.......coming from Khujand, Tajikistan......
A ten hour travel day is unusual for us, but making our way from Khujand in Tajikistan to Osh in Kyrgyzstan was surprisingly smooth and easy (it helped that Rich was still on his drugs!). Having said that, we did collapse with relief in our little room when we arrived. Osh, being a crossroads in these parts to Tajikistan, the Pamir Highway, China and Uzbekistan, has a good range of traveller's digs, and we found one that was cheap, clean, with good WIFI (yay, at last!), and a few fellow travellers for chats.
Unfortunately, as wonderful as Osh was in terms of accommodation and food choices, there wasn't a lot to stimulate us in the city, and we found the people quite nonchalant after travelling in wonderfully welcoming Tajikistan. We were also struck by the change in look. The Kyrgyz people look completely different from the Tajiks- they have more rounded faces, high cheekbones, and stereotypical "Asian" eyes. They're generally a bit stockier and healthier looking than their Tajik neighbours. The dress styles in Osh were mixed between modern and traditional. Shorts and high heels were suddenly apparent, along with heavy make up and dyed blond hair often without scarves. Contrasting this were the many conservative Muslims in town. We hadn't seen so many "Arab style" hijabs and niqabs before on our travels here. They wrapped the scarf under their necks, as opposed to the traditional style here of around the back of the head. It, along with the many cheap-looking Saudi built mosques in rural areas, is another example of the spreading of Wahhabism in this part of the world (as in many places).
Counteracting this is the drinking culture in Kyrgyzstan. Men passed out from drink or people wandering around pissed as farts was not uncommon, and every shop, no matter how small had a good selection of hard liquor. They seemed to mostly favour vodka and brandy.
The temperature was rapidly dropping, and we knew if we were going to travel to the mountains we needed to buy jackets. Sal was lucky and scored the perfect item at a second hand shop for 95 som/US$1.30. Rich couldn't find anything that wasn't a heavy duty Russian military hunting coat, or a traditional long sheepskin coat way out of our price range. We ended up travelling to Kara-Suu, a marshrutka ride of half an hour to a border market that had been recommended to us for cheap clothes. We were most dismayed to see the market mostly closed on that day, but one of the few stalls that were open happened to have the perfect large sized, warm jacket hanging up, and when the happy seller gave a great price we were ecstatic. Imagine struggling to find a bloody jacket in Kyrgyzstan!!
Snaking along the river north of Osh, Jayma Bazaar was crowded and full of pushy people- we had to get our "Indian elbows" out. Fruit choices weren't too varied, but peaches and grapes were in season, along with pomegranates, pears and the ever-present melons- although this time of year the yellow melon ruled.
The smell of grilling meat was always wafting in the air, and we often succumbed, especially scoffing meat on skewers in our favourite excellent shashlik place. While the minced meat varieties were yummy, we preferred the tender lamb chunks, and the kebab oromo- lamb wrapped in fat (it sounds disgusting, but the fat really added an amazing and juicy flavour). Of course, we also found a regular ice cream shop, which rivalled Uzbek ice cream, and quickly learnt how to ask for the variety with strawberries and banana. A few wee alcoholic drinks were drunk, since Rich was feeling so well again, with good Kyrgyz beer and vodka that came in a handy little glass.
The small park leading off the bazaar was a delightful area full of families and old boys enjoying the warm sun, playing chess and backgammon. and drinking chai. They were happy for us to stay a while and watch, and were sweetly as interested in Rich as he was in them. In the same park, whilst resting on a bench, we were accosted by a group of old people practically sitting on us to pose for a photo. The waft of vodka coming from the two old ladies's breath whilst kissing Sal, nearly knocked her off the bench!
A day trip to the ancient Silk Road city of Uzgen was rewarding, although not much of the past grandeur still remained. The 13th century ruins of the once important capital had been tizzied up slightly, and we loved the unusual and detailed brickwork. The designs were reminiscent of Samarkand's Timur decorations, but in stone instead of tiles.
Upon leaving Osh, we realized our watch had been a hour slow for the couple of weeks we had been in Kyrgyzstan. This became apparent as we just made it in time for the 2pm bus to our next destination (we thought we had hour to spare!). The driver behaved badly and tried to charge as nearly double to ride in his bus. We simply smiled and said we knew what the true price was, but he wasn't having any of it. A quiet old man approached us and offered to take us for the bus price, but in his taxi. We were slightly unsure if we understood each other completely, and checked the place and price several times. It transpired that he lived in a village near to our destination, and seemed to be returning home for the night, and was happy to take anything as he was going anyway. We couldn't believe our luck, having an entire comfortable car to ourselves, best of all with an older slow driver.
