Kochtar

Wake up in our multi share. This is more house like, with a series of bedrooms and one bathroom for the ten of us. We have a quiet morning to relax, then head out at 11:30 for the market and then our women's co-operative felt making work shop. The market is a bit chaotic, almost like a Manhattan supermarket with crowded narrow aisles and locals trying to push you along so they can finish their shopping. From the market, we drive a few minutes to the co-operative and are shown to a shared area outside in the back. First a women with sword like instruments shows us how the sheep's wool is sliced down, almost like fruit ninja to tame it. We all give it a go round. Next, pulling the tufts, it is pulled in horizontal rows to make a rectangle. A set of vertical rows of tufts is layed on top of that. Then pieces of colored wool are layed on top to make a design. The design is rolled up like a sushi roll. A burlap cloth is rolled onto the roll and a strap tied around it. At this point we have been joined by a smiling, cherubic older woman who hugs each one of us. She demonstrates how water is poured on top of the roll, then picture Lucy and Ethel in the grape vat, we alternate dancing on top of the mat to squeeze out the water. This goes for a few rounds until the flattened felt is laid out to dry. We are then served a delicious lunch inside a yurt, soup, eggplant and tomato, dumplings, other courses. It's time to head up to Song Kul. We start up a mainly narrow dirt road, dodging pot holes and motorcycles and start through a series of switch backs as we climb from 5000 to 12000 feet. We take a few photo stops, see a few yaks, before reaching the yurt camps, preceding to ours at the base of lake song kul.

Stunningly beautiful and peaceful, surrounded by yurts, horses and cows, wild flowers covering the Meadows in purples and blues and yellows. We divide into 2 yurts and are given some free time to wander and take pics. We have afternoon tea in an elaborately set table that we've become used to, with candies, dried fruits, breads and jams, cookies yak butter, honey and other assorted goods. More free time to wander then dinner and time to watch a spectacular sunset and rise of a full moon.Read more