Kyrgyzstan

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eric

New Member
2 years ago my wife and I applied for the Peace Corps. It took 18 months but in April we finally were on a plane and headed to our new home, Kyrgyzstan. The last two months have been a crazy whirlwind of travel, language learning, awkward moments and a lot of fun. Now I'm at my permanent site and plan on updating this thread over the next two years with photos. For more photos and stories, you can follow us on our blog at www.ericandtaylor.com. On each photo I'll also link it to the blog post that tells more about what was going on at the time.

Some of these photos will be snapshots but hopefully help tell part of the story. Others will hopefully be decent shots. I'm hoping to have more free time here than I did in the states to really work on my skills. With that said, here's a few shots of what's happened so far:

1) Leaving Portland, OR. Part of what I loved so much about living in the Northwest are the volcanoes. I love hiking, backpacking and climbing, these volcanoes shape the landscape of the PNW. I expect this to be my last glimpse of these for at least two years.

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2) Washington D.C. It seemed fitting that our staging would be in our nation's capitol. It had been a long time since I'd been here. I forgot how beautiful and impactful the city can be. It's hard not to feel patriotic walking around.

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3) Turkey. This is a country I badly want to visit however we only got to stop over in the airport this time. Good news is it's close and hopefully during our service we'll get to vacation here. Next stop, Krgyzstan.

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4) We arrived to Kyrgyzstan in the early hours of the morning, before the sun had risen. After 3 hours in the bus we took a break from driving and had our first look at one of many mountain ranges in this small country.

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5) Our first few days in country were spent at one of the nicer hotels on the shore of Issyk Kul lake. Wanting to ease us into the country gradually, Peace Corps chose to let us stay at this nice hotel on the shore of a huge lake with snow-capped mountains on all sides. Not a bad way to start.

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eric

New Member
6) After Orientation we settled into temporary home in a village outside the capitol. Village life was pretty awesome. These cows walk themselves home every night at 6:30, splitting off one-by-one as they reach their home.
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7) Most nights we go to the schoolyard and play with the kids. This kid would hang on me everyime we went.
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8) Our host mother making manta, a meat-filled, steamed pastry
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9) Finally we got a chance to go on our first hike. This is the view from the first range of foothills South of our village.
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10) These odd plants covered one hillside we hiked through. Cool to look at, but the the copious amounts of spider webs strung between them made walking through them somewhat miserable.
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squirl033

Super Moderator
Staff member
sounds like you're in for quite an adventure! that panorama from the foothills looking out over the valley is amazing!
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have always been fascinated with the former Soviet "Stans." Many of them were on the ancient Silk Road where East really did meet West. I look forward to your blog and photos for the next two years.
 
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eric

New Member
More photos, as always, click on any photo for more photos & stories from the area.

22) A great hangout spot I go to with my little brother
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23) I haven't had a chance to capture it well yet but the night skies here are incredible
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24) We had a chance to explore the Altyn Arashan Valley with it's beautiful views and hot springs
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25) With an organization I'm working with we took a trip to Karkara valley which forms the North-Eastern border of Kyrgyzstan. To the left of the valley is Kazakhstan, the right, Kyrgyzstan.
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26) The inside of a yurt with an elaborate & delicious spread of food.
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27) One of the many endless and beautiful valleys in Kyrgyzstan.
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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Thanks for the update. Is Russian still the national language or has it been surplanted by the language of one of the indigenous ethnic groups?
 

eric

New Member
Kyrgyz (the language I'm learning) is the only official language of the Kyrgyz Republic now. From the time of it's separation from the USSR until 2011, Russian and Kyrgyz were both official. Especially over the last 5 years there has been a push to make Kyrgyz the dominant language and from I understand, the effect is very noticeable, Kyrgyz is now the dominant spoken language everywhere, including the capitol, this wasn't the case 3 or 4 years ago. Also, the towns are now called by their Kyrgyz names more often with some exceptions. However, most people here are at least conversational in both languages and you hear a lot of 'Krussian'.
 