The drive to the Alay Valley was long, but fantastic and packed with interesting and dramatic panoramas. The first half was a windy road up and down through many small villages, with not many other vehicles on the road, and our driver slow enough for us to enjoy the outstanding beauty. Occasionally we would pass one or two of the completely bonkers bike riders one sees riding around Kyrgyzstan, struggling painfully with the immense mountains. Now and then, we were slowed or stopped by the many livestock on the roads. The time of year had come for the farmers to bring their cows and sheep down from the jailoos (summer pastures) and back home to the villages for the cooler weather.
When we got to the crossroad village of Sary Tash, the road splintered and forked to China, Tajikistan, or along our straight flat road that continued in the distance as far as the eye could see. We entered the amazingly wide valley following a river, with fields on the far side, a lot of steppe, and absolutely huge snowy mountains in the far distance. On the other side was a variety of smooth grassy hills, and weird coloured and shaped rocky outcrops. We were surprised at the width of the valley- apparently it is 30 km wide in parts.
Our idea was to go as far as the public transport went- to a village named Daroot Kurgon. As we continued driving through the unpopulated region with no other vehicles, we wondered when the long drive would end, and what would be at the end of this long empty valley road. It was astonishing to discover a large village with banks, schools, shops and people walking the streets going about their business.
We found a wonderful homestay with a welcoming family and a building set apart from their house for tourists (foreign and local). We had a whole dorm to ourselves, a separate indoor toilet and shower, and all our delicious meals included for what we thought was a bargain deal. Unbelievably there was also WIFI available! It was clean, neat and homey, and we were happy there for a few days. The weather turned quite cool while we were there, and we were happy for the thick doonas on the beds and the hot shower (and our super new jackets!).
The village spread along the main highway, and further back a few streets. On one side of the road were closer smaller hills, and on the other was a river, then miles of flat valley before the gigantic Alay Range began in the distance. Most properties had mud-brick buildings used as sheds for their livestock in winter, and a newer dwelling for the family to live in. These ranged from what we call "Russian style" - wooden cottages with many windows and gardens beds, to newer concrete abodes. What the residents do to make money in this remote place, we had no idea, but there certainly was no inkling of poverty around the village.
We were surprised to see well stocked grocery shops, with most basic items and some luxuries, and a small bazaar with fruit prices being the same as they were in Osh. We even found a hole-in-the-wall cafe for a warming coffee.
People were happy to see us in Daroot Kurgon, and were big on waving (a concept we found was sometimes not understood in the villages of Tajikistan). We'd tried to pick the least visited of the Alay Valley towns, and it seemed we were still somewhat of a novelty. With the cooler weather, local women wore a combination of chunky cardigans, long skirts, high leather black boots and long sleeveless sheep skin or velvet jackets. Add to that the dangly hooped earrings and scarves, and the look was pretty funky!
The weather was glorious, with the sun warm on our backs, but a cool breeze blew, stopping us from becoming hot. We walked along the river where young boys tried their luck at catching tiny fish, and up to a graveyard on a hill to see the spectacular afternoon view of the far and tremendous Alay Range in all it's glory.
Our best walk was up a nearby gorge following a clear, gushing stream, until the wide canyon narrowed into a enticing passage with high cliffs on either side. A series of makeshift bridges crisscrossed the river along the way, apparently made from whatever people had at hand- very resourceful! We passed several horsemen with cattle travelling back and forth, and thought there may have been a summer pasture or lake further up. After walking for several hours, we seemed to be no closer to the end (whatever or wherever that was!), and returned to Daroot Kurgon happy with our delightful and unexpectedly rewarding walk.
The drive out of Daroot Kurgon on the local bus was simply stunning. The sun was rising and reflecting a gentle light on the colossal Alay Mountains to our north. We were lucky enough to score two window seats to enjoy the gorgeous view. As usual, there was a lot of rearranging as many people continued to get on the quite small minibus. 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, and in this case several of them had to sit on little stools in the aisles for the entire five hour trip.
