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1997

Route in China (KYRGYZSTAN)

Bec
2004-09-19 17:23:28

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have endured and overcome worse times in their long and varied history from the shores of the Ienissei to here. They seem to be charting a more liberal course than that of their central asian neighbours but only time will tell if they can avoid the pitfalls of corruption and crass bureaucracy.

In Bishkek, I had the good fortune to meet an political scientist working for a western financed ONG counseling the Kyrgyz leadership and parliament and a young Kyrgyz student from the elite political class. I learned from them that the processes of democracy which we take for granted are strange concepts for a people seeped in traditions of authoritarian rule.

It was interesting but finally I had to go so I got on a van at this Avtovokzal (bus station).

Here is my friend Gena Bukan, driver of the only public transport from Bishkek to Toktogul, this private four wheel drive Ulyanov van. An ex-soldier, he was frank and outspoken in condemning democracy and capitalism that brought riches for a few of the new elite and hardship for the majority. Conversation using a mixture of Russian, German and English was difficult but he had some good arguments!

Going up one of the arms of the Suusamyr valley. Up ahead the road forks to the right towards the Otmek pass and Talas valley where the Ming were defeated and thrown out of Central Asia in 751 and to the left towards the Ala-Bel pass and beautiful Toktogul lake down to the fertile Ferghana valley.

Here some fellow passengers are buying Kumys from a Kyrgyz herder who serves it into your container out of the goatskin bag he is holding. Kumys is an alcoholic drink made from fermented mare's milk. It is quite good when fresh but it acquires a strong taste with time.

In Toktogul, Gena brought me to the truck stop where he usually spends the night. It was kept by a very old Kyrgyz woman who served us roast mutton with a choice of coke or kumys. I took the kumys of course. Dinner, kumys and a basic room cost only one dollar! The next morning Gena dropped me off at the bus station at 5:00 AM before returning to Bishkek.

The regular bus service leaves Toktogul for Osh at day break because the road is long and bad. Here, passengers are getting back on board after a stop for breakfast.

We took a shortcut through Andijan in Uzbekistan instead of staying in Kyrgyzstan all the way to Osh as I had expected. Luckily we were not stopped at either border. I was the only one aboard who cared for I would have had to go back to Bishkek to get a new Uzbek visa if my single entry visa had been stupidly used up in this short cut. I was therefore relieved to check in at Osh's Alai Hotel at 5 PM after a long day.

This rocky outcrop is called Suleyman's Throne from a legend crediting King Solomon for the founding of Osh. It is a place of holy pilgrimage for another legend alleges that Prophet Mohammed prayed there. It is also said that Babur, the founder of India's Moghul Dynasty, built himself a playhouse near the top when he was a 14 year old kid. A very famous place indeed, I just had to take a picture of it!

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