On To Mongolia

I have been plowing through these posts without a whole lot of effort. That is all on me because I have not been keeping up. Suddenly a few posts became a few weeks and now it is a few countries. So I am going to jump ahead a bit and wrap up my time in Kyrgyzstan as best as I can.

While in Karakol I did another day trip with my partners to the hot springs a short trip from town. They were fun and well needed. Kaori ended up going back three days in a row. We also went to the Sunday animal market where the farmers in the area bring their livestock to sell. It was bizarre but interesting enough for a couple of hours.

I really enjoyed this country and there was so much to explore, especially along the southern part of the lake. Making plans because to difficult and Robert, well he just was going along with anything. In the end I had to tell them both that I was going back to Bishkek as I had booked a flight to Mongolia. It was time to move on. I think that bit of new shocked them both a bit. They are seasoned travelers and would be just fine, but I think the comfort of traveling in a group became, well comfortable. Not for this cowboy, I needed to move on. Sure, I missed a bit of Kyrgyzstan but that can easily be remedied with a future trip. My like Tajikistan, there is so much to both countries to be discovered. I had my mind made up and it was time to jump on a flight and get to one of my dream destinations, Mongolia.

This required another bumpy ride back to Bishkek, where I would stay for a few nights and wind down. The a bus ride across the border to Almaty Kazakhstan. I would stay there for one night and catch my flight to Ulan Bator. Almaty has become a bit of a hub for international flights in and around Central Asia. It is well worth the effort and savings to get there.

In the end, Kaori and Robert were excellent people to travel with. Their idiosyncrasies of  everything being "expensive" did wear on me at times but in the end meh. Without them I do not get to the 7 Lakes in Tajikistan or experience Karakol as I did. It was just time to say good-bye and get back solo traveling. Karakol, to Bishkek, to Almaty to Ulan Bator would do the trick.

This post is titled "On To Mongolia" but I have been in South Korea for two weeks now. That is how far behind I am in writing, something I really enjoy doing. Mongolia was immense, immersive and incredibile in every sense of the word. I was there for three weeks, so I better get on it.

Jeti-Ögüz

I did find my comfort zone in Karakol. The hostel was quiet, the market was just around the corner for emergency beer and snack runs. I was a bit of a regular at Pinta and the boys would toss me the odd freebie, plus the grocery store and a fantastic deli/take out section. What more could you ask for when living out of a backpack? In the end we ended up staying there for a week, and I was happy to stay longer however, it was time to say goodbye to Robert and Kaori. More on that later. 

First up, Jeti-Ögüz. A small resort town about an hour from town via a marshrutka that is famous for its thermal springs and the Jeti-Ögüz Rocks. Today was going to be about the Rocks and a bit of hiking. It was only Kaori and myself as Robert held back. I got the feeling he knew the end of the intrepid trio was near. 

Finding the right marshrutka

No seats set up in the aisle for a change

You get dropped of in the town of Jeti Oguz, then you need to negotiate with a taxi to take you the 10 KM to the resort area and the rocks. In the end the 20 minute ride was about $5 and the driver said he would look for us on the way back. Let me tell you this, it would have been an excellent idea to stay at this resort area. It was pricey for Kyrgyzstan, about $40 a night in an URT at various camps within the area. Some near a fast moving mountain river, others tucked back in to the mountains. 

The small hike up to the viewing point made for excellent photos and a great place to grab a coffee at a hut that a smart you lad had setup. Kaori's ankle was still a mess, so hiking was not an option, so we hung out and enjoy the view for a while.

We ended up walking around quite a bit. There was a small town across the river that needed to be explored. In the end, it was more intrusive of us to be there than welcoming. Not dangerous at all, but you got the sense we were on the wrong side of the river and needed to get back, so we did. Our taxi driver found us, and offered us a ride with the 4 other people plus their 3 kids, so we piled in back to Jeti-Oguz for the bus back to Karakol. A good day trip and worth the effort to get there.

