Astounder.

Friday 5^th

Flew from Bishkek to Astana. The contrast between the cities is so great I thought we must have slipped into another world. Bishkek is a bit tired and run down. Astana near new, much new building work, a mall about 200 metres wide and 2 km long with immaculate garden beds and fountains which are lit with multi-coloured lights at night.  Some of the tall buildings are also lit with ever changing patterns of light.

Eventually arrived at our apartment on the 37^th floor of the hotel. Magnificent view of the city. We then spent some time trying to find out when we would picked up and transported to the competition area. After several garbled phone calls and a few SMS’s we determined that we were to be collected at 10 AM the next day, from the apartment. We then went for a walk along the mall and investigated a few restaurants for dinner, eventually picking an Italian style place where we had a good meal later in the evening.

 

 

Saturday 6^th.

 

As we expected to be collected at 10 we slept in a bit and were just starting breakfast when there was a knock at the door and two people appeared to collect us. A taxi driver and an interpreter.  We asked them to wait for a few minutes while we scoffed a bit of breakfast and packed. The car was a Toyota Camary, which is not designed to carry 6 people, let alone with 4 large suitcases and miscellaneous small backpacks, however with 4 across the back seat and Ewen’s large case we departed for the airport where we spent 2 hours waiting for other teams to arrive. Eventually we all packed into a minibus and after 3 hours on a 6 lane tollway we arrived in Burabay. The country side is generally flat for as far as you can see and appears to be used for cropping.  Our accommodation is spacious but the bed is horrible. Food is generally OK. I won’t mention the team leaders meeting.

 

Sunday 7^th.

Off to the training area to get a look at the country we will be running in and to check the equipment. This revealed major unexpected problems with our two metre receivers. Of the ten we have only two work correctly. Possibly 2 more will be OK but we didn’t have time to check them. We have a work around but nobody is looking forward to the two metre event. The 80 metre equipment  worked well.

After training and lunch we headed off to the opening ceremony. We arrived a little early and found the children still rehearsing their dancing routines, accompanied by rather too loud music and directed by a screeching lady. Ewen resorted to ear plugs, much to the amusement of the people seated either side of him.  The speeches were short, even though they were translated into Russian and English and the young kids put on a magnificent display of singing and dancing. A very good opening ceremony.

 

 

 

So much to see and talk about. Enjoy

Jenelle

Monday 1 September

 

While the local school children returned to school for the first day of the school year, we headed out of Bishkek for the resort area of Issyk Kul. Felt rather sorry for them in their pristine white shirts and ties and long black pants, considering the forecast for today was 30 + degrees.

It was all going well when we came across a police road block. Soon after there was a flurry of police cars, quickly followed by some smart black vehicles, all heading our way. Unfortunately not our escort.  What followed next, resembled something like the starting grid of formula one race, much jostling for positions from all the traffic that had been stopped.

Back on track we visited the Burana Tower, built ~11 to 12 century . The climb to the top of the tower was quite a challenge, once inside the tower it was pitch black, apart from a slit window halfway up the tower. Coming down was just as challenging. In islamic times was used to call followers to pray. Apparently it was part of a larger complex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The adjoining area consisted of pictorial headstone collected from the surrounding area. Some looked decidedly recent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had travelled part of this road before on our trip to Naryn and had observed that there seemed to be much duplication in the roadside stalls. There were several stalls selling the same produce, whether it be lumps of dried cheese, melons, apples and dried fish.

The trip to view the petroglyphs was a non-event as they had suffered over time and were almost unrecognisable. But we were quite entertained by the unofficial drag race down the disused airstrip, complete with flagman waving the start. After a short pause one car started off, the other missed the start altogether.

Our accommodation is a resort with private beach on the shore of the lake, so we could not miss the opportunity to “take the waters”. Cooler than Aquarena at Doncaster, it took Ewen considerable time to submerge himself. With an elevation of 1600+m, swimming was quite a challenge aerobically. We are now becoming more familiar with the local cuisine, lagman (noodles),  a rice dish, and assorted dumplings & ofcourse tea. Tonight’s dinner at the resort cafe cost us the princely sum of approx $16.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 2 September

 

We were most intrigued with the wifi set up at Three Crowns holidays resort. There were several located along the fence directed at each of the blocks of units.