We decided, as pleasant as Daroot Korgon had been, the highlight of our little Alay Valley jaunt was the amazing trip to get there and back. The hours passed quickly looking out the windows at the dazzling scenery.
Back in Osh, the weather suddenly changed, and a couple of rainy and proper cold days had us wondering what to do next. Luckily it didn't last and the warm sun returned, albeit with still chilly evenings. Probably because of the stress we'd previously encountered, we kind of stalled in Osh and ran out of energy somewhat. After a week or so, we got it together again, and made the move to our next destination- Arslanbob.
Details for accommodation and transport for places mentioned in this blog:
Accommodation:
Osh, Saimo Guesthouse 840 som/US$12, no breakfast
Daroot Kurgon Ak-Bata Homestay 700 som/US$10 per person including bed, breakfast and dinner
Transport:
A ten hour travel day is unusual for us, but making our way from Khujand in Tajikistan to Osh in Kyrgyzstan was surprisingly smooth and easy (it helped that Rich was still on his drugs!). Having said that, we did collapse with relief in our little room when we arrived. Osh, being a crossroads in these parts to Tajikistan, the Pamir Highway, China and Uzbekistan, has a good range of traveller's digs, and we found one that was cheap, clean, with good WIFI (yay, at last!), and a few fellow travellers for chats.
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| Osh man in bazaar |
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| River scene, Osh |
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| Old 1980 Misha Olympic mural, Osh |
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| Another oldie- Aeroflot! Osh |
Unfortunately, as wonderful as Osh was in terms of accommodation and food choices, there wasn't a lot to stimulate us in the city, and we found the people quite nonchalant after travelling in wonderfully welcoming Tajikistan. We were also struck by the change in look. The Kyrgyz people look completely different from the Tajiks- they have more rounded faces, high cheekbones, and stereotypical "Asian" eyes. They're generally a bit stockier and healthier looking than their Tajik neighbours. The dress styles in Osh were mixed between modern and traditional. Shorts and high heels were suddenly apparent, along with heavy make up and dyed blond hair often without scarves. Contrasting this were the many conservative Muslims in town. We hadn't seen so many "Arab style" hijabs and niqabs before on our travels here. They wrapped the scarf under their necks, as opposed to the traditional style here of around the back of the head. It, along with the many cheap-looking Saudi built mosques in rural areas, is another example of the spreading of Wahhabism in this part of the world (as in many places).
 |
| Modern women, Osh |
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| Old lady in Osh market |
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| Various scarf styles, Osh |
Counteracting this is the drinking culture in Kyrgyzstan. Men passed out from drink or people wandering around pissed as farts was not uncommon, and every shop, no matter how small had a good selection of hard liquor. They seemed to mostly favour vodka and brandy.
The temperature was rapidly dropping, and we knew if we were going to travel to the mountains we needed to buy jackets. Sal was lucky and scored the perfect item at a second hand shop for 95 som/US$1.30. Rich couldn't find anything that wasn't a heavy duty Russian military hunting coat, or a traditional long sheepskin coat way out of our price range. We ended up travelling to Kara-Suu, a marshrutka ride of half an hour to a border market that had been recommended to us for cheap clothes. We were most dismayed to see the market mostly closed on that day, but one of the few stalls that were open happened to have the perfect large sized, warm jacket hanging up, and when the happy seller gave a great price we were ecstatic. Imagine struggling to find a bloody jacket in Kyrgyzstan!!
Snaking along the river north of Osh, Jayma Bazaar was crowded and full of pushy people- we had to get our "Indian elbows" out. Fruit choices weren't too varied, but peaches and grapes were in season, along with pomegranates, pears and the ever-present melons- although this time of year the yellow melon ruled.
 |
| Massive bread, Osh bazaar |
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| Felt slippers, Jayma Bazaar, Osh |
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| In season fruits, Osh Bazaar |
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| Kalpak hats, Jayma Bazaar, Osh |
The smell of grilling meat was always wafting in the air, and we often succumbed, especially scoffing meat on skewers in our favourite excellent shashlik place. While the minced meat varieties were yummy, we preferred the tender lamb chunks, and the kebab oromo- lamb wrapped in fat (it sounds disgusting, but the fat really added an amazing and juicy flavour). Of course, we also found a regular ice cream shop, which rivalled Uzbek ice cream, and quickly learnt how to ask for the variety with strawberries and banana. A few wee alcoholic drinks were drunk, since Rich was feeling so well again, with good Kyrgyz beer and vodka that came in a handy little glass.
