mxXM8iMVIy2g4fQg1oOiXH9jzNkS5rn6eB3XuxQpJiQCzWONVvpSByRJgorPb2pYNVooVt_iaFbquhlA7nfb13tWRO0px5zxdcYJwz228fDdCpLclih-2ys11qm4StS-AXFsoCjfb7NK_INhC6AYIZQVkMklxE3nlTWgo44oMy3P2gvUfJJw9Jg/s4000/sapanta%20(14).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhy2mxXM8iMVIy2g4fQg1oOiXH9jzNkS5rn6eB3XuxQpJiQCzWONVvpSByRJgorPb2pYNVooVt_iaFbquhlA7nfb13tWRO0px5zxdcYJwz228fDdCpLclih-2ys11qm4StS-AXFsoCjfb7NK_INhC6AYIZQVkMklxE3nlTWgo44oMy3P2gvUfJJw9Jg/w640-h480/sapanta%20(14).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A drowning? Merry Cemetery, Sapanta</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-gZ7xrJqxm97ilhfe5T2VXwET170IvYx7_ioXjYLRAUU46lCnCQTux8M9sK0A7hibZFyLYm7DM8eHgQr7QTf1EUWVIt0Fvks6JnI77F7uKxWPwfbYPajUQfqZXAQdmKerlvAvKzuus6fbQDBbQGGnc606L3o69m1go21ijChAow4MKTH30wrIftM-g/s4000/sapanta%20(15).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-gZ7xrJqxm97ilhfe5T2VXwET170IvYx7_ioXjYLRAUU46lCnCQTux8M9sK0A7hibZFyLYm7DM8eHgQr7QTf1EUWVIt0Fvks6JnI77F7uKxWPwfbYPajUQfqZXAQdmKerlvAvKzuus6fbQDBbQGGnc606L3o69m1go21ijChAow4MKTH30wrIftM-g/w640-h480/sapanta%20(15).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bartender's lot, Merry Cemetery, Sapanta<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A collection of a few of the hundreds of wonderful headstones at the Merry Cemetery, Sapanta:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxSlS2IbMZTkaVuE9XRuIiBaBMx7NUailXc6BZO7tHLMDFnmgI310vGYFCXY8JDMvBmYOt-4MNEJ-cFbJyRAqFBj0skz0qIY3aofAT6FPoyJDDLhAg8LxREk9uRJ41AhUXaKxriBWOm7Y1D_08lE3PWHObwWoqLK0xTQSbBsJRYNBr1NZsFmc-lhVXw/s2047/carpenter-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2047" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxSlS2IbMZTkaVuE9XRuIiBaBMx7NUailXc6BZO7tHLMDFnmgI310vGYFCXY8JDMvBmYOt-4MNEJ-cFbJyRAqFBj0skz0qIY3aofAT6FPoyJDDLhAg8LxREk9uRJ41AhUXaKxriBWOm7Y1D_08lE3PWHObwWoqLK0xTQSbBsJRYNBr1NZsFmc-lhVXw/w640-h640/carpenter-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_LWDRcw0BlRgZrLWF67fzGRcAW6SopoG_7oi38L7CT_bvVsq6Rr4DYxp6LNT9nsmLjhRI40ON6zXgjQXC70R5n1Bry-LDesjqNg0Mfo8hi_tEX9QBRen5jYGncbPVlemu0XegJ_2DxFJ13_OQZpkTtNRHSMONrlTltj8yobmEu36l4QVHDIQWXtsuw/s2047/soldier-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2047" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_LWDRcw0BlRgZrLWF67fzGRcAW6SopoG_7oi38L7CT_bvVsq6Rr4DYxp6LNT9nsmLjhRI40ON6zXgjQXC70R5n1Bry-LDesjqNg0Mfo8hi_tEX9QBRen5jYGncbPVlemu0XegJ_2DxFJ13_OQZpkTtNRHSMONrlTltj8yobmEu36l4QVHDIQWXtsuw/w640-h640/soldier-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vtS9xanDqDQbFYNcUwH32kSIKFoHwXgciuOSCImqRe8_C5ndVMrh1noGOWQAozU3HwQrWB2V6xkGcv7rhQuTZa5vLoa6FEXTQtncPTPVBWKAPoYVBzLMysPYIvpb1oOdCS7H-dVaqHed1HIjvUIf0-6I7ug12yO0x3eFfwn92aAluaxbF70rsvhbSA/s2047/tractor-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2047" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vtS9xanDqDQbFYNcUwH32kSIKFoHwXgciuOSCImqRe8_C5ndVMrh1noGOWQAozU3HwQrWB2V6xkGcv7rhQuTZa5vLoa6FEXTQtncPTPVBWKAPoYVBzLMysPYIvpb1oOdCS7H-dVaqHed1HIjvUIf0-6I7ug12yO0x3eFfwn92aAluaxbF70rsvhbSA/w640-h640/tractor-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME5ZxatwGoHZTbIa0nTVaUZZWqGDxj1EfLizkANrmapDExA97V9ZC3ONHHKpL-9oK1GyxM2m_zoTMtIojSQkwE7URevQ6vOZsvvJQxIOP2dubKCEtgXkPLyNFy6nS2iKjhu4Idfnj8_0aciYZce1xMMzhnuM6IPa7kzF-_lYmNXVNAqkhmAtBauTHOg/s2047/welder-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline-width: 0px; user-select: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2047" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME5ZxatwGoHZTbIa0nTVaUZZWqGDxj1EfLizkANrmapDExA97V9ZC3ONHHKpL-9oK1GyxM2m_zoTMtIojSQkwE7URevQ6vOZsvvJQxIOP2dubKCEtgXkPLyNFy6nS2iKjhu4Idfnj8_0aciYZce1xMMzhnuM6IPa7kzF-_lYmNXVNAqkhmAtBauTHOg/w640-h640/welder-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>A stroll away was the calm Sapanta-Peri Monastery in a glorious situation down the end of a dead end pastoral path, and surrounded by woods. The unbelievably tall Wooden Church (the tallest in the world, it is claimed) was marvellous, and although the whole complex was deserted and locked up, we were able to enjoy the spectacle of the exterior and wonder at the engineering involved in the building. We wondered around the complex briefly, before exiting via a lovely path. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ldxBzLhsWN_rOXnjUxqoUd-nINXaA0gp_7oR700NAR8xe0f2ZYSIsX5IfH24I4W1dUQ905g78CWES5xXMdhxylN-HGDBqaiYo41Q-RkRd9tsDvLrDvZX6kQw8pklwmw_l3I5rxB9kewRDqJ_fbrPE0aiPH2av7a2KBg8SHm8demYiiPXr20BmRe5lA/s5184/monastary%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ldxBzLhsWN_rOXnjUxqoUd-nINXaA0gp_7oR700NAR8xe0f2ZYSIsX5IfH24I4W1dUQ905g78CWES5xXMdhxylN-HGDBqaiYo41Q-RkRd9tsDvLrDvZX6kQw8pklwmw_l3I5rxB9kewRDqJ_fbrPE0aiPH2av7a2KBg8SHm8demYiiPXr20BmRe5lA/w426-h640/monastary%20(2).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful oak in the small forest, Sapanta-Peri Monastery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YvJ4DezxgEJVKxYfXVI1t4PaaUnGUGk4fkLgtbnEzsItrwqR7uhRTXJ0YiEaZ3uhU0Ai5ikJN1Br_gASN1F0wdxFp_1QsbdajV0psjm1Hqs6zTty2q1I1BTSDCsE3oSKloQ_ot0I-k4k4Z0Sz99ei0zmW-HCpLQzCTupbIsRothUPbqCl7sv5BL5Kg/s3928/IMG_1574%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="3928" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YvJ4DezxgEJVKxYfXVI1t4PaaUnGUGk4fkLgtbnEzsItrwqR7uhRTXJ0YiEaZ3uhU0Ai5ikJN1Br_gASN1F0wdxFp_1QsbdajV0psjm1Hqs6zTty2q1I1BTSDCsE3oSKloQ_ot0I-k4k4Z0Sz99ei0zmW-HCpLQzCTupbIsRothUPbqCl7sv5BL5Kg/w640-h480/IMG_1574%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tallest wooden steeple in the world, Sapanta-Peri Monastery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaBIqOyazUJ4CVIjdkg-J9Q5Pvq9asdxuvE7RycvYlZHFS_yU7Aeu-ZahXwWhJdkvOT6uAdgyt5a5Yqx2r0M5il2GeFyWFsv2W-HdJfqj-3LUxpOX-U-vBR6Tf4gtiyANWL3B6wOYiI6x_Q7Bmr6VkgcO2S5maE0ZiaLuHQDQ06HS2N2Q_vgh3Xz4lw/s4000/monastary%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaBIqOyazUJ4CVIjdkg-J9Q5Pvq9asdxuvE7RycvYlZHFS_yU7Aeu-ZahXwWhJdkvOT6uAdgyt5a5Yqx2r0M5il2GeFyWFsv2W-HdJfqj-3LUxpOX-U-vBR6Tf4gtiyANWL3B6wOYiI6x_Q7Bmr6VkgcO2S5maE0ZiaLuHQDQ06HS2N2Q_vgh3Xz4lw/w640-h480/monastary%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incredible engineering, Sapanta-Peri Monastery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPKnDxa9FLP6A-yfs7un4z_JxiTVTyisqQLiJ-eeYpFrA3awlMqGqQuQ-LhEeDvs4RWrBbUZmE2VqUP4Q8ntZ7IBiKuX74Ci5bQJDfS1qJ_GgTjmWntZACDby8ZPWW9lL7GC09YuFTScOsjeKdvRRdIWjj5vdYAOut5UGHdLUzg2StaV7z60wGJUnzg/s5184/monastary%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPKnDxa9FLP6A-yfs7un4z_JxiTVTyisqQLiJ-eeYpFrA3awlMqGqQuQ-LhEeDvs4RWrBbUZmE2VqUP4Q8ntZ7IBiKuX74Ci5bQJDfS1qJ_GgTjmWntZACDby8ZPWW9lL7GC09YuFTScOsjeKdvRRdIWjj5vdYAOut5UGHdLUzg2StaV7z60wGJUnzg/w640-h426/monastary%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge size of the logs, Sapanta-Peri Monastery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uVY3a6j4NgP26cY6x2PIsvkgPRvMA4rLcmZmyYkCngGOhfUGm-kbjvhfmiOF5_3RpCqahEvWu2M19bEiJ0rdxIp6qV7e56aeWGw0h91gU8ocr-k6TgHCnLd2BEW5KOP0aQJyrUQJQY2XWlFofNPq6aabrkb9Rqs_VrA6YBw3CPb0ykSwFGi2gSXQfg/s4000/monastary%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uVY3a6j4NgP26cY6x2PIsvkgPRvMA4rLcmZmyYkCngGOhfUGm-kbjvhfmiOF5_3RpCqahEvWu2M19bEiJ0rdxIp6qV7e56aeWGw0h91gU8ocr-k6TgHCnLd2BEW5KOP0aQJyrUQJQY2XWlFofNPq6aabrkb9Rqs_VrA6YBw3CPb0ykSwFGi2gSXQfg/w640-h480/monastary%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our pretty path out of Sapanta-Peri Monastery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Other days around Sighetu, we enjoyed checking out the extremely cute and old fashioned town centre. Unlike many of the other old towns we had visited, nothing much had been done to "improve" Sighetu town centre, and as a result, some lovely old retro signs and shops remained giving a daggy and nostalgic atmosphere. We wandered five minutes to the bridge to Ukraine, and found the frontier to be relaxed and quiet. We sat in a café directly in front of the border, and watch a handful of people walk over with bits and pieces they hoped to sell for a profit in more expensive Romania. We noticed that a packet of Ukrainian ciggies were half the price of the Romanian version!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohh0d_Iq4AfDxRb4zzZ52dfimi_SZAYUIpoxIVjsWcHbY7N0tIJMDOHNbOmgiLwQ_FGqAyfNA6ynIazHqfN1Is4DQOe3sXlSQI-HVSRuB3VrpouBx4VvniUWfhXsiDhYt_hHzKtpc55wma-YAnmd3ix1LRKIcuE8tcyenNTGJfMF95-k-6j3CjVRytw/s4000/sighetu%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohh0d_Iq4AfDxRb4zzZ52dfimi_SZAYUIpoxIVjsWcHbY7N0tIJMDOHNbOmgiLwQ_FGqAyfNA6ynIazHqfN1Is4DQOe3sXlSQI-HVSRuB3VrpouBx4VvniUWfhXsiDhYt_hHzKtpc55wma-YAnmd3ix1LRKIcuE8tcyenNTGJfMF95-k-6j3CjVRytw/w640-h480/sighetu%20(12).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grandest building in Sapanta town centre</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The Sighetu central market was brilliant. After a look around and buying some delish local strawberries for 0.80GBP a kilo, we sat in a bar, careful to avoid the drunk slouched at a table behind us, and people watched for a while. Hats galore and ladies in scarves, people were dressed in all sorts of garb, and we loved the little stalls selling tiny amounts of dried beans or bunches of herbs, obviously straight from their own backyards. Other stalls sold in bulk, but really it was mostly strawberries, and locals taking advantage of the season were buying up kilos at a time. People were really nice to us- no English, but plenty of smiles and <i>Buna Ziua</i>s (hello in Romanian). Sitting at the tiny bar with a <i>palinca </i>(we really do enjoy divey bars here!), one Roma man with a mane of hair made friends with Rich, and tried to sell him a huge fur coat. It fitted well, but the wrong time of year!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bHopRvGZ4ewG6g-_8V6u8J3Ffhzeq2l2hIKSFVIVBCB_aqORwNvBFJm52GytXLdATH1FrmxnZtiCRiEA8cfthdf4VKYjAvWCHiw2BmsS3uTBops4WCRIvADeBLynA7DdTO669KJGIsGg1dyvb8gQDSScCnrLj2aTc0rRbhLXu8mShJAumbx9-XHaGA/s4335/sighetu%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="4335" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bHopRvGZ4ewG6g-_8V6u8J3Ffhzeq2l2hIKSFVIVBCB_aqORwNvBFJm52GytXLdATH1FrmxnZtiCRiEA8cfthdf4VKYjAvWCHiw2BmsS3uTBops4WCRIvADeBLynA7DdTO669KJGIsGg1dyvb8gQDSScCnrLj2aTc0rRbhLXu8mShJAumbx9-XHaGA/w640-h430/sighetu%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJzg8iDl0EMs-2M2KdKuIajblwx3gChERH0lNdz0K-9SWrGqKMEjrBoZVUCENTQn7FC7CHM2iNz5gJvVOorM_6l1smYmL_zAcuSC-cAQ5VO-ULg6Rdtr5S1hYd2w3rCIHlIq_jkflGt44j4TYaqU_rR42AeJsGvwDR-lLyNIJH4dqUM3qXcUGQevT-w/s4813/sighetu%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3296" data-original-width="4813" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJzg8iDl0EMs-2M2KdKuIajblwx3gChERH0lNdz0K-9SWrGqKMEjrBoZVUCENTQn7FC7CHM2iNz5gJvVOorM_6l1smYmL_zAcuSC-cAQ5VO-ULg6Rdtr5S1hYd2w3rCIHlIq_jkflGt44j4TYaqU_rR42AeJsGvwDR-lLyNIJH4dqUM3qXcUGQevT-w/w640-h438/sighetu%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberries galore, Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrpSnDYfUjSzZq-YvTK03Ko3DOt3dx7wAYYc2u3144T1nFwuuSixZZyJyeopz7OFAbGGsm2G6JqhyIKglXocGjl11srdH7A7plXjtJ8QMrSPHXU-JfMbyWtCuoEHly8YW4fRuik1DIRd60rxPf5AK77BiQ4aXzqw_r2SYYFUyZMUmBtnvpkSso63OuA/s4749/sighetu%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3279" data-original-width="4749" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrpSnDYfUjSzZq-YvTK03Ko3DOt3dx7wAYYc2u3144T1nFwuuSixZZyJyeopz7OFAbGGsm2G6JqhyIKglXocGjl11srdH7A7plXjtJ8QMrSPHXU-JfMbyWtCuoEHly8YW4fRuik1DIRd60rxPf5AK77BiQ4aXzqw_r2SYYFUyZMUmBtnvpkSso63OuA/w640-h442/sighetu%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12H5UkDd8jA7u4-SAWg3MSo-hAhBUjX0-lLxR12BcahO63KLg2cBqsc0R9Z2LCTLTKuG9cfmFuSOYQRZYNgp_Ltrn4y0wSAmPldo9WJHAuz_LAdXohzErwQyks4Cxn9ExPjGz1zdLewPEJI8l1LJJ5oNinq0_GzunQm05UX3dksedzzaFJXQsQcmj7w/s4167/sighetu%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="4167" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12H5UkDd8jA7u4-SAWg3MSo-hAhBUjX0-lLxR12BcahO63KLg2cBqsc0R9Z2LCTLTKuG9cfmFuSOYQRZYNgp_Ltrn4y0wSAmPldo9WJHAuz_LAdXohzErwQyks4Cxn9ExPjGz1zdLewPEJI8l1LJJ5oNinq0_GzunQm05UX3dksedzzaFJXQsQcmj7w/w640-h460/sighetu%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4bPOMxz2BkOhoHq4pWE6LogKd1ac4FEVhQ4LbdgFPwNC5D2y7Gm9dTY4FANv_yMOHPgFRbqGArhnri81O2aXS9MeP29y3mu4sAVehlznQi031FlWW4EE-7DJiUNNemlIhCujVinr5Vy0VVzOxeOCOZhnYAQD6LzR8qbUYNMGjMIKdrUGUMV_2euhJw/s5159/sighetu%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3270" data-original-width="5159" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4bPOMxz2BkOhoHq4pWE6LogKd1ac4FEVhQ4LbdgFPwNC5D2y7Gm9dTY4FANv_yMOHPgFRbqGArhnri81O2aXS9MeP29y3mu4sAVehlznQi031FlWW4EE-7DJiUNNemlIhCujVinr5Vy0VVzOxeOCOZhnYAQD6LzR8qbUYNMGjMIKdrUGUMV_2euhJw/w640-h406/sighetu%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for spring planting, Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEL2A_i1-UcgM16iFf2dVuzUAoWGc80byhfMrwCwq1BgFCXMF_gtqPPNfKivdtZoYzi2ihFJfWXxmIxbmWmTz5qYTKYA-Cal7IOfUcFJhf78bTgCIPb8oBVksItvaTNaQyVn9LTrTBBLAPAc6BtOP5X8nTtFFosLmUHVbpHksHDZU42tw1Ttv7COYWA/s4000/sighetu%20(15).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEL2A_i1-UcgM16iFf2dVuzUAoWGc80byhfMrwCwq1BgFCXMF_gtqPPNfKivdtZoYzi2ihFJfWXxmIxbmWmTz5qYTKYA-Cal7IOfUcFJhf78bTgCIPb8oBVksItvaTNaQyVn9LTrTBBLAPAc6BtOP5X8nTtFFosLmUHVbpHksHDZU42tw1Ttv7COYWA/w640-h480/sighetu%20(15).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home made booze for sale, Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzHgaIBJDUigYoAGGwp6YU8G8iPwuJUGKTYgx34rHQuQGD92YMzS7o5U0Wu6nYy-m5_RCXWRsjqijc4LZLnBp5_Y_Hu3tPBr9CNQZIzGSEAd3vX0FeXdKKSGSWLv6c-F_qhNSqRXyUvRk9x5J--hN00UPA1QusSqk5OTnGMPDFsiu0si3tABVXA7Cgw/s4000/sighetu%20(16).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzHgaIBJDUigYoAGGwp6YU8G8iPwuJUGKTYgx34rHQuQGD92YMzS7o5U0Wu6nYy-m5_RCXWRsjqijc4LZLnBp5_Y_Hu3tPBr9CNQZIzGSEAd3vX0FeXdKKSGSWLv6c-F_qhNSqRXyUvRk9x5J--hN00UPA1QusSqk5OTnGMPDFsiu0si3tABVXA7Cgw/w480-h640/sighetu%20(16).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anticipation! Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The main street in Sighetu was equal amounts cafes and churches. We made a point to go in as many churches as we could manage, to see the contrast between the different denominations. Religion here is a bit complicated, but it seems most people used to be Greco Catholic before the Communism time, with a minority of Orthodox Christian. Then they were somehow joined into one for some time, and now they both exist, but the majority of worshippers are now Orthodox. There was once a large Jewish population in Romania, but most of these left after WWII, although many synagogues remain throughout Transylvania especially. We didn't see a single mosque or outwardly identifiable Muslim person during our Romanian travels. Anyway, Sighetu's main drag was home to places of worship for Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Greco Catholics, Reform and probably others.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXdKccbEvKbDh09ZVIAQ3WrDGsckUB_vDVYf4TmFXOBhJF9C73VPmesLxBvcEEXiK843NxA7YTJdkd5Yxx4iGRGpFCz6zfmPlPKxlMC1GKqEVcboA_lwzOL8zcl7xOYUoZvwJLoRhcxzL01KmDYcOdbXNN3iAAtFAcu2Q5I2DYzZnxsZBjG-H1InptQ/s4941/sighetu%20(11).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4941" data-original-width="3294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXdKccbEvKbDh09ZVIAQ3WrDGsckUB_vDVYf4TmFXOBhJF9C73VPmesLxBvcEEXiK843NxA7YTJdkd5Yxx4iGRGpFCz6zfmPlPKxlMC1GKqEVcboA_lwzOL8zcl7xOYUoZvwJLoRhcxzL01KmDYcOdbXNN3iAAtFAcu2Q5I2DYzZnxsZBjG-H1InptQ/w426-h640/sighetu%20(11).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orthodox cathedral, Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Partly because of the rainy weather we experienced for much of our stay in Sighetu, and partly because we stayed in guesthouses with no kitchen, we decided to splash out and try some Romanian food specialities. We hadn't realized that many restaurants had lunch specials with two or three courses for around 15 RON/2.50GBP, and we went a bit crazy eating and trying different dishes for a few days. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUIiPxiLVs7ev3-hj4vs8T2t9ssoeLiSS-DfM6s2r8CK1NWLj4VPgpXdQXshq1whvhhn3u2AVrAQc0z2QYzYAH18TdLOSWuROilSoVfyiCqWFJsFaWxDoKmenE5y6_JWtCJiliWXx9xTXVHiXRZGYxRHr0gp6_a4sHpOLKaztjR0xSn5a9zS-9ECjtA/s4000/sighetu%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUIiPxiLVs7ev3-hj4vs8T2t9ssoeLiSS-DfM6s2r8CK1NWLj4VPgpXdQXshq1whvhhn3u2AVrAQc0z2QYzYAH18TdLOSWuROilSoVfyiCqWFJsFaWxDoKmenE5y6_JWtCJiliWXx9xTXVHiXRZGYxRHr0gp6_a4sHpOLKaztjR0xSn5a9zS-9ECjtA/w480-h640/sighetu%20(13).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Romanian feast including <i>snitel </i>(schnitzel), cabbage, m<i style="text-align: left;">amaliga (</i>polenta) and grilled pork</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were still enchanted with travelling around Romania, and looked forward to the next step, wherever that would be.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7K1YKwFLktt9PaDl5wKLDKtu_evnepUa1ul1qkp5ZIz3bBzO76ds5xaT7PesxXcMRn7ZkaZiUBFQsT1yi3HD0CFNB47-JBw6SKZ0jkAqSQZ7MfA6axa12GPxgLZ7adWd-eEXYGt3I-LpdnCxQEv8_UBGX89rEOVyn1T1FXv7dvyHM6Ww2R5J2ReQv-g/s4889/sighetu%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3156" data-original-width="4889" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7K1YKwFLktt9PaDl5wKLDKtu_evnepUa1ul1qkp5ZIz3bBzO76ds5xaT7PesxXcMRn7ZkaZiUBFQsT1yi3HD0CFNB47-JBw6SKZ0jkAqSQZ7MfA6axa12GPxgLZ7adWd-eEXYGt3I-LpdnCxQEv8_UBGX89rEOVyn1T1FXv7dvyHM6Ww2R5J2ReQv-g/w640-h414/sighetu%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slow train not coming, Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/07/turdy-times-turned-around-turda-and.html">.........next up the Art Nouveau town of Oradea, Romania.........</a></i></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-60389737628579094402022-06-08T12:16:00.001+08:002022-06-18T01:04:06.294+08:00THE COUNTRY LIFE - Breb, Maramures, Romania<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/05/transylvanian-train-trundlings.html" target="_blank">.......our previous blog post about travelling around towns on trains in Transylvania here........</a></i></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4M6luVgZuh8ZDmkywDFLldTIzGNUs15Dlljr7lfwfXMn2lQdViH5Qxh7wjDfHv0f1M5tps0050Odte345tXJ3wYBXLhVX-NYrfMUnlG6uZKyQDovg-wP_3fIYmpjpBoYCuBT2ccC25VtLxkNsNytZjq3bq2uNHd1Ty6532zcJbGN-0KymxcbBtUgtQ/s5184/IMG_8790.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4M6luVgZuh8ZDmkywDFLldTIzGNUs15Dlljr7lfwfXMn2lQdViH5Qxh7wjDfHv0f1M5tps0050Odte345tXJ3wYBXLhVX-NYrfMUnlG6uZKyQDovg-wP_3fIYmpjpBoYCuBT2ccC25VtLxkNsNytZjq3bq2uNHd1Ty6532zcJbGN-0KymxcbBtUgtQ/w640-h426/IMG_8790.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal amongst the dandelions, Breb, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The train trip to the Maramures region of Romania, was lengthy but stunning. It was the first time we were not able to make a direct journey to our destination, and with a long wait in between the two trains, the day's travels stretched out to more than 12 hours. But once relaxed on the comfortable seats in the train, we were able to sit back and watch the absolutely gorgeous scenery unfold. Ramshackle little cottages with neat vegie gardens, dried corn in piles and stacks of wood, blossoms turning to fruit on the trees, bees in the gardens and wooden barns.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwedqy13cChITNL-Tz_WDRwmjsh9wukKnC2wjG7fy1YWdynXzc7gTch4_q-9y6sGMmeJ_9K2aB1PZC-p8trBof3GmCqdPVIvv5ewDlJApLYgS1T3HoOu4lDRxcPQk55uAuHtJFtlPJdgZgsqvSEDawIRRGti91Jfn5MgsvDSC9Qya7-_IBG8Uk7ocrMQ/s4000/IMG_1419%20train%20to%20baia%20mare.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwedqy13cChITNL-Tz_WDRwmjsh9wukKnC2wjG7fy1YWdynXzc7gTch4_q-9y6sGMmeJ_9K2aB1PZC-p8trBof3GmCqdPVIvv5ewDlJApLYgS1T3HoOu4lDRxcPQk55uAuHtJFtlPJdgZgsqvSEDawIRRGti91Jfn5MgsvDSC9Qya7-_IBG8Uk7ocrMQ/w640-h480/IMG_1419%20train%20to%20baia%20mare.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nearly empty train, going to Baia Mare, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A gateway into the Maramures region of Romania, Baia Mare was functional and provided us with a few days break in order to take a breather, wash smelly clothes and catch up on our photos and blog (a never ending job in such an inspiring and picturesque country!). The town itself, although lacking big drawcard tourist sites, was pleasant enough, with the usual socialist-era flats and tree-lined streets. The central train station was a funky, but forlorn creation from the 1960s, no-one interested in it except Sal! We did notice immediately, the people seemed friendlier, having more time for us. The bus driver on the town bus, seeing our confusion at having to buy a ticket on the bus with a Visa card (!!), stopped the bus, came back and used his own card to buy us two tickets, and wouldn't even let us give him the money for doing so!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPauxaccuti3C5RF8FnA1WmGRPhzWpofsTO2A_aYh2kw7eJb3FPSAF-7-xAJEOmNQ9HMJstZQDJPVxY_cn-JR4krXaYSP0I9YGF6-lOmUiVxaCEiH12cDyOnqmdlfUTW7h0jOFUJCMPHDbIrUWRM5wO0rcEKZRpJglgL2kIQJiTkgaGN1vpOndKs3sng/s3832/IMG_1426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2824" data-original-width="3832" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPauxaccuti3C5RF8FnA1WmGRPhzWpofsTO2A_aYh2kw7eJb3FPSAF-7-xAJEOmNQ9HMJstZQDJPVxY_cn-JR4krXaYSP0I9YGF6-lOmUiVxaCEiH12cDyOnqmdlfUTW7h0jOFUJCMPHDbIrUWRM5wO0rcEKZRpJglgL2kIQJiTkgaGN1vpOndKs3sng/w640-h472/IMG_1426.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool 60s train station, Baia Mare, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Breb village seemed well known amongst Romanians, but information was still not easy to come by in English online, especially in regard to transport. Many foreign travellers to this country have vehicles, and therefore most blogs etc do not mention the nitty gritty of travelling and arriving into more remote areas. We managed to find a bus at an ungodly hour of the morning leaving Baia Mare's weirdly shabby bus terminal. We traversed a small, twisty back road through some glorious mountains scenery to a turn off for the entrance to another world. </p><p>As we left the main road and walked down the hill with our back packs, we breathed in the fresh air, gazed at the bucolic scene down in the valley ahead of us, and knew we had made the right choice in coming to Breb village. We didn't see a soul until down in the village itself, when individuals pottering around outside their houses started calling Buna Ziua! (Good day). Homes were incredibly decorated with wooden carvings dripping from every surface. We were instantly enchanted.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDyWAilrkIrWpWSfFBrC5gOdiycrpfwx7ezFNjljU0whq-fB-ATprPL2gFnjmRk8vUqAJPuWFZjNfHLt3x_l5hSZUxv33lJdx83uivGeBqY8ImwOp43jeTrqwdVHWhLejs3NLH2pSgMQxV_Y93DezZwBz5Ws1KtnVAnQ4uycRWNE_bDf5IfsCD6fkXw/s4770/4%20%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2971" data-original-width="4770" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDyWAilrkIrWpWSfFBrC5gOdiycrpfwx7ezFNjljU0whq-fB-ATprPL2gFnjmRk8vUqAJPuWFZjNfHLt3x_l5hSZUxv33lJdx83uivGeBqY8ImwOp43jeTrqwdVHWhLejs3NLH2pSgMQxV_Y93DezZwBz5Ws1KtnVAnQ4uycRWNE_bDf5IfsCD6fkXw/w640-h398/4%20%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking down into Breb village</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNe00OQTCZkm8O17L1chU0tsIjAYKGpJ-7BmrTrpqds1H2fNtDBbQlHmy200OYzSVy2smj1F18O47GVejzn-HzUjwM2uKYRDPF6WWvUoAHqIFB8eKyV47X1TrA5o9x8gEYlLYkGmuwImQQkZ6dvlnNbkHgjpDlkpYvxRv700kUKMk0zHlycQgqCli7w/s3641/4%20%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2447" data-original-width="3641" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNe00OQTCZkm8O17L1chU0tsIjAYKGpJ-7BmrTrpqds1H2fNtDBbQlHmy200OYzSVy2smj1F18O47GVejzn-HzUjwM2uKYRDPF6WWvUoAHqIFB8eKyV47X1TrA5o9x8gEYlLYkGmuwImQQkZ6dvlnNbkHgjpDlkpYvxRv700kUKMk0zHlycQgqCli7w/w640-h430/4%20%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">House with some homemade traditional garments for sale, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Rounding a corner and seeing a cute wooden cottage with blue trim and a stream trickling by, we were delighted to realize this is where we would be staying! Not realizing when we booked online that it was an entire little complex, with a cottage (two quaint rooms with modern bathrooms), separate kitchen, a barn converted into a sort of loungeroom, a shed and the "boiler room". The latter, we realized a few days into our stay was where the owner was arriving every afternoon to make a fire for the heating and hot water in our room! We slept for about 18 hours on that first day and night, feeling a great sense of peace. