Hello from the actual middle of nowhere
Bishkek, Krygystan
Up till now, I thought Jakarta was the a city with no flavor or soul...now i have been to Bishkek, Krygystan and Ulaan Bator, Mongolia, I know better. I was in Bishkek because it is the middle of nowhere and the cheapest flight options put me in on an overnight flight and out on another. I am getting too old for this.
Bishkek is old-style Soviet Bloc planning and execution. Big, utilitarian gov't buildings about 1/2 kilometers apart and nothing in between. No town center, no old quarter, just mucho dreary walking along huge boulevards. Bishkek has a few statues, an ex-pat bar (Metro) and the bazaar.
I bet KFC has no idea even where Krygystan really is
Sam and i run into a bridal party, the bride has to convince us to buy trinkets to complete whatever game they are playing. It was too funny
The snow outside the hostel fell just so, like little fluffy flowers
Bishkek Bazaar. Just after this shot, 3 police pick me up, take me to a trailer with 3 more police and go thru me, my clothes and gear, looking for 'contraband' all the while pantomiming how much money I might have. As it turns out< aim too cheap to even give any of them as much as bus fare. Welcome to Bishkek, eh! No...&*ck you, Bishkek
Saturday night at the ex-pat bar, Metro. I had to say hello to the owner, Richard, as he is a good buddy with Adam, the hostel owner from Odessa
Mongolia
I seriously enjoyed Mongolia, the tour, the people I met, the steppes, desert and mountains. That being said, Ulaan Bator sucked big time. Dirty, smelly (burning coal), smoggy, tons of crazy traffic. 1.3 million people crammed into a now very ugly space. Disappointed in the city...not sure what i was expecting, but not what I saw.
Outside the city was pure magic. Just mountains of every variety and size that shaped steppes that went on seemingly forever...5-10 kms wide by 30-40 kms. Hard to take in even as you pass thru. Not a lot going on in these spaces, so the tour was a lot of driving.
Got to stay in a few yurts (gers) which made me extremely happy, as I have learned how to make them from Little Foot Yurts..Alex and Selene back in Nova Scotia and did a little writeup for their site
To be in this space on the panet is just awesome. Can you see the yurt
Can't tell you how happy this makes me
1.3 millions Mongols, maybe 30 million sheep
Can you see buddy herding with the motorcycle. That or a horse...once, even a jeep
This herd moved in a line, nibbling all the way, cool to watch
Dogs everywhere, sheep everywhere, horses everywhere. This is buddy at the first sleepover in a ger
My first Mongolian ger. Me so happy. That is the driver, Tovshoo napping
Been wanting to be here for a long time. Bucket List item
After a nice evening swapping tales with another tour group in the other ger, we woke up to snow! Unfortunately, it meant i don't get to my waterfall.
Orkhon Valley Waterfall...I did NOT make it here...the hilight of the tour, due to a snowstorm. When I am travelling, I don't usually keep track of what I miss, as long as I am happy with what I saw. I was very happy with the experiences on the tour, but this one hurt. I love waterfalls
My new FB buddy, Gaya, who works very hard to keep her family going, renting out gers and making great meals. A real sweetheart. I have agreed to make business cards for her when I get back
Tovshoo. No English but a really happy guy. We got along well.
All these herd animals are out there 24/7, year-round, till they become food. The spaces between herds and yurt compounds is mind-blowing
Home, sweet home for another night, here in the top of the Gobi Desert
Went out for a little hike and this happened, about 25 horses rolled by and thru where I was , skimming water from the stream. They were curious of me, but leery
So many types of bathrooms in the world. This was new for me, just a triangle...not everyone's aim is good enough, eh?
Another ger. I need to make me one of these
Bactrian camel. Yeah!
My buddy, Sawa. I gave him a tip and a wind-up flashlight
No puppies in the ger, they chew up everything
Sawa's daughter, who took great pleasure in looking at you, then sticking out her tongue.
Sawa and daughter go out for water..think about that
Back in Ulaan Bator, the big city. Whirling Dervishes in this culture, as well as Turkey. Cool
It is a Buddhist country, there are shrines and I like to try arty photos
I saw only 2 flowers in the country, and in the same place. It is a hard place
Enjoy Bruce. See you when you get home. Mike
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