eric

New Member
28) Summer camps are a big part of most Peace Corps posts, Kyrgyz Republic is no different. Many summer camps are held around the country, some are just for kids to have fun and learn about America. Others tack difficult or culturally sensitive topics such as Bride-Knapping, safe sex and healthy relationships.
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29) Dodgeball was the favorite activity at summer camp
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30) The weather in Kyrgyzstan is very dynamic. Most evenings in summer we could see lightning somewhere around the lake. Next summer I hope to capture some great shots from it.
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31) Not a well-known fact to visitors here but Kyrgyzstan does have a single train line. It only goes from Bishkek to Balykchy and it takes nearly 5 hours (double a taxi) to do so. But, it is safe, comfortable and very cheap. Perfect for a Peace Corps volunteer!
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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Railroads are one of my interests and I queried Kyrgyzstan railroads on the internet. Is the line part of a larger railway system of former USSR lines which runs (ran?) to adjoining countries?
 
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eric

New Member
This system does indeed connect to the rest of Europe and Asia. There is only one main line in Kyrgyzstan, this connects up to Almaty in Kazakhstan. From there you can access everything. If you enjoy railroads I should have many photos from them over the next two years. I plan on taking trains in Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Thailand, and the famed 'Reunification Express' that runs the entire Eastern coast of Vietnam.
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
This system does indeed connect to the rest of Europe and Asia. There is only one main line in Kyrgyzstan, this connects up to Almaty in Kazakhstan. From there you can access everything. If you enjoy railroads I should have many photos from them over the next two years. I plan on taking trains in Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Thailand, and the famed 'Reunification Express' that runs the entire Eastern coast of Vietnam.

If you are going to be taking lots of railroad photos over the next two years, you should consider joining our sister forum for railfans:
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/content.php

You can post your photos up in the appropriate section of the international forum:
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?56-International-Railway-Forum
 

eric

New Member
32) The beautiful Ala Archa valley. This is the only true National Park in Kyrgyzstan (others are listed as such but aren't really the same designation.) Located just 30 minutes from the capital, this is the most popular hiking/climbing destination in the country.

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33) I loved how this tent looked with such a striking background. Keep walking this direction and you end up in a giant bowl with endless climbing and trekking opportunities.

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34) As you approach the climbing hut in Ala Archa you reach a zone where the wildflowers cease and the glaciers begin. The difference is striking.

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eric

New Member
It's been a bit, more photos...

The following are from Jeti-Oguz, a beautiful area in South East Issyk Kul. The name means '7 bulls,' so-called because of 7 huge red rocks you see as you enter the valley.

35) A small waterfall we hiked to, it seems to be the most popular destination for locals in the area.

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36) Our yurt camp at night.

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37) I love this area. As you come around the bend the mountains at the end of the valley appear and remain in view the rest of the hike.

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38) We tried for awhile to find a way to cross this river but we were stuck just admiring it from this side.

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39) The yurt on the left is perched in the most perfect spot I've seen in Kyrgyzstan. I could live here.

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40) The river outside our yurt camp.

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eric

New Member
41) If you like abandoned building, you'll love Kyrgyzstan, they're everywhere. Some where in the process of being build during the fall of the USSR and construction never resumed such as this one.

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42) A friend examines strange graffiti left behind

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43) Some of the cool graffiti in Bishkek

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44) One of the nice things left behind by the USSR are beautiful buildings, some of which such as this train station remain in great shape.

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eric

New Member
45) Riding my bike around the desert near my home I found something unusual but no longer surprising after living here. This bust of Lenin may seem out of place but Kyrgystan is littered with statues and other monuments to the former Soviet leader.

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46) This is one of many abandoned buildings around Balykchy. I wondered why these bay windows faced the mountains, I later learned this was an old Soviet bomb/gun testing range and officers could watch from here.

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47) The front of the abandoned building. After capturing this I rode my bike near another building that turned out not to be empty. This resulted in being chased by an army vehicle down the mountain, thankfully it was an old, shitty lada and they didn't catch me.

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eric

New Member
48) Before winter came, we went for a 3 day hike in Bala Chychkan (Little Mouse) Valley. Besides being a beautiful valley, it never receives tourists so we were met by many curious people.

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49) This valley had the friendliest people I've met in Kyrgystan. This woman insisted we come into her tent for warm milk and fresh bread. Her brother took us one by one on his horse across a rough river and we had a nice break from the rain in the tent.

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50) Sitting by the fire under the stars during our second night in Bala Chychkan

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