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLY-2ZypaFHtESNq9Rirvq0TtpG-MWKRTkJNuizU0dfKOQPR0-ENdSTF4IN2e19EU2UJ_xhOCjlunesznjJSRAJvtVN1U62i7_DrArU7cZNEbT4Tp5aHej5NHINKAiKSDeaplPKx_8yFa9XSgX7yLkcMrAonq0Ed7knUtv5emQN3z00EYIRAv3SnqgnQ/s3982/guesthouse%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2986" data-original-width="3982" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLY-2ZypaFHtESNq9Rirvq0TtpG-MWKRTkJNuizU0dfKOQPR0-ENdSTF4IN2e19EU2UJ_xhOCjlunesznjJSRAJvtVN1U62i7_DrArU7cZNEbT4Tp5aHej5NHINKAiKSDeaplPKx_8yFa9XSgX7yLkcMrAonq0Ed7knUtv5emQN3z00EYIRAv3SnqgnQ/w640-h480/guesthouse%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little kitchen cottage, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0MWs0gscWmJTZ8_GImsvDK4Q9jDf8Gpel02ljw-Urn-g_cELIMM9g1i2ZNwXwyMrHq4Oj2ByXufpi8ZqS6tZPm8r6_ODTk2IWQ2NrJg-PpK3c9gidF1B4mmLRGvdg3Ig8y6swDMwmRUjsnD3xhvzf1ylsgeWWDnID1eOmg4XrFyuWU1xywFPGpyRKQ/s4000/guesthouse%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0MWs0gscWmJTZ8_GImsvDK4Q9jDf8Gpel02ljw-Urn-g_cELIMM9g1i2ZNwXwyMrHq4Oj2ByXufpi8ZqS6tZPm8r6_ODTk2IWQ2NrJg-PpK3c9gidF1B4mmLRGvdg3Ig8y6swDMwmRUjsnD3xhvzf1ylsgeWWDnID1eOmg4XrFyuWU1xywFPGpyRKQ/w640-h480/guesthouse%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our accommodation in Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_SX5s00XOn6pz2xRqK-hxUTgFhIM9C7yQfdWsZUY9xrVHximrJaoq69k3W515ZJAkfgdT4RJ_cr7tBbPi4Dt2_kQluo6jDV6mys3ku_ehtIko4OVeh9Bb_V-Vl5g5W_Btc2TeWZgz56OUkXOEOGc3jEQ8I8nZALaoNy8S5JZLp8J74mg_V0YYYt_Aw/s4000/guesthouse%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_SX5s00XOn6pz2xRqK-hxUTgFhIM9C7yQfdWsZUY9xrVHximrJaoq69k3W515ZJAkfgdT4RJ_cr7tBbPi4Dt2_kQluo6jDV6mys3ku_ehtIko4OVeh9Bb_V-Vl5g5W_Btc2TeWZgz56OUkXOEOGc3jEQ8I8nZALaoNy8S5JZLp8J74mg_V0YYYt_Aw/w480-h640/guesthouse%20(3).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out into our courtyard, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://youtu.be/wE6HQDPxSo4" target="_blank">A short tour around our Breb digs.....</a></p><p>The five days we spent in this village were like paradise for us, and definitely the highlight of our trip in Romania thus far. We couldn't believe our eyes on the first day when we heard what sounded like sleigh bells coming from around the bend, followed by two beautiful big horses pulling a man in a wooden cart. This was only one of many old fashioned vehicles we would see, commonly used in the village to transport people, hay, firewood and anything else they could haul into the back. Every day we chose a different direction a walked in idyllic country scenery, relying mostly on Rich's sense of direction, as MapsMe wasn't up to the task. Breb is well know for it's agricultural small holding lifestyle, with most households having a few cows, sheep and chickens, as well as a small orchard, fields for crops and meadows producing hay for the livestock. People live a busy, but simple life. Time is rotated around the animals and crops, with winter being for weaving and wood carving. Apparently, the old sleds we saw hanging up on the sides of houses are used by folk to get around in the snow- we would dearly love to see that. The amount of wood drying in huge piles on every surface of the properties hinted to us that the winter is probably very harsh. During our Spring visit, everyone was outside for long hours, either tending their vegie patches, or drying the hay and making hayricks for feeding their animals.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSzPTq7lro13Vdribqa3Jsao7mzgwmi723mmOTa1wDw9GQqsPakaDcVY2Y5UnTJRqdseJEDG-bFFvPRlBezRji-vxOoBypZaPu7hkrTWXdWIfSENgNeHicuxXdPEHtME1q8zTpnLhXpBOYGW66FmpQUtzkGSLcGOsqguMsNdM7W-rLqXEcGQNoyEPcA/s4882/5%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3254" data-original-width="4882" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSzPTq7lro13Vdribqa3Jsao7mzgwmi723mmOTa1wDw9GQqsPakaDcVY2Y5UnTJRqdseJEDG-bFFvPRlBezRji-vxOoBypZaPu7hkrTWXdWIfSENgNeHicuxXdPEHtME1q8zTpnLhXpBOYGW66FmpQUtzkGSLcGOsqguMsNdM7W-rLqXEcGQNoyEPcA/w640-h426/5%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meadow with hayricks, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOz4-LZxZZarnf3VwOpFmhNrUGL6ltqpgiCGnrVbVLKvhxAX65Ig762ebR6BQmKYin-LoavPw9aAf7Ltp3exNR1osSZ9WVWD5cnUm7-JYmqyFm3M75emjAQbdZ6lpmOeRB2j942bZzjWVpHD5rVuRpOVLV8tTAGu6oWM0WXJ-mF07pC7HnWQsI4wb7A/s4455/5%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2793" data-original-width="4455" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOz4-LZxZZarnf3VwOpFmhNrUGL6ltqpgiCGnrVbVLKvhxAX65Ig762ebR6BQmKYin-LoavPw9aAf7Ltp3exNR1osSZ9WVWD5cnUm7-JYmqyFm3M75emjAQbdZ6lpmOeRB2j942bZzjWVpHD5rVuRpOVLV8tTAGu6oWM0WXJ-mF07pC7HnWQsI4wb7A/w640-h402/5%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone working hard in the fields, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFPfdJ5s10wgkiIRPXMMow75kbVsli4CCQxPKAD4pj3Ihuqr9ohds7ObIzMMeduNCbglBpIBTc4_L-mtTHKLW7MZHBXl2Lah83nXYH9XIYL7aMdmMsV9W4lt9g6qlrifuA3WGKooS2jni0EX_IJK7O7JIzHSQoxUBRoMeky0TDYbxAyF8FhxCJ_YdIA/s4553/5%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="4553" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFPfdJ5s10wgkiIRPXMMow75kbVsli4CCQxPKAD4pj3Ihuqr9ohds7ObIzMMeduNCbglBpIBTc4_L-mtTHKLW7MZHBXl2Lah83nXYH9XIYL7aMdmMsV9W4lt9g6qlrifuA3WGKooS2jni0EX_IJK7O7JIzHSQoxUBRoMeky0TDYbxAyF8FhxCJ_YdIA/w640-h410/5%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common transport in Breb and Maramures</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd5KSXsyU3ZgpC2bGG4DpLpgU9VRtLL9n1dlxpAiyyrwwB-e1WQLBWB1w7rLuqa0FPH3dUf2DjetpX8gKbe_cgb1BoQRCVTdIMbbrDVi81wEiA53w4Pp-zvQyqlU_hYFqEmcpbXok5lN8TvEblwiinZSqsAFaBN6tHWw9-JsG4wVKZZoScBn0f-klLQ/s4947/5%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3228" data-original-width="4947" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd5KSXsyU3ZgpC2bGG4DpLpgU9VRtLL9n1dlxpAiyyrwwB-e1WQLBWB1w7rLuqa0FPH3dUf2DjetpX8gKbe_cgb1BoQRCVTdIMbbrDVi81wEiA53w4Pp-zvQyqlU_hYFqEmcpbXok5lN8TvEblwiinZSqsAFaBN6tHWw9-JsG4wVKZZoScBn0f-klLQ/w640-h418/5%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poser, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9TAoWaGgN6PmetaONRfWzjodPx3d78VIDva73U5tKcdaOwZWIyN3jrkxufoeANKw8ejp4Yg_hqJdbNuT9hSPTItK8glluGHm5vNthRbythaCMQPW4WLRk-U2dNDe-kGmPfF4cfStNz808hWpKwOfSG3j3x1jBN-oVUijK2yOUZtnOhWSeBRpAbuQcg/s4000/5%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9TAoWaGgN6PmetaONRfWzjodPx3d78VIDva73U5tKcdaOwZWIyN3jrkxufoeANKw8ejp4Yg_hqJdbNuT9hSPTItK8glluGHm5vNthRbythaCMQPW4WLRk-U2dNDe-kGmPfF4cfStNz808hWpKwOfSG3j3x1jBN-oVUijK2yOUZtnOhWSeBRpAbuQcg/w640-h480/5%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gazing at lovely scenery, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbOTX8S1nAn8kZ3mGjpCM4-JE2ClO3FbSogFajWby_YwfzxfZ0MIkTYHKdxfY4T-A7OFXi6yNcJkHi9u2XnKQq9Zu-Q98IhzkIksAWV3LXJnLS61MhN2Rm84EAYeg89u8a2jgEzExEb9rHWZR7wS2HEscajCpBEk7mKnKTCeIm3V0ub0f5fXCdaaYng/s4000/5%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbOTX8S1nAn8kZ3mGjpCM4-JE2ClO3FbSogFajWby_YwfzxfZ0MIkTYHKdxfY4T-A7OFXi6yNcJkHi9u2XnKQq9Zu-Q98IhzkIksAWV3LXJnLS61MhN2Rm84EAYeg89u8a2jgEzExEb9rHWZR7wS2HEscajCpBEk7mKnKTCeIm3V0ub0f5fXCdaaYng/w640-h480/5%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich finding his dream home, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmS3Dh7A_2EsKvm-1nMU0jiXfX8rO-GXnmvCLldm8nyAPDWZ57UKxxaP3PPsoM582jnpYnP1nNq0zj5gOtAqp088acRHM210RdwtR-THYWJkHR2Yx3GvOhrw1Q8WZTTqCCRas7eJf44xz1TzJd2Ak2lVCENONplSWgjxcakRREx8eyQp1VgPNKBsisNA/s5184/5%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmS3Dh7A_2EsKvm-1nMU0jiXfX8rO-GXnmvCLldm8nyAPDWZ57UKxxaP3PPsoM582jnpYnP1nNq0zj5gOtAqp088acRHM210RdwtR-THYWJkHR2Yx3GvOhrw1Q8WZTTqCCRas7eJf44xz1TzJd2Ak2lVCENONplSWgjxcakRREx8eyQp1VgPNKBsisNA/w640-h426/5%20(7).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical street in Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEReX2uW_bmRrz4hccKE7kSKNk5TRxZpjfKMCgZo662Dq9cgI5B7M6qB3TJlFfJADtjkXEpozq6777AxeLnppZdWzIUoNL9l4ll34XQFM8suMYQYVA5h8-Khlhs_s_fZ_pXjDU2CMltVbQmAqOkW9KibjHrvhKVCozrk2TPUK96mtAWG5GSweo6yH5Zg/s5184/5%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEReX2uW_bmRrz4hccKE7kSKNk5TRxZpjfKMCgZo662Dq9cgI5B7M6qB3TJlFfJADtjkXEpozq6777AxeLnppZdWzIUoNL9l4ll34XQFM8suMYQYVA5h8-Khlhs_s_fZ_pXjDU2CMltVbQmAqOkW9KibjHrvhKVCozrk2TPUK96mtAWG5GSweo6yH5Zg/w640-h426/5%20(8).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful meadow, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisznPDQOymb6Yl1QSUjWiYTd298CfIqcJXY7RIyCtfj7bFfmBo0vWsvFrZoCbcJo_13sVUuJaYBugCqgBGg0hlcGLi7ILbRNAh1W1YKR9an97JNa4ZBnlGr3bBvhEZOtNC3r6GHJJIt9AF8subV6U5ZQlQBTUMBlwQEUmXpP8LtJzJk-vUTZT128_SnQ/s5184/5%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisznPDQOymb6Yl1QSUjWiYTd298CfIqcJXY7RIyCtfj7bFfmBo0vWsvFrZoCbcJo_13sVUuJaYBugCqgBGg0hlcGLi7ILbRNAh1W1YKR9an97JNa4ZBnlGr3bBvhEZOtNC3r6GHJJIt9AF8subV6U5ZQlQBTUMBlwQEUmXpP8LtJzJk-vUTZT128_SnQ/w640-h426/5%20(9).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal on rickety bridge, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEi8J5h8b1RPb537YKp5bNvxWhVbW4wslbk9iYpzTPJzSWnJGG3PbSJTQs1ZAo2CL5qnAK6OKTQuMAxNnImVe7MqMToSngAXbsKGw9VJci1igwuigLahO1X0MJ9YGIGMQ7ZvsBW2e1R3WjPlTa6L1y4rGHP-WIu_q0kSTcCeB1YLgaiAkP3--qjgKcg/s5184/5%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEi8J5h8b1RPb537YKp5bNvxWhVbW4wslbk9iYpzTPJzSWnJGG3PbSJTQs1ZAo2CL5qnAK6OKTQuMAxNnImVe7MqMToSngAXbsKGw9VJci1igwuigLahO1X0MJ9YGIGMQ7ZvsBW2e1R3WjPlTa6L1y4rGHP-WIu_q0kSTcCeB1YLgaiAkP3--qjgKcg/w640-h426/5%20(10).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many paths to follow around Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we left the village on the small tracks used by horse and carts and tractors to access the fields, we loved the mix of woods, orchards and agricultural fields and meadows. The wildflowers were abundant- a vibrant mixture of shades of blues, purples, pinks, white and yellow. Apple orchards and wild cherry trees prevailed, although other fruits were being grown, and the white blossoms were coming to an end. Hazel hedges accompanied us on our walks, and we adored the way they had woven the shrub into intricate and quite lovely fences. Some pine trees, ash, alder and oak were common, and everyone was growing vegies in a patch behind their house.</p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJxUzMoFWETohKlq2B6ziO9TleK9zkHpdhP11_n1YDbDc4Jtk7_33p5YPLJocDOzR92yZ-dMfxzuzIBdLoPhwIUMf_xtyCxtau9tYudaoQttKwZH-7JlUGWxUwgkaRMSikxhBdoKawKJEt_pWzsS6iljZd_xhCeZyvjIGPeYYdEEFzr9cLbYuVLlxPA/s5184/6%20(1).jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJxUzMoFWETohKlq2B6ziO9TleK9zkHpdhP11_n1YDbDc4Jtk7_33p5YPLJocDOzR92yZ-dMfxzuzIBdLoPhwIUMf_xtyCxtau9tYudaoQttKwZH-7JlUGWxUwgkaRMSikxhBdoKawKJEt_pWzsS6iljZd_xhCeZyvjIGPeYYdEEFzr9cLbYuVLlxPA/w640-h426/6%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR8bfppq1HawPSdbePYN8tWDPpAMwFDfu78qD5wpi84yapK-ko1nh123jYFCpofobWIPWDnn--oPY3pvXU-1dWVEVSnkS7kXbyImaw574V2pzcLQ_edef0ojGz-cmKGR_4Oj-OBk34OE4lLOA-ixZMhxfRpnIXPiTM9NUMAwlzDwucptxkEqd2mJegg/s5184/6%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR8bfppq1HawPSdbePYN8tWDPpAMwFDfu78qD5wpi84yapK-ko1nh123jYFCpofobWIPWDnn--oPY3pvXU-1dWVEVSnkS7kXbyImaw574V2pzcLQ_edef0ojGz-cmKGR_4Oj-OBk34OE4lLOA-ixZMhxfRpnIXPiTM9NUMAwlzDwucptxkEqd2mJegg/w640-h426/6%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG_IFo7GkShrRs_RsfWQ74Sar9HT8H7OQk2Ve-ODxYBn6A5JftoXU1jFoMJqbdlXZDtoGDYjPQpAfYcuEbJHEuek5-X_JEaEEm1MNrmwY9Owhm6zLpNTN4Om1TyV5UzCWp5dq_fuSBU6W29U4VnA1qcR4dRGK6k2QgijczVVACv8F78TyEHdx_0i0Kg/s4000/6%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG_IFo7GkShrRs_RsfWQ74Sar9HT8H7OQk2Ve-ODxYBn6A5JftoXU1jFoMJqbdlXZDtoGDYjPQpAfYcuEbJHEuek5-X_JEaEEm1MNrmwY9Owhm6zLpNTN4Om1TyV5UzCWp5dq_fuSBU6W29U4VnA1qcR4dRGK6k2QgijczVVACv8F78TyEHdx_0i0Kg/w640-h480/6%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7veAvJvRNUAjHvITg4bkmuBRYzP5xTqPn15kt6I_8LMaBB2r2Ug11rEv0nTxV1eeh0npNE1c_0YqoxnQ3uuZw5kGErhWXT1785zZRmTQOFWdzTqQc1i9tql1ssBcVH4-t9BcADxADdHD4jg2K37G___tDyo2aXesndWKMVs1WdkQwlx2K4RUqnskgnw/s5015/6%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3029" data-original-width="5015" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7veAvJvRNUAjHvITg4bkmuBRYzP5xTqPn15kt6I_8LMaBB2r2Ug11rEv0nTxV1eeh0npNE1c_0YqoxnQ3uuZw5kGErhWXT1785zZRmTQOFWdzTqQc1i9tql1ssBcVH4-t9BcADxADdHD4jg2K37G___tDyo2aXesndWKMVs1WdkQwlx2K4RUqnskgnw/w640-h386/6%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoNzeXwgUtXD9IaMk1dGnc6PYHdX5mlmbTqq4yuHC1kjv7CZg8IbG9TJPkoOMaghYSWnhYc4nGNylYu26zFzyUIrZCpjpifYK8UF3jROyT5YeGj6g55i03f505v0aJGh1QY5ljNmoPRRa0n-F-KMOZH82GeD4Vqz5s-7_k5Nc8hcPpQCP7kjz4bkrZg/s4272/6%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2878" data-original-width="4272" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoNzeXwgUtXD9IaMk1dGnc6PYHdX5mlmbTqq4yuHC1kjv7CZg8IbG9TJPkoOMaghYSWnhYc4nGNylYu26zFzyUIrZCpjpifYK8UF3jROyT5YeGj6g55i03f505v0aJGh1QY5ljNmoPRRa0n-F-KMOZH82GeD4Vqz5s-7_k5Nc8hcPpQCP7kjz4bkrZg/w640-h432/6%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby jay, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfccot1iusmRjA_e14KM2_6TCOFqW82mUWzgpMpS7E5d3WwYyWcVJeLnlnEqwcIagKnKid471RzM1b4_gu2b0_N7S1cQdtkVNSD_-7YFr_TVAz3UwS_eIrx8P63td2gmCS5hYeHM8j97jNzJtvIfLrP92DVpcwwwaqZQAIrBl8AIhTY3YZC-nn4xTmVA/s5184/6%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfccot1iusmRjA_e14KM2_6TCOFqW82mUWzgpMpS7E5d3WwYyWcVJeLnlnEqwcIagKnKid471RzM1b4_gu2b0_N7S1cQdtkVNSD_-7YFr_TVAz3UwS_eIrx8P63td2gmCS5hYeHM8j97jNzJtvIfLrP92DVpcwwwaqZQAIrBl8AIhTY3YZC-nn4xTmVA/w640-h426/6%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal in more wildflowers, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVaQrllUve1bX7UJNuKfVbjbRQqmkpv4kR9LbWTEUX58t4f--xP4H-WzVEeXaZqFCPkHqyixJp72j4g1pNKn_Z8-j2ZzvTX-Fu2pDMucI0Og1uezP3mbnz9UHiriJKZAPu2oEOi4nSa5v2BXIUBmtcspDzjU-_YMEmuvsOVhPYdyC0jNemVJXJJZ9fg/s5184/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVaQrllUve1bX7UJNuKfVbjbRQqmkpv4kR9LbWTEUX58t4f--xP4H-WzVEeXaZqFCPkHqyixJp72j4g1pNKn_Z8-j2ZzvTX-Fu2pDMucI0Og1uezP3mbnz9UHiriJKZAPu2oEOi4nSa5v2BXIUBmtcspDzjU-_YMEmuvsOVhPYdyC0jNemVJXJJZ9fg/w640-h426/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Another activity with much action was making of the local alcoholic drink- <i>palinca</i>, or <i>horinca </i>(the Ukrainian name of the national drink). Made with fruit, by the smell of it mainly plums, and wafting in the air everywhere we went was the whiff of the brew. On our first visit to the tiny local shop, two cups were thrust into our hands by the proud owner/ maker, and after finishing that, and a beer, we had to stagger back to our house for a nap! It's strong- stronger than any <i>rakia </i>we ever had in the Balkans. We did try another kind of alcoholic drink made from cherries, which we didn't catch the name of. This one was more sweet like a sherry, and not to our tastes. At the little shop we were also able to purchase fresh eggs and milk from the cows we had just watched being milked. It was Sal's first time drinking fresh milk in her 40-something years!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8CxnTfkcoJ9l3utL0_SMSN-QJOozZ2eDCQSuXk49ojWibQeShCYOX4oJp35q3rOa16z0dcZHLIO_jIiiAxZhj-UtJbmK70URLH13jVIsQiYY3zcrTNML75ppWQpfRj-HpOU9cSTfsusf_E7q0MKysKe5aEvJgJS3vlrLEvbNulJy38TKBo6BwqZNHg/s4000/1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8CxnTfkcoJ9l3utL0_SMSN-QJOozZ2eDCQSuXk49ojWibQeShCYOX4oJp35q3rOa16z0dcZHLIO_jIiiAxZhj-UtJbmK70URLH13jVIsQiYY3zcrTNML75ppWQpfRj-HpOU9cSTfsusf_E7q0MKysKe5aEvJgJS3vlrLEvbNulJy38TKBo6BwqZNHg/w640-h480/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich, the <i>palinca </i>man and his still, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Surprisingly, we met a fair few English speakers on our ambles. Romanians who had moved to the small, quiet place from big cities, and a Dutchman running the handsome local hostel and camp ground. Apparently, there was an Aussie living close by, but we weren't lucky enough to meet him. We enjoyed hearing their stories and learning their views about the village. Apparently, a British writer named William Blacker came to Breb in the 1990s, stayed several years and wrote a book about his experiences which encouraged European's interest in visiting the area. Then another British couple came some years later, fell in love with the place and bought up some land and several old houses in order to make an accommodation complex. One man told us that before the foreign interest, locals would pull down the beautiful old homes, burn the wood and build a new concrete replacement. Perhaps it took some outside interest to help locals realize the uniqueness and potential of their own culture. Nowadays, it is more fashionable than it used to be for Romanians to explore the small places in their own country, and they really seem to treasure extraordinary Breb.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0z9DLNlSTF2OlhvL_ROuS1rkaMCdoZWGJR2DATnfWB1I9q4hMwSQ1Yuo2PQ8T3W-w27rk9_mW2s4p8CxEjKAH02c-4Mn07dDdwaQb5frmqgsBQoheACM1GjJKYlo0AxJy1D69IljRohTT7n4XcvBaQnLuXIDjLGqjiDdsATVKs3A5-a1oqdLj67KNmg/s5184/7%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0z9DLNlSTF2OlhvL_ROuS1rkaMCdoZWGJR2DATnfWB1I9q4hMwSQ1Yuo2PQ8T3W-w27rk9_mW2s4p8CxEjKAH02c-4Mn07dDdwaQb5frmqgsBQoheACM1GjJKYlo0AxJy1D69IljRohTT7n4XcvBaQnLuXIDjLGqjiDdsATVKs3A5-a1oqdLj67KNmg/w640-h426/7%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even barns are decorated in Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNkP1noN4Tb9a7DGBs_SkZ52FxXAIudkQbPIFPdcXGKT3-wZbcqv_7qTHuObD0Le6ITnH_T_JXxdP18qm2dxS8DHbl0TOtnv380-dCRShxNmDI8kW-lWud7VWd9G4tGGbUTRmrP8ojGayfBl61YuLATXGwwA5JcaYroZaLhF65Vz-GaR8sVbwHSi5IQ/s4000/7%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNkP1noN4Tb9a7DGBs_SkZ52FxXAIudkQbPIFPdcXGKT3-wZbcqv_7qTHuObD0Le6ITnH_T_JXxdP18qm2dxS8DHbl0TOtnv380-dCRShxNmDI8kW-lWud7VWd9G4tGGbUTRmrP8ojGayfBl61YuLATXGwwA5JcaYroZaLhF65Vz-GaR8sVbwHSi5IQ/w640-h480/7%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All homes have plenty of firewood in Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmH0J8LnHAfGd9De3LBxt-4UJhNjQSMpGIWXYsFXOTipGHJMfD3EbP5Sq8XXto-3BW42Y40gELWdRC_C8y6qH84f0kIEhkWaObrNsWCNqi0SMFZ8zY2HEqQqA_zH22cZrsGdQDqyYNWZTphF3iyvGriMHeK1soWmcAMiasmzeeWIbU3GgG0YUioU4FcA/s5184/7%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmH0J8LnHAfGd9De3LBxt-4UJhNjQSMpGIWXYsFXOTipGHJMfD3EbP5Sq8XXto-3BW42Y40gELWdRC_C8y6qH84f0kIEhkWaObrNsWCNqi0SMFZ8zY2HEqQqA_zH22cZrsGdQDqyYNWZTphF3iyvGriMHeK1soWmcAMiasmzeeWIbU3GgG0YUioU4FcA/w640-h426/7%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned cottage, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-KSDcupgdD7ZwqOO87v_EvJ4KJQUcDc3NgebFayQ8eIzFqYwIs6MdemfNvq2W0ocWQy3lAgFNyKYaWjxuS1gWcbIO9-R387I_7OtwmC3y85LfdDyA3pWaCgVS5CGa0HW579XHeM5o1RZfgaMjy3W2n888LGwQ72heURHWcbUwUkcWwY1Fu1UIsPDSA/s5137/7%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3237" data-original-width="5137" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-KSDcupgdD7ZwqOO87v_EvJ4KJQUcDc3NgebFayQ8eIzFqYwIs6MdemfNvq2W0ocWQy3lAgFNyKYaWjxuS1gWcbIO9-R387I_7OtwmC3y85LfdDyA3pWaCgVS5CGa0HW579XHeM5o1RZfgaMjy3W2n888LGwQ72heURHWcbUwUkcWwY1Fu1UIsPDSA/w640-h404/7%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yard scene, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>People in Breb are Romanian (as opposed to the Saxon people who predominated the parts of Transylvania we had travelled through) and mostly wore traditional clothes. For women, young and old, this involved a bright knee length skirt, babushka style flowery headscarf and thick socks, often with Crocs to complete the outfit. Men all wore hats, of course, with a very strange little straw hat being fashionable for church. Many artisans live in the village, specializing in something exceptional, be it carving spectacular wood images, making alcohol, singing traditional music or poetry, and they seemed to be appreciated still for their skills from the old times.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1B2caNAxuFWwD-y1a4iYU749DmmebC0YE_kz7LxAB2toKK3vDhehUeFdyQh75c2lic5UBpEZoYz_fNwmj0va7PfApVfAVqnVSpiH7h1w2DBQAsMhb_qHHELh0Pc_tX0OqYJRnz0g6d6n0XXMavR1XLRawfjSmEYCCv8wbVAh0n4f0gjTZ8VJTuwGmA/s1780/2%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1731" data-original-width="1780" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1B2caNAxuFWwD-y1a4iYU749DmmebC0YE_kz7LxAB2toKK3vDhehUeFdyQh75c2lic5UBpEZoYz_fNwmj0va7PfApVfAVqnVSpiH7h1w2DBQAsMhb_qHHELh0Pc_tX0OqYJRnz0g6d6n0XXMavR1XLRawfjSmEYCCv8wbVAh0n4f0gjTZ8VJTuwGmA/w640-h622/2%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny little Breb hats worn by men</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVsOQJwWSWHhvlGbIW9KbX531hPbfdF-JbouMan5-4nbwK4nH8CdshesZ3UYb45I9zTGu7sCV0YUzRTulIVgWRrFtM5uKIOZBMVcj9tPCbQTkImai2AWnjbreZKinIpEu6ShNRyylq0Kjnb1iyGqc6vLXtN2wPPUN2YFh-K5SG_UVqSTn1UhJnOgH_w/s3422/2%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="3422" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVsOQJwWSWHhvlGbIW9KbX531hPbfdF-JbouMan5-4nbwK4nH8CdshesZ3UYb45I9zTGu7sCV0YUzRTulIVgWRrFtM5uKIOZBMVcj9tPCbQTkImai2AWnjbreZKinIpEu6ShNRyylq0Kjnb1iyGqc6vLXtN2wPPUN2YFh-K5SG_UVqSTn1UhJnOgH_w/w640-h528/2%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich doesn't quite pull it off</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWb5YgfPkglFRhBJcL4WFEPMoJVK_HLEAK-GvJ2dfCO0Tkxv4BxEQZ3EXd3QWHJmbH7fSLeb-VAI27bnU_JFeqvOj5m4XieCRzSsEgqiUM6sKaULKgOY4K5eTdYYI6lgJwGW503Lpk5LpHhMN3TZtRCc1KAh5jgCI0DdEUPQFiQLiArqJ1-_2EyFxzRw/s4000/2%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWb5YgfPkglFRhBJcL4WFEPMoJVK_HLEAK-GvJ2dfCO0Tkxv4BxEQZ3EXd3QWHJmbH7fSLeb-VAI27bnU_JFeqvOj5m4XieCRzSsEgqiUM6sKaULKgOY4K5eTdYYI6lgJwGW503Lpk5LpHhMN3TZtRCc1KAh5jgCI0DdEUPQFiQLiArqJ1-_2EyFxzRw/w480-h640/2%20(3).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal getting into the spirit, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9m7mjCM1BdzqiR0U3s-UjRYS5bKCLfxgSNTVp9AYuq8T_agIgt2Xzsffn5HZrCCt01jd1GQv-R87Y_KjtGBBz1Ako_DBQfV_XAy9LMHGp-lKHY-n3mTEETj9xKOp0-jyQOV5ozDzRU_PlTB4aFVnqJX8bLU6sSJRWU5jN2fxV3b13_IU1OblUN_Bpg/s4230/2%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2874" data-original-width="4230" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9m7mjCM1BdzqiR0U3s-UjRYS5bKCLfxgSNTVp9AYuq8T_agIgt2Xzsffn5HZrCCt01jd1GQv-R87Y_KjtGBBz1Ako_DBQfV_XAy9LMHGp-lKHY-n3mTEETj9xKOp0-jyQOV5ozDzRU_PlTB4aFVnqJX8bLU6sSJRWU5jN2fxV3b13_IU1OblUN_Bpg/w640-h434/2%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady working her garden, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-nar0kthyz0AaP1gW0vO48tbnCI2GRb0JxNVMNQdeJ2oJwnoYMLI1u-EHsEg1GzdObcIZ4Jn-YrXYH08mmefv4Y_1hxHyOTztkDeNQtNfG_9bpMxH8K3K1E8BsqmiBjAt_1Iu2an6qWK-E2OEF1_0V5eL_1II13TAgJDo8KaHjQVEgkn0ZCtLCkovA/s4000/2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-nar0kthyz0AaP1gW0vO48tbnCI2GRb0JxNVMNQdeJ2oJwnoYMLI1u-EHsEg1GzdObcIZ4Jn-YrXYH08mmefv4Y_1hxHyOTztkDeNQtNfG_9bpMxH8K3K1E8BsqmiBjAt_1Iu2an6qWK-E2OEF1_0V5eL_1II13TAgJDo8KaHjQVEgkn0ZCtLCkovA/w640-h480/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many signs around the village indicating the workshops of craftsmen, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Passing the house of an elderly lady, we waved to her, and she motioned for us to come in. She seemed a wonderful old soul, showing us her loom on the veranda of her old home, and brought out some rugs to show us, presumably hoping we might buy one. After a tour around the house, all two rooms of it full of weavings and embroideries, we thanked her and made to leave. She wasn't having any of it, and continued the tour down the garden in her very simple sleeping and cooking quarters. When we once again made to leave, she brought out the <i>palinca</i> in hope to draw out our stay! We had only just left for our walk for the day, and as it was 9am, a touch early in the day for the hard stuff. We knew from the look in her eye if we accepted, we'd have a hard job leaving! </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFFoIZhGB6sHJkVgp1vteWatudAJkVnBvT8UVQssRRHp4btiNhGRAZ8F-5gyYhDylAGP1XwjCE35Oqok1QPPFjilszpPdB7ekY8oh_EbxRO9pZPZPWRqMCQPoLB49I_QyVfN1SsBl09bWMSRtzzLQ7ejN-vu36UPw-5DCMox4RdXdxoRl74Sra7ahhg/s5184/IMG_8740.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFFoIZhGB6sHJkVgp1vteWatudAJkVnBvT8UVQssRRHp4btiNhGRAZ8F-5gyYhDylAGP1XwjCE35Oqok1QPPFjilszpPdB7ekY8oh_EbxRO9pZPZPWRqMCQPoLB49I_QyVfN1SsBl09bWMSRtzzLQ7ejN-vu36UPw-5DCMox4RdXdxoRl74Sra7ahhg/w640-h426/IMG_8740.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely old lady weaving on her veranda, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMN4Mi1kl_-g4wnDcLl0X6tF3FHZF28FeO0pfBWp5cNdACGLxmIRS-zU3of0qhIk-Ttp1uj0VSbJS5eU5_2y2J19A8jVcLAsvZuKA7yXYD3nfbXs9SEhjTNP8hwgwQorh1yinB5V600C7PncUb8LcNr6gbcz6cJYt7pDK3GsoP4pPKv3l7TT-stTnguA/s5184/IMG_8743.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMN4Mi1kl_-g4wnDcLl0X6tF3FHZF28FeO0pfBWp5cNdACGLxmIRS-zU3of0qhIk-Ttp1uj0VSbJS5eU5_2y2J19A8jVcLAsvZuKA7yXYD3nfbXs9SEhjTNP8hwgwQorh1yinB5V600C7PncUb8LcNr6gbcz6cJYt7pDK3GsoP4pPKv3l7TT-stTnguA/w640-h426/IMG_8743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her colourful home full of her work, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Nowadays, it seems everyone loves the history of the place, and even new built houses have wooden and traditional elements to them. The village had three churches, the old wooden Catholic church built in the 1500s, which was closed and not used. A wander around the adjoining quiet cemetery presented more of the unusual graves we had been seeing in the area. Wooden crosses were supplemented by what looked like an old saw blade over the top to create a piece of a tomb art. A brand new Catholic wooden church, and the not so charming grand concrete Orthodox church with silver spires completed the village's trio of religious buildings.