A Bumpy Ride to Karokol

Karakol is a town on the East end of Issyk Kul (Lake). I just read that is used to be called Przhevalsk (damn Soviets). It is the jumping off point for extended hikes to Ala kul lake and the surrounding areas. There are some great day trips including hot springs (which I was all for). An interesting side note about the town and the surrounding area. About 10 years ago you would be hard pressed to find a guesthouse let alone a hostel or hotel, and the few restaurants in town were not what you would call "tourist friendly." USAID, you remember them, well they saw the potential to and to revive the area. Here we are now and it is not a "boom town" but the hiking is a huge draw to the "off the beaten path crowd", and it is increasing every year.

The challenge at hand, getting there from Bishkek. Now, it is not difficult in any sense of the word, it is just the road to get there runs on the North Side of the Lake and it is under construction (see above comments about growth) and a ride of 3-4 hours now takes up to 7 and I was warned it is bumpy as fuck. Big Deal right. They nothing about the Karakoram Highway Islamabad to Gilgit! Bring on the marshrutka!

A marshrutka pit stop

Not too crowded today

Bump bump bump and yes, it took 7 hours to go the 400 KM. Interestingly enough, I had picked a few towns that I wanted to stop at along the North route. The madness of the road and watching people try and flag down a ride in the mayhem made me just sit back and enjoy the rollercoaster I was on. It was the right choice.

I, well we, as I was still traveling the Kaori and Robert, booked into the Nest Hostel which did not seem like much when we go there but it worked out great. It was active with hikers coming and going. Those going were sorting their gear, those returning where moaning about how difficult it was. It was quite amusing. As I said there were some day trips to plan, but this town was also worth exploring. First things first, the famous Ashlan-fu as I was pretty hungry.

The "cold noodles of Karakol" refer to Ashlan-fu, a traditional Dungan noodle dish that is a famous specialty of the city. It features two types of noodles—thick wheat noodles and thinner starch noodles—served in a cold, tangy, and spicy vinegar-based broth with a garlic flavor. The dish is a popular refreshing meal, especially in warm weather, and its ingredients reflect the Dungan community's Chinese roots. - Wiki

Motivating sigh at the hostel

Ashlan-fu  I had two bowls

This is not the pretties of towns, but I like coming to a town that is a bit gritty and growing. There is an old Russian Orthodox Church that has survived war and purges. It is made completely of wook and no metal nails of any type were used. The Holy Trinity Church was worth a short visit and even though it said no photos, well I am going to Christian Hell.

There is a mosque but I was all mosqued out. I did find a bar called Pinta (no website) on the first day and the beer was cold, cheap and the staff was friendly. Overall a great vibe. Quite a few travelers to chat with as well. So in the end a trip to Karakol was worth the bumpity bump bump. Now it was time to get my day tripping on.

The Ala-Archa National Park

The Ala-Archa National Park was just a short one hour local bus ride away, which did cost about .75 so it will not break the bank. I did not know what to expect as I had just read about it the day before and decided to just go and see what happens. The city bus drops you off at a main gate where you catch an free bus ride the final 10 KM to the park entrance. This is a relatively new service, as in the past hikers walked the 10KM as part of their trek into the mountains. Someone clued in as to the value of day trekkers and a new service was born.

There were various trails you could take, including longer multi-day treks. I chose the 6 KM trek, 12 KM round trip. Kaori was still hobbling badly so Robert and I headed out and left her to her own devices. She could go slow and stop often and we could hike the shit out of the hilly and winding trail. After entering the park there was an easy section that was catered to visitors and their cameras, we obliged.

A local beauty in ethnic clothing

Random touristy shot

Park entrance with Kaori

It felt good to be back out hiking. I can run around and explore cities with gusto but it is putting my phone on airplane mode, tightening up my laces and heading out onto a trail that runs along a fast moving stream/river and is surrounded by snow capped mountains that really recharge me. The day was sunny and warm and the view were endless. The uphills were tough but manageable but with each climb up the scenery changed along with the views. We would stop for 15 minute breaks to catch our breathe, have a snack and just take it all in. Through it all, Robert was an excellent hiking partner. There was no endless chatter and at times we would walk 20 or 30 apart. He truly understood trekking etiquette and the value of a bit of solitude on the trail. We did mention how good the cold beer was going to taste when we returned to the entrance. We both spotted the market on the way in.