 |
| Kyrgyzstan special- beefsteak with four carbs on the plate, Osh |
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| Lagman noodles, Osh |
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| Yummy shashlik, Osh |
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| Kyrgyz beer and little vodka cup, Osh |
The small park leading off the bazaar was a delightful area full of families and old boys enjoying the warm sun, playing chess and backgammon. and drinking chai. They were happy for us to stay a while and watch, and were sweetly as interested in Rich as he was in them. In the same park, whilst resting on a bench, we were accosted by a group of old people practically sitting on us to pose for a photo. The waft of vodka coming from the two old ladies's breath whilst kissing Sal, nearly knocked her off the bench!
 |
| Kyrgyz gentleman in the park, Osh |
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| Uzbek gentleman in Osh park |
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| Kyrgyz and Uzbek men playing chess together, Osh |
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| Rich chatting with local guys, Osh |
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| Sal with new (drunk!) friend, Osh |
A day trip to the ancient Silk Road city of Uzgen was rewarding, although not much of the past grandeur still remained. The 13th century ruins of the once important capital had been tizzied up slightly, and we loved the unusual and detailed brickwork. The designs were reminiscent of Samarkand's Timur decorations, but in stone instead of tiles.
 |
| Moody light inside mausoleum, Uzgen |
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| Climbing to the top of the tower, Uzgen |
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| Detail on mausoleum pillar, Uzgen |
Upon leaving Osh, we realized our watch had been a hour slow for the couple of weeks we had been in Kyrgyzstan. This became apparent as we just made it in time for the 2pm bus to our next destination (we thought we had hour to spare!). The driver behaved badly and tried to charge as nearly double to ride in his bus. We simply smiled and said we knew what the true price was, but he wasn't having any of it. A quiet old man approached us and offered to take us for the bus price, but in his taxi. We were slightly unsure if we understood each other completely, and checked the place and price several times. It transpired that he lived in a village near to our destination, and seemed to be returning home for the night, and was happy to take anything as he was going anyway. We couldn't believe our luck, having an entire comfortable car to ourselves, best of all with an older slow driver.
The drive to the Alay Valley was long, but fantastic and packed with interesting and dramatic panoramas. The first half was a windy road up and down through many small villages, with not many other vehicles on the road, and our driver slow enough for us to enjoy the outstanding beauty. Occasionally we would pass one or two of the completely bonkers bike riders one sees riding around Kyrgyzstan, struggling painfully with the immense mountains. Now and then, we were slowed or stopped by the many livestock on the roads. The time of year had come for the farmers to bring their cows and sheep down from the jailoos (summer pastures) and back home to the villages for the cooler weather.
When we got to the crossroad village of Sary Tash, the road splintered and forked to China, Tajikistan, or along our straight flat road that continued in the distance as far as the eye could see. We entered the amazingly wide valley following a river, with fields on the far side, a lot of steppe, and absolutely huge snowy mountains in the far distance. On the other side was a variety of smooth grassy hills, and weird coloured and shaped rocky outcrops. We were surprised at the width of the valley- apparently it is 30 km wide in parts.
Our idea was to go as far as the public transport went- to a village named Daroot Kurgon. As we continued driving through the unpopulated region with no other vehicles, we wondered when the long drive would end, and what would be at the end of this long empty valley road. It was astonishing to discover a large village with banks, schools, shops and people walking the streets going about their business.
 |
| Little bird posing, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
We found a wonderful homestay with a welcoming family and a building set apart from their house for tourists (foreign and local). We had a whole dorm to ourselves, a separate indoor toilet and shower, and all our delicious meals included for what we thought was a bargain deal. Unbelievably there was also WIFI available! It was clean, neat and homey, and we were happy there for a few days. The weather turned quite cool while we were there, and we were happy for the thick doonas on the beds and the hot shower (and our super new jackets!).
 |
| Our room in homestay, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
The village spread along the main highway, and further back a few streets. On one side of the road were closer smaller hills, and on the other was a river, then miles of flat valley before the gigantic Alay Range began in the distance. Most properties had mud-brick buildings used as sheds for their livestock in winter, and a newer dwelling for the family to live in. These ranged from what we call "Russian style" - wooden cottages with many windows and gardens beds, to newer concrete abodes. What the residents do to make money in this remote place, we had no idea, but there certainly was no inkling of poverty around the village.
 |
| Typical old house, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| Mud wall, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| Lovely coloured gate, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| "Russian" style house, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
We were surprised to see well stocked grocery shops, with most basic items and some luxuries, and a small bazaar with fruit prices being the same as they were in Osh. We even found a hole-in-the-wall cafe for a warming coffee.