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiF85VX7qvzQDzpJW78x6Noy0YiT8R5lZGeo7aUGjmQ_WscqWx1hVCzaPXKMTEoJBpnk7jyytjkrXdA1R6NmEKYSf9gnaoDN30oH8XbzRGdzG8OCfhs9qlxwmtp9sJo0f4aZmHmzfR5s9OPbHcYolrmjBkFxb8mHY9dUrjvbDViOpyTjFwrpST2Vjyw/s5184/church%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiF85VX7qvzQDzpJW78x6Noy0YiT8R5lZGeo7aUGjmQ_WscqWx1hVCzaPXKMTEoJBpnk7jyytjkrXdA1R6NmEKYSf9gnaoDN30oH8XbzRGdzG8OCfhs9qlxwmtp9sJo0f4aZmHmzfR5s9OPbHcYolrmjBkFxb8mHY9dUrjvbDViOpyTjFwrpST2Vjyw/w426-h640/church%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gate in church yard, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7FKUCol7OZ-iyJVuUxHUGfs5PPT2HDG617pUlQc6G6E1egk-RHnTm1HtZjJNGBByd1uOqyESiDeDpDM3cqqxLh4-G9OBPZ_ARsjT5rxsRcvseL5YpQ8xdszBNpb4Uhr6zGKPGMonwcS-hc2txvWIOyLssE27Cu-TmL6JozrsdYyCUNskmw2q-B2vPQ/s4000/church%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7FKUCol7OZ-iyJVuUxHUGfs5PPT2HDG617pUlQc6G6E1egk-RHnTm1HtZjJNGBByd1uOqyESiDeDpDM3cqqxLh4-G9OBPZ_ARsjT5rxsRcvseL5YpQ8xdszBNpb4Uhr6zGKPGMonwcS-hc2txvWIOyLssE27Cu-TmL6JozrsdYyCUNskmw2q-B2vPQ/w640-h480/church%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View up to Breb old wooden church</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcCnqkG73Ne1WjtEloDAG1TDTG_7JhQZfUH3Lls8OJrV1yFUmG2rCNBz7Yfrh_0xANG1_VKcU0k5EfV7dMEfk6yTCL6GpqHsalzDtq-zEvjLdSgLF0p6AdfUH6If0CKmW5x3EKAUfxoWr1tOwIFK4obHkLsklMkQT-WabPJHaKy9QuXrn3ygxDODCoQ/s5184/church%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcCnqkG73Ne1WjtEloDAG1TDTG_7JhQZfUH3Lls8OJrV1yFUmG2rCNBz7Yfrh_0xANG1_VKcU0k5EfV7dMEfk6yTCL6GpqHsalzDtq-zEvjLdSgLF0p6AdfUH6If0CKmW5x3EKAUfxoWr1tOwIFK4obHkLsklMkQT-WabPJHaKy9QuXrn3ygxDODCoQ/w640-h426/church%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An assortment of graves, Breb church yard</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFZEOUlCDtTyo3551VgA0DZML_sqn9OFRPP3nbOUNiHSsigpPs_V2R_gWPV5X0uMC7_nfwdDiZXncBHlmFqbIFR_TDQfbfDB541tNfVk16gwVSIiMcyYPQwObfFsRLdeQJrJ85Ld5NOxC-Dfz0askMYLTFqEb8rIKSwBVTUKU0vqpYst6vn_peVb2MA/s5184/church%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFZEOUlCDtTyo3551VgA0DZML_sqn9OFRPP3nbOUNiHSsigpPs_V2R_gWPV5X0uMC7_nfwdDiZXncBHlmFqbIFR_TDQfbfDB541tNfVk16gwVSIiMcyYPQwObfFsRLdeQJrJ85Ld5NOxC-Dfz0askMYLTFqEb8rIKSwBVTUKU0vqpYst6vn_peVb2MA/w640-h426/church%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breb church and abandoned graveyard</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjL7rEGJP-tCj9FmB1qlFNEvdMsRdUFfY960jnkeXUF5k7Nov9pX9t4DOy52lxB2TnR7_1ZKTaEiOuq7X2WA89FwZnmZ1UgEwK-u2fRbdSMlnGbIhlIp_kI8uVIPBN-hn1vFTznVoQ49i73xQ71b3QU_4JdiGAw-WrDRMaK7DnTO_chNzVSPwAK9EJw/s4000/church.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjL7rEGJP-tCj9FmB1qlFNEvdMsRdUFfY960jnkeXUF5k7Nov9pX9t4DOy52lxB2TnR7_1ZKTaEiOuq7X2WA89FwZnmZ1UgEwK-u2fRbdSMlnGbIhlIp_kI8uVIPBN-hn1vFTznVoQ49i73xQ71b3QU_4JdiGAw-WrDRMaK7DnTO_chNzVSPwAK9EJw/w480-h640/church.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnificent gate on the Breb church yard</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The main feature on most homes was the imposing entrance gate, mostly made of oak, the predominant wood in the area. Historically, the bigger the gate, the richer the inhabitant, and more protection they could afford. Some gate elements these days are modern, but there are still some signs from the old days, such as the sun, twisted wood, and oak leaves that represented elements of nature, and helped to protect the property. The classic complex had one bigger house, several large barns and outbuildings for animals and a small cottage for granny. It occurred to us that much of the decoration on the homes, barns, gates and fences had no practical reason, and were purely for the soul.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7mx3is10K1KimdJJXl85kMLQzyUSkX3CVG8LQp2fWWUkMM-cpNSw83g12-2Z7L2E70Qbm1-J9dneGrr2cH7swWv4rBqZJs8zUcMpmFwTzQ_HqvP7Yx5KoLeciT7eg0zwQ11rOAqeSb0DPRusOQmy_zvSTcqOZVuvmr56T-3CyW0Z5AN8ROpk6Ic04g/s4758/3%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4758" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7mx3is10K1KimdJJXl85kMLQzyUSkX3CVG8LQp2fWWUkMM-cpNSw83g12-2Z7L2E70Qbm1-J9dneGrr2cH7swWv4rBqZJs8zUcMpmFwTzQ_HqvP7Yx5KoLeciT7eg0zwQ11rOAqeSb0DPRusOQmy_zvSTcqOZVuvmr56T-3CyW0Z5AN8ROpk6Ic04g/w426-h640/3%20(3).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elaborate carvings on gate, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaCA52BkHBP8-TedGkYRJiAb-vOmT3022ZugSahjnMzSJetcmg93ZAyX3_hdooZ8SjZgMfjyaOwiCY7xaC05ogTc5vVIK1h7LbmqXuaTgwwKBwm9ndFfOa1WbQ9bcbXcSKIBKJZc9NDEtx763o9U_VXrWiQKl6AMXQxfewRSbHjhKO-hUgVBnzgJ_Kw/s5184/3%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaCA52BkHBP8-TedGkYRJiAb-vOmT3022ZugSahjnMzSJetcmg93ZAyX3_hdooZ8SjZgMfjyaOwiCY7xaC05ogTc5vVIK1h7LbmqXuaTgwwKBwm9ndFfOa1WbQ9bcbXcSKIBKJZc9NDEtx763o9U_VXrWiQKl6AMXQxfewRSbHjhKO-hUgVBnzgJ_Kw/w640-h426/3%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous woven hazel fence, breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjufcq01kM54N4vixLtmmDA-dTUNUQ4PyykBKJgjxZodnxi2r8LM8lsbWml-YDaev53OyQG_x7Emv6q2Cm9uJ_Ns93nnh5RHMWfFg8St_NF55yqo9AjhmMJas0PY3lA8t3P4k0oixMed83sJERsrRXuwoym9SKcWqqhjg5XiR5nOWBYe5rxUkWaqkvg/s4640/3%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3094" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjufcq01kM54N4vixLtmmDA-dTUNUQ4PyykBKJgjxZodnxi2r8LM8lsbWml-YDaev53OyQG_x7Emv6q2Cm9uJ_Ns93nnh5RHMWfFg8St_NF55yqo9AjhmMJas0PY3lA8t3P4k0oixMed83sJERsrRXuwoym9SKcWqqhjg5XiR5nOWBYe5rxUkWaqkvg/w426-h640/3%20(2).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carving detail, oak leaf, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2yRa-RIgwtJQhwSZ4Tzrm85VQE3j_r3MRoYbf91EIAk9aqIAbQ1Jznl5vI6tZsRcIWmnQA2QsnRC-BYYSOA94dsdMlVhMhio_RCJOWMrfJJjYP6JodZUDR3ADNdV-AGMYN4l3a5fnmm0xZJ67pA7bC4mpYQLZT03G37K25AdkoidRyN4_7DjvwT66w/s5184/3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2yRa-RIgwtJQhwSZ4Tzrm85VQE3j_r3MRoYbf91EIAk9aqIAbQ1Jznl5vI6tZsRcIWmnQA2QsnRC-BYYSOA94dsdMlVhMhio_RCJOWMrfJJjYP6JodZUDR3ADNdV-AGMYN4l3a5fnmm0xZJ67pA7bC4mpYQLZT03G37K25AdkoidRyN4_7DjvwT66w/w640-h426/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common for houses to have colourful pots out the front, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyOexNgoHuFDhOI9V5aNTzOUbIT3H3it9HfFSeqhfVe93XJIWzfvn5nN03sp2SJML4R4ngWNBLXkQH29iEryzJhcE81GWjj3hpbv-_M8DoHyaij0vBXiapx4hyXubc9sHqJ3-nHCgxjEgyRjyS3UxWFVt1ld2BGrr89JKudDqCOStMhcgckY2EZQklw/s4000/3%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyOexNgoHuFDhOI9V5aNTzOUbIT3H3it9HfFSeqhfVe93XJIWzfvn5nN03sp2SJML4R4ngWNBLXkQH29iEryzJhcE81GWjj3hpbv-_M8DoHyaij0vBXiapx4hyXubc9sHqJ3-nHCgxjEgyRjyS3UxWFVt1ld2BGrr89JKudDqCOStMhcgckY2EZQklw/w640-h480/3%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even new built houses have traditional elements, Breb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Breb is one of the most special places we have visited- definitely in Europe. It kind of reminded us of villages in Central Asia we had loved, but it held it's own unique charm. We loved it so much, and can imagine a return visit to soak up some more of it's whimsical charm.</p><p><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptef69n3FInsVq-Wp7rkmeEIuhVUdcRFvG3q_p8hPr-Cli8BAH742uCOUjnR5WZU36LfxTDrLEmxflOfrQ0oT3EyyvnAT3GJnIWIjkSLg6kI17KHamGzJdgXVzKY1S8ect5xkMXD-O39OAaLxlAzFIapc7_pIcMBhP4WlDtnBayAQRBPsTkxUNUFN2A/s4000/IMG_1481.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptef69n3FInsVq-Wp7rkmeEIuhVUdcRFvG3q_p8hPr-Cli8BAH742uCOUjnR5WZU36LfxTDrLEmxflOfrQ0oT3EyyvnAT3GJnIWIjkSLg6kI17KHamGzJdgXVzKY1S8ect5xkMXD-O39OAaLxlAzFIapc7_pIcMBhP4WlDtnBayAQRBPsTkxUNUFN2A/w640-h480/IMG_1481.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two weary travellers!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKAKrDAsVk-y06rJCeQWbucUooscwpsUiJbHVoNQXtQz8_Fn7ABGVCjl-8heM8EMxTCCiaRCCDa7VlrkjDK4nDcV-ri77XQpesRrnHOBakPE17KKXcxcFLrhoW_-4YefsShmBGSs9CzoAaBCOTOaK90OSnyRHmlasTVY6r9RAh_6PeB6xWCP7X7rieg/s5184/IMG_8759.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKAKrDAsVk-y06rJCeQWbucUooscwpsUiJbHVoNQXtQz8_Fn7ABGVCjl-8heM8EMxTCCiaRCCDa7VlrkjDK4nDcV-ri77XQpesRrnHOBakPE17KKXcxcFLrhoW_-4YefsShmBGSs9CzoAaBCOTOaK90OSnyRHmlasTVY6r9RAh_6PeB6xWCP7X7rieg/w640-h426/IMG_8759.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/06/drunks-on-border-sighetu-marmatiei-and.html" target="_blank">.......further travels north to Sighetu and surrounds and the unique sights there........</a></i></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-43448388903595284652022-05-20T17:09:00.002+08:002022-06-11T12:09:02.361+08:00TRANSYLVANIAN TRAIN TRUNDLINGS - Sighisoara and Sibiu, Romania<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/05/stumbling-into-spring-bucharest-and.html" target="_blank"> ......our last blog post from our first thoughts about Bucharest and Brasov........</a></i></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGf9xa2T0-3fbaUBhU8koGf2N_zqipzQdpuRopMey0gLxdyLF9X3y-ppBXLWJjUPW06eHaHD9iL0LmKprJ8ivro2_bIzBZTkkMKbJ8-LDukX5OrIEUJv9GXDYQ1N7VuGFoFx9K7Vl6DPzzxbfdv1O3hdcOEU0XEu6yZgTqMCGzcb0QkhGduV0iq8yMYw/s4882/IMG_8640.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4882" data-original-width="3254" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGf9xa2T0-3fbaUBhU8koGf2N_zqipzQdpuRopMey0gLxdyLF9X3y-ppBXLWJjUPW06eHaHD9iL0LmKprJ8ivro2_bIzBZTkkMKbJ8-LDukX5OrIEUJv9GXDYQ1N7VuGFoFx9K7Vl6DPzzxbfdv1O3hdcOEU0XEu6yZgTqMCGzcb0QkhGduV0iq8yMYw/w426-h640/IMG_8640.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old town of Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cqHz65s4aaPRQec06rOcyxviC2SCMcdFlHfqqqv9wsAeCs7cDqvNXIMAs92iccUitA7ssi5N4T2Vlj20oHZdEaid0E3WV89hpnf9nveYw7PqMyvo2xTvOJOBBamlamCItOk2FVVNzBhvzgBBh37MR0-90pQw47yIiOD0O6zg33bp1TLKc2bowEkfUg/s4000/IMG_1330.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cqHz65s4aaPRQec06rOcyxviC2SCMcdFlHfqqqv9wsAeCs7cDqvNXIMAs92iccUitA7ssi5N4T2Vlj20oHZdEaid0E3WV89hpnf9nveYw7PqMyvo2xTvOJOBBamlamCItOk2FVVNzBhvzgBBh37MR0-90pQw47yIiOD0O6zg33bp1TLKc2bowEkfUg/w480-h640/IMG_1330.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rich and a hedge</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The train from Brasov further into Transylvania was another visual treat. This time agricultural scenes of green and yellow fields with pretty hills and sheep grazing in the distance formed the view out the window. Small villages with almost exclusively white Saxon-style church spires, red tiled roofs and the odd horse and cart appeared every few miles. We were shocked to see some extremely basic villages with houses made of rough bits of timber and seemingly populated by Roma people. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufwCedc1PFmITBmfysr7pStkgTgzvil3DQox73wGXUASATWLKMsyAmgHHw3dfQ5xvIOa6YVmYQNVLYZjvyBKMiF4rZq38izHBMYjPJw7-IvUHwB2cpf69a-5k5kVdutyRhwgiXQWUGL9lGoNXQ_5Y7-PS6vvTpgJ_f3aWG3AbSVcYWDlzrERAMu7z-g/s4000/IMG_1285train%20to%20singhisoara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufwCedc1PFmITBmfysr7pStkgTgzvil3DQox73wGXUASATWLKMsyAmgHHw3dfQ5xvIOa6YVmYQNVLYZjvyBKMiF4rZq38izHBMYjPJw7-IvUHwB2cpf69a-5k5kVdutyRhwgiXQWUGL9lGoNXQ_5Y7-PS6vvTpgJ_f3aWG3AbSVcYWDlzrERAMu7z-g/w640-h480/IMG_1285train%20to%20singhisoara.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Romanian train, Brasov to Sighisoara</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT_jGN9nvtgENLW6_eMu8MdFMqnOvFxAqBk9UL62MzqEywN5w01yK9m6iC9WeSxxhue9bPalD5ALv0-skWOe8VZq5iHV1vvW5w7Lut5bDOwcZhJ4iEj-n3iq4-RpgZog5A52vXhikIJUjCtXoSv1m1G2pkqXfZ3uqCvJIXFXArKqGy63Dzg-PSZmlIg/s4000/IMG_1289.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT_jGN9nvtgENLW6_eMu8MdFMqnOvFxAqBk9UL62MzqEywN5w01yK9m6iC9WeSxxhue9bPalD5ALv0-skWOe8VZq5iHV1vvW5w7Lut5bDOwcZhJ4iEj-n3iq4-RpgZog5A52vXhikIJUjCtXoSv1m1G2pkqXfZ3uqCvJIXFXArKqGy63Dzg-PSZmlIg/w640-h480/IMG_1289.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Villages whizzing by our window, train from Brasov to Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynjpXknbHv6c2W9vpmw_RSeGHgaRj_SXDNUlCitZ360jw_8PA5XQQAq_THGzkRMvjin60NUz7Um2swVZ2bzpyPzS4Tg_uRY6-_gG1QOYMZyoAfPxzVtwpYmZLshz1TmWt9Fc-chx9IzmDpvh02SCOoaHu2TzhHWzZAMCmRmgmvNPeFj38VKs8tnhf2A/s3392/IMG_1301.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2213" data-original-width="3392" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynjpXknbHv6c2W9vpmw_RSeGHgaRj_SXDNUlCitZ360jw_8PA5XQQAq_THGzkRMvjin60NUz7Um2swVZ2bzpyPzS4Tg_uRY6-_gG1QOYMZyoAfPxzVtwpYmZLshz1TmWt9Fc-chx9IzmDpvh02SCOoaHu2TzhHWzZAMCmRmgmvNPeFj38VKs8tnhf2A/w640-h418/IMG_1301.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic backyards in village, from the train, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We'd booked a hostel online in Sighisoara, liking the look of the ancient building, and hoping there might be some other travellers up for a chat. What we found instead was an empty, soulless place with a cranky and rude proprietor. Since we had already paid for for five nights, we made the best of the situation. The building was indeed a relic of the medieval village, and smack bang in the middle of the old town, but the lack of atmosphere and the bad attitude of the owner was disappointing. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDgYxLaF4RRahnEjofCJN-R-Fm4NVfZz50AhvjvkKaSLH-V62UHFyaAsjDGbZ3BzYNKiL8gG1TBh3NCbSeD0bBIsLRA2nUj-mkl0T75riBXK9BdiS0x-I9hlD5TmhQZ_MMWVX3m2Ac1kV6DlqlTfqo0R4qJv39_6K8KTE_i2qejvokH-9U3WoQTscGA/s4000/IMG_1324%20sighisoara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDgYxLaF4RRahnEjofCJN-R-Fm4NVfZz50AhvjvkKaSLH-V62UHFyaAsjDGbZ3BzYNKiL8gG1TBh3NCbSeD0bBIsLRA2nUj-mkl0T75riBXK9BdiS0x-I9hlD5TmhQZ_MMWVX3m2Ac1kV6DlqlTfqo0R4qJv39_6K8KTE_i2qejvokH-9U3WoQTscGA/w640-h480/IMG_1324%20sighisoara.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hostel street, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Pretty Sighisoara is unique for it's completely and intensely intact citadel. The small cobblestoned centre inside the fortified walls and towers is a condensed preservation of the town as it was in medieval times. Only quaint small shops, cafes, restaurants and pensions in the old style are present, with all the main and modern shopping being down the hill in the downtown area. We're not sure how the colouring system works in such protected places, but each building was painted a different shade of pastel, and the results were charming. All traffic except essential vehicles seemed to be banned, so it was delightfully tranquil to stroll around.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgbLhChD7jdS0K1OIehCriiFt-7_bYA3vbTlTN1zl6pJ0pcdSgrOJr0Ixv31PGPejiElsvHhyZnz0SYsrIzMX6Ggw5IWci7uFGsSX2qTppRze4dsj6rg5XNmkBVAfMt1T3VOmUgy7B3zZOH_lcFnd2jnaJbSZ48CwD67pLmy0Q-LSPDFWZQMrFMW5Pw/s4812/IMG_8617%20sighisoara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4812" data-original-width="3208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgbLhChD7jdS0K1OIehCriiFt-7_bYA3vbTlTN1zl6pJ0pcdSgrOJr0Ixv31PGPejiElsvHhyZnz0SYsrIzMX6Ggw5IWci7uFGsSX2qTppRze4dsj6rg5XNmkBVAfMt1T3VOmUgy7B3zZOH_lcFnd2jnaJbSZ48CwD67pLmy0Q-LSPDFWZQMrFMW5Pw/w426-h640/IMG_8617%20sighisoara.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clock tower off the main square, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT1FKPOE4Y-4OKOmwa0KNyjBpl2_znU9DoPndqyNmSDyBzoB0x2t9RrueDqZ5SBM2wCtPWFezU9cXJi24kPXiLxTcM6MlPdDEPi9ChaQgTfnfTF4e_SqOKai3VyiNYc2r8vuafF0KQh4I8XEPjOIy76PSDc_DCbWgexDFftSDf4qTHlIxegwBtl9FBA/s5184/IMG_8636.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT1FKPOE4Y-4OKOmwa0KNyjBpl2_znU9DoPndqyNmSDyBzoB0x2t9RrueDqZ5SBM2wCtPWFezU9cXJi24kPXiLxTcM6MlPdDEPi9ChaQgTfnfTF4e_SqOKai3VyiNYc2r8vuafF0KQh4I8XEPjOIy76PSDc_DCbWgexDFftSDf4qTHlIxegwBtl9FBA/w640-h426/IMG_8636.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHc6EFpM35sAlfq8S53BeIzTog2ufUGPKiF7r-NnAlqn4RVdsA7ykzcuSy2DGrDxI6lwSqRJ6nT0m1dXInf9fU-YwPHEnwZNb8jRSIcyegOjY-Ox90hxA0ENrnYr1RrhDErJ_m5AwvsK5HVYFb4TvjiFzLeWqdNBmJk9n0LPLcYkea5OEX_b2A63jAQ/s5184/IMG_8641.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHc6EFpM35sAlfq8S53BeIzTog2ufUGPKiF7r-NnAlqn4RVdsA7ykzcuSy2DGrDxI6lwSqRJ6nT0m1dXInf9fU-YwPHEnwZNb8jRSIcyegOjY-Ox90hxA0ENrnYr1RrhDErJ_m5AwvsK5HVYFb4TvjiFzLeWqdNBmJk9n0LPLcYkea5OEX_b2A63jAQ/w640-h426/IMG_8641.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjel1J5q3sUdpR8HM6b3v8rGUh5g1nKMNil97dUaYKNswFpOPWpPLr-ji2ueezQ3HK1ZhWtc3UxvRCwP_olxonkPLbt80xZWTH8adC0Li8T-DY5VyubxOYDEvVkRMI85ulWmG_4S9vEoMGGgb4IsN7zWcr9Bb3JqOL6ZmPbK2LMcNn-X_Lqdb5FxsJvLQ/s4729/IMG_8658.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4729" data-original-width="3291" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjel1J5q3sUdpR8HM6b3v8rGUh5g1nKMNil97dUaYKNswFpOPWpPLr-ji2ueezQ3HK1ZhWtc3UxvRCwP_olxonkPLbt80xZWTH8adC0Li8T-DY5VyubxOYDEvVkRMI85ulWmG_4S9vEoMGGgb4IsN7zWcr9Bb3JqOL6ZmPbK2LMcNn-X_Lqdb5FxsJvLQ/w446-h640/IMG_8658.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><br /><p>Sighisoara was settled in the 12th century by the Saxons, at the request of the King of Hungary, in order to fortify, protect and settle the town. The German/Saxon roots and influence on architecture and culture is still apparent in the town, particularly in the hillside cemetery, where names such as Schmitt, Muller and Wagner prevailed amongst the headstones. Our early morning walk there was enhanced by the twittering of so many songbirds. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnrYSINUP3y14kle2qpR5RHMkbixA-M-F_GXiidM-UkhrCoJVRF3lkiBOWaVOI5I_grIC4TbtmtvifTklB7OnTxnpiPP_r28L1AburnscXU-OpNvWymlKMbkkXcLYsCMkMGt6zCiPBBgugE4EdGfXjfnZyCHxLnqhqhAK22_28GKqd1_mr--86EaSfw/s5184/IMG_8670.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnrYSINUP3y14kle2qpR5RHMkbixA-M-F_GXiidM-UkhrCoJVRF3lkiBOWaVOI5I_grIC4TbtmtvifTklB7OnTxnpiPP_r28L1AburnscXU-OpNvWymlKMbkkXcLYsCMkMGt6zCiPBBgugE4EdGfXjfnZyCHxLnqhqhAK22_28GKqd1_mr--86EaSfw/w640-h426/IMG_8670.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Saxon graveyard, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Spires and turrets of a myriad of houses, churches and fortifications dominated the skyline. The diminutive main square, Piata Cetatii, was home to a few handsome cafe/bars, which were a pleasant spot to sit, watch and enjoy an Ursus (Bear) beer. A few days into our visit there was an influx of young students into the town- if it hadn't been for them, the place would have been nearly empty. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5Z2BYf1Oyb0EmxAwJqwLXYul56_cCHKlAk1YrbAEU8T4YS0G8OvOnZqLLLlDKwccvkvoujpn1BEJWYTbpN-gpkpQamHkZSsD5Lt1CJLjx_rCIoor0DAYVje8ItZpAz7kmKrApkDN579NxpBFJc-oDnA-lvvZ_eB-5KCDMFuMs560srweDyyfkzjV8g/s4000/IMG_1341.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5Z2BYf1Oyb0EmxAwJqwLXYul56_cCHKlAk1YrbAEU8T4YS0G8OvOnZqLLLlDKwccvkvoujpn1BEJWYTbpN-gpkpQamHkZSsD5Lt1CJLjx_rCIoor0DAYVje8ItZpAz7kmKrApkDN579NxpBFJc-oDnA-lvvZ_eB-5KCDMFuMs560srweDyyfkzjV8g/w480-h640/IMG_1341.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pleasant place for a beer, Piata Cetatii, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qBiqJ7VXyeX62XDUsePtFuNiBbPuR1XJSvvDB0P_RoUP07fnPcnigPoY4LTqOfGXI3ZSIu2sKpjWNObZ_ot-3-EYDwGnMjjWCNgogKYiilHB8DjUbKY1z6F8IZEg9ohFvJNAcUiX8UeToaNbn4FaSZ6Q-JPYK3xtCmQ-TtPVKbVUuchCiKGkUu70rg/s4812/IMG_8660.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3208" data-original-width="4812" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qBiqJ7VXyeX62XDUsePtFuNiBbPuR1XJSvvDB0P_RoUP07fnPcnigPoY4LTqOfGXI3ZSIu2sKpjWNObZ_ot-3-EYDwGnMjjWCNgogKYiilHB8DjUbKY1z6F8IZEg9ohFvJNAcUiX8UeToaNbn4FaSZ6Q-JPYK3xtCmQ-TtPVKbVUuchCiKGkUu70rg/w640-h426/IMG_8660.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An empty Piata Cetatii, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p>Although not many travellers about, Sighisoara was clearly a touristy place in busier times. We had a brochure for Medieval Minigolf thrust into our hands in the square, and were left wondering what that was all about. The Dracula tack was in full flow- T-shirts, souvenirs, Dracula's supposed birth room and some sad looking Dracula "experiences" with mannequins, creepy music and the story of Vlad's life (for more information about that myth, see our last blog post <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/05/stumbling-into-spring-bucharest-and.html" target="_blank">here</a>). </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqR4dHKPJQBnx-FsQfuoXew-7BynOrNl5u35Q5I0QHwhZlPhxVM9wxuOHz_HrUBHLdUiEFdLJS-OrkdBY8-VSgcdLczUSMJ_gffSkvhIHuNsaIHx-RBhJsNmNPe8MC9SCN-Ycx948pNC7KeXTaLCVR0FBmXxmEx2qkdVxawDAeOQ8ObHNV-3zWg-Ngw/s4000/IMG_1336.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqR4dHKPJQBnx-FsQfuoXew-7BynOrNl5u35Q5I0QHwhZlPhxVM9wxuOHz_HrUBHLdUiEFdLJS-OrkdBY8-VSgcdLczUSMJ_gffSkvhIHuNsaIHx-RBhJsNmNPe8MC9SCN-Ycx948pNC7KeXTaLCVR0FBmXxmEx2qkdVxawDAeOQ8ObHNV-3zWg-Ngw/w480-h640/IMG_1336.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dracula was here, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxDkg9MILISupJ3GHmPqQblQ65TyPqu3a-ILgJ_PrE0_QlJHzkdtRRgDxIpbBoPvf2HbIucuiw-DNB7jCJ2bc-cnyqhqr-SSyJrTCX2v1hueb1MzWIp9-MAQjQyJlXdgFMLf33L2ezOtk0Z9Tf-vb-M0NIxVSBVfxvlioFR8SnqPUuAhoE4-DOtk9Ow/s4000/IMG_1346%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxDkg9MILISupJ3GHmPqQblQ65TyPqu3a-ILgJ_PrE0_QlJHzkdtRRgDxIpbBoPvf2HbIucuiw-DNB7jCJ2bc-cnyqhqr-SSyJrTCX2v1hueb1MzWIp9-MAQjQyJlXdgFMLf33L2ezOtk0Z9Tf-vb-M0NIxVSBVfxvlioFR8SnqPUuAhoE4-DOtk9Ow/w480-h640/IMG_1346%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Vlad, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We best enjoyed the citadel first thing in the morning, before anyone else was up, and we had the place to ourselves to watch the sunrise and the light gradually glowing onto the medieval buildings on the hill. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bJ-elLhFdOPS8wCINf9s3gDkO9xUrD6HQ3-7vnqzhb1lZ-Oh52rHAYXaKM6NpLM4JpmOTey14_l7XDQPEjy-eDWVpatPLlwztAnxgif_CE1zvJkv7paS3SIdLcsME4CWiezsZqwl1w-4keXK0MgOpmtvZBGpJqAIkRoZAuNMeoBzbKDxac03gRNWsQ/s5184/IMG_8622.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bJ-elLhFdOPS8wCINf9s3gDkO9xUrD6HQ3-7vnqzhb1lZ-Oh52rHAYXaKM6NpLM4JpmOTey14_l7XDQPEjy-eDWVpatPLlwztAnxgif_CE1zvJkv7paS3SIdLcsME4CWiezsZqwl1w-4keXK0MgOpmtvZBGpJqAIkRoZAuNMeoBzbKDxac03gRNWsQ/w426-h640/IMG_8622.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4spt6mvDxdgiOvL6nB7no3Net43ecGLoFwbna190Nyw8pK3wYcrNuuCmMG2cweCPDv-GszXZ2bNovt8EznUb8LUV6WUK7lvYGLBXwYMXXC7r28pvkw3tdT1Xo4RQ6MN10gQ-qEkNcmAN4IdLg1rvZgRkRaaBYOVIBSfIPMqxQ1q1NCHXMx4mnyXMHA/s4314/IMG_8638.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3016" data-original-width="4314" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4spt6mvDxdgiOvL6nB7no3Net43ecGLoFwbna190Nyw8pK3wYcrNuuCmMG2cweCPDv-GszXZ2bNovt8EznUb8LUV6WUK7lvYGLBXwYMXXC7r28pvkw3tdT1Xo4RQ6MN10gQ-qEkNcmAN4IdLg1rvZgRkRaaBYOVIBSfIPMqxQ1q1NCHXMx4mnyXMHA/w640-h448/IMG_8638.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4JUeaK9wZRPOEjugNu0uygQ4SSBs5KX7YKa28kOYrWx97iwo9pvp-DELyOA6PKaaCjkWKR85HTWKKTiZaX-tCZ1Xg3k3APOZRoxa7uDOLH77dtJpBmFrDlPreAm8_RF5B1_lLZnB_GL5guysScr1DyoJWduqXVh8gqmyD2AxTAZ1Dmek_XVhnWBqGA/s4941/IMG_8655.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4JUeaK9wZRPOEjugNu0uygQ4SSBs5KX7YKa28kOYrWx97iwo9pvp-DELyOA6PKaaCjkWKR85HTWKKTiZaX-tCZ1Xg3k3APOZRoxa7uDOLH77dtJpBmFrDlPreAm8_RF5B1_lLZnB_GL5guysScr1DyoJWduqXVh8gqmyD2AxTAZ1Dmek_XVhnWBqGA/w640-h426/IMG_8655.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCFA9A6fEJ-CZCr_6teS5g9hOwg7SRKNLyJIxnRxDDJuBDm20oz4QC4hZps3xVnqa7_VqJdcIdlqj7uXdkvHr2rhtGaG6XjcgrG7xlwNNy6bDzKRE4QdgtBGLjDdtJTnDAmHcTMkoU-HTTROWpbM4HD5aF9H0a5oDQOBXlF82P8oT1AACCcETB0adfw/s5184/IMG_8662.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCFA9A6fEJ-CZCr_6teS5g9hOwg7SRKNLyJIxnRxDDJuBDm20oz4QC4hZps3xVnqa7_VqJdcIdlqj7uXdkvHr2rhtGaG6XjcgrG7xlwNNy6bDzKRE4QdgtBGLjDdtJTnDAmHcTMkoU-HTTROWpbM4HD5aF9H0a5oDQOBXlF82P8oT1AACCcETB0adfw/w426-h640/IMG_8662.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnDikCJgd0bgrD1uBdoglZjrFbnsrUF4rI4scw47FSxoQigsnQQ7Ajj5HEnt1CLvVySKf5zewcFMSb3Wsd10-5-7kt_WzAjCCKhXEyZF0OR4ufJtTQhWtqJNvlHBei3By4dakkz44RrI1ukjfKsQP7nJryXBNbKiXml8lUyXv6GTL2qgrjqIc-oNUEA/s5184/IMG_8635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnDikCJgd0bgrD1uBdoglZjrFbnsrUF4rI4scw47FSxoQigsnQQ7Ajj5HEnt1CLvVySKf5zewcFMSb3Wsd10-5-7kt_WzAjCCKhXEyZF0OR4ufJtTQhWtqJNvlHBei3By4dakkz44RrI1ukjfKsQP7nJryXBNbKiXml8lUyXv6GTL2qgrjqIc-oNUEA/w426-h640/IMG_8635.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi437xazNt6cXgbbfUH44Q0wmf3JdjVn4Xn6uW0kGsNS_QsVxrS41M8xo-zrP4sRNjEMyMOeIz9CnG5uFkO3AA29j_93orWibTkO8U41wI8gfu86AWxHaW21j38uwWVRt_vbCMgWoXbVTKK9BiIbCSRzkS1QZDbWc94daUCDzP4PCOhLpgfkq9NAo4fQA/s5184/IMG_8632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi437xazNt6cXgbbfUH44Q0wmf3JdjVn4Xn6uW0kGsNS_QsVxrS41M8xo-zrP4sRNjEMyMOeIz9CnG5uFkO3AA29j_93orWibTkO8U41wI8gfu86AWxHaW21j38uwWVRt_vbCMgWoXbVTKK9BiIbCSRzkS1QZDbWc94daUCDzP4PCOhLpgfkq9NAo4fQA/w426-h640/IMG_8632.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>We escaped the centre for what we thought was going to be a stroll in an ancient oak forest on the outskirts of town. MapsMe, however, had other ideas, and took us on a hike up a vertical hill. As lovely as the views were, we were happy to arrive in the actual forest amongst the oak and beech trees, and on relatively flat ground again. A host of bugs accompanied us on our walk- bees, beetles, little flies and the odd butterfly. We had already happily noticed on previous walks how many insects are about in Romania. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzposQtmGHSRhI5ggm380XR5LqxSPoICDqCQphgrc8BijhgcB2ItJBNCzVOhGmHzgqeECXRX4YJU-RH8Wr4QFuXq0xpLmKi0BNmlytBbiCGZv13CiwA99tETTPZDQvE_ulqFvEytQAXwmpN6V69zLXWwkZC8DEyJU0apyH3SCVnJaf-IM9294m8G27Tw/s4000/IMG_1354.