I did check in with Kaori along the way and she was doing her best. After a couple of hours we ran into a few Germans heading back and had camped for a few nights. They told us that there was a large stream that was fast moving about 1 KM ahead and crossing it was very tricky. The water was ice cold and it went up to his hips. The stream had become a river! That was the sign to head back. It might have been nice to see it, but Meh, I wanted my beer. We met Kaori who was resting under a tree waiting for us and off we went back down. She had done pretty good considering her ankle was a mess. She insisted she would go to the doctor the next day. She twisted her ankle almost 8 weeks ago now and it was not getting any better. Like most of us, she is stubborn and figures the pain will eventually go away.

In the end, this was an excellent day. If you are not having a good day, or feel a bit down. Turn off your phone, get out of the city you are in and either hit the beach or go for a hike. I am not talking about an easy stroll. Put some effort into it. Get a sweat going. Lose your breathe. Suffer a little bit. You will be better for it.

Mysterious Kyrgyzstan

I wanted to get to Bishkek and start a bit of a trip in and around Kyrgyzstan. I was planning on joining a 9 day Pamir Highway adventure from Dushanbe to Osh, but two things stopped me. First, the "juice was not worth the squeeze". To join most tours the price is around $500 US, but that does not include accommodation or food along the way. The feedback on the food at any of these "pre-selected camps is shit and most people get sick. Second, I would be in a car up to 8 hours a day with short stops for photos and maybe a few hikes. I saw no join in this regardless of the "unbelievable scenery" that I would have experienced. So in the end, Robert, Kaori and I all decided to book a flight to Kyrgyzstan, where I promptly lost my Visa Card. 

Onwards to Kyrgyzstan

Dushanbe Airport

The flight from Dushanbe to Bishkek was a short couple of hours. Customs was a bit cumbersome and slow but entry was simple enough. I might have mentioned in the past that I was keeping my Visa card in my phone case, but it was a bit loose and I kept reminding myself that "it was going to fall out one of these times" and as I walked through customs into the arrivals area my visa card decided to take a solo trip on it's own. I have other cards so that was not an issue. I just needed to cancel it because the ease with which can now just tap made me vulnerable. HOWEVER, the Simplii Financial Visa card can not be cancelled or put on hold online. You need to call them and speak to an agent directly. In this day and age of convenience and simplicity, this is a nonsense. In the end I had my sister Kim call them for me and they put a 60 day hold on it. I will still need to call them, which I will do from S. Korea. 

I booked into the QLIFE Capsule Hotel for $11 a night. It was a brand new Capsule hostel. I like a capsule hostel because it gives you an enclosed space instead of just a curtain. Some find it claustrophobic but I like the bit of privacy that it provides. Plus it was downtown and close to everything, including a doctor which Kaori needed to see. Her ankle was not getting any better. As was the routine, I needed an ATM and my eSim was working great. I got all that settle fairly quickly as I left the other two to sort you which ATM had the lowest fees and which SIM card was the cheapest. 

I immediately headed out to explore this city on my own. There was nothing really new and modern like there was in Dushanbe but the streets were clean, and the buildings were well maintained. What this city had was monuments, lots and lots of monuments. There was also a walking route where you could see old soviet buildings that were still in use. They were quite obvious to the newer building around them, but it was cool to have an explanation for each of them. This was not a "free walking tour, tip at the end" that I am addicted to. This was an online map that you followed and it took me down some back streets I never would have found.