The first stop today was the cultural centre. Five buildings all in a circle, representing the five spiritual influences in Kyrgyzstan, Buddhism, Kyrgyz paganism, Islam, Orthodox & Catholic. We were introduced to many of the Kyrgyz “heroes”, artists, writers, politicians & philosophers. Incredibly well manicured lawns, spied someone clipping around the rocks with hedge clippers. Tree of knowledge, the frog with the pearl of wisdom, eggshell artwork & wood carving, bronze sculptures. We also visited a display yurt, and being female got relegated to the side of the yurt with all the pots and pans. Well worth the visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another 150 km of tarred road with many patches and we reached the second largest town in Kyrgyzstan – Karakol.

We visited the Prevzalsky museum situated on the shore of the lake. Prevzalsky was a Polish scientist funded by the Russians who mapped an extensive area in Central Asia and documented the local flora and fauna. He succumbed to a waterborne disease and is buried here. Like Shackleton he is buried where he did most of his work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also visited the local mosque (in the style of a Japanese pagoda), where again gender rules apply and I had to wear a purple coverall. Beautiful carpets in the mosque.

Also visited a local church, but they saw us coming and locked the door. Intricately carved woodwork around the gables and doors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I eventually got my picture of school children. They were playing hide and seek. They looked immaculate in their school uniforms.

We took in the sites of local zoo, animal rescue centre (actually). they receive no government  funding, a few kyrgyz horses, owls, porcupines, a very lonely bear, deer, monkeys, snow leopards, chooks and sheep.

To wind down after a very busy day we dined at an outdoor restaurant. The wine list featured red Chardonnay (which seemed a contraction ). It received the seal of approval from the red drinkers amongst us.

Greg’s turn today,

Sat 30th August

The hotel in Naryn was an interesting building evidently a converted apartment block from the Soviet era the rooms were tight but perfectly adequate. Unfortunately for Bruce, Greg’s snoring level increased to the level that Bruce had to revert to sleeping in the bathroom, and only caught a few hours of sleep.

We were basically transiting back to Bishkek today  a distance of about 350 km. as Ewen has reported roads are problematical, the older bitumen roads are badly deteriorated and can turn into a mass of potholes and rock requiring heavy breaking and direction changes. Then we were on a Chinese build highway that was as smooth as silk. We are on the Silk Road after all!

As at home, speed radar devices abound with the fine being 500SOM, evidently  a donation to the officer of about 200SOM can be made as an alternative !  Radar detectors are legal here and seem to be the best solution.  The one our driver has is a bit too sensitive but very effective! Currency conversion is about 50SOM to the dollar, average income is around $300 per month.

We arrived back in Bishkek mid afternoon and the first thing on the agenda was separate rooms for Greg & Bruce. Bad news for Bruce only available for one of the two nights we are here.

After scouting around a restaurant with pictures on the menu was found and resulted in an excellent meal. The waitress had enough English to help us out, words like cow and chicken. The meal was completed back at our hotel with fruit and ice cream purchased at local shops.

Sun 31st August

This is Kyrgyzstan’s Independence Day it celebrates their independence from the USSR in 1991. Bruce reported that he had a good night’s sleep. After breakfast we headed into the centre of the city  and took in some of the sites these included, Victory Square commemorating the second world war, the opera house, then a check of our bags as we entered Altoo Square where the celebration was in progress. Traditional dances performed to recorded music. Bruce has uploaded a video to youtube   Following this, the president spoke in Kyrgy and Russian.

Our tour of the city then took us to the House of Parliament, past Game Zone – this was a movie theatre as well, to the university and the Philharmonic Hall.  We were surprised by the number of parks and squares included in the city design.  There were lots of police around but apparently unarmed.In one of the parks close to Altoo Square a number of jumping castles had been set up and the children were enjoying these, there were numerous food vendors doing a brisk trade and everyone was in the festive mood.  There is a public holiday tomorrow, that is the last day of the summer holidays and Tuesday is the first day back at school.

Nearly all the buildings, parks and squares were constructed during the late 1980s and in an attempt to create a city with a cultural heart.  Really not possible for us to judge how effective this has been.

Bruce also uploaded a video of his horse riding experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 27 August

Left Bishkek and headed for the yurt camp at the lake Song Kul. Stopped for petrol at Kockkor, long queue which seems to be the norm here, complicated by having to prepay before you get the fuel. Fuel cost is about $1 per litre.

After driving over a pass at 3500 metres we turned off the main road onto several km of dirt racks heading along the shore of the lake, passing several yurt camps until we eventually arrived at our camp.

 

 

 

We had a couple hours before dinner so Bruce and Ewen went for a horse ride. Our horses were clearly selected for tourists and had to be goaded into even a slow trot.

Still they took up a hill which gave us a good view of the lake which is about 20km long and 3km wide.