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzposQtmGHSRhI5ggm380XR5LqxSPoICDqCQphgrc8BijhgcB2ItJBNCzVOhGmHzgqeECXRX4YJU-RH8Wr4QFuXq0xpLmKi0BNmlytBbiCGZv13CiwA99tETTPZDQvE_ulqFvEytQAXwmpN6V69zLXWwkZC8DEyJU0apyH3SCVnJaf-IM9294m8G27Tw/w640-h480/IMG_1354.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resting on the hike up a hill, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWCqj7LMgIW2sBiE9ZqB__weCRhL-IkH23NLXH0SdLKFJEZ6xfyXg8F4iwR3jJ0EiL4rJ2nMoCvCaNHDCSijKOf5HDUnrrRHBzdbgREgIsldv602Sk-lXOm92NEmKxTetPjz4SYU-_w-0QPwjTleLPGtrOv3_CI5W4_9el9B5sA6nrQutubB-ecI6vw/s3000/IMG_1356.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2802" data-original-width="3000" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWCqj7LMgIW2sBiE9ZqB__weCRhL-IkH23NLXH0SdLKFJEZ6xfyXg8F4iwR3jJ0EiL4rJ2nMoCvCaNHDCSijKOf5HDUnrrRHBzdbgREgIsldv602Sk-lXOm92NEmKxTetPjz4SYU-_w-0QPwjTleLPGtrOv3_CI5W4_9el9B5sA6nrQutubB-ecI6vw/w640-h598/IMG_1356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bears about! Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJktTXybECYS2PWakpGC4jdkJp4OLkCZzNeTL20SFETfbO-DuhXLPaWlx5hOjASuJux_RiTZWIM6OYUtRMQdgNmRuW329qf441-Eu29CUDxy9BgUCjzyOPDrhcuO5Lxxro976SxeFgQMkUeEZF5JtTm-WA1F4wvbWzqS4QzuHURolhpYcYif6va6hJQ/s3851/IMG_8644.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3308" data-original-width="3851" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJktTXybECYS2PWakpGC4jdkJp4OLkCZzNeTL20SFETfbO-DuhXLPaWlx5hOjASuJux_RiTZWIM6OYUtRMQdgNmRuW329qf441-Eu29CUDxy9BgUCjzyOPDrhcuO5Lxxro976SxeFgQMkUeEZF5JtTm-WA1F4wvbWzqS4QzuHURolhpYcYif6va6hJQ/w640-h550/IMG_8644.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring flowers, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegMZyXrnis-9JTc0O89jPI8_E3pr7NpK73cKbSgT3x5PkFzbRlLCh6Vxo-dIVareXI8P3jBwMf6vc76ZzaQuBEm4-agu3niXC4VjWotDAro6Njk-UkibE8qBzG7cC-uPE0PY78KmJ3X4R3AivXJP0t0GRGgwG4RnXxyFYh0ufiPI_brcA4DTdH84QHA/s5184/IMG_8646.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegMZyXrnis-9JTc0O89jPI8_E3pr7NpK73cKbSgT3x5PkFzbRlLCh6Vxo-dIVareXI8P3jBwMf6vc76ZzaQuBEm4-agu3niXC4VjWotDAro6Njk-UkibE8qBzG7cC-uPE0PY78KmJ3X4R3AivXJP0t0GRGgwG4RnXxyFYh0ufiPI_brcA4DTdH84QHA/w640-h426/IMG_8646.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green oak and beech forest, Sighisoara, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We slept badly at the hostel, especially when a group of Hungarian teenagers descended on the place for two nights, and weren't sad to leave early one morning. We were so excited upon our arrival in Sighisoara, we barely noticed the train station. At 6am on our departure day, however, it was a hovel, full of down and outs, some sleeping, some drunk, and the whole place reeked like sweat. No signs showed departing trains, the only thing that seemed to work in the building was the ear splitting speakers whenever an announcement blasted out. Worst of all it must be the only train station in Romania with no coffee machine! We were NOT happy! Luckily our train was on time and we jumped on when it arrived. Although the trip to Sibiu was only two hours, because of our lack of proper sleep for several days, it was spent in an uncomfortable, un-caffeinated daze, and our bodies ached when we alighted. What we remember of the scenery was misty farmland.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KQvK-zHAAy04AXxCb3Xyph4u0b7b1HA2UhC6zC6n-juYUbaHxNwyit5wBDgeTCkM8z_X93WUXNLq5fVaDXCkuJ9f6pI-9IhtLYwfn0pdYk0apyd06G3T-04HeiDpfgTyT1hA2p73n06R7nVq6z4q4u3ZjMO7BUGk6df3XYuIDEm-SmBzDhXq-UPriA/s5184/IMG_8678%20train%20to%20sibiu.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KQvK-zHAAy04AXxCb3Xyph4u0b7b1HA2UhC6zC6n-juYUbaHxNwyit5wBDgeTCkM8z_X93WUXNLq5fVaDXCkuJ9f6pI-9IhtLYwfn0pdYk0apyd06G3T-04HeiDpfgTyT1hA2p73n06R7nVq6z4q4u3ZjMO7BUGk6df3XYuIDEm-SmBzDhXq-UPriA/w640-h426/IMG_8678%20train%20to%20sibiu.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal trying not to be grumpy, early morning train Sighisoara to Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were delighted to find our studio in a historic building in the Upper Town of Sibiu to be welcoming, clean, quiet and well equipped for cooking. Accommodation in Romania is a fair bit more expensive than what we would usually pay on our travels, and we hoped cooking our own meals would save a bit of dosh, and also allow us to eat some meals we had been missing. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLgEBt5vM23Wj7I_K250rgDvq8KF-NHUOICcXmHa0X42AUioWvZfYgQc2mH8lMKfTFbgDJNNYjAKPRCE9rw4OiQdvwq9Mltc1YDOydpcmsPKPtvCOH7HJP2BV4TFVy17Vc8sRUe6cwioydUwNbTP_RLZzt39f4COts4fuw-sUtofr6z3fkLst33W2IQ/s4000/IMG_1362%20sibiu.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLgEBt5vM23Wj7I_K250rgDvq8KF-NHUOICcXmHa0X42AUioWvZfYgQc2mH8lMKfTFbgDJNNYjAKPRCE9rw4OiQdvwq9Mltc1YDOydpcmsPKPtvCOH7HJP2BV4TFVy17Vc8sRUe6cwioydUwNbTP_RLZzt39f4COts4fuw-sUtofr6z3fkLst33W2IQ/w640-h480/IMG_1362%20sibiu.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely studio, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Sibiu contrasted Sighisoara in it's grander size and it's more "lived in" feeling. The old city was separated in Lower Town and Upper town. Various picturesque lanes, bridges, passage ways and stairs connected the two, and part of a splendid wall with towers surrounded the entire medieval part. The Upper town historically was lived in by the upper class, and was dominated by market squares of various sizes, these days full of ritzy cafes and surrounded by museums. Lower town was primarily inhabited by tradesmen back in the day. Sibiu has the highest German population of all the towns in Transylvania, and has been a centre for the Saxons since it's founding in medieval times. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dYPfudE-y_bpLHtionTAvhlZ7yeIetDo2JHhzKSrsKCfvsI7cLP1IguoMTAY9QdIU2s2R-nkwks0hZufXhBX-TjBLsVlN7OG3-C8KI-pWZdSm-GGpcO7phd4fFDyqMR8T-4WJeJyxCBsEl36wp0pPo50PpLB1e5GURYORjFTgt2-FkDwvfHrr3oNAw/s5184/city%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dYPfudE-y_bpLHtionTAvhlZ7yeIetDo2JHhzKSrsKCfvsI7cLP1IguoMTAY9QdIU2s2R-nkwks0hZufXhBX-TjBLsVlN7OG3-C8KI-pWZdSm-GGpcO7phd4fFDyqMR8T-4WJeJyxCBsEl36wp0pPo50PpLB1e5GURYORjFTgt2-FkDwvfHrr3oNAw/w640-h426/city%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tranquil small streets of Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbZDyhRcHdjqtzolXS_4kihXhYBi-aeKZ-RnYKs3a5_4_Xm2ceNt54ZV_2k3-B7k0FAt-8fqMqqE5pA4IAezTYOZrTkY0wW2VU2dXCqRQVNQEnuEQlkf-9gMsGxrQqRRyrT46WpBERfntowOVElWoeyR1tVqi1a4dJidy_2mb32kFKx6955jXM0P8Ig/s4000/city%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbZDyhRcHdjqtzolXS_4kihXhYBi-aeKZ-RnYKs3a5_4_Xm2ceNt54ZV_2k3-B7k0FAt-8fqMqqE5pA4IAezTYOZrTkY0wW2VU2dXCqRQVNQEnuEQlkf-9gMsGxrQqRRyrT46WpBERfntowOVElWoeyR1tVqi1a4dJidy_2mb32kFKx6955jXM0P8Ig/w640-h480/city%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decorated church archway, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRLteGNCFuAzSrbcQKE_ytyjjkOqXo4zmcVgj3zyi2MzquDzyFLE2z3y2h74o6-StukOTvuwpotH31n8jJjdWvl7UKmZSSaTE5GLPN0OtiXC1aKYWwZEf4XeVEAFXAPUL2QYgXuR67vVbpfn4wbBIdZUMEzhZYHK9jyA40OnQzw0Mhn_f5oxko1j6lQ/s4766/city%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4766" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRLteGNCFuAzSrbcQKE_ytyjjkOqXo4zmcVgj3zyi2MzquDzyFLE2z3y2h74o6-StukOTvuwpotH31n8jJjdWvl7UKmZSSaTE5GLPN0OtiXC1aKYWwZEf4XeVEAFXAPUL2QYgXuR67vVbpfn4wbBIdZUMEzhZYHK9jyA40OnQzw0Mhn_f5oxko1j6lQ/w464-h640/city%20(5).jpg" width="464" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A man and his bike, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQgp3K1NYl-jUYZPGDtFjISgnCm0uifeTtA9wyfFWtuqaLEoxACC43Bvx-a5n0Oh9Wkwc5cPtgKFT6bheuMUxOj0ZBM5XfWLeEkTOC0sgrMCAokqIzm4c6ublDNYnzFYi9whrPAW1L46ZXA5aqKuzRPBjgPcl_PLW8yaiECF_oxMBu_vNyZ4vLoWl-A/s4703/city%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4703" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQgp3K1NYl-jUYZPGDtFjISgnCm0uifeTtA9wyfFWtuqaLEoxACC43Bvx-a5n0Oh9Wkwc5cPtgKFT6bheuMUxOj0ZBM5XfWLeEkTOC0sgrMCAokqIzm4c6ublDNYnzFYi9whrPAW1L46ZXA5aqKuzRPBjgPcl_PLW8yaiECF_oxMBu_vNyZ4vLoWl-A/w470-h640/city%20(6).jpg" width="470" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many staircases in Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The weather started warming up into a proper European late spring during our stay, and we were able to enjoy wandering, sitting in the parks and partaking in outdoor coffees and ice creams. One special evening was spent in a Baroque hall listening to a young pianist's rendition of Romanian composer George Enescu's sonata, in between Beethoven and Liszt works. Sibiu has always been famous for it's cultural activities- many famous composers of the 19th century played here, and nowadays it has it's own Philharmonic Orchestra.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6s6e1Y8ZFuBcoNcdl8MvXaH4Gu9tBCGGrs4Z0agRj8elVI3bxmsImVs9r_5b5M1aWrxoCtxJ8PCzXWAxwBnF8Odmm-h4jN-BAqdhJuRko7iso8Ozfvpn9EQ5qWQawbNuV5ddNMhC_qHgLylTFPI3pihuoDxCCGu2mYVsbtOm0xS17pxhNmJ0BkakEg/s4000/city%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6s6e1Y8ZFuBcoNcdl8MvXaH4Gu9tBCGGrs4Z0agRj8elVI3bxmsImVs9r_5b5M1aWrxoCtxJ8PCzXWAxwBnF8Odmm-h4jN-BAqdhJuRko7iso8Ozfvpn9EQ5qWQawbNuV5ddNMhC_qHgLylTFPI3pihuoDxCCGu2mYVsbtOm0xS17pxhNmJ0BkakEg/w480-h640/city%20(3).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bar in a historic tunnel, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PrQDq5buwWE8aoH46C5B15yUi8pZruHnf1tVeELULZmnm2fXjUvngcGp_I669ZN98J3zwhdU_3ExOVmh-v249YeYu6875baZDBsFvS7qzFFalcBuPdP9-qOuWoixxE3JnCpqfHgUxqTZU_OlJ62EicLJFh-gnNWiGJKo-6_HB1XGxE_9_IqvorEQkw/s4882/city%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3254" data-original-width="4882" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PrQDq5buwWE8aoH46C5B15yUi8pZruHnf1tVeELULZmnm2fXjUvngcGp_I669ZN98J3zwhdU_3ExOVmh-v249YeYu6875baZDBsFvS7qzFFalcBuPdP9-qOuWoixxE3JnCpqfHgUxqTZU_OlJ62EicLJFh-gnNWiGJKo-6_HB1XGxE_9_IqvorEQkw/w640-h426/city%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outdoor cafes, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Two churches stood out for us, for different reasons. The Byzantine-style Orthodox Cathedral had an opulent interior, all gleaming with gold mosaics glowing with sunlight entering via the stained glass windows, and deep blue based paintings depicting uniquely Romanian biblical scenes on every surface. We sat happily in this place for some time soaking up the wonderful space and ambience.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl01DF-Odq9_t4ON1-Zrr_Hk6mGYSC-dBJ-YOe4ts5a5lcttqv68D4EJNzIeQZ6z4BaOWn1zAflOsRzJnOt0rtNsc-gSPFFEe3Yii3A24fi9YWeSoDqkqnmu13f_BAUsPAGWy-3omqFvYpnlIV2i_v0Lr9AEJbFGuTRF7CMitRSS4RO7kd0EK-fCG-Q/s5184/orthodox%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl01DF-Odq9_t4ON1-Zrr_Hk6mGYSC-dBJ-YOe4ts5a5lcttqv68D4EJNzIeQZ6z4BaOWn1zAflOsRzJnOt0rtNsc-gSPFFEe3Yii3A24fi9YWeSoDqkqnmu13f_BAUsPAGWy-3omqFvYpnlIV2i_v0Lr9AEJbFGuTRF7CMitRSS4RO7kd0EK-fCG-Q/w640-h426/orthodox%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Byzantine features, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitttlyRCEfCpRyRW_0XuX7ApeTT4x8Okl6O-6-YYRrYJxGSIZIMKy9hoQFYE5rdkpmyaocRTQOwPiM2VkEjYjexA0fnIFbWh0hKWYSwZd19BPngwkOucGk9CluQOV-NGe5kEBC4ZU24tPDLvxk1V8bNU3-b0utXY9HKL-kZAf4bo7JaTtAmw9MsG-tgQ/s3820/orthodox%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3820" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitttlyRCEfCpRyRW_0XuX7ApeTT4x8Okl6O-6-YYRrYJxGSIZIMKy9hoQFYE5rdkpmyaocRTQOwPiM2VkEjYjexA0fnIFbWh0hKWYSwZd19BPngwkOucGk9CluQOV-NGe5kEBC4ZU24tPDLvxk1V8bNU3-b0utXY9HKL-kZAf4bo7JaTtAmw9MsG-tgQ/w502-h640/orthodox%20(2).jpg" width="502" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heavenly light shining in, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkX7JbrsIrH245vHfxc25PRMG6-bafl4LSQBUexoObzH6-zpknLLJDnEnABRXXBAndTI9eAgBAtowCDfmNPqHdHMVnaoL_Zx9NACPKVVSSjbPT8hQxI-XveCHA22BfrXeZFHMAszDRKgL4SYf9b8uh1d9G9JmqJN_NlVbjsLs472R_VNOIbfFK5J_fA/s4000/orthodox%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkX7JbrsIrH245vHfxc25PRMG6-bafl4LSQBUexoObzH6-zpknLLJDnEnABRXXBAndTI9eAgBAtowCDfmNPqHdHMVnaoL_Zx9NACPKVVSSjbPT8hQxI-XveCHA22BfrXeZFHMAszDRKgL4SYf9b8uh1d9G9JmqJN_NlVbjsLs472R_VNOIbfFK5J_fA/w480-h640/orthodox%20(3).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freaky painting, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAclmA3bd_ztwXXxXn9R1XZbRWJevU08jJNWGsg5Lu33B_mU1VClKxpOtKI3g5dkiPP-E-tuODW2RyCg3e-MD0EY2NRFkZ00RB3SM_8hEkQc_B0jGxaM8blqsA9qUsAJiXSdUHfj8OF32M9UtHD7kjatwq85d_oj9s2SADldUxbmw2HduStYJAhTi3A/s4000/orthodox%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAclmA3bd_ztwXXxXn9R1XZbRWJevU08jJNWGsg5Lu33B_mU1VClKxpOtKI3g5dkiPP-E-tuODW2RyCg3e-MD0EY2NRFkZ00RB3SM_8hEkQc_B0jGxaM8blqsA9qUsAJiXSdUHfj8OF32M9UtHD7kjatwq85d_oj9s2SADldUxbmw2HduStYJAhTi3A/w480-h640/orthodox%20(4).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the carpet in this ceiling scene, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Conversely, the Gothic stylings of St Mary's Evangelical Lutheran church were downright weird. The colourful tiles on the exterior of the spire were appealing, but inside was another story. We've come across strange cherubs in churches before, most notably in <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2016/05/sit-on-my-bidet-and-tell-me-that-you.html" target="_blank">Portugal's Baroque churches</a>. But the baby carvings in Sibiu's Lutheran church were creepy and ugly, and combined with the skeletons, an evil-looking organ and a disquieting atmosphere in the building, we were happy to leave after only a brief look around. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYBHhAbx3JxAa24OMqJ6cH68_jKKNMHQsQq-SwmDlM5fwk9HE91aAteUpCuXBQ26t3R-y_jyy3J2UVfit7JJDtAmy_ciVMJqwBMw8b91r33UplIUViypJV3jLuWiOv2O24Vw7mPpuXRx5YtSR_h0EvhAWrPc5_AHun7JgIPdW_J29wONBjF87u5QlVg/s3953/lutheran%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="3953" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYBHhAbx3JxAa24OMqJ6cH68_jKKNMHQsQq-SwmDlM5fwk9HE91aAteUpCuXBQ26t3R-y_jyy3J2UVfit7JJDtAmy_ciVMJqwBMw8b91r33UplIUViypJV3jLuWiOv2O24Vw7mPpuXRx5YtSR_h0EvhAWrPc5_AHun7JgIPdW_J29wONBjF87u5QlVg/w640-h426/lutheran%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting church decorations, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHgik82eqxGeZZlRR8k_fqoAgdf43IA1du6eHz-RileHrzXFpXuVLT5WbMc6qt8lTP9LphMXQPg7PYPpiIhqJ3pZZgdnEx6ZMfeIdPRqSnN9YsJFT2VnCxskea0S_T9KLW7rlkp5j3FZcNNFqu9N6F6PO_g8faognyqcnWErOAYYUCJOggkGlSBcSCA/s3894/lutheran%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2102" data-original-width="3894" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHgik82eqxGeZZlRR8k_fqoAgdf43IA1du6eHz-RileHrzXFpXuVLT5WbMc6qt8lTP9LphMXQPg7PYPpiIhqJ3pZZgdnEx6ZMfeIdPRqSnN9YsJFT2VnCxskea0S_T9KLW7rlkp5j3FZcNNFqu9N6F6PO_g8faognyqcnWErOAYYUCJOggkGlSBcSCA/w640-h346/lutheran%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugly little characters, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNjeaZg2-KwNIkpE1uojFGbiAS946xC8wDn8G-Kj0Q9UDHzIAZyjlIE8phSz2Uu9CPb3bR5NvChu-6hcT3Fb0VOeRNW4luZPcUh40RRlPDcMjWPLCa88k76iHCn7eeSN77tk0mlW6-lhHAJKrWp8zdAsW62D66P4JWnUJ-SKnN3fOYTl5UwHzK6R-Rg/s4762/lutheran%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4762" data-original-width="3380" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNjeaZg2-KwNIkpE1uojFGbiAS946xC8wDn8G-Kj0Q9UDHzIAZyjlIE8phSz2Uu9CPb3bR5NvChu-6hcT3Fb0VOeRNW4luZPcUh40RRlPDcMjWPLCa88k76iHCn7eeSN77tk0mlW6-lhHAJKrWp8zdAsW62D66P4JWnUJ-SKnN3fOYTl5UwHzK6R-Rg/w454-h640/lutheran%20(3).jpg" width="454" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least the exterior was pretty, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0RhmyshI7VcMgE5S_RuN-AaLn44i_QMz6VeE3ban4rq1SsonWUNNhg0B25eIfIrvi2EMZolgW-Zrf66m6Pokg3gawA2p-7ahfE9h5lqYM_K1z3oCuTZPsRF-9uvOPqu_Qn19OdNAfoq8y2nEjKYEEEzn7AikrNIT-xnnUHYXKiuEft0pyRegNjvyZA/s1851/lutheran%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1851" data-original-width="1416" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0RhmyshI7VcMgE5S_RuN-AaLn44i_QMz6VeE3ban4rq1SsonWUNNhg0B25eIfIrvi2EMZolgW-Zrf66m6Pokg3gawA2p-7ahfE9h5lqYM_K1z3oCuTZPsRF-9uvOPqu_Qn19OdNAfoq8y2nEjKYEEEzn7AikrNIT-xnnUHYXKiuEft0pyRegNjvyZA/w490-h640/lutheran%20(4).jpg" width="490" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repulsive little babies, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our last day in Sibiu saw us becoming carried away at the local flea market, a much worthier affair than we were expecting. An overwhelming place with piles of old junk, clothes, food, tools, and many other items, we happily spend hours wandering and sticky-beaking into what everyone was doing, selling, buying and eating. The best thing was the local Romas dressed to the nines for a Sunday out, with gold, sparkling and colourful clothes and scarves for the women, and a cowboy look for the men with black hats and leather waistcoats. A weirdly huge amount of second hand work clothes, hi-viz vests etc took up a large portion of the items for sale, and we were interested to note, there was only a couple of stalls selling communist-era paraphernalia. Most other post-Communist/USSR countries we have visited have piles of old medals, military uniforms, badges and reading matter from the old times for sale in their flea markets, but Romania doesn't seem so keen on remembering that past. Food was on offer- the choice of BBQ meat, bread and beer. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIy3k0qroD3cOesuZUdn_CHOAMR2JXRhD-_4CEYNF9R7RIJiBlvZb482de5ixM08QyAh9ukFYUF5AK0qEJSoY3JXk4rpdD5lKWgYiqb9LECbOX39-mjGQLV7iqxth5PliOtWt1_uWZTB3N9Etr4IhVz2MnK0HsWB3KlnhBG8XJlmCLRo8B_hBEE0kzQ/s4000/market%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIy3k0qroD3cOesuZUdn_CHOAMR2JXRhD-_4CEYNF9R7RIJiBlvZb482de5ixM08QyAh9ukFYUF5AK0qEJSoY3JXk4rpdD5lKWgYiqb9LECbOX39-mjGQLV7iqxth5PliOtWt1_uWZTB3N9Etr4IhVz2MnK0HsWB3KlnhBG8XJlmCLRo8B_hBEE0kzQ/w640-h480/market%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool dude selling junk, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPrw0k4DO-drvlRECgOaJdomF-QKKUwozHVOiTP5HwVE6mxBUrqRlK0Bzr7XB-1va17UV7NEizWbwDViT7HXSY4W6YKghwm8OJuwZThahGjB4DrSSEkyz2ocu_sxXQuGjijokl-FU_OMcb09TpSZOiTVjKhALJGsM5yoJnJiPUZD3qg7AjicnIAVTZg/s3678/market%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1551" data-original-width="3678" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPrw0k4DO-drvlRECgOaJdomF-QKKUwozHVOiTP5HwVE6mxBUrqRlK0Bzr7XB-1va17UV7NEizWbwDViT7HXSY4W6YKghwm8OJuwZThahGjB4DrSSEkyz2ocu_sxXQuGjijokl-FU_OMcb09TpSZOiTVjKhALJGsM5yoJnJiPUZD3qg7AjicnIAVTZg/w640-h270/market%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork in different forms for sale, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XQoYKHooISCr8hXveVoJ08IwvWS5Th4YW_XI-0zycETncQjmmxnk_czuksz9Se6qqT6xb-zytz2pCS499fQ8KVS_WjxCPmxn4ephf-gkutEG2ZHAwle0CwU-6L5yfqkG3XGbk188b3QzVdLJQNjuuXwmYraWBI3lLYGtM13JlAPtwdLwlatqpXLbhw/s5184/market%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XQoYKHooISCr8hXveVoJ08IwvWS5Th4YW_XI-0zycETncQjmmxnk_czuksz9Se6qqT6xb-zytz2pCS499fQ8KVS_WjxCPmxn4ephf-gkutEG2ZHAwle0CwU-6L5yfqkG3XGbk188b3QzVdLJQNjuuXwmYraWBI3lLYGtM13JlAPtwdLwlatqpXLbhw/w640-h426/market%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All sorts for sale, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjA1V2vycC_s2bFrrGsI4QNCUnSKpuGdA1xcWMn2HN3gwj_YFOCu0oIPop2a45ihLmJzdHiS6sCKvspnYICmXeLlnLlX2mRH464YEiTlJytnNcbpw6IhmM3gCd5yZR7E9rhGAGdqDR6g4QO3XDkIuouAOQiyT0FkiaB-5ku0ZkZXYLJfdhn_BWKi4kA/s3815/market%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2179" data-original-width="3815" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjA1V2vycC_s2bFrrGsI4QNCUnSKpuGdA1xcWMn2HN3gwj_YFOCu0oIPop2a45ihLmJzdHiS6sCKvspnYICmXeLlnLlX2mRH464YEiTlJytnNcbpw6IhmM3gCd5yZR7E9rhGAGdqDR6g4QO3XDkIuouAOQiyT0FkiaB-5ku0ZkZXYLJfdhn_BWKi4kA/w640-h366/market%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roma men looking dapper, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2dtzAitq1pzJT2y85k9DZQ_X8pFg1DlfMekzxx4EtdcizhOpFJytIYusswbUrl28trF5SJgZrzQzc6uFAo4r4t1gxwcCJUkykBFSGvD3Hdy7Ayc4c0d8cFFgcIyXCHQAHpkZ0EKEV3WM2DIqT1v-Vxr02raomOwIW9WjsfYSLpf8K8_5oZsV-US_QA/s2788/market%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2538" data-original-width="2788" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2dtzAitq1pzJT2y85k9DZQ_X8pFg1DlfMekzxx4EtdcizhOpFJytIYusswbUrl28trF5SJgZrzQzc6uFAo4r4t1gxwcCJUkykBFSGvD3Hdy7Ayc4c0d8cFFgcIyXCHQAHpkZ0EKEV3WM2DIqT1v-Vxr02raomOwIW9WjsfYSLpf8K8_5oZsV-US_QA/w640-h582/market%20(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Splendid Roma women's outfits, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We realized the reason we like flea markets so much in foreign countries is the glimpse into the past and the tacky present, the reflection of what locals consider precious and worth keeping and buying. Culturally, it can speak volumes about a place.</p><p>Romanian men, in particular, love a hat. Most men favour either a trilby or fedora style, or the cowboy-like black Gypsy style with a broad brim to keep the sun off. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUAeztLab5XChBLrV2tGJ3pENM294J3S4jqEFVcLUj0b8kRirC3dDQrZAXLc2821ZLOK6ct_hK-DdOFz2k5fQBrvAia7tLfhlATYbEWnqlw95UH128ei9PWItspf7pTfSFtrPkpGgff-y5rgycnlnF3l54JBw7tFntd7tjnxBVj4obXQaMZUWPtmBwA/s4000/market%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUAeztLab5XChBLrV2tGJ3pENM294J3S4jqEFVcLUj0b8kRirC3dDQrZAXLc2821ZLOK6ct_hK-DdOFz2k5fQBrvAia7tLfhlATYbEWnqlw95UH128ei9PWItspf7pTfSFtrPkpGgff-y5rgycnlnF3l54JBw7tFntd7tjnxBVj4obXQaMZUWPtmBwA/w640-h480/market%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romanians love a hat!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>We felt like we had only begun to scratch the surface in Transylvania, but from Sibiu we were to travel further north to the Maramures region, and hopefully experience some more wonderful, contrasting areas of Romania.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4M-XhCEwMAT2Xe3zgarlecGPLoSIF7_Wv1oqImcxzgI_YcJQzg3S6jsKrGiH35UwTZ7QfTciSTnLusDtbGmVm_GmFw2zt2ILs2_cF4ctB1l3kvrxCH4kng6pL3JxzMJXOB05e9G8vQsbIlquq4D5xP1IAnH_xiRRpVr7iwuhNLpbKp_8iLXZOMBrpXQ/s4000/IMG_1306.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4M-XhCEwMAT2Xe3zgarlecGPLoSIF7_Wv1oqImcxzgI_YcJQzg3S6jsKrGiH35UwTZ7QfTciSTnLusDtbGmVm_GmFw2zt2ILs2_cF4ctB1l3kvrxCH4kng6pL3JxzMJXOB05e9G8vQsbIlquq4D5xP1IAnH_xiRRpVr7iwuhNLpbKp_8iLXZOMBrpXQ/w640-h480/IMG_1306.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving the Romanian trains!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><i><br /></i><div><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-country-life-breb-maramures-romania.html" target="_blank">........next up- our favourite place yet- the little village of Breb in Maramures.......</a></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-76995425981292534392022-05-14T01:31:00.005+08:002022-08-20T19:20:38.708+08:00 STUMBLING INTO SPRING - Bucharest and Brasov, Romania<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/04/from-city-to-deep-blue-sea-cairo-and.html" target="_blank">.....a world away, our last blog post from Dahab in the Sinai Desert of Egypt........</a></i></p><p>After six months in Egypt, we were well and truly ready for a change. We missed temperate climates and green expanses. We longed for some freshness in the air, and some peaceful environments. Our travel choices had broadened in the last month, with many countries dropping their Covidian restrictions and opening their borders freely. We actually had a few different alternatives for travel locations, and the option we chose was Romania. A direct flight from Cairo was on offer, as was the chance to discover a country we hadn't visited before. A quick glance at the highlights of Romania showed promise of old traditions, forests and trains galore, and we looked forward to a trip to satisfy our present travel desires.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3XoKSElSqKbN0y4_eToTz49bQzPJ9HFnbtwCYBKnAiUzCLocIRLa2valL0lOluCoUzo1wN0xHcl9a--yqKLgEklnk3U-hi7-sNmOu3jQhSc5y4a9drqD1H3X53SrtvR8t-EOOaYUI0rZGVW8qha6fp_883x-yl5ekiHLG64-7LwrFW6BScjoqsduNw/s4941/IMG_8593.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4941" data-original-width="3294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3XoKSElSqKbN0y4_eToTz49bQzPJ9HFnbtwCYBKnAiUzCLocIRLa2valL0lOluCoUzo1wN0xHcl9a--yqKLgEklnk3U-hi7-sNmOu3jQhSc5y4a9drqD1H3X53SrtvR8t-EOOaYUI0rZGVW8qha6fp_883x-yl5ekiHLG64-7LwrFW6BScjoqsduNw/w426-h640/IMG_8593.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grounds of Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>To be frank, Bucharest completely astonished us, and it could NOT have been more different from Cairo where we had just arrived from!! We prefer not to research a place too much before turning up, so apart from a general overview, we really didn't have much of an idea about what to expect in Romania. We certainly didn't anticipate the extremely European and sophisticated city into which we had landed. The blue sky and Spring sun shined on the Orthodox Easter Monday holiday on which we had unknowingly arrived, happy people were out in force and street side bars and cafes were full to the brim with mostly glamorous locals chattering and enjoying life. We immediately felt a buzz, and joined in for an afternoon tipple of some local white wine, loving the atmosphere. The people watching was fascinating, especially the glittering fashions and scooter culture- all sorts of little motorised vehicles wizzed by in the specially designated lanes. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz96bEVlh_4Y5NhXM-kQ-14_i38J1vWyMvoT6DKJ2c-treWy33K8t8q-3nhArvdJJw9UY1BOx9lbbisaJdyF3pcxMp68AHaNFo1oYvfmP_Rz0v4uN8_WuLNE0fxIq52GQsyu0bh8_j5X-4BIUJfgH-hdC1iTpL0NNTSaAnmVvz9g1YwVskX3_jY5Bz_g/s5078/IMG_8493.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3135" data-original-width="5078" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz96bEVlh_4Y5NhXM-kQ-14_i38J1vWyMvoT6DKJ2c-treWy33K8t8q-3nhArvdJJw9UY1BOx9lbbisaJdyF3pcxMp68AHaNFo1oYvfmP_Rz0v4uN8_WuLNE0fxIq52GQsyu0bh8_j5X-4BIUJfgH-hdC1iTpL0NNTSaAnmVvz9g1YwVskX3_jY5Bz_g/w640-h396/IMG_8493.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bucharest folk enjoying a sunny spring afternoon at a street bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_jRiMRH4-OO6zysPWrkzpu3aDU1mNEhwYq-JmSJ2kXFKuQKXHKnENETxwiYZYdBYqsDrz8_PM7zi-392P3yV1PnDyWS2uOHUBY8EcMY3QwfZL_MOOQTBWBTjTiY4MCEEASVy17QxP-sGDqgZ6QVDOuPyU-zO0MR981_WN4e8LSJgqT2luvzssJno1A/s3589/IMG_1151%20bucharest.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3589" data-original-width="2692" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_jRiMRH4-OO6zysPWrkzpu3aDU1mNEhwYq-JmSJ2kXFKuQKXHKnENETxwiYZYdBYqsDrz8_PM7zi-392P3yV1PnDyWS2uOHUBY8EcMY3QwfZL_MOOQTBWBTjTiY4MCEEASVy17QxP-sGDqgZ6QVDOuPyU-zO0MR981_WN4e8LSJgqT2luvzssJno1A/w480-h640/IMG_1151%20bucharest.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our own enjoyment, Orthodox Easter weekend, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Although we had booked a dinky wee studio smack bang in the middle of the city, the silence of the world outside our window was unexpected, but most welcome. After the constant shouting, horn honking and loud music of Cairo, the lack of almost any noise was incredible, and we slept deeply. Although Bucharest was busy, somehow it also seemed calm- a good combination!!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuQMbfEytZJ-GO4mMMxJqBsW6U0SpGypOnAi5l47JuRPCUI-VoVCM6IV3YaT8xKZ-HY-mG0YfA48KSr9gJSJhvpNnuxVXjFNGhABWnMPYfEBvc251vXvpvRFSSf1sxMswkhvkBmoDpTCJuvySJfEVXWeBW1wicWnBKphlB17f5pgwGg-fNp5OE9WjKQ/s3545/IMG_1161.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2655" data-original-width="3545" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuQMbfEytZJ-GO4mMMxJqBsW6U0SpGypOnAi5l47JuRPCUI-VoVCM6IV3YaT8xKZ-HY-mG0YfA48KSr9gJSJhvpNnuxVXjFNGhABWnMPYfEBvc251vXvpvRFSSf1sxMswkhvkBmoDpTCJuvySJfEVXWeBW1wicWnBKphlB17f5pgwGg-fNp5OE9WjKQ/w640-h480/IMG_1161.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our apartment block, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwozwIg1TIsDnWNPKfvu5ahYD2LeBug0sjbdJRT-mtKpNcpJGWYQOsMJ1g_PDt1B3IryNMfnVWOiFtDcEK07gn6jG7rDm0T4SwBmquNSYKFXRTqwPgyqPHWTcCmpH0-EF6kcAE5F2KouoMt-9hoMT0Xn5YIani27tdzLMnQEsulOU2RdzcLGeA-kBrjA/s3784/IMG_1157.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2846" data-original-width="3784" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwozwIg1TIsDnWNPKfvu5ahYD2LeBug0sjbdJRT-mtKpNcpJGWYQOsMJ1g_PDt1B3IryNMfnVWOiFtDcEK07gn6jG7rDm0T4SwBmquNSYKFXRTqwPgyqPHWTcCmpH0-EF6kcAE5F2KouoMt-9hoMT0Xn5YIani27tdzLMnQEsulOU2RdzcLGeA-kBrjA/w640-h482/IMG_1157.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical small coffee shop, everywhere, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Not having long to explore the city, we simply walked and discovered hole in the wall cafes, and a mish mash of European architectural styles we hoped to become more knowledgeable about as we spent time in Romania. Vine covered buildings with peeling plaster and little turrets abounded. The "Old Town" was disappointing, though, to say the least. A quick walk through the tacky bar and nightclub street was enough, although the superb book shop which lay on the periphery was a delight. The colossal Palace of the Parliament built in 1984 by long time president Nicolae Ceausescu is purportedly the heaviest building in the world, and while not the most inspiring structure, was a must see sight. Apart from this "socialism realism" styled building, there wasn't a lot of Communist inspired architecture in the areas of Bucharest in which we explored. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIjqcHZW_RzUfJqOULbMpjohQxyYJMGA4v1uczlKGtT3fpaHrU6XfbLfAmnN_wx6EmEchB0Hjr5G1ALR05nZqrKAKloN6c4o3vktEIVZo4R1z4RqalgWOaRWc57-ueWxK-XUkBX0yQw7iMzFTXNrQQmphPTMxIh2QI-BPJoarOvdlVvnaDZwaJk45TQ/s3832/IMG_1172.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2874" data-original-width="3832" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIjqcHZW_RzUfJqOULbMpjohQxyYJMGA4v1uczlKGtT3fpaHrU6XfbLfAmnN_wx6EmEchB0Hjr5G1ALR05nZqrKAKloN6c4o3vktEIVZo4R1z4RqalgWOaRWc57-ueWxK-XUkBX0yQw7iMzFTXNrQQmphPTMxIh2QI-BPJoarOvdlVvnaDZwaJk45TQ/w640-h480/IMG_1172.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partial view of the massive Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCu2u1XT-aIyuQCEv1xWe5BcZ3inQGo64raWpJjbKy7A57mDtLXfIiatFEH2JVictqoBpFh_W0Rrd5fOoKLAuq-aCdxNSfBECWD2fuaW_jOXPPfvb0V0JujrjsnQVMyYk88rt3d3L1CQuuN1qzsCcaKmqWqtPgWEudEeK5kh1MAjdFuCflUaGhRmvKg/s3928/IMG_1178.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="3928" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCu2u1XT-aIyuQCEv1xWe5BcZ3inQGo64raWpJjbKy7A57mDtLXfIiatFEH2JVictqoBpFh_W0Rrd5fOoKLAuq-aCdxNSfBECWD2fuaW_jOXPPfvb0V0JujrjsnQVMyYk88rt3d3L1CQuuN1qzsCcaKmqWqtPgWEudEeK5kh1MAjdFuCflUaGhRmvKg/w640-h480/IMG_1178.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extravagant bookshop, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwbd97fwpyBRuEfp3SQwDLM0dx2O9QGfZSvR2oEStARAijtkZcqt_DJ8rQ98TDoMsaGTOgxXmno2vTo0j3_Ecpe4uNVnDvHERkcW9GWHCDZSLNfdiRc3jEyRUUiStFp_xod_KuHJH--97iu513slBVoUt1rb7KIZtOCBVULhYWbdAcmhXuu-wNyyZBg/s4758/IMG_8491bucharest.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4758" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwbd97fwpyBRuEfp3SQwDLM0dx2O9QGfZSvR2oEStARAijtkZcqt_DJ8rQ98TDoMsaGTOgxXmno2vTo0j3_Ecpe4uNVnDvHERkcW9GWHCDZSLNfdiRc3jEyRUUiStFp_xod_KuHJH--97iu513slBVoUt1rb7KIZtOCBVULhYWbdAcmhXuu-wNyyZBg/w426-h640/IMG_8491bucharest.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bucharest street scene</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwnPxsKl0Nz_IPS5MOg6ZsoYdOfF6V9Wc8UYWEf_98JDGZ-kisM1FzdGbm3xdpYdruOQ2DPdZQV2zkL3CKNOBnCJe6H5pMKgQp4SVnRiwdQBP512GT7XWGZsvhQoqk6X8ujAxE52M9xajef69SWtHFQxgnKSHerpJw3121c_ZBWUxkaR7W00aQMEcrw/s4862/IMG_8496.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4862" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwnPxsKl0Nz_IPS5MOg6ZsoYdOfF6V9Wc8UYWEf_98JDGZ-kisM1FzdGbm3xdpYdruOQ2DPdZQV2zkL3CKNOBnCJe6H5pMKgQp4SVnRiwdQBP512GT7XWGZsvhQoqk6X8ujAxE52M9xajef69SWtHFQxgnKSHerpJw3121c_ZBWUxkaR7W00aQMEcrw/w454-h640/IMG_8496.jpg" width="454" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glimpse down a lane, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8ATtHL143nWMb9FPEBvaEPwn8Oo5AP8G-6E5SEz7OvgOj_7lpKeIURWfytTiLcwWnd5UFq7TWxrXSpmN6IXBJAlwd1N0gBwCQRHDkA73B1SbYW8do3WT7YrmfQrclZjm5lPjslx_4Jfy4iNJJyDk8wljrhO9t9LKKepEO32mh_jolkwnHfogMd8a7Q/s5078/IMG_8500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3386" data-original-width="5078" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8ATtHL143nWMb9FPEBvaEPwn8Oo5AP8G-6E5SEz7OvgOj_7lpKeIURWfytTiLcwWnd5UFq7TWxrXSpmN6IXBJAlwd1N0gBwCQRHDkA73B1SbYW8do3WT7YrmfQrclZjm5lPjslx_4Jfy4iNJJyDk8wljrhO9t9LKKepEO32mh_jolkwnHfogMd8a7Q/w640-h426/IMG_8500.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">60's architecture in the Metro, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4eNPWBoRbxLTYgJd2DvuN2QKmmzTM047riJnfcUWq3RH3yfqOVZ5_1tUGCTfsgV_SIy02QGd5lcNZelEYSPuXjtfmIE32gDp65iVdnO__Av776H5m-rySmKOQNYxAV6LXtoJlDksWQks1rQOf0qK-lrYS841rl01lczCTszUCDWLX2ALpoGOMCGGQQ/s4856/IMG_8505.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3052" data-original-width="4856" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4eNPWBoRbxLTYgJd2DvuN2QKmmzTM047riJnfcUWq3RH3yfqOVZ5_1tUGCTfsgV_SIy02QGd5lcNZelEYSPuXjtfmIE32gDp65iVdnO__Av776H5m-rySmKOQNYxAV6LXtoJlDksWQks1rQOf0qK-lrYS841rl01lczCTszUCDWLX2ALpoGOMCGGQQ/w640-h402/IMG_8505.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand theatre and spring flowers, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1Za8GytfRkvvA62n-xDkIkEAXk0B3MGmgDDktmtVahr4QJGFyTo3qemKWTBPiq9d-4mUQ9ppUFltYoMxZxruqAE5k1lW4gic-b5dq96-5MoRH86sVsUt0IDxa0O_S_kHj5iA4HbnW0vdl8ZdVyl7aHWGum2kt8oPW3BIxVhwz9sLsypCCHQuYgzF1Q/s4758/IMG_8518.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4758" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1Za8GytfRkvvA62n-xDkIkEAXk0B3MGmgDDktmtVahr4QJGFyTo3qemKWTBPiq9d-4mUQ9ppUFltYoMxZxruqAE5k1lW4gic-b5dq96-5MoRH86sVsUt0IDxa0O_S_kHj5iA4HbnW0vdl8ZdVyl7aHWGum2kt8oPW3BIxVhwz9sLsypCCHQuYgzF1Q/w426-h640/IMG_8518.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falling asleep in a church, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The glorious parks with horse chestnuts, plane, ash and lime trees with their bright green new growth and the leafy boulevards were the highlight of the city for us.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghy1q2bkfF2-pyeHUFXAEqP4DiMqjNIRud4UqRnvSCMYO2Owsh-7g7n2mJv4mNo3rzQL-r415orNc0-zn9CznF1LvMJYSr3W3pHZo8Un5LkCwBDgcDVVhJI9ezZduHusiOs8EGYqVAFvPbzddUf5n3yze46XB9WHQlyUESGWO1uMC_MfouyszAAdrxxA/s4000/IMG_1170%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghy1q2bkfF2-pyeHUFXAEqP4DiMqjNIRud4UqRnvSCMYO2Owsh-7g7n2mJv4mNo3rzQL-r415orNc0-zn9CznF1LvMJYSr3W3pHZo8Un5LkCwBDgcDVVhJI9ezZduHusiOs8EGYqVAFvPbzddUf5n3yze46XB9WHQlyUESGWO1uMC_MfouyszAAdrxxA/w640-h480/IMG_1170%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal's new favourite colour, new green!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPdafp2Mzbkq1GX9hcrc-wQyjYboMCx9JKtDqLI3AtAl2-5G29IuaVcNwQ323RM1Q4WSviV6KRm3IzPDOWPcA6UrmiBOiN-Bt70E9PjZSALo68Tw5jvCebyiGnz5W0Uonsi982idCdwJlnqSOSM4QAqwrSyQoyz4dJj9e9Yq95IP3pelWT6tYUHxgNA/s5184/IMG_8508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPdafp2Mzbkq1GX9hcrc-wQyjYboMCx9JKtDqLI3AtAl2-5G29IuaVcNwQ323RM1Q4WSviV6KRm3IzPDOWPcA6UrmiBOiN-Bt70E9PjZSALo68Tw5jvCebyiGnz5W0Uonsi982idCdwJlnqSOSM4QAqwrSyQoyz4dJj9e9Yq95IP3pelWT6tYUHxgNA/w426-h640/IMG_8508.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park statue, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Leaving Bucharest after only a few days, we felt we would be back at some point. The main train station was a humungous bulk, and extremely organized and easy to navigate. After a cappuccino from one of the many coffee machines that dot the city, we boarded a comfortable and clean train with big windows to take us north into the green hills. </p><p>The train to Brasov (pronounced Brashov) became misty and mountainous the further into the Carpathian Mountains we preceded. It was a generally dreek day, which unfortunately became a huge downpour as we pulled into Brasov station. Luckily, our host advised us about a bus, and we arrived at our lovely Air B and B fairly dry. </p><p>We were slightly apprehensive that the weather may have been a little chilly for us during our first few weeks in Romania, as the country is mountainous and takes longer to warm up than other parts of Europe. In fact it was beautifully fresh, and perfect for walking in the day and snuggling at night. The small amount of rain we saw were actually welcome, after seeing none for more than six months.</p><p>Probably the most touristy part of the country, Brasov apparently cashes in on the Count Dracula legend, although to be fair we didn't see too much evidence of tacky marketing in the town itself. That seems to be saved for Bran Castle, the hyped up supposed home of the vampire himself. Bram Stoker, an Irishman, took inspiration for the setting of his novel Dracula from Slaine's Castle in Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire (which we visited a few years ago). Vlad the Impaler, or Vlad Tepes as he's more commonly known here, was a ruler of the Wallachia region of Romania in the 1400s, and is commonly thought to be the inspiration for the blood thirsty nobleman Count Dracula. Vlad's reputed cruelty and brutal punishments gave thought that he was the figure on which Stoker based his Dracula character, but this probably exaggerated, and was never in fact stated by the author. Stoker was, however, greatly influenced and engrossed by the romantic setting and folktales of Transylvania, forever solidifying the association between Dracula and Transylvania. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRZEr1uwU_8znBoDbg1HKGO6Q-2L45dx5xZa7RrUXqA7a6qyH-u4v0UpTYasXwaYcr8bTyjASHYg1sfE_gzAVmrDJC-_mDNDwaguGXXzzDYcUpAhGraingsf_oc2whv920qqcsutGkml0e1kh1P3FN5AIJXQjxPJQq_RQfcnjrSih_CsEDN-ef9Q6xg/s3485/vlad-the-impaler.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3485" data-original-width="2600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRZEr1uwU_8znBoDbg1HKGO6Q-2L45dx5xZa7RrUXqA7a6qyH-u4v0UpTYasXwaYcr8bTyjASHYg1sfE_gzAVmrDJC-_mDNDwaguGXXzzDYcUpAhGraingsf_oc2whv920qqcsutGkml0e1kh1P3FN5AIJXQjxPJQq_RQfcnjrSih_CsEDN-ef9Q6xg/w478-h640/vlad-the-impaler.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The classic Vlad portrait</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>With a plethora of sights to immerse ourselves in, we decided to forgo the more touristy Bran castle, and visit the sumptuous Peles Castle, a one hour train ride from Brasov. We knew we had to alight the train at Sinaia station, but were not expecting the absolutely stunning and grand town which greeted us.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcwRb_cI3v7TicqAivgxymNEbmQkuEWEVL3QiRF7A41bqcOPjIwaI8nLOPNCRZUDbreSmI2Nl_9y_ClFQDQiWgeIfZHCtXVGJd4tIV06F-1C4n1E8Xrs10C411VOw6a3s1it7QFkYU6cPdkv_szSicfd9UIWi-42Uai5eXF3rvTr31UTTMcQWZ2mCZA/s4000/IMG_1230%20sinaia(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcwRb_cI3v7TicqAivgxymNEbmQkuEWEVL3QiRF7A41bqcOPjIwaI8nLOPNCRZUDbreSmI2Nl_9y_ClFQDQiWgeIfZHCtXVGJd4tIV06F-1C4n1E8Xrs10C411VOw6a3s1it7QFkYU6cPdkv_szSicfd9UIWi-42Uai5eXF3rvTr31UTTMcQWZ2mCZA/w640-h480/IMG_1230%20sinaia(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountain, main square, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtzjbpo8ArBpN0knXMZBer12Kv-vkQBQwW3zAHfx-qZbzcwpVEv2XPjnpzljSGGhrV7_XGu6HZhCosWuzSQn1eryoBFTpBRWq3RTp96r70WWyUB9R0X1eHizqADEO2eSIq319QYGaSz_qj-dC641q_OzDBMS2O32WdGk_-yjxAAxDB5-0ikkt0KwnvA/s4941/IMG_8592%20sinaia.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtzjbpo8ArBpN0knXMZBer12Kv-vkQBQwW3zAHfx-qZbzcwpVEv2XPjnpzljSGGhrV7_XGu6HZhCosWuzSQn1eryoBFTpBRWq3RTp96r70WWyUB9R0X1eHizqADEO2eSIq319QYGaSz_qj-dC641q_OzDBMS2O32WdGk_-yjxAAxDB5-0ikkt0KwnvA/w640-h426/IMG_8592%20sinaia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand hotel, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRowSSnsciecICdyeJOeIxLisoCwZ-W4R0AEz_2-3vxU7lP7le69GbcDuT04Fpm2wq3ag94IdOWziyJ4U_REE988QqNt7c0i3PnZWLa2qitTdDVyxnDh8FKSLvUGBSkY6ZQPd1IHvHEZpRvF8EKKJ2RLXmad3Q1I-4Gfr_U3rLaEIvXU1ItureQZOA7g/s5184/IMG_8595.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRowSSnsciecICdyeJOeIxLisoCwZ-W4R0AEz_2-3vxU7lP7le69GbcDuT04Fpm2wq3ag94IdOWziyJ4U_REE988QqNt7c0i3PnZWLa2qitTdDVyxnDh8FKSLvUGBSkY6ZQPd1IHvHEZpRvF8EKKJ2RLXmad3Q1I-4Gfr_U3rLaEIvXU1ItureQZOA7g/w426-h640/IMG_8595.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful views, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aItcBT9ujLf_VOxqq6DHQ4uEYrtXUFTsrDnuA82CpOmCw_hXxT8F5RH8JhZ1DgqpvzyGAajYdfkptQHoeRkrFXY1c6nUpQ-OJr3ZS-x2SDqBRYmZW5dCFp2VzItmLs6dMQpQYLkteRxmaNY6SlOSfNF3uPHkVmNAul5Cn_eK_CkYuNXxog552apMbQ/s5184/IMG_8596.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aItcBT9ujLf_VOxqq6DHQ4uEYrtXUFTsrDnuA82CpOmCw_hXxT8F5RH8JhZ1DgqpvzyGAajYdfkptQHoeRkrFXY1c6nUpQ-OJr3ZS-x2SDqBRYmZW5dCFp2VzItmLs6dMQpQYLkteRxmaNY6SlOSfNF3uPHkVmNAul5Cn_eK_CkYuNXxog552apMbQ/w640-h426/IMG_8596.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old house windows, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWUKqMlEGaHg_WF-HxiLw4GNzT-7RoLFoWBcxFFaMPGPs60C-kmju-ggGNfC-t2z3SuqgyyvrpuuCCUxV8C_LVbBUJZugeyK8deznGAuKD2hHNZUxdashZ1RAp8Eyrcbo9X1RYhPJKFfk1xvLxbgshkjih-MnJlWSYkdtqjWa7Pk98c8OEN-wH4zKwQ/s3974/IMG_8599.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3974" data-original-width="3317" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWUKqMlEGaHg_WF-HxiLw4GNzT-7RoLFoWBcxFFaMPGPs60C-kmju-ggGNfC-t2z3SuqgyyvrpuuCCUxV8C_LVbBUJZugeyK8deznGAuKD2hHNZUxdashZ1RAp8Eyrcbo9X1RYhPJKFfk1xvLxbgshkjih-MnJlWSYkdtqjWa7Pk98c8OEN-wH4zKwQ/w534-h640/IMG_8599.jpg" width="534" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monastery named after Mount Sinai, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHIj0xbya9dhakGjRRuJbYhuDoExYhXSOglI3_rxlZnBIyJrWOYdD5I_ungDG3A54MQgWyCHe_jdlEqMmV1T8WDxKIAgzpW9kwwEeuH27R1ASf839_dKtRSfUQIeJvBR0YqvZX-vubSdCqATucHEK7MsNUmz_i13iC27MCNfhaqKNSUCZKfON-L-wZQ/s4324/IMG_8600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2823" data-original-width="4324" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHIj0xbya9dhakGjRRuJbYhuDoExYhXSOglI3_rxlZnBIyJrWOYdD5I_ungDG3A54MQgWyCHe_jdlEqMmV1T8WDxKIAgzpW9kwwEeuH27R1ASf839_dKtRSfUQIeJvBR0YqvZX-vubSdCqATucHEK7MsNUmz_i13iC27MCNfhaqKNSUCZKfON-L-wZQ/w640-h418/IMG_8600.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bizarre peg attraction, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Sinaia is named after the 17th century founding monastery, which in turn is named after Mount Sinai. It expanded into a popular resort town after the completion of Prince Carol's palatial summer home, the neo-classical Peles Castle in the late 1800s. Splendid large villas overlooked grand parks, many now converted into hotels, and winter sports were obviously popular in the season with ski lifts criss-crossing the surrounding imposing snowy peaks. The refreshing climate high in the Carpathian Mountains was welcome as we climbed the hill and into the grounds of the castle. Although the actual interior was closed to the public, we were able to gape at the grounds and wander paths around the property leading to several other grandiose auxiliary buildings. There were several signs warning that we were in bear territory- apparently Romania has more than half of all the brown bears in Europe. Resting on the terrace of the castle was a wonderful opportunity to admire the many magnificent features of the building from a closer perspective. A small courtyard was open where exterior paintings and other whimsical decorations could be seen. There were also a lot of fruit bowl carvings going on. We had a long and fantastic day. We felt happy to be in a beautiful country so accessible by train!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJQ5By_-Lw4l1jmwQOldmKx3I4n3Y67k1_MKmNJ9ZvatgDPKLqnr3TdTeWeA5GSa73cjSF_IX4kHuMSdlmWHK2N-0V2srM1c_73IH0-qzM9ap23YZuPAxWE-C0CUKrrDLfcHR9QKLPqCVy28oyUKz0jPQ6Mc62wHkObY63nP8l9gOK8wuVtU6FaaStw/s3884/IMG_1243%20peles%20castle(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="3884" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJQ5By_-Lw4l1jmwQOldmKx3I4n3Y67k1_MKmNJ9ZvatgDPKLqnr3TdTeWeA5GSa73cjSF_IX4kHuMSdlmWHK2N-0V2srM1c_73IH0-qzM9ap23YZuPAxWE-C0CUKrrDLfcHR9QKLPqCVy28oyUKz0jPQ6Mc62wHkObY63nP8l9gOK8wuVtU6FaaStw/w640-h480/IMG_1243%20peles%20castle(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEIILvOnSnLvkzTUqZ02o91lHM4D8ucVVgOeVFh2eBqrfaha7Tsm8NBz_tQ-qmxcQPzQZ96tEAeUfZyfIsBkvz-gaWmX5P-DUVvuLjdwB20M0qjGmt6ZMOFBo8pu9qsgUp861IoCO5U7EXRZuttl4a0MLEvV8yWz26MQSSzw-ap3yyyZliybwL-s90A/s4000/IMG_1249(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEIILvOnSnLvkzTUqZ02o91lHM4D8ucVVgOeVFh2eBqrfaha7Tsm8NBz_tQ-qmxcQPzQZ96tEAeUfZyfIsBkvz-gaWmX5P-DUVvuLjdwB20M0qjGmt6ZMOFBo8pu9qsgUp861IoCO5U7EXRZuttl4a0MLEvV8yWz26MQSSzw-ap3yyyZliybwL-s90A/w640-h480/IMG_1249(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outbuildings around Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGUwRcbXIe3DMEZAb08KTqazv3SgP8_PZmbo8MNg0tpFAoYW1nUyvWuExa7EZ8B8MwFetlyUgitPsonv0WpfhEpq_vV2v3o9cQcUIlvgfcutL7XzXugvYCwfKdue72Rgbw9ThCtQFfBaUrG54t7JEjfYiVKaVt276Kh3C2lSCKPtgwXeI_5-UHaUxyQ/s4000/IMG_1263(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGUwRcbXIe3DMEZAb08KTqazv3SgP8_PZmbo8MNg0tpFAoYW1nUyvWuExa7EZ8B8MwFetlyUgitPsonv0WpfhEpq_vV2v3o9cQcUIlvgfcutL7XzXugvYCwfKdue72Rgbw9ThCtQFfBaUrG54t7JEjfYiVKaVt276Kh3C2lSCKPtgwXeI_5-UHaUxyQ/w640-h480/IMG_1263(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many stone fruit bowls, Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvV3pM3ZYh59XjNsdKpIJPHUPRA9cyjSbNDcZgZTUsqMJ9Wb2PSVh4SL0sRVyb3y7ujyXOq5HcJ6OP92r05FC1PjGhMecVtk28GERoUaVsY9Yqd_axRydIwr-Rzm_MqyFAL7jisUEytoBtglHZ9l-XypJL_-bYJxKjySBwApLwz38SMSqdwnC_hdyaw/s4758/IMG_8605(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3172" data-original-width="4758" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvV3pM3ZYh59XjNsdKpIJPHUPRA9cyjSbNDcZgZTUsqMJ9Wb2PSVh4SL0sRVyb3y7ujyXOq5HcJ6OP92r05FC1PjGhMecVtk28GERoUaVsY9Yqd_axRydIwr-Rzm_MqyFAL7jisUEytoBtglHZ9l-XypJL_-bYJxKjySBwApLwz38SMSqdwnC_hdyaw/w640-h426/IMG_8605(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Castle and gorgeous gardens, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgV5EHS614NfMxr-ZJUX2EIBGR_9RJrRCpMsdbmY-7pAG-1Y_ZINParNwrwHc0boN05pb7d0fcyB8NAi5EawkqJm9b985ZPTjpIiiqvfnUv1Q9O6SUXfgEI8riDE0ucSf-fpwZXebLd8qy8AD4ejHvJJfG9b8kG49TrxRIOGaKELiXa9ArE78EMzVCg/s5184/IMG_8607.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgV5EHS614NfMxr-ZJUX2EIBGR_9RJrRCpMsdbmY-7pAG-1Y_ZINParNwrwHc0boN05pb7d0fcyB8NAi5EawkqJm9b985ZPTjpIiiqvfnUv1Q9O6SUXfgEI8riDE0ucSf-fpwZXebLd8qy8AD4ejHvJJfG9b8kG49TrxRIOGaKELiXa9ArE78EMzVCg/w426-h640/IMG_8607.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden carving on exterior of Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMzkc8Pjy0tr1pEVMxj2bj3CUJNHyTtGwCVdOacFSQezDxBTgFbve_klXuuMA1t1zAdLkZM3Fa16FeJ4cqqRsoN4ks4oP0t0kPbQFPJAztzM0WiQvvwvtZAjTpT9K7bIIuS7djvNh4WvpntJngOU-dmTsns-s9L-xBgvaZ2xMV4fFgQstiD_T-Yt74A/s5184/IMG_8609.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMzkc8Pjy0tr1pEVMxj2bj3CUJNHyTtGwCVdOacFSQezDxBTgFbve_klXuuMA1t1zAdLkZM3Fa16FeJ4cqqRsoN4ks4oP0t0kPbQFPJAztzM0WiQvvwvtZAjTpT9K7bIIuS7djvNh4WvpntJngOU-dmTsns-s9L-xBgvaZ2xMV4fFgQstiD_T-Yt74A/w640-h426/IMG_8609.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eccentric paintings on outside wall, Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_a9Xm78AMwQgXdXL7BnCESkALHL6qusz76kS0qGz8fF96iHBhij4SSd03z4KU3BIwiQyjD0td2mT1wvsnIxlzBrNgo_dAkWtvN71FrNSbw7bRaR5i8C73UphxhRUotyEvdyyhpYhT5FhSRduiwE_9cogxsLsAAd7UomLaSzS_ntdHc0zyvkgmLjvQw/s5184/IMG_8613(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_a9Xm78AMwQgXdXL7BnCESkALHL6qusz76kS0qGz8fF96iHBhij4SSd03z4KU3BIwiQyjD0td2mT1wvsnIxlzBrNgo_dAkWtvN71FrNSbw7bRaR5i8C73UphxhRUotyEvdyyhpYhT5FhSRduiwE_9cogxsLsAAd7UomLaSzS_ntdHc0zyvkgmLjvQw/w426-h640/IMG_8613(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince Carol I statue in the grounds of Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnBk7JVEFY2gchh8X7Wj8sXZF6EhEzMd_e1PUbUUr2sq_S2j8gBgo3Sj05CGR6Q1zci97TUnYi_Mm47zJRo4ErXXa9mzMv59_2RLRxxRZAHFkrXiIuYMZvSy9ameDiyzQ11U6iXztbyqQ-ZTvxvG9-Q7nqgslPqnt3JnNVNjRB8lZj7H9wa4IQ3bvYQ/s5184/IMG_8614.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnBk7JVEFY2gchh8X7Wj8sXZF6EhEzMd_e1PUbUUr2sq_S2j8gBgo3Sj05CGR6Q1zci97TUnYi_Mm47zJRo4ErXXa9mzMv59_2RLRxxRZAHFkrXiIuYMZvSy9ameDiyzQ11U6iXztbyqQ-ZTvxvG9-Q7nqgslPqnt3JnNVNjRB8lZj7H9wa4IQ3bvYQ/w426-h640/IMG_8614.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grandeur, Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvh_TZ8GiaRbHzBOF1FSQzec3UAfornibvISu-mzzJ8tfpg8JHd5Fzl04IL1x7kFG5EMdVbjn7TVaeJNllwv9LDnQ3yLiRbzRStZTEIDsqcGfWm2CAKAE4xyQn3p_ztKwOK7Ob2825WaZ87YMNlPP4bFv9KB26Ke_J-7MTID6jC6rLJkqlPgejYjJ8xw/s4000/IMG_1226%20brasov(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvh_TZ8GiaRbHzBOF1FSQzec3UAfornibvISu-mzzJ8tfpg8JHd5Fzl04IL1x7kFG5EMdVbjn7TVaeJNllwv9LDnQ3yLiRbzRStZTEIDsqcGfWm2CAKAE4xyQn3p_ztKwOK7Ob2825WaZ87YMNlPP4bFv9KB26Ke_J-7MTID6jC6rLJkqlPgejYjJ8xw/w640-h480/IMG_1226%20brasov(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of Brasov train station, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Brasov's old town centre was charming, without hoards of tourists. The focal point was the market square surrounded by pastel coloured narrow terraced houses and the cobblestone centre dominated by the massive Gothic Black Church. We loved the twee market with entirely home-made/homegrown produce for sale. Everything from wine, bread and preserves to traditional clothing, pottery and leather. It was marvellous to see old traditions being continued and encouraged, especially with Romania now being part of the soul sucking EU. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDSWgF9TOoesSGgM51354YTSF-WQNVEEAJb4YCfCzXDkh_XIjDWeCdd-Iq6lnZzs4Gxe5KIySazRpJ0CoJU_LUQ4PYIa-kCJRWFwW45Cay5fQkkAFHATFC7IPuX_aJID7xOa1wNXHwN_VTZE5g_mR2GZNvHtr0Hlgc9kGek-GPgo3hH6BJxDAnuM_vw/s4805/IMG_8524.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3171" data-original-width="4805" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDSWgF9TOoesSGgM51354YTSF-WQNVEEAJb4YCfCzXDkh_XIjDWeCdd-Iq6lnZzs4Gxe5KIySazRpJ0CoJU_LUQ4PYIa-kCJRWFwW45Cay5fQkkAFHATFC7IPuX_aJID7xOa1wNXHwN_VTZE5g_mR2GZNvHtr0Hlgc9kGek-GPgo3hH6BJxDAnuM_vw/w640-h422/IMG_8524.