The other thing that Bishkek had were plenty of monuments and memorials. Many were celebrating their military history against the Nazis, plus their new independence from Soviet Russia. As I have found throughout central Asia, these monuments are intricate and detailed, almost freakishly lifelike. The highlight of this walk was the changing of the guard at the huge flag pole across from Ala-Too Square. The actual ceremony took about 15 minutes and I found that the style of marching was quite odd. Not so much straight leg goose stepping but they guards pushed their legs in more of an arching motion. Regardless, they were focused and well trained. 

I did discover that The Ala-Archa National Park is located in Tian Shan Mountains, is 35 km south of Bishkek and easily reached by a local bus. The ride takes about an hour but having such an incredible place so close to the capital makes it such an easy day-trip for lucky locals and travelers. That is next up after a full day of walking and exploring Bishkek. 

Hissor Fortress

Hissor Fortress is about a 30 minutes outside of the city, and with taxi's being so reasonable It was as going to be an easy trip. Kaori was game, as well as Qamil, who was from Albania, was going to join. He packed his umbrella because he had a massive fear of the sun. I don't know about the younger generation and their absolute fear of everything! There were a group of Four Danish guys who were friendly around the hostel and when they heard about the Fort they immediately were ready to head out. I had met them at the Salom hostel in Panjakent and it was cool to run into them again. They were all positive, friendly and full of youthful exuberance. Something that generation usually lacks. (see snide comment above).

A cute photo of two little girls

The Fort Wall was impressive

Me and Kaori getting read to climb

The Fortress itself was very impressive. You can check the history here. The entire place drips of history but with a modern twist of souvenir and food vendors. They were not obstructive in any way and yes, the ice cream and cold water were a relief. Wandering through the main gate into the fort was a personal victory for me. This was a personal victory as visiting the Fortress was a high priority for me when I started to plan this journey. The high walls had a "China Great Wall" feel but as I went through the main walkway past old buildings and shops the rising street came to a gate. If you looked left, the remains of what appeared to be an ancient Roman Amphitheatre stood out on full display. This was an oddity because the Roman Empire did not invade Tajikistan. Tajikistan was not part of the Roman Empire's sphere of influence, and there is no historical evidence of Roman military campaigns or territorial control in that region.

A well preserved amphitheatre

Inside the main gate

The view from the top of the fortress

The climb up to the top of the Fortress was easy enough. You could take a steep set of stairs (I passed on this) or a winding road build of stone, that was how I rolled. Fuck you stairs! The main part of the Fortress at the top was more of a ruins. It was not in bad shape but oddly unkempt. The views were great proving that the fortress was build here for a reason. You could see well into the distance at 360 Degrees. You would think that would prevent any invasion, but our friend Genghis Khan did what Genghis Khan did. He invaded, killed everyone and destroyed the Fortress. It has be rebuild multiple times over the centuries. We spent about three hours here just exploring and wandering. It is not a large site but well worth the effort. As with all things historical I try to imagine the place in all it's historical glory and the fear the citizens must have felt when Genghis Khan rolled up.

Back in Dushanbe there was still a lot of time to wander and explore the parks and monuments and have a look at the outstanding buildings. It was dusk and with a bit of patience everything would be lit up in all it's historical glory.

After exploring Dushanbe, it has become one of my favourite world cities. I love the pageantry without the attitude. (yes I am looking at you Paris). I am so far behind in writing the blog that I am not giving it the love that it deserves to tell my story. If you are reading this and tend to follow along, bear with me as I catch up. Until then, I will just add more photos.

Exploring Dushanbe

Dushanbe is undergoing a significant redesign, transforming from its Soviet-era identity to a more modern, globalized urban landscape. This involves the demolition of older Soviet buildings to make way for new commercial and administrative high-rises, a process driven by a desire to establish a new national identity and project a contemporary image. The redesign of Dushanbe reflects a complex interplay of factors, including the desire for modernization, the assertion of national identity, and the challenges of balancing development with the preservation of cultural heritage. - Wiki

Well said wiki. This city is expansive, clean, modern and thankfully not all the old former soviet buildings have been torn down. They are dotted throughout the city, mostly apartment buildings and refurbished hotels and government buildings but they do stand out against the modern steel and glass. I woke up refreshed and I was raring to go. One of the largest mosques in Central Asia is in Dushanbe and a major landmark is the Dushanbe Imam Abu Hanifa Cathedral Mosque. It was already getting hot at 10 AM so myself, Thomas and a Chinese girl named Snow (the Chinese give themselves the greatest English names) jumped in a cab and off we went. It was only as we were arriving that I realized that today was Friday and a quick googlie told me that the first service of the day was 11:00 AM. Well that wasn't planned out so well.

