Destination : The Silk Road

Travelled around Issyk-Kol lake from the south-side to the north-side. This town is packed with russians and kazakhs in august, now it is not that bad. I'll just go check the lake and in the afternoon try and find some ancient petroglyphs. Some date from the Bronze Age, but most are Saka-Usun (8th century BC to 1st century AD). The site was used for sacrificies to the sun gods. Most are of long-horned ibex.

Tomorrow i will head for my final destination: Bishkek. Flying home on Saturday with Turkish Airlines, with a long stopover in Istanbul . This has already happened, so i should be fine .

Everybody is going to be happy - Queens of the stoneage

Cholpon-ata, Kyrgyzstan - Long-horned ibex with wolves carved in rock.

Cholpon-ata, Kyrgyzstan - bulbul stone sculptures

Cholpon-ata, Kyrgyzstan - Try and locate the ibex !

Cholpon-ata, Kyrgyzstan - The Unesco open-air museum is marked with the help of German Government

[B] After yesterday's eagle show i now intend to a walk bit and find a cache in Kyrgyzstan. I still have TB Bagheera on me. And it wants to see the world ... I could better have stayed at Tong, since that place is closer to the cache. From Zina's B&B it is 7 km as the kyrgyz eagle flies . The road leads along Issyk-Kol lake, so that is going to be a nice stroll. The sun is shining and people are enjoying the sunday on the beach.

Issyk-Kol lake, Kyrgyzstan - Temperature is nice to go for a swim.

Kadjisai, Kyrgyzstan - Lake Issyk Kul

Kadjisai, Kyrgyzstan - The backdrop of lake Issyk-Kul, with a cementary

[B] Why go to Kadji-Sai ? I never heard of the place before i even was in Kyrgyzstan. In soviet-times the place was referred to as 'Frunze 10' and bad quality uranium was mined here for three years.

Well, that is because they have the world famous Ishenbek and seven year old Tuman. Tuman is a kyrgyz eagle. So on arrival he wants to get me on a horse, but when i mention i want to see the eagle he settles with that. It is not the season to go hunting in the wild, so Zina takes a bunny reared for food. After their B&B is a place where Tuman can hunt the rabbit. It gets away under a prickely bush the first time, but the second time Tuman is relentless and tears the small animal to pieces. It is not funny for the bunny !

Kadji-Sai, Kyrgyzstan - Tuman is not impressed about the 'Seattle Seahawk' on my shirt

Kadji-Sai, Kyrgyzstan - Do not touch my bunny while i'm eating !

Kadji-Sai, Kyrgyzstan - It is not funny for the bunny !

Kadji-Sai, Kyrgyzstan - Tuman, 7-year old kyrgyz eagle

Kadji-Sai, Kyrgyzstan - Tuman, 7-year old kyrgyz eagle

They all want to haul me on a horse, since that is the normal way of transportation here in Kyrgyzstan instead of walking. I am not that into those animals, that's more something for my niece Vera. She can go here and do some volunteering work when she is a bit older.

Naryn, Kyrgyzstan - The milky Naryn river

Naryn, Kyrgyzstan - The road to Kochkor from Naryn leads directly through the mountains

Naryn, Kyrgyzstan - Less altitude than the Pamirs, so everything is green

Arrived in Naryn. Not a death defying road as getting into Kazarman. Getting into a car was a bit of an expedition. There are not enough people for my taxi-driver to fill a car. Ended up in a family car. They drive all the way to Bishkek from Kazarman. Along the way we pick up a guy that wants to go to his yurt. Arriving at the yurt/tent we were invited in to drink some kymyz, the national drink in Kyrgyzstan. It is fermented mares milk. Tastes a bit like nothing else i ever had, a bit sour, but not so that you think the milk is no good anymore. Took a nice panorama shot, just over the 2700m pass.

Counting the days - The Guano Apes

Kyrgyzstan - I have his address to send the picture

Kyrgyzstan - I have the address of the yurt to send the picture

Kyrgyzstan - Green summer pastures, a good place for yurts

Kyrgyzstan - Mares abound to get kymyz