 

 

It’s at the edge of a large flat area between two mountain ranges. In fact the whole country seems to be mostly very high mountains.     Camp consisted of five yurts. Owners, eating and three guest “units”

 

The unit next to ours was occupied by two Australians from McLeod. Almost our next suburb in Melb. Its a small world!

As expected there was no running water. there was electricity, one small light for about 2 hours. Sleeping was on mats on the ground which were quite comfortable. The yurt had a heater but this made it too hot. Might have been OK if we’d not used our sleeping bags. Temperature during the day was high twenties but closer to zero at night.  Food was bread, jam, dumplings, water melon and vege soup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we headed to Tash Rabat to see a ninth century ware house which was used by traders on the silk road. The building is basically intact and has had some restoration work done but has long been disused. Another night in a yurt here. Somewhat upmarket this time with beds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 August

Headed back to Naryn. Had lunch at another yurt camp and went on a rather strenuous hike up avalley, across a saddle and down a parallel valley on the other side. About 2.5 hours and reached an altitude of 3400 meters. Ewen’s body doesn’t work well at this height!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roads so far have varied from Chinese built superhighway to bone shaking  which in general makes travel slow. (a chance to catch the scenery)

Ewen

 

 

 

Greg, Ewen & Jenelle set off from Melbourne last Thursday (21/8/14) with a minimum of drama (only missing the SD card from a camera, quickly rectified in duty free). Greg missed the best entertainment of the trip, slept through a spectacular thunderstorm which lit up the clouds below us. Our flight to Istanbul took us well east of Baghdad & Erbil, and flew into Istanbul from the east.

It would seem the drivers here like to entertain themselves taking the tourists on hair-raising rides around the narrow and convoluted streets of Sultanahmet. Still it was a very comfy ride and a good introduction to Istanbul.

 

 

 

Stunning view from our room of the ships in the sea south of Istanbul, one could do a “Monet “ on light effects on this scene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compass in hand we took to the streets to locate the main attraction. Istanbul is a bit like China with people touting for business, Not “watch & bag”, but “you like carpet”.

No trouble finding a place for dinner and discovered beers come in all sizes (mines the little one).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday morning we ventured further afield to the archaeological museum and the tiled kiosk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guided tour (after lunch) began with a bus ride around the Hippodrome, Blue mosque to Aya sofia,

 

Aya sofia very dark inside, variety of marble walls, golden frescoes, (Mary on the ceiling)spent ages trying to get a decent picture, climbed to part where women worship, sultan’s wife special black marble area,

 

 

 

 

 

Basilica cistern, amazing architecture, lots of mood lighting, recycled columns acquired from various cathedrals. Very interesting concrete ones under the tram stop.

 

Carpet – the less said about that the better,then off to the Grand Bazaar, excellent turkish delight (Greg succumbed with a lot of encouragement), 65 streets and 4000+ shops

We needed a rest after this very busy day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good weather for our trip up the Bosphorus. Climbed to the top of the castle and enjoyed the view back towards Istanbul from the café below. Made an urgent request to Bruce (now in duty free at Tullamarine to stock up on some Honey Macadamias)

 

 

 

 

 

Indulged ourselves with dinner at fish restaurant overlooking Marmara Sea, took the waiters recommendations, octopus, calamari, sea bass, excellent wine, salad with pomegranate jus. The ice cream with parsley decoration. (Junior chef just learning) Perhaps downmarket for the next few days.

 

 

 

 

Final day in Istanbul, took a chance in getting into Blue Mosque. Suitably attired and minus shoes. Very beautiful inside photos don’t do it justice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also fitted in a trip to the Science and Technology Museum, a different slant on the history of science. Lots of copies of instruments. Originals held in museums overseas.

 

 

 

 

 

At this point we waited in the shade of the chestnut trees for Bruce. Rendezvous completed after a couple of texts and a brief radio call. [Bruce: Actually Bruce was a few minutes late, due to a very slow baggage retrieval at Ataturk airport, and perhaps because he may have even delayed departure from Adu Dhabi to to a bit of a kerfuffle with the handheld transceiver in his hand baggage. A call to Etihad before departure assured him that all was well with carrying it, but those in Abu Dhabi differed in opinion. Bruce’s backpack had to retrospectively be checked into the hold, just to contain the highly suspect radio ! I managed to grab a few things for the flight in a plastic bag.] His 3 hour tour of Istanbul consisted of tram and funicular to the Galata Tower for a view of Istanbul, a quick walk to the Spice Bazaar (jam packed with people – couldn’t wait to get out of it), 20 minute dinner and back to our hotel for a transfer to the airport.

Jenelle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies for the out of order photos. It is getting late and not organised for tomorrow’s activities. J