It really is impressive

Honoring Allah with a nap in the AC fuelled Mosque

Not all was lost. We went to the main gate fully aware that we were not going to be let in, but I asked if we could step through to take a few photos. That was not an issue, in fact the security guard walked us through the gate and showed us the best place for a distance photo, as late worshippers sprinted past us. he told us to come back at 12:30 and we would be allowed in without issue, even though I had shorts on. We took a stroll to a nearby park, which thankfully had a shop that sold drinks and ice cream and it was well shaded. We chatted and sugared up. In hindsight, my partners for the day did not realize what they were about to get into. 

Cool guy security guard

We walked the 20 minutes back to the mosque and it had cleared out! This place can hold tens of thousand of worshippers and the lots surrounding the place were jam packed. The exit plans to clear out was obviously well designed. We walked to the same gate and the guard opened and called over a casually dressed guy, who would be our "handler". We were taken into a side door and Snow had to put on a long robe to cover he legs and arms. Thomas and I rolled in as is, short be damned. The wait was worth it as the place was massive.

We entered into the main room and I was taken aback, and I think my teammates were as well. The place was ornate, beautiful and massive. Data online says it can hold 200,000. I asked our "handler" and he said 25,000 inside, 75,000 outside in the courtyard, and unlimited in the parks and fields around the mosque, so 200 000 it is. There were quite a few worshippers still laying around, my guess was that the AC was blasting and there is no better way to show your faith to Allah, than to lay on the floor of the Mosque and catch an afternoon nap. 

We spent about 45 minutes under the watchful eyes of our handler. He was careful to point out if we got too close to the Iman's speaking area, that was off limits. Yup, that podium sure looked sacred to me, but it was his tour. Regardless, he was kind and polite and allowed us lots of space to wander around. We exited the way we came in. Snow wanted to keep her robe and it did look cool on her. Very Star Wars. We left and entered into the now searing afternoon head and thought the 45 minute walk to the Istiqlol Square with the Indepence Tower. That was not a well thought out plan only because it was so freaking hot. We managed well enough by walking in the shaded areas and stopping a few times in shops to buy water and take in the AC. I am no hero, but after my time in Dubai, Afghanistan and Pakistan, I was getting kind of use to the heat. Yes, you needed to take care and as we arrived at the square the gardeners had the sprinklers going. Yes siree, I walked right into them. The boys all laughed and showed me the "good ones". 

Independence Tower

East View from the Tower

West view from the Tower

There was nobody there. The poor guy at the ticket counter said we were the first tourists that day, and it was now going on 3PM. We headed up the elevator the the view platform and yes, the views were very cool. I had my eyes on a Green Mosque just outside the complex, but I was mosqued out. Thomas and Snow decided they wanted to take a taxi, which was a good idea. I decided to walk the hour so back to the hostel. They thought I was insane. However, it was on this walk back that I discovered the various parks, monuments and government buildings which all lined a few large tree lined boulevards. I wandering about the parks, took some photos and made a mental note to return and get some great evening shots.

The Tajiks sure do love their fountains and monuments, but that was for another day. Now I needed food, drink and to get out of the sun, I could feel myself getting worn down. As an aside, I really like Capital cities. The hustle and bustle, the busy people, the traffic, all of it. I feel that the capital is the heartbeat of the country and you should take advantage of the chance to explore it because there are always hidden secrets that reveal themselves. You just need to take the time to find them.