People were happy to see us in Daroot Kurgon, and were big on waving (a concept we found was sometimes not understood in the villages of Tajikistan). We'd tried to pick the least visited of the Alay Valley towns, and it seemed we were still somewhat of a novelty. With the cooler weather, local women wore a combination of chunky cardigans, long skirts, high leather black boots and long sleeveless sheep skin or velvet jackets. Add to that the dangly hooped earrings and scarves, and the look was pretty funky!
The weather was glorious, with the sun warm on our backs, but a cool breeze blew, stopping us from becoming hot. We walked along the river where young boys tried their luck at catching tiny fish, and up to a graveyard on a hill to see the spectacular afternoon view of the far and tremendous Alay Range in all it's glory.
 |
| Old cemetery on the hillside, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| Views across to the mighty Alay Mountain Range |
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| Watching kids fishing (and wanting to join in!), Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
Our best walk was up a nearby gorge following a clear, gushing stream, until the wide canyon narrowed into a enticing passage with high cliffs on either side. A series of makeshift bridges crisscrossed the river along the way, apparently made from whatever people had at hand- very resourceful! We passed several horsemen with cattle travelling back and forth, and thought there may have been a summer pasture or lake further up. After walking for several hours, we seemed to be no closer to the end (whatever or wherever that was!), and returned to Daroot Kurgon happy with our delightful and unexpectedly rewarding walk.
 |
| Horseman in canyon, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| Taking the cows to pasture, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| Bringing the cows home, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| Donkey man, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
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| Bridge in the valley, Daroot Kurgon, Alay Valley |
The drive out of Daroot Kurgon on the local bus was simply stunning. The sun was rising and reflecting a gentle light on the colossal Alay Mountains to our north. We were lucky enough to score two window seats to enjoy the gorgeous view. As usual, there was a lot of rearranging as many people continued to get on the quite small minibus. 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, and in this case several of them had to sit on little stools in the aisles for the entire five hour trip.
 |
| Scene out the marshrutka front window, Daroot Kurgon to Osh |
We decided, as pleasant as Daroot Korgon had been, the highlight of our little Alay Valley jaunt was the amazing trip to get there and back. The hours passed quickly looking out the windows at the dazzling scenery.
Back in Osh, the weather suddenly changed, and a couple of rainy and proper cold days had us wondering what to do next. Luckily it didn't last and the warm sun returned, albeit with still chilly evenings. Probably because of the stress we'd previously encountered, we kind of stalled in Osh and ran out of energy somewhat. After a week or so, we got it together again, and made the move to our next destination- Arslanbob.
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| How Kyrgyzstan sits in Central Asia |
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| The general area of Kyrgyzstan we visited |
Details for accommodation and transport for places mentioned in this blog:
Accommodation:
Osh, Saimo Guesthouse 840 som/US$12, no breakfast
Daroot Kurgon Ak-Bata Homestay 700 som/US$10 per person including bed, breakfast and dinner
Transport:
Border to Batken taxi
shared 7 Tajik somoni/US$0.72 each, 10 mins
Batken to Osh minibus 300 som/US$4.29 each, 4 hours
Osh bus station to
hostel taxi 100 som/US$1.43, 20 mins
Bus around Osh 6-10 som/US$0.08-0.14
Osh to Daroot Kurgon
taxi 600 som/US$8.50, 4.5 hours
Daroot Korgon to Osh
bus 446 300 som/US$4.29 each, 5 hours
Osh to Uzgen bus 50 som/US$0.70 each, 1.5 hours
.....onto the walnut wonderland of Arslanbob.....
Osh to Uzgen bus 50 som/US$0.70 each, 1.5 hours
.....onto the walnut wonderland of Arslanbob.....
A set of sensitive portraitures, contrasting citizens within their village context, along side a traveller celebratory moment. Would have liked to see those "weird coloured and shaped rocky outcrops" for photographic abstracts.
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