Cholpon Ata 1605 m June 22, 2015 Issyk Kul is huge – some 170 kms in length and 70 kms in breadth, it feels more like a sea than a lake. Riding in marshrutka along the road bordering the north shore, it is impossible to see the south shore. From Bishkek, the road headed east, … More Around Issyk Kul
Osh, Kyrgyzstan June 18, 2015 Crossing the border from Dostyk in Uzbekistan to Osh in Kyrgyzstan, I was struck with the abrupt change. Usually when crossing a land border, the change is minimal which is completely natural.it is the same peoples, the same culture, the same food that greets one, the border merely a political … More First Impressions
Entering Uzbekistan May 25, 2015 Coming from Shymkent, I arrived at the chaotic border on the Kazakh side and trundled my backpack-strapped-to-the-luggage cart through the immigration and customs. There were no other tourists, but a lot of traders with bulky boxes and bags. The immigration officers at the Uzbek end were hanging out outside and … More Keeping My Fingers Crossed
Ichon Qala Khiva, Uzbekistan May 30, 2015 Legend has it that Khiva’s roots go all the way back to Noah’s son Shem, who found a well here. He called it Kheivek and thus this place got its name. Although Khiva was an established trading post since the 8th century, it grew into a place of … More Inside a Walled City