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bustling streets, Brasov old town, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4JDDjczlckaSKxsZiSG1wNHuOYbWkjHXxsfTIAoeeLNR9L3hVidQBdPkMqv7BV18OJpqOJ05-1wJTXgHp7WKwijgjaJX2BccQp3hMmdaN0d1T8Dyh3hS_rqQkKOg0bO5zm61PIDv8V0rj6e6HQASvDsazNxe0FKS9m-8GyZqo0qzuiy28UZcRfDtgQ/s5184/IMG_8530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4JDDjczlckaSKxsZiSG1wNHuOYbWkjHXxsfTIAoeeLNR9L3hVidQBdPkMqv7BV18OJpqOJ05-1wJTXgHp7WKwijgjaJX2BccQp3hMmdaN0d1T8Dyh3hS_rqQkKOg0bO5zm61PIDv8V0rj6e6HQASvDsazNxe0FKS9m-8GyZqo0qzuiy28UZcRfDtgQ/w640-h426/IMG_8530.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherry liquor shop, Brasov old town, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmYlU1c9sQBkjZRYdRTKJp7hCJPOtSi6VR_ntNqth_vtCgOQuQ5e0ua-jfpSlGRzo_wMx18O4Ln-k2qMqlFWR9eNH6_lSqiKrsvrVeRz0pJeVm9nmZtZElwi-VbXjjewktqUnCLi1VqptNalnYlEhMAhHpzh4azIBZB5RGzO7IY0Lt_Atkuxsh-AttQ/s4809/IMG_8532.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3014" data-original-width="4809" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmYlU1c9sQBkjZRYdRTKJp7hCJPOtSi6VR_ntNqth_vtCgOQuQ5e0ua-jfpSlGRzo_wMx18O4Ln-k2qMqlFWR9eNH6_lSqiKrsvrVeRz0pJeVm9nmZtZElwi-VbXjjewktqUnCLi1VqptNalnYlEhMAhHpzh4azIBZB5RGzO7IY0Lt_Atkuxsh-AttQ/w640-h402/IMG_8532.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A more quiet area, Brasov old town, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw4gRTF_nmtvaO3hg3lY_8g3HZDAztH1j5nN6ywGvLcLJDXJHchwu6RnZBQbrXr53zmht_75nydhtYE5Ku5PUsKLNHZ1jbFm6rzCSsMBs9W1RRxVolRC4Ht2LecAwOe_2S79ry5cPmQ6MRuza8JTJdF-tgbsiWHHuvVe_Ywf7MSBWFsn73DXYUMH1Gg/s5184/IMG_8533.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw4gRTF_nmtvaO3hg3lY_8g3HZDAztH1j5nN6ywGvLcLJDXJHchwu6RnZBQbrXr53zmht_75nydhtYE5Ku5PUsKLNHZ1jbFm6rzCSsMBs9W1RRxVolRC4Ht2LecAwOe_2S79ry5cPmQ6MRuza8JTJdF-tgbsiWHHuvVe_Ywf7MSBWFsn73DXYUMH1Gg/w640-h426/IMG_8533.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Market square with Black Church, Brasov old town, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dWDNhYf5brJTJJOwfz2WyzEpECCjGgyo83ipkN8TZ1g7ufETg4TL6RLbGRIgVcF7DRGUWTIT06c94csOfdbj5qZdHtdh5CvRD7CQlt413M05Ehq2X0DBXmJf9L9LRXphu8cg7w7rFN3M4rSDDSJuyExbHgSxbgzcgrf45d4VbyJzj4vkQK5cGDnTXA/s4424/IMG_8540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4424" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dWDNhYf5brJTJJOwfz2WyzEpECCjGgyo83ipkN8TZ1g7ufETg4TL6RLbGRIgVcF7DRGUWTIT06c94csOfdbj5qZdHtdh5CvRD7CQlt413M05Ehq2X0DBXmJf9L9LRXphu8cg7w7rFN3M4rSDDSJuyExbHgSxbgzcgrf45d4VbyJzj4vkQK5cGDnTXA/w500-h640/IMG_8540.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue outside Black Church, Brasov old town, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdi3qfbh26mf2OSxfR3dkiADEiAtcHkgsuGly8t7EQzr4mlKHGH9G401udmwBDsUnC506JcsyFYpB3pdoORbXHP5bLUty_Hb9H7blCnQNHlXTX2S_weXwdwTkjKUBz_LN98jpeGRCITUowaWLGEj729B7LWJvDwMnnQmWuA5VlUvErUb_q-llitj2pg/s4882/IMG_8522%20brasov.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3254" data-original-width="4882" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdi3qfbh26mf2OSxfR3dkiADEiAtcHkgsuGly8t7EQzr4mlKHGH9G401udmwBDsUnC506JcsyFYpB3pdoORbXHP5bLUty_Hb9H7blCnQNHlXTX2S_weXwdwTkjKUBz_LN98jpeGRCITUowaWLGEj729B7LWJvDwMnnQmWuA5VlUvErUb_q-llitj2pg/w640-h426/IMG_8522%20brasov.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also appealing, 60s building in Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The other attraction was the dubiously dubbed narrowest lane in the world. We're not sure about that claim, as there seems to be several streets around the world vying for that title, but it certainly brings tourists to the area for the obligatory selfie. The high point of the day walking around Brasov, was strolling along a small stream and climbing a leafy hill to two towers where the views over the medieval old town were sublime.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58P1YEtEp7e_ABuyMn1vD6lC_nJWKY3css_IAc3XCMIbKOaOxwO4eQw3Y3xf6WHtwnCqnskmo7PTIi-KttRLY4n2s7QjiL9XIIb-ow0f48nbdarwJ4vDqOR6oIu5crDGwjvhh4q1DZlOSHLSV5s4AVO28dxoFMvB-AAhwaioJ1V1sebmIoqdfRSudew/s5184/IMG_8544.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58P1YEtEp7e_ABuyMn1vD6lC_nJWKY3css_IAc3XCMIbKOaOxwO4eQw3Y3xf6WHtwnCqnskmo7PTIi-KttRLY4n2s7QjiL9XIIb-ow0f48nbdarwJ4vDqOR6oIu5crDGwjvhh4q1DZlOSHLSV5s4AVO28dxoFMvB-AAhwaioJ1V1sebmIoqdfRSudew/w426-h640/IMG_8544.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit underwhelmed by the narrowest street, Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tcDlBXQM4tLTrTu_Fh7LRX83VCUqa-GtrtW2e9Q9rdaqqmQgfUYt8FUnbQZJ8fG_DFYEi7-LOYZCwUsRiWEbba5ZUNfkUYksTBKbWUAovL6Nh10e2D61CVSq8M-SEiF3_kN7Y5IjiqppCcaeHRygRy5rOqa8PUv8EysAG1gHbzFQt_MxrC527INLAQ/s4963/IMG_8548.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4963" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tcDlBXQM4tLTrTu_Fh7LRX83VCUqa-GtrtW2e9Q9rdaqqmQgfUYt8FUnbQZJ8fG_DFYEi7-LOYZCwUsRiWEbba5ZUNfkUYksTBKbWUAovL6Nh10e2D61CVSq8M-SEiF3_kN7Y5IjiqppCcaeHRygRy5rOqa8PUv8EysAG1gHbzFQt_MxrC527INLAQ/w446-h640/IMG_8548.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More quirky architecture, Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaV_ub4yh-4_O0RPbU-tHDcS9xcCJiTFoyUdFjU-OYOd5iuJwD-RIJmp712HhxR52jKez2sfqw73B1EuY0JPy1RJJrllhZKegLA691MknZgouq6015QBbBB6z6-Tpyhdn4rIEjpiqVhxT_lY3ESIH87T4EFLH2hT0xij0U4TLRphTMMUgEPo4RD9ovg/s5184/IMG_8549.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaV_ub4yh-4_O0RPbU-tHDcS9xcCJiTFoyUdFjU-OYOd5iuJwD-RIJmp712HhxR52jKez2sfqw73B1EuY0JPy1RJJrllhZKegLA691MknZgouq6015QBbBB6z6-Tpyhdn4rIEjpiqVhxT_lY3ESIH87T4EFLH2hT0xij0U4TLRphTMMUgEPo4RD9ovg/w640-h426/IMG_8549.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breathtaking view from a tower, Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbhPDcQuVHtBzy9teGDCEnZGqiVK8wYVEyaygrFI_LLqYxb52oYx2dQYRMCI9q4OJCl41CZcHAxQzpP4E9nVgURsLBC9UJkFtwVGvmUeCxKAG-MyTFtmblREPGqAy1hs_dLEnTFwb1ll6PAR-5v_IkHJZT0Q26m2mlql9vQyRt552n1FQN8EU27skOA/s5184/IMG_8552.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbhPDcQuVHtBzy9teGDCEnZGqiVK8wYVEyaygrFI_LLqYxb52oYx2dQYRMCI9q4OJCl41CZcHAxQzpP4E9nVgURsLBC9UJkFtwVGvmUeCxKAG-MyTFtmblREPGqAy1hs_dLEnTFwb1ll6PAR-5v_IkHJZT0Q26m2mlql9vQyRt552n1FQN8EU27skOA/w640-h426/IMG_8552.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up detail of tiled rooftops, Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Saxons Germans came to Transylvania in the 12th century, moved there by the then King of Hungary specifically to protect the area from raids by the Ottomans and Tartars. They built fortifications around hundreds of towns, and the region is still home to dozens of preserved fortress churches. There's a special seven of these remaining that are in particularly good nick. Most of them are difficult to reach with public transport, but luckily for us, Prejmer fortified church was an easy and scenic 20 minute train ride from Brasov. After some confusion with the conductor and fellow passengers over which station we wanted to get off at, and then nearly missing the stop as the door stuck and we couldn't get out, we finally fell out of the train and onto the little path filled with flowers that lead to the main attraction. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8C2uNjw4g3nEUlc5yldmTLd1wkfgLSiAkPn-Is1puvwS6X7udMfuMYCveIAaTEjZ17hFzj3p7M3_OUyX6SWQu-Z97SLxqimH3_J895Bj5QbOxpBryYdM-nYXPw-myXrujJxbTNa2zrGNA3w4Ad33OnJ-IvgKzcjgndw8md51dCDP42P15DLmUU-eDew/s3399/IMG_1192%20prejmer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3399" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8C2uNjw4g3nEUlc5yldmTLd1wkfgLSiAkPn-Is1puvwS6X7udMfuMYCveIAaTEjZ17hFzj3p7M3_OUyX6SWQu-Z97SLxqimH3_J895Bj5QbOxpBryYdM-nYXPw-myXrujJxbTNa2zrGNA3w4Ad33OnJ-IvgKzcjgndw8md51dCDP42P15DLmUU-eDew/w564-h640/IMG_1192%20prejmer.jpg" width="564" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path to Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWG_WthpVflTEyAc5_SF2iS59P2qh4xFPRGIOvGvgF7ChmfwgWpUSbVGPMOB110qVzP69JcXYxXtgMcjbGWy_juS3EokNwFaKI21TH1nx9Tn7eHk1WBta2y3ibRhjRHWqGHEquOgnh-MRqPnoVVc06m_t6_BcUjdT-1syWJ9VJ4tyC-IufTUpc7npjw/s5083/IMG_8561.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="5083" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWG_WthpVflTEyAc5_SF2iS59P2qh4xFPRGIOvGvgF7ChmfwgWpUSbVGPMOB110qVzP69JcXYxXtgMcjbGWy_juS3EokNwFaKI21TH1nx9Tn7eHk1WBta2y3ibRhjRHWqGHEquOgnh-MRqPnoVVc06m_t6_BcUjdT-1syWJ9VJ4tyC-IufTUpc7npjw/w640-h426/IMG_8561.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old houses in Prejmer village</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKBblG-YpbpwWFGickl9KfatZT4QSg7vqqxKCZUPbGC4inLygM0AGBtbiqaVnhtiMXJmR6Oq07LNjIakXKNRVox04crVmec5ZgvGySkAcpDeS2K4055YjTBCsOpd16mIRtJYvrtRu9f-cmK9_P28He28B6uSqidYVfOrmwaO8whalNjkEe7yulBWqDw/s4000/IMG_1195.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2616" data-original-width="4000" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKBblG-YpbpwWFGickl9KfatZT4QSg7vqqxKCZUPbGC4inLygM0AGBtbiqaVnhtiMXJmR6Oq07LNjIakXKNRVox04crVmec5ZgvGySkAcpDeS2K4055YjTBCsOpd16mIRtJYvrtRu9f-cmK9_P28He28B6uSqidYVfOrmwaO8whalNjkEe7yulBWqDw/w640-h418/IMG_1195.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thick walls surrounding the Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gmGUIlrZ37BYSUAZtVdR_e2hLez3J3cItgQ-IBR1cbbqHPLhqElgTNitYZU3W3U2S4bERrVjrkQkpdjVoEJyttavFHdLUch45H4FzBGsBFaC4tVkyZlBPg-WBrkOG69rRtsPU_98fqFL2dAtRFuA0m6eHpNj8QelsbLrwn6gg2dKZj_eYGhfgC6f3w/s3630/IMG_1199.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3630" data-original-width="2996" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gmGUIlrZ37BYSUAZtVdR_e2hLez3J3cItgQ-IBR1cbbqHPLhqElgTNitYZU3W3U2S4bERrVjrkQkpdjVoEJyttavFHdLUch45H4FzBGsBFaC4tVkyZlBPg-WBrkOG69rRtsPU_98fqFL2dAtRFuA0m6eHpNj8QelsbLrwn6gg2dKZj_eYGhfgC6f3w/w528-h640/IMG_1199.jpg" width="528" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful spoons for sale, Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After more than 50 invasions mostly from the Ottomans, the Saxons built fortifications for the Prejmer church during the 15th and 16th centuries. Very thick and tall walls, combined with towers, battlements, and a barbican, kept residents safe. We were surprised at the 270 little rooms surrounding the central church, running all around the inner courtyard on several levels connected by wooden stairs. These offered shelter to villagers in case of an attack. The best part by far, and accidentally stumbled into by Rich, was the secret dark and dusty interior section of the fort walls. There were no signs or indications to this intriguing area, but it was a fascinating insight to the inner construction of the fort.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFBKIyb1fFtYeVKAlSAwBtd7U-6l4h_jhifHrgiAGawMca-r_1RW7j1-_ouXhrgMeKW1l9Y0sWaaM5sLGWPv3hjiqrpfPbbPDtRDqAVo-EoZOjrdqUtMNepVPyGdSWYuMuTv7MUZQix52VEolfaNlmPsKjm6MCqXZZFy4h0ZEM0gu8dbbkL7dC4xhwA/s4000/IMG_1208.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFBKIyb1fFtYeVKAlSAwBtd7U-6l4h_jhifHrgiAGawMca-r_1RW7j1-_ouXhrgMeKW1l9Y0sWaaM5sLGWPv3hjiqrpfPbbPDtRDqAVo-EoZOjrdqUtMNepVPyGdSWYuMuTv7MUZQix52VEolfaNlmPsKjm6MCqXZZFy4h0ZEM0gu8dbbkL7dC4xhwA/w480-h640/IMG_1208.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church in the middle of the fortifications, Prejmer, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5BBPXabNjPzMdd2E3-lHbcsamna6EZv4IDp-egX3tGSk1h0sXIXLuLMIzx8YXmCP5qk0gLVxjToS9E_tBL4jSTiKddDY-2h-iRkZnF_h9llQPGQps-2KTJklYpQBAkcvaE8ZLXxuIUFDK1cRLlUxaR2SMrSxXIren0AOUynYkHMkgDrmRQaNzerOYg/s4000/IMG_1209.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5BBPXabNjPzMdd2E3-lHbcsamna6EZv4IDp-egX3tGSk1h0sXIXLuLMIzx8YXmCP5qk0gLVxjToS9E_tBL4jSTiKddDY-2h-iRkZnF_h9llQPGQps-2KTJklYpQBAkcvaE8ZLXxuIUFDK1cRLlUxaR2SMrSxXIren0AOUynYkHMkgDrmRQaNzerOYg/w640-h480/IMG_1209.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the fascinating innards of Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-cdUsqR7z0UJHnPgOM9w9E6m1BEPVJkOU22TNpCpPiTx5Hi4br8PgoqEdFintHFOwx_bnAGtbCnN4OBQaJrv8uaiA7pI3m8XcrYMwU521E7LvdT8uiqszylZzd9fJpPQo9PaxhdTwizQnwCWq_CYyjMTHqv6mlt1vkgnFMPXEPLb3AWoSTu567jnaQ/s4758/IMG_8565.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="4758" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-cdUsqR7z0UJHnPgOM9w9E6m1BEPVJkOU22TNpCpPiTx5Hi4br8PgoqEdFintHFOwx_bnAGtbCnN4OBQaJrv8uaiA7pI3m8XcrYMwU521E7LvdT8uiqszylZzd9fJpPQo9PaxhdTwizQnwCWq_CYyjMTHqv6mlt1vkgnFMPXEPLb3AWoSTu567jnaQ/w426-h640/IMG_8565.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNnEq31qt5VjmWW7rqMv-ZyaT7mOCZ4LPRCQ8wZJXgc88kuee6g0Z477bWaq5DMglsh3dbC2m9oBlqHXgP1i9LJ6gc8ofPJMs3oOjc0cb98edleFTcqSR-m5mNjTBQUqIBN-E-KDiGbDx9PBoyHXKdMys4dXouugnbAjcMoPgWZCFcmhXhkntkeb7mg/s4484/IMG_8572.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4484" data-original-width="2990" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNnEq31qt5VjmWW7rqMv-ZyaT7mOCZ4LPRCQ8wZJXgc88kuee6g0Z477bWaq5DMglsh3dbC2m9oBlqHXgP1i9LJ6gc8ofPJMs3oOjc0cb98edleFTcqSR-m5mNjTBQUqIBN-E-KDiGbDx9PBoyHXKdMys4dXouugnbAjcMoPgWZCFcmhXhkntkeb7mg/w426-h640/IMG_8572.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little rooms surrounding the central church, Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaowLr6qTWHRuaOZfoqVDq4twLY036Nj4hBS6PgRpNW-ZsFZ5yRDTluLSnaEAs7sCYCt6seGfqxmuUFcXLjSZNjIFFBMvmg4GBwM_5M2ng-asFdnRDPtbi4M3G7k0EuiN-ShsXC0PE7stJCkwR1AGHM9UFch7NbWZPDdoC3GmfpiIDTFuQKsxmlH-KA/s5184/IMG_8573.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaowLr6qTWHRuaOZfoqVDq4twLY036Nj4hBS6PgRpNW-ZsFZ5yRDTluLSnaEAs7sCYCt6seGfqxmuUFcXLjSZNjIFFBMvmg4GBwM_5M2ng-asFdnRDPtbi4M3G7k0EuiN-ShsXC0PE7stJCkwR1AGHM9UFch7NbWZPDdoC3GmfpiIDTFuQKsxmlH-KA/w640-h426/IMG_8573.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Levels of rooms and stairs, Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Another morning was spent at Solomon Rocks, a picnic area/nature reserve on the southern outskirts of Brasov. Apart from a few locals collecting spring water in plastic bottles, we were pretty much alone as we enjoyed the beech forest with it's tall, straight trees, sunlight streaming in and birds twittering around the stream we followed. On our descent from the walk, the picnic area had filled with families BBQ-ing meat and the smells wafting around were delicious.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mKaAeMFjkvgp7Hk4nieILUhHfeUOA03q239Y78lEkQt7363q1zdB-o_aJd8OndxoKM8_VGGIPN4kI_VnLcO5dcftTgizSHHKf8Ze6ycLxy_AwMO_IkWt7-mQ3gzf0N3DnlOWCXqTXIc2SMEnriRrSn-hx7FiTMAqgVqYQNEtdap7eyeJZm87dGEBSg/s5184/IMG_8583%20solomon%20rocks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mKaAeMFjkvgp7Hk4nieILUhHfeUOA03q239Y78lEkQt7363q1zdB-o_aJd8OndxoKM8_VGGIPN4kI_VnLcO5dcftTgizSHHKf8Ze6ycLxy_AwMO_IkWt7-mQ3gzf0N3DnlOWCXqTXIc2SMEnriRrSn-hx7FiTMAqgVqYQNEtdap7eyeJZm87dGEBSg/w640-h426/IMG_8583%20solomon%20rocks.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rest near a little river, Solomon Rocks, Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PbRzvIu_lp94T9cYSPktIPwNPDXGB3u1WQy4SDFm1Y20CDBhzrqTxFWF1K1m0-5ocAxqLzUKDMlqkL8DUalvp-GoLZY7tikcaPd7AUHIvJNA87vn-OVw0fVNhTyW_4jGlRE0yAZWRgDxvmCMhi-e1xRVYpTp1rUyaE6cz85rEBwz-cIjk_t9ougblQ/s5184/IMG_8585.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PbRzvIu_lp94T9cYSPktIPwNPDXGB3u1WQy4SDFm1Y20CDBhzrqTxFWF1K1m0-5ocAxqLzUKDMlqkL8DUalvp-GoLZY7tikcaPd7AUHIvJNA87vn-OVw0fVNhTyW_4jGlRE0yAZWRgDxvmCMhi-e1xRVYpTp1rUyaE6cz85rEBwz-cIjk_t9ougblQ/w640-h426/IMG_8585.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beech forest in Spring, Solomon Rocks, Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were truly happy to be in this part of the world, and appreciated the fresh clean air, cooler climate, blossoms on trees, green forests and the clear blue skies- all things we had been craving whilst in Egypt. It was literally everything we hoped it would be, and we felt happy in the choice we had made to travel to Romania. We looked forward to exploring more of this beautiful country. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBub_YjYjb_Td62uW8cFaBrIaRITY1WOntwLzQAKIFEREKTI5d4_EZqRRZR-f_jgqfpl3eGPXnbjoX3I6903GgPG9oXjFFj8ptsMqAexqdwXAF_jejhAHseaoVWbrUUm1Ow6wDn51oeiFjYZTN2nWNEfOroCQ_YiCNQpJxpjX981ccXJ70h4m4Rbj9A/s5184/IMG_8507.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBub_YjYjb_Td62uW8cFaBrIaRITY1WOntwLzQAKIFEREKTI5d4_EZqRRZR-f_jgqfpl3eGPXnbjoX3I6903GgPG9oXjFFj8ptsMqAexqdwXAF_jejhAHseaoVWbrUUm1Ow6wDn51oeiFjYZTN2nWNEfOroCQ_YiCNQpJxpjX981ccXJ70h4m4Rbj9A/w640-h426/IMG_8507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green parks, Bucharest, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhii8z2EvoQDyn6mca_BjmICsHmaP0YRiXQNFaBMpwJtidiyVHjzDufIZB2Ia9rVMm1T0qUnx9vxERylvvhsdtUQfsib6TMnrDMqdGVj8NuX0tZIlXUxPEdzkNUDUFdx9KGDV6IusyUCPZ9Bkwwr8_-VQa2zZNg0kAjS1n1XYdz7NHnuMMJVjqNI4JFLA/s4575/IMG_8526.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3230" data-original-width="4575" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhii8z2EvoQDyn6mca_BjmICsHmaP0YRiXQNFaBMpwJtidiyVHjzDufIZB2Ia9rVMm1T0qUnx9vxERylvvhsdtUQfsib6TMnrDMqdGVj8NuX0tZIlXUxPEdzkNUDUFdx9KGDV6IusyUCPZ9Bkwwr8_-VQa2zZNg0kAjS1n1XYdz7NHnuMMJVjqNI4JFLA/w640-h452/IMG_8526.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old town of Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbwXXztAJ-OVtPi1h3KnsOzPkTvbUSui-lIbjONklssG0fjTNo6rHUY5wMLAIRco_DYU5SY_7quL9iVvzOoDKugkO3wx_ZlKlpKdDAbzRR_bY_hlqHmEOLAKo9Xt2zOIm9rVu87jiSxKfc5P1qo8tEY3NXRIE6w7yjv709xlY3r9bmV06sj6IxFI9Hg/s3182/IMG_8528.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1945" data-original-width="3182" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbwXXztAJ-OVtPi1h3KnsOzPkTvbUSui-lIbjONklssG0fjTNo6rHUY5wMLAIRco_DYU5SY_7quL9iVvzOoDKugkO3wx_ZlKlpKdDAbzRR_bY_hlqHmEOLAKo9Xt2zOIm9rVu87jiSxKfc5P1qo8tEY3NXRIE6w7yjv709xlY3r9bmV06sj6IxFI9Hg/w640-h392/IMG_8528.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Folk out and about in Brasov, Romania</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Entrance fees (1 GBP= 5.8 RON):</p><p>Prejmer Fortified church 15 RON</p><p>Peles Castle 50 RON</p><p><br /></p><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/05/transylvanian-train-trundlings.html" target="_blank">........keep up with us on the next post, further into Transylvania, Sighisoara and Sibiu......</a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-69101828159307269352022-04-14T20:49:00.002+08:002022-05-14T01:39:34.915+08:00FROM THE CITY TO THE DEEP BLUE SEA - Cairo and Dahab, Egypt<p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/02/little-green-men-and-cheeky-bottoms.html" target="_blank">......the last of our wanderings around beautiful, ancient Luxor sites.......</a></i></p><p>Those who have read a few of our blog posts know we are extremely fond of train travel (hence the blog title!). We're attracted to countries we can explore by rail, and Egypt is one of those destinations. On deciding we'd had enough of Luxor, we booked two tickets for the day train to Cairo. We had done this trip in reverse years ago, but remembered very little from that time. We did notice the ticket stated a journey time of ten hours, and thought that seemed very ambitious. But as we had decided on the 04.50am (!) train out of Luxor, we figured even if it was a few hours late, we should still arrive in the capital before dark. </p><p>The train was filthy, painfully slow, stopped and started constantly, and jerked violently every time it braked. It was also 15.5 hours in total. But actually, the seats were very large and comfy, and we had books and music to keep us occupied, as well as the scenery out the window, and overall it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Luckily, the hostel we were staying at in Cairo was used to late arrivals, and greeted us warmly.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip75yWvaPwbUqDMJhfyO6lA6HxhNKYVKUL0zc693TwEjMxD0q7bcf54xeVuXajhLKK5foYyYFCdW5pC-uOZt_IsDihBNzuy0C33BCWnFD0mo0_8-Yj-qZYZEn09JewoZwJf-6CKQXQpxcFzEBXUHsDmKHSGvwbA5oTedcC0a2Uba-kBQalZnwupqvgfQ=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip75yWvaPwbUqDMJhfyO6lA6HxhNKYVKUL0zc693TwEjMxD0q7bcf54xeVuXajhLKK5foYyYFCdW5pC-uOZt_IsDihBNzuy0C33BCWnFD0mo0_8-Yj-qZYZEn09JewoZwJf-6CKQXQpxcFzEBXUHsDmKHSGvwbA5oTedcC0a2Uba-kBQalZnwupqvgfQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the old building where our hostel was situated, Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Cairo is one our favourite cities in the world, and even in our exhausted stupor upon arrival, we immediately felt positive being there. There's something about the combination of the grand yet decrepit buildings, relaxed people, pulsing traffic and busy crowds on the streets that's an immediate pick-me-up. We felt a huge difference from Luxor with the brightness of the place- it seemed lit up like a Christmas tree and almost hurt our eyes. Other differences were the extensive range of fashions in the glitzy clothing shops, the amount of women out and about, and the huge number of fast food eateries/restaurants/cafes everywhere we looked- the choice seemed endless. We could relax a bit too, and not be asked constantly what are our names, where are we from, do we want a taxi etc. Cairo was refreshingly free of touts and scammers for the most part. Most interactions were of a friendly and mellow type.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN8SiOqwcHaSFtBB_IHddSx3WiMWY-kYfORTVst5bMamq37-sam0X4Wz_HPOW7PNBV7oqNl2tfi6gIgC-SXciK4J0kHtWVcaI78EqR58IgKHHbaDnQvtoo2n7PARmM8UWg0R3XekMwc-Jx-7hxIM_lqBlQCTkRaVPuXq5PQthJlLqo8st1e_F9i-vJTA=s3191" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2025" data-original-width="3191" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN8SiOqwcHaSFtBB_IHddSx3WiMWY-kYfORTVst5bMamq37-sam0X4Wz_HPOW7PNBV7oqNl2tfi6gIgC-SXciK4J0kHtWVcaI78EqR58IgKHHbaDnQvtoo2n7PARmM8UWg0R3XekMwc-Jx-7hxIM_lqBlQCTkRaVPuXq5PQthJlLqo8st1e_F9i-vJTA=w640-h406" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food stall, Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9TXpd9gwXBEzoQ2vrh5-t-O9CGhE6CV7bsDTLaPDKJeReCsRR4d_5dHI0whcszWrCHwrenSypyX8g2saMb3ALKVSunInxHdL-DR3O5AwoOxi20F40KLDzLBNIZmVrOVKn_QPNaKPBWTaIftvcL1ijU_bPqgHTPwoKBmZXh3rezISixXtZUw60jvGPdg=s4495" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4495" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9TXpd9gwXBEzoQ2vrh5-t-O9CGhE6CV7bsDTLaPDKJeReCsRR4d_5dHI0whcszWrCHwrenSypyX8g2saMb3ALKVSunInxHdL-DR3O5AwoOxi20F40KLDzLBNIZmVrOVKn_QPNaKPBWTaIftvcL1ijU_bPqgHTPwoKBmZXh3rezISixXtZUw60jvGPdg=w492-h640" width="492" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Islamic Cairo<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixZmk_hhrhCrCh9w_DnWwtSdg3cswGfcNGp87VLcodZlnyJsuE4_Cl6U5dTitp2dUkDpKcgaBBKRwGjJjGV4gb7clzaSZ4-tvP6WPim3aQEf34P38EoVXDg_dqzO9pIhdTCNTbci5mZfJ6e8S7Gor1jffolM6V5JquZWBCdcaZFp-Q06v2hT-_iPNTxQ=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixZmk_hhrhCrCh9w_DnWwtSdg3cswGfcNGp87VLcodZlnyJsuE4_Cl6U5dTitp2dUkDpKcgaBBKRwGjJjGV4gb7clzaSZ4-tvP6WPim3aQEf34P38EoVXDg_dqzO9pIhdTCNTbci5mZfJ6e8S7Gor1jffolM6V5JquZWBCdcaZFp-Q06v2hT-_iPNTxQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique shop, Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbxPkoCbQ_ufXDtEHgRstP2FutS_pLOOmo9rlA6rCx19u5ABdhpglxOjQQKreNdleVbEKJY-d_MY7AONiqegdjhgENRRPoCZoCjyatiKR6kBUkQC-dYKSgEKmiJdo21yZ-qI6JHhf7mHoGGLtwoEk3uRVdoqSv1SkVAexKPS05kcAGb6zdzDTM51fgrA=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbxPkoCbQ_ufXDtEHgRstP2FutS_pLOOmo9rlA6rCx19u5ABdhpglxOjQQKreNdleVbEKJY-d_MY7AONiqegdjhgENRRPoCZoCjyatiKR6kBUkQC-dYKSgEKmiJdo21yZ-qI6JHhf7mHoGGLtwoEk3uRVdoqSv1SkVAexKPS05kcAGb6zdzDTM51fgrA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sexy gear for sale, Cairo market</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwSqkKMAQBxN3QButn4Q26SjtTisFCus-R9bHTMozozLvTHZIf7X5dUu6BQdxSOuw4eZLpLCBcjQk9n02fEkFFoiFhRxy1sE-yl4tZy0QauLb7msUoy6K4GN-pc94nA5emgMT_VGpYXGCQlzAuUpUnITA3ATgTx71GyLYlImryUQ0UkKVws9_QTUgjuA=s4765" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3241" data-original-width="4765" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwSqkKMAQBxN3QButn4Q26SjtTisFCus-R9bHTMozozLvTHZIf7X5dUu6BQdxSOuw4eZLpLCBcjQk9n02fEkFFoiFhRxy1sE-yl4tZy0QauLb7msUoy6K4GN-pc94nA5emgMT_VGpYXGCQlzAuUpUnITA3ATgTx71GyLYlImryUQ0UkKVws9_QTUgjuA=w640-h436" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waking up in Cairo streets</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhijVF8bhijtL-S1KoN_LMUd7KtZfGL8Z8VEDpNdSQJ3hTGRfOQ_XQJCKenEGmFFAp49feKHpxVmVJ-f_nzahmxuOooxStx7lnfhsyq_NxgprMEpPnBlNSqiv2E-NXno_fdu2qkXPVUo-hmABAA-gfxofG7QS7Nlggz7dZjr1_SOqYL_grc5OtWqVnfww=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhijVF8bhijtL-S1KoN_LMUd7KtZfGL8Z8VEDpNdSQJ3hTGRfOQ_XQJCKenEGmFFAp49feKHpxVmVJ-f_nzahmxuOooxStx7lnfhsyq_NxgprMEpPnBlNSqiv2E-NXno_fdu2qkXPVUo-hmABAA-gfxofG7QS7Nlggz7dZjr1_SOqYL_grc5OtWqVnfww=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful light streaming into Cairo mosque</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We spent a whole month in Cairo in 2020 (<a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2020/02/walk-like-egyptian-cairo-neighborhoods.html" target="_blank">here </a>and <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2020/01/weasels-ate-my-felafel-cairo-egypt.html" target="_blank">here</a>), and were captivated by walking around the contrasting areas, and especially with the old Islamic architecture. We found so much to see we actually ran out of time! This time, a week was enough as we keenly felt the need to move on to the coast and appreciate some beach time as the weather improved. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjs7smyR4QIPeP2EUq1jtt8tCZoVXaFLtHuIjx_4GQLO5mapW_XU5KaXVfw5rgtcjGTUxTVghUWDTJfbuwkmW95CkNIk49XOK7saHOiyT7hqefZjmn9YDAdAQdQjk4umFqnZNyK9l1bJYZ_CHhRYqKgAqIjvLx_Xqo_k_j-o2S_FHuUMCCILUmLs1O9g=s4629" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3181" data-original-width="4629" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjs7smyR4QIPeP2EUq1jtt8tCZoVXaFLtHuIjx_4GQLO5mapW_XU5KaXVfw5rgtcjGTUxTVghUWDTJfbuwkmW95CkNIk49XOK7saHOiyT7hqefZjmn9YDAdAQdQjk4umFqnZNyK9l1bJYZ_CHhRYqKgAqIjvLx_Xqo_k_j-o2S_FHuUMCCILUmLs1O9g=w640-h440" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orangemania, Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwHDOO5EdHw668NcP2_isNTiX8dqVXCY4s-2epdNfLzS6afhHfjZfKQNNIe1a-9q_WlmCYifim3X8FVacKcFLv4TN189E9tx_VdV05WhJWK7SPm0dt8N9oc8whDNIVgn-cDPFETIGrR5YGgpQeN768J9wsdTCh7xA-3A7umO1sxPG6bzdWUw6IEGza5A=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwHDOO5EdHw668NcP2_isNTiX8dqVXCY4s-2epdNfLzS6afhHfjZfKQNNIe1a-9q_WlmCYifim3X8FVacKcFLv4TN189E9tx_VdV05WhJWK7SPm0dt8N9oc8whDNIVgn-cDPFETIGrR5YGgpQeN768J9wsdTCh7xA-3A7umO1sxPG6bzdWUw6IEGza5A=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View down backstreet in old part of Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiywaR-huJ-334ncLfvWAnhU_4GWHg04uY0vj3AwmRH8v0TBhUbzw_mGJuA7UxF7mCv2g2556w2UoMONLTs6kcQKQlhmCXWt-DiDIBstvUZU4arFygPXqbIxGyo7JVm1aAv8nvlqVUywyHtwVJqBHuycJs51vtcKNEmBCFLaQi6jAxl761kTmXx9RPd4w=s4931" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4931" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiywaR-huJ-334ncLfvWAnhU_4GWHg04uY0vj3AwmRH8v0TBhUbzw_mGJuA7UxF7mCv2g2556w2UoMONLTs6kcQKQlhmCXWt-DiDIBstvUZU4arFygPXqbIxGyo7JVm1aAv8nvlqVUywyHtwVJqBHuycJs51vtcKNEmBCFLaQi6jAxl761kTmXx9RPd4w=w448-h640" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green shop, with cat, Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjOJMGGZrsP3DKsrifMV0fLIN3E_MXr-_kcOVxbDXF1qeEQVvWWlWxBu-YWj5X2PPDlQHY3rsCGktKQiPm5wpw0OGk3o-wWNFp1vQh7z5yHAkYA6TiFgl2_PIfTIizjthN58YAVfq0EwRTBtWcDz9cSoarMtRKKN3w1woru8XXslTSzrl4RIQDwjs_3A=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjOJMGGZrsP3DKsrifMV0fLIN3E_MXr-_kcOVxbDXF1qeEQVvWWlWxBu-YWj5X2PPDlQHY3rsCGktKQiPm5wpw0OGk3o-wWNFp1vQh7z5yHAkYA6TiFgl2_PIfTIizjthN58YAVfq0EwRTBtWcDz9cSoarMtRKKN3w1woru8XXslTSzrl4RIQDwjs_3A=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful market, Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd_OcTZgWd0pjlHMVXbOIlvSDPCGtYcqaGnxYFVvS0wicL_FmVq1WHIOrBDYfKsra8QyfUgCLb0ut4kjlJ-5j9ENR5To4ciIkTbSmGnPiLsoTlayo-WXaFiLwi7oC3pPDdmfg7YtyeAnULtEbM-2cM6MoOgG4OwxUfsy9Ux7shrSusGZw3rg_IS632JA=s4805" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4805" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd_OcTZgWd0pjlHMVXbOIlvSDPCGtYcqaGnxYFVvS0wicL_FmVq1WHIOrBDYfKsra8QyfUgCLb0ut4kjlJ-5j9ENR5To4ciIkTbSmGnPiLsoTlayo-WXaFiLwi7oC3pPDdmfg7YtyeAnULtEbM-2cM6MoOgG4OwxUfsy9Ux7shrSusGZw3rg_IS632JA=w460-h640" width="460" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic old apartment block, Cairo</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Dahab was inhabited pretty much solely by Bedouin people until the 1980s when Israelis and hippies discovered the laid-back coastal town. Situated on the Sinai peninsula, the town was still fairly quiet and low key even on our last visit in 2007. We had heard it had expanded in popularity since then, but weren't quite prepared for the explosion of tourism we discovered upon arrival. The first few days were extremely hard to adjust, as we struggled to find a place of calm (both somewhere to stay and mentally). Coming from very quiet Luxor, and very "Egyptian" Cairo, Dahab felt like another world. It didn't help that the overnight bus from Cairo was long and slow due to the many security stops, and we take longer to recover from such journeys these days!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUwWSJsAZotBqcGRRbw0_vmt0Fujd1P5Z2vVsZkP64OEUvilvxqTlocLOxswdKVpRQuwKYFbRCl0sSdMyU_iCUBR78SXUPkqbGAFqu5UBW7RQqkvWmFR1yf7G-8bITQ1AMzUPxaNYdVGW3M3CD6VHb-uBGrXyqnUaRaJLlxN_FwUPltqjgsema_SR_A/s3675/beach%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2167" data-original-width="3675" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUwWSJsAZotBqcGRRbw0_vmt0Fujd1P5Z2vVsZkP64OEUvilvxqTlocLOxswdKVpRQuwKYFbRCl0sSdMyU_iCUBR78SXUPkqbGAFqu5UBW7RQqkvWmFR1yf7G-8bITQ1AMzUPxaNYdVGW3M3CD6VHb-uBGrXyqnUaRaJLlxN_FwUPltqjgsema_SR_A/w640-h378/beach%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colours are real!, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMZXcr0-gI2188xWq3X1zh6VyZOviR8MpJAXLlibGaRvsN5OeTAbqmvGKlqArLl31Qh14IowX-DjSok4wzqVUeD11P7NUowbzRXy-Xluvv_kGCj1EbvrrplC6VY6FAH0Xey1U-nwnZEz8F4oeDhZbuUVRr9jQIHyxcbnAWUSPAtxLhvhB8W3Ts2BelQ/s3446/IMG_1085.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2176" data-original-width="3446" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMZXcr0-gI2188xWq3X1zh6VyZOviR8MpJAXLlibGaRvsN5OeTAbqmvGKlqArLl31Qh14IowX-DjSok4wzqVUeD11P7NUowbzRXy-Xluvv_kGCj1EbvrrplC6VY6FAH0Xey1U-nwnZEz8F4oeDhZbuUVRr9jQIHyxcbnAWUSPAtxLhvhB8W3Ts2BelQ/w640-h404/IMG_1085.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>We were lucky to have a friend staying in a wonderful, arty camp, where we got a great deal on a cute little A-frame hut that would have been quite at home on a South East Asian beach. At one time the whole of Dahab was made up entirely of camps- basic compounds with rooms around the perimeter, a courtyard with seating in the middle and shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. Some still remain, alongside the newer villas and hotels, and are still popular with budget travellers. Ours was nice in that it catered to both foreign and Egyptian guests. Most of the latter were from Cairo, and were predominantly young professionals who were friendly and spoke English perfectly, many working for good wages in foreign IT companies. Although they didn't drink alcohol or take drugs, they did love late nights full of music, drumming, singing and dancing around the campfire. We mostly enjoyed the fun and it was great seeing them let loose a bit on holiday from work and home. On the odd occasion the noise went on into the wee hours, and we had to ask them to quieten down, they were always polite and respectful. In some ways, the camp was quite conservative, which was fine by us. One example was when a crazy German guy was thrown out for wandering around naked in the unisex bathrooms!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU4EJHthk3kfC7UbtoX22H7Bm0RiWgWTK6NLfGFK8T9mbTNb9w4R45ySfCK3AWru1n6BCcK-5oRhTxhqgCyyMhRifSwqBrkwVgWcB8D6sSsDMx0XIO70iQLSvAtHFl6H83eUjhnnMIMN_VX59Ga6Ore35F13MZiAwtBPGAucN82IgWYuf8VAHQPoHBQ/s5184/camp%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU4EJHthk3kfC7UbtoX22H7Bm0RiWgWTK6NLfGFK8T9mbTNb9w4R45ySfCK3AWru1n6BCcK-5oRhTxhqgCyyMhRifSwqBrkwVgWcB8D6sSsDMx0XIO70iQLSvAtHFl6H83eUjhnnMIMN_VX59Ga6Ore35F13MZiAwtBPGAucN82IgWYuf8VAHQPoHBQ/w640-h426/camp%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The resident artist at El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDafsLlRLXjLTjtVnxk4q97Ijnv_gvo2ZuZ9kteDE3Uaz8Exbm4u_G-8p6z_G1gdZ7payxPjSJ_peFmLjeml6xLPO2QCE7kRZy0DAd7Q9oxB75PBo-9xy65J1fAp0vw0mb4FobDW155bAY5DcxyF4mePAlzFrzWczY_eahN2xSkUnWvlhpu-FAmOLVQ/s4000/camp%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDafsLlRLXjLTjtVnxk4q97Ijnv_gvo2ZuZ9kteDE3Uaz8Exbm4u_G-8p6z_G1gdZ7payxPjSJ_peFmLjeml6xLPO2QCE7kRZy0DAd7Q9oxB75PBo-9xy65J1fAp0vw0mb4FobDW155bAY5DcxyF4mePAlzFrzWczY_eahN2xSkUnWvlhpu-FAmOLVQ/w640-h480/camp%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home for two months, El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09fO_HuphI_6wUYdqNtdAII-qNLnD7TCvTL8oZpXdOWsa5h_kq0k0LCPLIMXyUw9gA5Ip2WgAwIM7mE5Fk1K3ZGjvFKT12XK1PiOrRRsCTy6xB6_v29CCchS0RDZn3MScrxFynjLOGqGXyEiJrHdsO1wDf2nwVwaAIOwJ0v6agujG5TXEz1JspwJEHA/s3703/camp%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="3703" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09fO_HuphI_6wUYdqNtdAII-qNLnD7TCvTL8oZpXdOWsa5h_kq0k0LCPLIMXyUw9gA5Ip2WgAwIM7mE5Fk1K3ZGjvFKT12XK1PiOrRRsCTy6xB6_v29CCchS0RDZn3MScrxFynjLOGqGXyEiJrHdsO1wDf2nwVwaAIOwJ0v6agujG5TXEz1JspwJEHA/w640-h448/camp%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musical evenings, El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ23p0qv1csHfO8LeMDzQefsl3p-yPm_J0Va6rIdKRNPw4NqjruIpWPRqm-m0WjYovBQpwfhhEJSbr19KBqynwKCjtohNmP-rGsXOC6jmKPJbrnlQb8vSLGmXVpUVc8uPME4z5MObjyVBMwSXNh2LsizhwHpPMN3QuWx6_qz3U6IAlHjjZyJdqqk4Ljg/s3824/camp%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2557" data-original-width="3824" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ23p0qv1csHfO8LeMDzQefsl3p-yPm_J0Va6rIdKRNPw4NqjruIpWPRqm-m0WjYovBQpwfhhEJSbr19KBqynwKCjtohNmP-rGsXOC6jmKPJbrnlQb8vSLGmXVpUVc8uPME4z5MObjyVBMwSXNh2LsizhwHpPMN3QuWx6_qz3U6IAlHjjZyJdqqk4Ljg/w640-h428/camp%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of chill-out opportunities, El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HlzRjKq5pQ" target="_blank">Very short video in the camp......</a></p><p>The town of Dahab is difficult to describe. It certainly had a completely different feel to everywhere in Egypt we had been. Russian expat families, Egyptian tourists, backpackers, divers, nouveau hippy wannabees and digital nomads coexisted quite harmoniously with the Egyptians who had moved to Dahab from other parts of the country and the local Bedouin people. There was quite a mix, and it somehow seemed to work. Although we weren't hugely impressed by the atmosphere of the town, it was definitely nice to be able to walk completely freely and without almost any hassle at all. People were so relaxed and used to seeing foreigners, we were no big deal, and that was a pleasant feeling! </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7LbINOWzPLoEoIk3C_t1qA-bdR0Y1MsJFEA2uiTLfkF_ivI55QlcScidjl30O7b-Nsm48Smy2FZuEEelxkG57VJ80uzwG1CZYKpOb7LcE6Jsj0DykNDJLjJzqgT3op5jx4MxHDz7as83sn1EYmwNsTrLmtPkpbzZ3BbtRh6HDHJCdPP76hGhalXxTw/s4664/street%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3308" data-original-width="4664" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7LbINOWzPLoEoIk3C_t1qA-bdR0Y1MsJFEA2uiTLfkF_ivI55QlcScidjl30O7b-Nsm48Smy2FZuEEelxkG57VJ80uzwG1CZYKpOb7LcE6Jsj0DykNDJLjJzqgT3op5jx4MxHDz7as83sn1EYmwNsTrLmtPkpbzZ3BbtRh6HDHJCdPP76hGhalXxTw/w640-h454/street%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shop in main street, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7MTtII1xq0dQkgI3KjVfTf02H2vJ4eySjMuHjKCm5OIyH296mFQfcx3P3f06sr0nwE0L32piOhPA80vg0whIRBpR4i-YvbMxg5iEOaZYXtr8QZOOgO4rhF0-MXUDC12GICblhaipROTEs6RSwWmRnA1CphivRFnQbEgySE5RtzZFE3XQW0rPbvxGzQ/s4000/street.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7MTtII1xq0dQkgI3KjVfTf02H2vJ4eySjMuHjKCm5OIyH296mFQfcx3P3f06sr0nwE0L32piOhPA80vg0whIRBpR4i-YvbMxg5iEOaZYXtr8QZOOgO4rhF0-MXUDC12GICblhaipROTEs6RSwWmRnA1CphivRFnQbEgySE5RtzZFE3XQW0rPbvxGzQ/w640-h480/street.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meandering along the busy seafront, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Other advantages such as a variety of foods, cafes and restaurants we had never seen before in Egypt were welcome (although not particularly needed for our waistlines). We took advantage of the plethora of European style breakfasts and cakes, as well as our favourite Egyptian delights. The frenzied town centre with stalls selling colourful clothes and Bedouin trinkets, dive schools and fish restaurants petered out in each direction and was replaced with paths perfect for refreshing long walks and peaceful long beaches.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeTgmNEuqzRSyCdXZc-Treh6XVNKXdgseCYURk95N3zOUqUCywlV8JzPZdbLwzK5ubsc0eYVfpwNsr8sJy7qiRK7ba6eu0csgC2ZGVEfCFySB28CWHLpsyt-JtyGtlWFZVFcGoRupMDDBuRN7qlxOE1B2298eqeM9E1ZQMNHJ-iC9Mp8TvivbZqJRCw/s4000/food%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeTgmNEuqzRSyCdXZc-Treh6XVNKXdgseCYURk95N3zOUqUCywlV8JzPZdbLwzK5ubsc0eYVfpwNsr8sJy7qiRK7ba6eu0csgC2ZGVEfCFySB28CWHLpsyt-JtyGtlWFZVFcGoRupMDDBuRN7qlxOE1B2298eqeM9E1ZQMNHJ-iC9Mp8TvivbZqJRCw/w640-h480/food%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our favourite eateries, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcvJCiHGWSKsxDy4WyXCPbz0OyBwcsyfDWkZvIXndSvPwG6Y7K6TXD-gniHuAm2aDdptB_7NnhxO1djzIFTiSk-tAICnv3wukV7xRDuGuy1cZxpJkkTACEqetWrQ4AhA0y-5RZRmkDZmlK96ahlRoqiEGb00SzDiK6jk5j_Kih8z47RJBZj6Xp2-kDw/s4000/food%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcvJCiHGWSKsxDy4WyXCPbz0OyBwcsyfDWkZvIXndSvPwG6Y7K6TXD-gniHuAm2aDdptB_7NnhxO1djzIFTiSk-tAICnv3wukV7xRDuGuy1cZxpJkkTACEqetWrQ4AhA0y-5RZRmkDZmlK96ahlRoqiEGb00SzDiK6jk5j_Kih8z47RJBZj6Xp2-kDw/w640-h480/food%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selection of Egyptian drinks- surprisingly good!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The weather became properly hot in April, between 30 and 40 degrees, and we spent many a day lazing on the local beaches, mostly at the nearby Lighthouse area, on the tiny, rocky shoreline. We watched the divers hauling their gear in and out of the water, yoga freaks showing off in the most public of spots (there's always a few), and people generally enjoying cooling off in the clear water. Although Dahab beaches were hardly up to our high standards, and unfortunately often covered with dog crap from the many local strays, we found some pleasant venues to while away a few hours, and even dip our toes in the Red Sea. After so many years on Asian beaches, we are self confessed wimps when it comes to swimming in any water cooler than body temperature. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOI0GH93_iBqL2xQHciG8JLeWnpi724QTWnaE0nwF7U1MfcfFXgevHUE9ILC7p5sYH8koLvgE8Nn59lNzYV4aEj_sCWo0b4WrzavqA7xFYNL3n9z5VHXAZCvJo0vPpwYwQmwH2SV_oHO59UbU93N2ZirI7FwSqaHCftf9LduQnvJVFWCAhhYlAT0dXw/s4000/beach%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2367" data-original-width="4000" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOI0GH93_iBqL2xQHciG8JLeWnpi724QTWnaE0nwF7U1MfcfFXgevHUE9ILC7p5sYH8koLvgE8Nn59lNzYV4aEj_sCWo0b4WrzavqA7xFYNL3n9z5VHXAZCvJo0vPpwYwQmwH2SV_oHO59UbU93N2ZirI7FwSqaHCftf9LduQnvJVFWCAhhYlAT0dXw/w640-h378/beach%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lighthouse beach scene, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdETxJD9Rk3nKcQcNRETPLm-JcuIU74lgbRUR1hTl1vjGaZjKcBJPDGgJQq46S2eWyMiAhR4ebSyu04btWCdyQ_lBiC1vAIkIE83_KZOwBKLCEhDpqJFDUrTiBW9uAXNctcmdwW-SZEPc2Bu034snwlgh3fP6NEOpkW_0JTyE5fn3G-Bi9myR0saTuSA/s4000/beach%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdETxJD9Rk3nKcQcNRETPLm-JcuIU74lgbRUR1hTl1vjGaZjKcBJPDGgJQq46S2eWyMiAhR4ebSyu04btWCdyQ_lBiC1vAIkIE83_KZOwBKLCEhDpqJFDUrTiBW9uAXNctcmdwW-SZEPc2Bu034snwlgh3fP6NEOpkW_0JTyE5fn3G-Bi9myR0saTuSA/w640-h480/beach%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got the blues, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnd_LF1Hg_XfU4EM__wGjkFO7XOuxFF0OL9L08ng8SnwrIMO4foyMQXcQHF0JegsqziGbILw9PYeHMMGvo6J7QBGc2oxWFyNdeh2dXN1XpmupJuWCCgLJKyJXJoolNMwI5EVT-iDkR7HvTCnwU-we8_5sOaJV-r8QgTR3iEGmDOl0G_b4CGGoyk5ehTQ/s4000/beach%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="4000" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnd_LF1Hg_XfU4EM__wGjkFO7XOuxFF0OL9L08ng8SnwrIMO4foyMQXcQHF0JegsqziGbILw9PYeHMMGvo6J7QBGc2oxWFyNdeh2dXN1XpmupJuWCCgLJKyJXJoolNMwI5EVT-iDkR7HvTCnwU-we8_5sOaJV-r8QgTR3iEGmDOl0G_b4CGGoyk5ehTQ/w640-h436/beach%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creative rocks, Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67gDwARgdg3AtVHgYYqOEc2pBkwegzTGcHHB3h6Y3FaNmQt0vCpcklmLlwrDXCqzSBH09KA_83oXoa89nZLSyN0ajIbbAkyf1gQv1jTuX8A-QianrhaD5sNE-visIV7gQu0B6QtwP46DwGtDqdKh96Rt5tgPTqZeUnWpDjnXxh0Kw75eNeKeeWCTLmQ/s4941/street%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4941" data-original-width="3294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67gDwARgdg3AtVHgYYqOEc2pBkwegzTGcHHB3h6Y3FaNmQt0vCpcklmLlwrDXCqzSBH09KA_83oXoa89nZLSyN0ajIbbAkyf1gQv1jTuX8A-QianrhaD5sNE-visIV7gQu0B6QtwP46DwGtDqdKh96Rt5tgPTqZeUnWpDjnXxh0Kw75eNeKeeWCTLmQ/w426-h640/street%20(2).jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Around Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>After two months, our stay had to come to an end- there's only so much chilling out even we can take! Our experiment of trying Egypt as a potential winter hang out for the future had been useful and thought-provoking. We enjoyed our days in Luxor and Dahab, but we would not return to Egypt for a long-term stay in the winter months. The country is not built for chilly weather, as the cold only comes for a relatively short time, and the bitter desert evenings combined with no heating didn't suit us. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfPo0NJF2M4pSIXosfmUeatV3OutcauIIEtqaXBcUiBrqnNMK-qabXDzkWQdQ9CZYWLfGVjk7tGpmXV-U9iBx54v0cAtj17CTRS-XDwUaFppIMOkUFtvqt1r8WBIwcTfjTkDpc__mZfzQnepQAbl0xG2FM2ksU5wsRUz9KKm1FDV_02MvTVIR4ik1aw/s617/egypt_map.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="617" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfPo0NJF2M4pSIXosfmUeatV3OutcauIIEtqaXBcUiBrqnNMK-qabXDzkWQdQ9CZYWLfGVjk7tGpmXV-U9iBx54v0cAtj17CTRS-XDwUaFppIMOkUFtvqt1r8WBIwcTfjTkDpc__mZfzQnepQAbl0xG2FM2ksU5wsRUz9KKm1FDV_02MvTVIR4ik1aw/w640-h514/egypt_map.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our destinations within Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our spirits lifted greatly during April, as day by day many countries began to remove Covidian restrictions, and travel in certain areas suddenly became an option. Although our favourite haunts in Asia were still off limits to us, there was now a greater choice of where to spend the Northern Hemisphere summer. Where we would end up was anyone's' guess!! Stay tuned to find out!!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcE1P6TXZCK33d6kMOpxk5ZXoJ81Jnstmg-3SrQmrdrxr2hq4Rm2Vw8AVW_uusZNAJ8wFGiN0oX-3evusuAmeS427wtiL1uYW-ADz7yT6Cl9UD9hfeldGvkWpkAzWQLbmWgBn1knpf5HSPriUUFADvHiYooQw4oDfLPGRoW3LVSTnrJfJlxbkaddXmQ/s3670/IMG_1122(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2587" data-original-width="3670" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcE1P6TXZCK33d6kMOpxk5ZXoJ81Jnstmg-3SrQmrdrxr2hq4Rm2Vw8AVW_uusZNAJ8wFGiN0oX-3evusuAmeS427wtiL1uYW-ADz7yT6Cl9UD9hfeldGvkWpkAzWQLbmWgBn1knpf5HSPriUUFADvHiYooQw4oDfLPGRoW3LVSTnrJfJlxbkaddXmQ/w640-h452/IMG_1122(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the beach in Dahab, Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/05/stumbling-into-spring-bucharest-and.html" target="_blank">.....a new country for us up next.....Romania.......</a></i>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417678895830888523.post-48297762643440176572022-02-12T17:05:00.001+08:002022-04-16T22:16:26.674+08:00LITTLE GREEN MEN AND CHEEKY BOTTOMS- Exploring the Ramesseum and Tombs of the Nobles- West Bank, Luxor, Egypt<p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/01/going-underground-luxor-west-bank-egypt.html" target="_blank">.........the last blog post exploring royal and worker's tombs on the West Bank, Luxor......</a></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCBzgSzFmLa-3RQpRf_vfoC-DCVGIL3tgG3Ogx7AnyNOUTTr3kJexhs9JJYM7sdMCkXdcozM8MbssjVzCvBblL_lGzGL6oMTbSUw5r6qczcAToOqjFuJHcyMjn_DcqjBAwPDEmEaRqcVapwkooOk6rzoh5OGJVfKP72jBP80sTid9Cc5YIpm6dDu3LGg=s4882" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4882" data-original-width="3254" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCBzgSzFmLa-3RQpRf_vfoC-DCVGIL3tgG3Ogx7AnyNOUTTr3kJexhs9JJYM7sdMCkXdcozM8MbssjVzCvBblL_lGzGL6oMTbSUw5r6qczcAToOqjFuJHcyMjn_DcqjBAwPDEmEaRqcVapwkooOk6rzoh5OGJVfKP72jBP80sTid9Cc5YIpm6dDu3LGg=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glory of the Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p>The Ramesseum is a catchy name and easy to remember, but it's not the original term- it was actually coined by a French explorer in Victorian times. The ancient Pharaonic name, translated as "House of a Million Years", and was sadly not to be prophetic, as we discovered at the ruins remaining at today's site. But the memory of the pharaoh who built the remarkable building and his achievements will not been forgotten. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmFt2_uTCyxrdhMlbWLlARQN0CGpnU3_m5zXptJHGMdRHAZoMAPkCPwAmuP0g_DcSiBqTxWHXyFLsyrBARYwyR3Q09aS6zhTQnpX7xsR-3v8JXiCNEWeuR58Tp-VIfxuC--fA8D63qBOT46u2NFDUMpqGSFr7ZCns-uIWM1Y2dC7MK0ZQT5ChTyF3ItA=s4843" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2668" data-original-width="4843" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmFt2_uTCyxrdhMlbWLlARQN0CGpnU3_m5zXptJHGMdRHAZoMAPkCPwAmuP0g_DcSiBqTxWHXyFLsyrBARYwyR3Q09aS6zhTQnpX7xsR-3v8JXiCNEWeuR58Tp-VIfxuC--fA8D63qBOT46u2NFDUMpqGSFr7ZCns-uIWM1Y2dC7MK0ZQT5ChTyF3ItA=w640-h352" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand remains of the Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKR_gpwrQ64h3ZtHFehoYW-RpTkTRl5tmfCwPbwQ-9t2SDaDNwPgbtMPtFpZ-WHJb-ULqqVDj8BpomXjHzmCFF_uaqtGYfX0XAXyLmJ9Q-LafuoxbedqMnQjAMqiUaa0nMNH8JuLBcVZzqGD9H1P14KG6Br31aAVjrCXQ1b6SwnHL0NMsHW6jRIa4acQ=s5078" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3386" data-original-width="5078" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKR_gpwrQ64h3ZtHFehoYW-RpTkTRl5tmfCwPbwQ-9t2SDaDNwPgbtMPtFpZ-WHJb-ULqqVDj8BpomXjHzmCFF_uaqtGYfX0XAXyLmJ9Q-LafuoxbedqMnQjAMqiUaa0nMNH8JuLBcVZzqGD9H1P14KG6Br31aAVjrCXQ1b6SwnHL0NMsHW6jRIa4acQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headless Osiris statues standing guard, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzr8H3ZtOUIHMDJyUXRl3Hm4NAtsODJPKMLn2yJK4KNlYOEoDYkJ263DonzD43g4x0n3iTZz30QPq9uFVTAa9Q5XzCk31Gf_ndhthAPUGOzVR8vAjEtzwbc8XhvExKptytNSQ3sUfH2wp-AMu1sI0IdnEzL88CPoXMHloflMvs52zsAnt8KlTAvksYPg=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzr8H3ZtOUIHMDJyUXRl3Hm4NAtsODJPKMLn2yJK4KNlYOEoDYkJ263DonzD43g4x0n3iTZz30QPq9uFVTAa9Q5XzCk31Gf_ndhthAPUGOzVR8vAjEtzwbc8XhvExKptytNSQ3sUfH2wp-AMu1sI0IdnEzL88CPoXMHloflMvs52zsAnt8KlTAvksYPg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remnant of a bigger statue, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg90PyVQLzIPF25zOcDijSfxFWpywziNbHoNfTgzO-6SqPE_QwyM7rETojdzzk_SCCCZROdb12LXX_x7Nw4RbsKN4jI3Paz4pHXgzyF4Zts3BbrfR-08oID_95sNbxGk7RniynF87nJAGqOB1mSk9XAKPpGsokwLl93l6JRBnjgkXpiu18JSxJ9sHKZHw=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg90PyVQLzIPF25zOcDijSfxFWpywziNbHoNfTgzO-6SqPE_QwyM7rETojdzzk_SCCCZROdb12LXX_x7Nw4RbsKN4jI3Paz4pHXgzyF4Zts3BbrfR-08oID_95sNbxGk7RniynF87nJAGqOB1mSk9XAKPpGsokwLl93l6JRBnjgkXpiu18JSxJ9sHKZHw=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful detail at the tops of the glorious columns, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEqn9ERwSwtBf0iZOEZGrDRvBaG2Q305XkhT0IWxaeNauOkAPOebVP_T-DavB75u4B-xCiPs_mWDuk_8zORs1nO9Xf-GWTo8VAkqypq8gico0rQhtSFNBaeb0IeWb4mH4yy_jCBe5_w9sDjRs65dCIHCjYUEKCeOuPZqMmDHWHx3IziR4KVcxNRdXLFQ=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEqn9ERwSwtBf0iZOEZGrDRvBaG2Q305XkhT0IWxaeNauOkAPOebVP_T-DavB75u4B-xCiPs_mWDuk_8zORs1nO9Xf-GWTo8VAkqypq8gico0rQhtSFNBaeb0IeWb4mH4yy_jCBe5_w9sDjRs65dCIHCjYUEKCeOuPZqMmDHWHx3IziR4KVcxNRdXLFQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning light on the columns in the Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>King Ramses II, son of the celebrated Seti I (he of the <a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/01/foxy-times-in-ancient-thebes-luxor-west.html" target="_blank">fox temple</a>), was considered by most historians to have been the greatest, most powerful and wealthy pharaoh. He supposedly fathered more children than any other leader, and certainly erected more monuments- he was more of a builder than a warrior. If you've seen The Ten Commandments, it's Yul Brynner. His most famous architectural accomplishment was Abu Simbel, a magnificent temple in the far south of Egypt, which we were lucky enough to visit on our first trip to Egypt 15 years ago. We didn't have a blog then, but here are a couple of old photos from 2007.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3DJnOaRHuRIaA0kDLWl2FSYfrj52p7lrUJH5r9ymGnPl9UtXWgJZX8ssDb71O16aGwTHtSlt-Ls1Ve8507jQchCIu94oE7NHWMcgeB5UqmU_XFYm2ttKJvG-zJlzjvgW-kAhysTR18KA5jEbWkExsaJnhNau17Asl6EYektdf3VaXYvK7n47KOC8BeQ=s2589" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2589" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3DJnOaRHuRIaA0kDLWl2FSYfrj52p7lrUJH5r9ymGnPl9UtXWgJZX8ssDb71O16aGwTHtSlt-Ls1Ve8507jQchCIu94oE7NHWMcgeB5UqmU_XFYm2ttKJvG-zJlzjvgW-kAhysTR18KA5jEbWkExsaJnhNau17Asl6EYektdf3VaXYvK7n47KOC8BeQ=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couldn't avoid the other tourists at Abu Simbel, 2007 trip to Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS-YQieAApsveeYGZQmFLSMvaiOhFRtGts0L6RF2i1ZTcrrE4XncSVkQvESN9O7gKkeWdStVKLTkB_S_FZZOaVUgndyaFU6jFWXhgpWgj3NzOrXcsnBn0AUINUjKxqMTgGHmTp6D0WGlToEANPFjV4QwfwxgKvnAXj7Sj0xaF9THSKxQeHiTXjlTVHRg=s2592" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS-YQieAApsveeYGZQmFLSMvaiOhFRtGts0L6RF2i1ZTcrrE4XncSVkQvESN9O7gKkeWdStVKLTkB_S_FZZOaVUgndyaFU6jFWXhgpWgj3NzOrXcsnBn0AUINUjKxqMTgGHmTp6D0WGlToEANPFjV4QwfwxgKvnAXj7Sj0xaF9THSKxQeHiTXjlTVHRg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outstanding sights at Abu Simbel, 2007 trip to Egypt</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were dismayed to begin with when we arrived soon after sunrise at the Ramesseum and found the place a hive of activity, with dozens of workers digging, moving piles of dirt and large stones around. However, the activity was focused in the mudbrick structures around the outskirts of the complex, leaving the central temple itself mostly peaceful. As we spent time there, we began to feel it was actually nice to feel some life in the place, but also have the sacred bit mostly to ourselves. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiubuSotPjsRlWGBCpYQifLnboJ-ZO6QTUU4GJJ9erciazHLib0nNdP8_LV_T9dwJygwcd_1pRTHxKh1_8B5L-S8U5VCmmHCU-LezkqLG2MLejhGG0Y9JO2c2_n5Fv-54OOv-dgbUgbEIXjjHL2Po4z0F22RgdJpDDDkshhLK6ZoDf5XvtdRHfQraLoig=s4434" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3219" data-original-width="4434" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiubuSotPjsRlWGBCpYQifLnboJ-ZO6QTUU4GJJ9erciazHLib0nNdP8_LV_T9dwJygwcd_1pRTHxKh1_8B5L-S8U5VCmmHCU-LezkqLG2MLejhGG0Y9JO2c2_n5Fv-54OOv-dgbUgbEIXjjHL2Po4z0F22RgdJpDDDkshhLK6ZoDf5XvtdRHfQraLoig=w640-h464" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard at work, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZskSoECVPh5uzXJmrnFj6PT8aGdECOg5qEdSDt_KFq8H7yyqcv0pTwHXm1sF_brhW6zhI-8MrMYl9ucRAX8eXJfXq45KCUYlwGbt_qGJPHxwv0obdqvMy2n3GmND0vXZgZOl7mxUnnq2e3wiGv8F_z9qTvbwzlJmr5W-OVeDh0L9tr4MO5SuvyJX1wg=s4704" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2674" data-original-width="4704" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZskSoECVPh5uzXJmrnFj6PT8aGdECOg5qEdSDt_KFq8H7yyqcv0pTwHXm1sF_brhW6zhI-8MrMYl9ucRAX8eXJfXq45KCUYlwGbt_qGJPHxwv0obdqvMy2n3GmND0vXZgZOl7mxUnnq2e3wiGv8F_z9qTvbwzlJmr5W-OVeDh0L9tr4MO5SuvyJX1wg=w640-h364" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brick arches around the side of the temple, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6YVyiCAtAdNs2Wf9-KI-Lv4K5evitbloLKwmG59aMimsmc0QlBknz2NIYHJXGaQ8Jv9XH2r0SLmkArXsbMR1ZVgSpHSrnpI3VPl4K_2Axx3fYI6Ep4iiquyzMqVEtltDHxXOhsWX-8nCkm1a-U60bZ1nX6pK7cHU2WOisUjBtJXbuYWGEBJMjQS5vIQ=s3455" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2744" data-original-width="3455" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6YVyiCAtAdNs2Wf9-KI-Lv4K5evitbloLKwmG59aMimsmc0QlBknz2NIYHJXGaQ8Jv9XH2r0SLmkArXsbMR1ZVgSpHSrnpI3VPl4K_2Axx3fYI6Ep4iiquyzMqVEtltDHxXOhsWX-8nCkm1a-U60bZ1nX6pK7cHU2WOisUjBtJXbuYWGEBJMjQS5vIQ=w640-h508" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figuring out moving logistics, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2aYZH086am2I5dJUsdu8B9qrd8Sw46BNIKlzveXl-3AuDhd_c3fFS-Ec8aYvebT1yLRRNTzBNPyOKpKeP0G03EtaOTTLVVVOmeqlCdqF3A8R27T9cTq134LCkM0tZRtp1BDw8v5EX8ZH1KegmHkoWBjUoPoMSYfXvucfwlSnNVO4Wei4jDI1ipPIGxw=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2aYZH086am2I5dJUsdu8B9qrd8Sw46BNIKlzveXl-3AuDhd_c3fFS-Ec8aYvebT1yLRRNTzBNPyOKpKeP0G03EtaOTTLVVVOmeqlCdqF3A8R27T9cTq134LCkM0tZRtp1BDw8v5EX8ZH1KegmHkoWBjUoPoMSYfXvucfwlSnNVO4Wei4jDI1ipPIGxw=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such clear engravings, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJm0Hsh6MYoEWmu8otAD2M43i4BXSMZ2j1z5bpnamCGGU0n6ZDCklh4QyY2Cy3lXSNkyynwg7kIRlk8ocWLjvCbdxW19OxuUZfKs_hxWhzHGscN4eYZX0VdTYuVb71jxsPoIFcuTD6iL6NAmUaC5GO-0TeH3J_0gJKzPN-hKZtg9edItlIlcCu6Nj19A=s4941" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJm0Hsh6MYoEWmu8otAD2M43i4BXSMZ2j1z5bpnamCGGU0n6ZDCklh4QyY2Cy3lXSNkyynwg7kIRlk8ocWLjvCbdxW19OxuUZfKs_hxWhzHGscN4eYZX0VdTYuVb71jxsPoIFcuTD6iL6NAmUaC5GO-0TeH3J_0gJKzPN-hKZtg9edItlIlcCu6Nj19A=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja2M6616hPgngJjwqS4yPovrfOqTdSMM7ztFrLX23ORvMg5YnQQ03163yG3XSQv7q2FXcwXULirPePxMTJXgBsXHxKi2SH0kPqyTumxZ0W5AC3qqgE8a5Wdoxa_FdlVt4VJQ1aZ7Ip7FrpCUVw_ugyKBpKTvSGb8V20lFQvNuxQOCPgoaCV7rsrPXJBg=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja2M6616hPgngJjwqS4yPovrfOqTdSMM7ztFrLX23ORvMg5YnQQ03163yG3XSQv7q2FXcwXULirPePxMTJXgBsXHxKi2SH0kPqyTumxZ0W5AC3qqgE8a5Wdoxa_FdlVt4VJQ1aZ7Ip7FrpCUVw_ugyKBpKTvSGb8V20lFQvNuxQOCPgoaCV7rsrPXJBg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of Ramses II on a pillar, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdlxOX_Yi4aPnGOMQy7tOV-1VcDmbUy-CgETZbbEP1hKSl-mg-yA3rbb0cE2GHbuh17BfuuK7d-od2sA5YwQJV1gEn1rV_Y85hTkZ4t0SlJTW7_d9ALBy_2Av7uJGH2Jo8U4IYKjK417EkaJM-6KazGffejyQA7Md-swKCtJooQxm9hf2tH7fRpqehwQ=s4882" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4882" data-original-width="3254" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdlxOX_Yi4aPnGOMQy7tOV-1VcDmbUy-CgETZbbEP1hKSl-mg-yA3rbb0cE2GHbuh17BfuuK7d-od2sA5YwQJV1gEn1rV_Y85hTkZ4t0SlJTW7_d9ALBy_2Av7uJGH2Jo8U4IYKjK417EkaJM-6KazGffejyQA7Md-swKCtJooQxm9hf2tH7fRpqehwQ=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light streaming in, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Although not much was left of the funerary temple compared to the grandeur that once was, we found the complex to be special and moving, and one of our favourite sights at Luxor. No external walls remained, giving a completely different feel to the other temples we had visited- an open, atmospheric space with so much detail to soak up in the couple of hours we spent there.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhryJFMoJy5YPR2T9h0CmGPU94RW-CV59Qq2PHnnGcHBvanw0q_P7sNaLLrQyGCO7i4tUGcBqqmYFAb7gMuL6Q3Y-qszSE1eoA5bhIQJNu9e539lQ7O2HrclLPbL0fxTc4hteO-c3yvNqTQTEUTKRCpQzPgxL8hOOBvNoMNnsp2_GvGiBbyjRNztsucSg=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2981" data-original-width="5184" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhryJFMoJy5YPR2T9h0CmGPU94RW-CV59Qq2PHnnGcHBvanw0q_P7sNaLLrQyGCO7i4tUGcBqqmYFAb7gMuL6Q3Y-qszSE1eoA5bhIQJNu9e539lQ7O2HrclLPbL0fxTc4hteO-c3yvNqTQTEUTKRCpQzPgxL8hOOBvNoMNnsp2_GvGiBbyjRNztsucSg=w640-h368" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Ramesseum from the excavations</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtuvve8mZ8xJTgoNi9hjF_sOwpqgJASaLc7txrw7HZd7cuJ_kGoxCZKs65RiSDiBO026ZsRBVSYsgslxNuJhxmKMh0HsCUxj3o_ezl-gTNtAbSLbdcup2vHOc2FbPVwMLpdJsIeOjMYM8AaTb3cBJ4_uv6NAuFYVQIdyFCsDczfJLle6fc-lfi5rPpVg=s4824" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4824" data-original-width="3386" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtuvve8mZ8xJTgoNi9hjF_sOwpqgJASaLc7txrw7HZd7cuJ_kGoxCZKs65RiSDiBO026ZsRBVSYsgslxNuJhxmKMh0HsCUxj3o_ezl-gTNtAbSLbdcup2vHOc2FbPVwMLpdJsIeOjMYM8AaTb3cBJ4_uv6NAuFYVQIdyFCsDczfJLle6fc-lfi5rPpVg=w450-h640" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2WbrGtlsMIdRUqPztWajAM4jMjpHSpqnY5LFb1hntaQYVqAFnpuY0IEO6_CxHbqjtd7FhA5LTwdIwaKAc6o0bdkY8-t7w7E73RmK4ERhrlTyIjyM8TrLpc8UT2hbl9DZB3maYBG8GmUbKMbNof-dn8dSW7dvdyx8wVX2YFcgvxlUwe8Itmh0Ob1BiwQ=s4758" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3172" data-original-width="4758" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2WbrGtlsMIdRUqPztWajAM4jMjpHSpqnY5LFb1hntaQYVqAFnpuY0IEO6_CxHbqjtd7FhA5LTwdIwaKAc6o0bdkY8-t7w7E73RmK4ERhrlTyIjyM8TrLpc8UT2hbl9DZB3maYBG8GmUbKMbNof-dn8dSW7dvdyx8wVX2YFcgvxlUwe8Itmh0Ob1BiwQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Opening of the Mouth ceremony before the journey to the Afterlife </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7E2e3QtKkatVPa53M-07wHe6fdtDhuti6zCjKyw9FiAw1___aGrAg3pymxyNPkOArP8Vyntd5qPA2CBKQk3BlKY94fwbg0nmyp4C5l2BtXAl3uQL1AlUePjo1ARs4j_dLqhWGWMKwwEekPwq0MORZH0kjyNX51rB2EZxVV9uuiNj7ijw5I_GZ4ADlWA=s4758" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4758" data-original-width="3172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7E2e3QtKkatVPa53M-07wHe6fdtDhuti6zCjKyw9FiAw1___aGrAg3pymxyNPkOArP8Vyntd5qPA2CBKQk3BlKY94fwbg0nmyp4C5l2BtXAl3uQL1AlUePjo1ARs4j_dLqhWGWMKwwEekPwq0MORZH0kjyNX51rB2EZxVV9uuiNj7ijw5I_GZ4ADlWA=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shadows on the story, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdcoF0bbdxD8Qsv7aMsZnGB5ao0ngPlfm4sSVwpDHFfRfp4gDA70zo5RJgwCp20_nrr3dKX0DWOMRI33N8QQFPbVDA5tUiGuuGTDB5aN4d7j0XodFWkJBuKzEXn8n3GK9hlFbItWcbxco17SF8IXgfOqjWngXhaH6HCZ_SHH7IXmf0DG5oIhKQzFikSg=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdcoF0bbdxD8Qsv7aMsZnGB5ao0ngPlfm4sSVwpDHFfRfp4gDA70zo5RJgwCp20_nrr3dKX0DWOMRI33N8QQFPbVDA5tUiGuuGTDB5aN4d7j0XodFWkJBuKzEXn8n3GK9hlFbItWcbxco17SF8IXgfOqjWngXhaH6HCZ_SHH7IXmf0DG5oIhKQzFikSg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking along the temple from the front, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Fallen statues lay about in what had been the main hall, including the monumental 1000 ton statue of Ramses II, broken and just lying where it fell, showing the breath-taking scope and size of what must have been originally erected. What a shame such massive monoliths had been wrecked purposefully by the subsequent Christians after having stood proudly for thousands of years. There was also much destruction by way of scratching out faces and scenes on wall carvings at this temple, and many other we saw. A fantastic section of the temple showed a harvest festival dedicated to our old friend, he of the mighty erection, fertility God Min. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-DHF92lbbmgcenYEdZPaU_OZM0FSi7tzNrCTtjz3u-AcOqBJYX8SFGkBIDovoJIfp4VJAzRo1kvHcAwg9t06b_JMCh-UHL_TxKkGURNTpb0Kgn9E6sBpNXi_FQcXCF4xj68d1Iqk6I0XXhCBuf1x-3EYMwLM2UMOC89nTEiKkyPq0P7Fg-zYKOZnEcQ=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-DHF92lbbmgcenYEdZPaU_OZM0FSi7tzNrCTtjz3u-AcOqBJYX8SFGkBIDovoJIfp4VJAzRo1kvHcAwg9t06b_JMCh-UHL_TxKkGURNTpb0Kgn9E6sBpNXi_FQcXCF4xj68d1Iqk6I0XXhCBuf1x-3EYMwLM2UMOC89nTEiKkyPq0P7Fg-zYKOZnEcQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contemplating the shot, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor (not Min)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP-vsT77v5Etdk4qPST0kSFirNOqpBQxk6jNzT80Kqo30fg3ufJEtXkYLxKHTeGYnBJAOJB4fTAETSpbmhsz7IVWCgTCBbKto8fvc6KRfkP-qlHGdrYwV1omph3wb547544vownyM43lTrb4VkqeL14pIn_aidiQZ0-FntzyGWBGM3enLwDgvxJbd-JA=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP-vsT77v5Etdk4qPST0kSFirNOqpBQxk6jNzT80Kqo30fg3ufJEtXkYLxKHTeGYnBJAOJB4fTAETSpbmhsz7IVWCgTCBbKto8fvc6KRfkP-qlHGdrYwV1omph3wb547544vownyM43lTrb4VkqeL14pIn_aidiQZ0-FntzyGWBGM3enLwDgvxJbd-JA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much Victorian graffiti around the temples at Luxor- hundreds of years of tourism</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhNlrhoEg7AXjbshRoPUGr6x6aJoCCG4L7yIgDA6dlWPR12-vJOFbxKTUiycnzrPO7xKC4gM4yRq2D1eh9NAdPhX_bMPDEFyyO2qEClHRAkf4wMgzPf3RpB9AP8YhvIy_SzdX3t0jSNWgnchsivmzM6Du3pZLxwIKzQe6RUbh3FPVGGNPA3--YNojsIw=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhNlrhoEg7AXjbshRoPUGr6x6aJoCCG4L7yIgDA6dlWPR12-vJOFbxKTUiycnzrPO7xKC4gM4yRq2D1eh9NAdPhX_bMPDEFyyO2qEClHRAkf4wMgzPf3RpB9AP8YhvIy_SzdX3t0jSNWgnchsivmzM6Du3pZLxwIKzQe6RUbh3FPVGGNPA3--YNojsIw=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supporting the boat, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirKxH5w0O30hX6hHHz0nFaspLIqB5zT5dLk4WKiQJ4M4sbeDjFBXjQXhYNx-yY1wyImjq6k6fxf45e9y2mR2NXbBkIK6gKIDB1zl-EdCTMZZWQpIeRusMoGCK59TTWHP_mfYri3EweiXYcQSx6LSSZ1kFNZMxZ-DnYL5EJ_EZpGa7bHOSBV9AwVbqy6g=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirKxH5w0O30hX6hHHz0nFaspLIqB5zT5dLk4WKiQJ4M4sbeDjFBXjQXhYNx-yY1wyImjq6k6fxf45e9y2mR2NXbBkIK6gKIDB1zl-EdCTMZZWQpIeRusMoGCK59TTWHP_mfYri3EweiXYcQSx6LSSZ1kFNZMxZ-DnYL5EJ_EZpGa7bHOSBV9AwVbqy6g=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were intrigued by this headdress, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjW1BhnX6M8f32bK6Y1i0q2s8DmlhjHa9voX_DPRyh5VN_liPmRa8jeG9pcX0WHa7JAiaUSEb_5okWaO20bvBd-u4XyDDGvT0_myzGu6ONnw4u6da4n0dRsEJj5CmK1ypGfeU_wQmCsRYfQ8e2gnJGLWnoq0LEz1_b7rpH8l0lLGm4s1jK_i2F4kH51bA=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjW1BhnX6M8f32bK6Y1i0q2s8DmlhjHa9voX_DPRyh5VN_liPmRa8jeG9pcX0WHa7JAiaUSEb_5okWaO20bvBd-u4XyDDGvT0_myzGu6ONnw4u6da4n0dRsEJj5CmK1ypGfeU_wQmCsRYfQ8e2gnJGLWnoq0LEz1_b7rpH8l0lLGm4s1jK_i2F4kH51bA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little green man, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Many signs and information were placed around the site, which added interest and background to the ruins. The rooms being excavated around the edges once housed facilities such as bakeries, workshops for carvers and weavers, and a school for scribes. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6CmM33E8vfQG0YtbPitkx-GDOc6KDVkeXKkH56QZTyR3lEfDUYHGUvCGnJyHuyV6m8YrNSzvAWoElrKqhBKJRZIqfPT-oQ6TuqnkiuHztggf0jd-64O-B-Y4TZ7m0RN39h3zHKgL19Y1uaaTqXz7U0CtaX-byXLzBwQn2ZNHYKdfWtm0Pyzhp7zJU1g=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6CmM33E8vfQG0YtbPitkx-GDOc6KDVkeXKkH56QZTyR3lEfDUYHGUvCGnJyHuyV6m8YrNSzvAWoElrKqhBKJRZIqfPT-oQ6TuqnkiuHztggf0jd-64O-B-Y4TZ7m0RN39h3zHKgL19Y1uaaTqXz7U0CtaX-byXLzBwQn2ZNHYKdfWtm0Pyzhp7zJU1g=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicate stone carvings, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>To round out our tomb experience on the West Bank, the final group we visited was the Tombs Of The Nobles, the eternal resting place of various governors, administrators and minor nobility. The Royal tombs we had visited had been formal and all containing similar imagery, there in order to help the Pharaoh or family to reach the goal of the Underworld. The artisan's tombs had a completely different artistic style, broader strokes, less delicate, and containing images of normal activities with family. Different again, the Tombs of the two noblemen which we visited were simply stunning in their scenes of everyday life. Unfortunately, once again we were forced to use an extremely inferior camera on Sal's phablet, and as a result, the quality of the pictures are terrible. It is better than nothing, however, and hopefully gives some idea of the complex scenes.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhuCd-FsETbSd0XGCiTTB39ahAji5IPOgIQItGw729x8lpxMoqb4WJgVRB3L_ejWzw4nmGa8_j7TFEsi3DhAArm8mIcu7CJhTa_S0WGlvOQdOujsNBqDiUsG5QIGLebOVfxzHrkHsSpc9HeWOz3yp3-EH6ezmCenTQBO1ngb20NLWHzxC-ydCRWnPT6g=s4941" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3294" data-original-width="4941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhuCd-FsETbSd0XGCiTTB39ahAji5IPOgIQItGw729x8lpxMoqb4WJgVRB3L_ejWzw4nmGa8_j7TFEsi3DhAArm8mIcu7CJhTa_S0WGlvOQdOujsNBqDiUsG5QIGLebOVfxzHrkHsSpc9HeWOz3yp3-EH6ezmCenTQBO1ngb20NLWHzxC-ydCRWnPT6g=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much detail in this tomb, Tomb of Rekhmire, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The first, the tomb of Rekhmire, a high ranking minister, was in a dreadful state for looking around. The guard turning on the lights hardly made a difference, as most of them didn't work, and those that did were ineffectual on the images high on the wall. We had brought our own torch, but it was a shame to know we were missing much of the detail. We were able to make out the fascinating rendition of Rekhmire overseeing the receiving of various exotic animals from foreign dignitaries- giraffes, baboons and panthers from Nubia and Syria. In the scenes of Rekhmire inspecting all manner of work productions, and we found it easy to make out trades people making bread, working with metals and laying bricks, all with detailed tools, quite captivating. Another charming section showed ladies being prepared by servant women for a banquet, with one of them shown from behind, apparently a very rare depiction in ancient Egyptian art. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2XEEYZtegMka9d7AjwVv3XNZeYO8m49c_VzQXwXA7PpKdRHGZMsem7uOcrmB2_kN2cOfuLrwtfAz2Xg3wWPDoBqiZNz72kaBITqh2vjhRHgC-CSIjJrAyffwv3agOwM0RAHItaEpv-awEVJd4MiudekA4FPL-BOucQZbmrcjZF2EnWmI3l0OzM-aUZQ=s1600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2XEEYZtegMka9d7AjwVv3XNZeYO8m49c_VzQXwXA7PpKdRHGZMsem7uOcrmB2_kN2cOfuLrwtfAz2Xg3wWPDoBqiZNz72kaBITqh2vjhRHgC-CSIjJrAyffwv3agOwM0RAHItaEpv-awEVJd4MiudekA4FPL-BOucQZbmrcjZF2EnWmI3l0OzM-aUZQ=w640-h434" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall showing intricate detail of a building site, Tomb of Rekhmire, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis-JByKNZiXRhhWE1SIrjmcWsnGr_tvZnxRUNk3eVMi0ZxLa_3oQvUHBuB7ju_lgX80A6UJfCqbpxb5NV8xy-rgowyN9iVWgCcYPdTPNoT-ODiR95yLHrtA2bTVJzN6nrpF4RzKQFJpuCxoFobeIavORyuZkR3yEypJTzGH0kZ_qjDhQWCWhapN37hmQ=s4864" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3084" data-original-width="4864" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis-JByKNZiXRhhWE1SIrjmcWsnGr_tvZnxRUNk3eVMi0ZxLa_3oQvUHBuB7ju_lgX80A6UJfCqbpxb5NV8xy-rgowyN9iVWgCcYPdTPNoT-ODiR95yLHrtA2bTVJzN6nrpF4RzKQFJpuCxoFobeIavORyuZkR3yEypJTzGH0kZ_qjDhQWCWhapN37hmQ=w640-h406" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unusual upward sloping roof, Tomb of Rekhmire, West bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8Jdsf0DWEuMeHZcErRsPunYOwRk2QhMQL0F7FQ1aNNo4X5AtEuEF6xDov3fqQJMY1wzuZaBfvVB6rXypkR_ebHLXOo4R8V9VcHFUmE67BDp2xJ2D25-tFKdPQLxarvtcHOVTIfnML9fa0iXuzpFhKzM8aMaMvmpl9AdxrDVXJP5QwHnAwmnRfeHqAWQ=s5158" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3438" data-original-width="5158" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8Jdsf0DWEuMeHZcErRsPunYOwRk2QhMQL0F7FQ1aNNo4X5AtEuEF6xDov3fqQJMY1wzuZaBfvVB6rXypkR_ebHLXOo4R8V9VcHFUmE67BDp2xJ2D25-tFKdPQLxarvtcHOVTIfnML9fa0iXuzpFhKzM8aMaMvmpl9AdxrDVXJP5QwHnAwmnRfeHqAWQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women preparing for a banquet, spot the cheeky bottom!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjobp29oBSK3_KqkK-bwgdch5B70PjLSpq5fByzDrcWQfzw-juAgezW73usfyzU4YEC9oDn4MhxY1x-OpV1jJayFpwrwjagOGmCQQ_0ReYm6akWoesxNOABATqJ6QNQ6Fgv29TbINNrA3n1JYv2c-VGIv4vN_LrP3N_OZP6vYMAXzposfa67gOYV-CREg=s1600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjobp29oBSK3_KqkK-bwgdch5B70PjLSpq5fByzDrcWQfzw-juAgezW73usfyzU4YEC9oDn4MhxY1x-OpV1jJayFpwrwjagOGmCQQ_0ReYm6akWoesxNOABATqJ6QNQ6Fgv29TbINNrA3n1JYv2c-VGIv4vN_LrP3N_OZP6vYMAXzposfa67gOYV-CREg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo shows how we were struggling to see the magnificent paintings with a torch!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>We had saved the best for last with Sennefer's tomb. Sennefer was administrator of gardens, granaries and cattle, and the tomb was completely different to any others we had visited from the moment we stepped in. The tomb, a long way down a steep plain staircase, opened up into a colourful and busy wonderland- a chamber completely covered with various plant life, most notably grape vines on the low uneven roof. The designs mingled with geometric patterns to have the effect of a giant gorgeous carpet above our heads. Although the panels on the walls were covered with glass due to the snug proportions of the room, it was easy to make out engaging scenes of the gardener with his wife and family. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaXdqUmvVa3JLxhDZu2pncRmZwZM-UQ89Z_AWWBYOxWVzLu67dm0X471fx98H_ZkDsepQSQip-djhKf0FzJPd7qKuz3nj4u01iqdtqPDLkFzeGJYFoIGU5EP8Cfkyvmo8Osfu1mzZV5RU7eRc3cu-Kao8sObhNBsce2o8dtPG0FUK6wmx_ooNRI2L-1g=s1600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaXdqUmvVa3JLxhDZu2pncRmZwZM-UQ89Z_AWWBYOxWVzLu67dm0X471fx98H_ZkDsepQSQip-djhKf0FzJPd7qKuz3nj4u01iqdtqPDLkFzeGJYFoIGU5EP8Cfkyvmo8Osfu1mzZV5RU7eRc3cu-Kao8sObhNBsce2o8dtPG0FUK6wmx_ooNRI2L-1g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved this portrayal of Sennefer with Lionel Richie-style perm!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPsSFdVdm9EsoELagx-aLPCQjpk3TxGiL6GHwhTkZitPwZu9Q4xfi9M_W70xWNBpnIxH2JUOQJmdXz8p-su4Esw-eiwwAuzWDNVBejDOIvW-bStpca4ZLzsGdqFyc1QIzGa8pzgq_QgotKs2mamn8OBeKduStWW-7zIbWWHFszhhlvaLSsxisCtPsE8Q=s1520" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPsSFdVdm9EsoELagx-aLPCQjpk3TxGiL6GHwhTkZitPwZu9Q4xfi9M_W70xWNBpnIxH2JUOQJmdXz8p-su4Esw-eiwwAuzWDNVBejDOIvW-bStpca4ZLzsGdqFyc1QIzGa8pzgq_QgotKs2mamn8OBeKduStWW-7zIbWWHFszhhlvaLSsxisCtPsE8Q=w506-h640" width="506" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gawking at the ceiling, Sennefer's Tomb, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZeJKjjGDor-h0tvAvbQxyTNNllvxyTYEWQGBLyf2JePuevJHw3xjnSo5DsouPEHl19rmq-aNk9bULw1feeQsfDo81ydYbyZ4zgFhfN8xASQhVP9JCTB6ZHqa1rGzmP3uyQwCwM5lBF2Eff1GmQK4Pjcgjv45JFaEvBwbeaAFifu8FaZjuOxcF2HYOfg=s1600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZeJKjjGDor-h0tvAvbQxyTNNllvxyTYEWQGBLyf2JePuevJHw3xjnSo5DsouPEHl19rmq-aNk9bULw1feeQsfDo81ydYbyZ4zgFhfN8xASQhVP9JCTB6ZHqa1rGzmP3uyQwCwM5lBF2Eff1GmQK4Pjcgjv45JFaEvBwbeaAFifu8FaZjuOxcF2HYOfg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gawking at the ceiling Part 2, Sennefer's Tomb, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVmDsmSbe7AVYNzNEwS4JoUZkbKxvOe3ZiT_nnnSsmT6s_D3XpYm9Eb4zk3fECWaYlbt4KiRjcFqTLDLuqQakUpobBuFiBkHBKRu2YlUTceFQYtPXZSsmy4nJOmLmjVIBL8FG56gb44UzZTaHIr9cf5aiUIqLQjRslmKARdgqvSxKYeVcI1gEHiXhAeA=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVmDsmSbe7AVYNzNEwS4JoUZkbKxvOe3ZiT_nnnSsmT6s_D3XpYm9Eb4zk3fECWaYlbt4KiRjcFqTLDLuqQakUpobBuFiBkHBKRu2YlUTceFQYtPXZSsmy4nJOmLmjVIBL8FG56gb44UzZTaHIr9cf5aiUIqLQjRslmKARdgqvSxKYeVcI1gEHiXhAeA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning interior of Sennefer's Tomb, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I8OrLI-76g" target="_blank">A short video gives a much better idea of the wonderful atmosphere inside Sennefer's Tomb</a></p><p>Outside in the fresh air once again, a walk around the site hinted at the presence of literally hundreds of tombs- little doorways and gates to what must be endless burial places. We could only wonder what was behind all the entrances.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtzbkrOQCt_5bG6H6OS5uIHTBauK1mV_-lkRZLCx2ChgzPpHti1sW1NP6ed21M92zVXlDtMLro8nOJ-EwulQigUPDJyppbKrkyYYyVT2JEXd4qXu3A8u4uEDJlPZkkqfI7nfZ9wW1BIWZEBWRt5TAiyzDdv58H1L74vQYkejmynvPxoRGyDACi2LIhtw=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="5184" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtzbkrOQCt_5bG6H6OS5uIHTBauK1mV_-lkRZLCx2ChgzPpHti1sW1NP6ed21M92zVXlDtMLro8nOJ-EwulQigUPDJyppbKrkyYYyVT2JEXd4qXu3A8u4uEDJlPZkkqfI7nfZ9wW1BIWZEBWRt5TAiyzDdv58H1L74vQYkejmynvPxoRGyDACi2LIhtw=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mysterious little openings every where we looked, Valley of the Nobles, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our second month's stay on Luxor's West Bank, wasn't quite as enthusiastic as the first. Of course the benefits of staying in Luxor for the coolest winter months were many. We enjoyed sunny days, relaxed residents, a cheap-ish apartment, plenty of fresh food and endless ancient sights with which to occupy ourselves (although, we did start to become a bit "templed out" after two months). It is just in our characters to start getting itchy feet after a long stay in one place! So, plans were put into place for the next part of our Egyptian travels- to Cairo, and then to think about what to do next.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP5MP7wsb70nnP5wTZ4UaucclVZBonedxXDF0vQF6zDXIQI3PTOLQiWaF8-1BVbnCfKxNbBr-oYO9LP092SmlIxnEPzntCsiOgskE88rRTvnuCdncaTdkgpccabOsCWW2PphtrHpx5giZWEHcolSx3__ffGPToFeg6jZURdcVrRrjQ82eh2Rt2FpIfug=s3831" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="3831" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP5MP7wsb70nnP5wTZ4UaucclVZBonedxXDF0vQF6zDXIQI3PTOLQiWaF8-1BVbnCfKxNbBr-oYO9LP092SmlIxnEPzntCsiOgskE88rRTvnuCdncaTdkgpccabOsCWW2PphtrHpx5giZWEHcolSx3__ffGPToFeg6jZURdcVrRrjQ82eh2Rt2FpIfug=w640-h390" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man and egrets, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv9zI81f1TqdYiKgzfomYH5UTWMR5J7_HSDzr72JvUe76aep5F6pVt4MMOdbfKDYI4PkjZ6HvFek3wDxf_VQ_6SB2kvGzu0blIZiZkS1EHylWiTq2EOUKOKDh0gJGG4xMALrbL4S7I1WAyMunvL_177jIVyh4Nbwl7ZwY7oQcBsPQC5_sMXCwT9UeddQ=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv9zI81f1TqdYiKgzfomYH5UTWMR5J7_HSDzr72JvUe76aep5F6pVt4MMOdbfKDYI4PkjZ6HvFek3wDxf_VQ_6SB2kvGzu0blIZiZkS1EHylWiTq2EOUKOKDh0gJGG4xMALrbL4S7I1WAyMunvL_177jIVyh4Nbwl7ZwY7oQcBsPQC5_sMXCwT9UeddQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning hot air balloons, West Bank, Luxor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A list of prices for the various sights around Luxor, we will include this at the end of each Luxor post for reference:</p><p><b>East Bank</b></p><p>Luxor Temple 160</p><p>Karnak Temple 200</p><p><b>West Bank</b></p><p>Medinet Habu 100</p><p>Deir-al Medina (Worker's Village), including Hathor Temple 100</p><p>Tombs of the Nobles, between 40 and 60 for a group of three</p><p>Valley of the Kings 240 for three tombs</p><p>Valley of the Queens 100, Tomb of Nefatari an extra 1,400!!!!</p><p>Al-Deir Al-Bahari (Hatshepsut) 140</p><p>Temple of Seti I 60</p><p>Ramesseum 80</p><p>We got around almost entirely with public transport. This was easy and very cheap. Each public minibus ride around the West Bank was 2 LE each. Bike hire was 50 LE for 24 hours, with an excellent selection of bicycles.</p><p><br /></p><p>..................</p><p><i><a href="https://slowtraincomingsalandrich.blogspot.com/2022/04/from-city-to-deep-blue-sea-cairo-and.html" target="_blank">.....further travels in Egypt, this post from Dahab on the Red Sea coast.......</a></i></p>Sally and Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11424505591815910019noreply@blogger.com2