Bishkek
May 3, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Crossing the border from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan proved to be a bit difficult due to my passport but going into Kyrgyzstan was seamless. I had no idea why they had to make such a big deal out of it.
As soon as I stepped on Kyrgyz land, the taxi drivers started to hound on me. They wanted some dollars to bring me to the city but I just wanted to use a marshrutka. First order of business however was that I needed to exchange some money. Not too much, just a couple of dollars to get some change. A girl selling sim cards brought me to the money exchange which was highly appreciated.
From there, I asked one of the guards where the marshrutka going to Bishkek was and he told me to just wait. After a while, he flagged one for me, and off we went. It was my first time inside one, the inside was actually bigger than I thought it would be. Comfortable too, nothing like the jeepneys of Manila. A half-hour ride or so, I found myself in Bishkek's city proper. I was expecting it to be something like Almaty it seemed less developed in terms of infrastructure but still quite beautiful!
I was dropped off by the main mall, Tsum, where I went inside to withdraw some more cash from the ATM. I walked over to my hostel, Cozy Hostel, which was a 20-minute walk or so. I was really thinking to myself if I actually had the energy to explore Bishkek today and decided that I would just rest for the rest of the day after getting settled in.
For the first time, when I arrived at the hostel, there was nobody in the reception except this one cleaning lady who just showed me to my room without even checking me in. Weird but okay. There were two Chinese dudes watching TikTok by the window. I was having trouble once again with Airalo and my e-sim which I found tends to happen a lot just as it did when I went from Bangladesh to Nepal. As soon as I got it fixed, I made my way to the Zhirgal Banya but not before dropping by a restaurant called Navat which had one of the most delicious meals I've had in a long time, albeit it wasn't Kyrgyz.
The banya was the perfect opportunity to unwind, heal, and rejuvenate all the stress of the day. I couldn't even believe I was just in Shymkent this morning. Just a short walk took me to Soviet-style domes which I guess were the bathhouses. I had no idea of Banya culture and I found myself quite lost as to what to do. It's very different from the onsen culture in Japan.
I just wrapped myself with a towel and took a shower first. Afterwards, I tried to approach the sauna, one gentleman gestured to my feet. But I didn't exactly bring slippers so I tried to go inside and he gestured again that I should wear slippers which made sense as I felt like I would have burned my feet inside there.
I went out to the lockers and asked for a pair of slippers and off I went but it was still a no-go! Apparently, I also needed to get a wooden board to sit on so I went outside and got one. When I finally got all the stuff, I showed myself in again and was greeted cheerfully by the gents inside. I took my place and together we basked in the heat. They were curious and asked where I was from and one guy taught me all the ways of the Banya.
One technique I learned was going to a lower elevation which was drastically less hot. He also taught me to fold my towel and drape it over my head which helped even more. I was learning so much! Some of the men were also hitting themselves with this strange branch that apparently made it so that the pores open and more heat is absorbed. Crazy stuff. The guy told me it might be a bit too advanced for me at the moment.
When it was getting too hot for my taste, I then went to the ice baths. There was a huge pool and the water was as cold as winter's ice. I loved it, so numbingly cold. Most of the other guys couldn't stay long but I could even fall asleep.
After 3 more rotations of the banya and the pool, I found myself ready to leave and walked back to my hostel. I made some small talk with a guy from Uzbekistan who was working in Dubai. The hotel manager finally showed up as well in our room, I struck a deal with him about getting my guy from Shymkent to just deposit the 50 USD security deposit I made to his account to pay for my booking here. I was glad he was flexible about it.
I packed up my things because tomorrow, I was heading out to a 2 day trip around Lake Issykul.Read more
Skazka
May 4, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
I woke up at around 5:20 AM since the meeting time was at 6:00 AM. I was pretty proud of myself and while I was on the toilet, the tour organizer started to text me if I was coming. I was like yeah for sure. He said they were already there and waiting. I told them yeah, I know, the meeting time's at 6:00 AM right? He said that it was already 6. That can't be right, my phone says it's still 5-ish. Only then did it dawn on me, Kyrgyzstan was 1 hour ahead. I was already the last person they were waiting for!
Oh I had thought I would get a chance to shower but not really. I soon found myself already running towards the meeting point. The organizer was asking for my geo-location and told me to just meet them by the supermarket. I told them I was literally 2 minutes away. Thankfully, I made it just in the nick of time.
I apologized profusely to the people and took my seat at pretty much the worst spot in the car which was the middle back seat. Fair enough. We stopped by the supermarket to grab some supplies for the day and made another spot at a cafeteria for brunch.
Our first stop was the Fairytale Canyons, Skazka. It was a long trip but much worth it. The features of the area were nothing like the ones I saw in Kazakhstan's Charyn Canyon. Skazka was fiery. Possessing all the colors of fire, from red, orange, yellow, and everything in between. Just as its namesake, it really felt like it was something out of a fairy tale.
We were just left to do our own thing and there were several routes around the area. At first, we all went together toward the Great Wall which was aptly named as it resembled it well, a huge towering chunk of collided plates that seemed to protrude towards the sky. The rest chickened out to go down the other side but I felt like it was doable so I went down, albeit precariously.
I explored the castle formations and these mushroom-looking formations but the one I wanted to see the most was the panorama view point which was at the other side. I hurried back to the spot where we were dropped off and went around, trying to find the way up. I climbed up a steep hill and saw a familiar face who was also heading up. I quickly caught up to her and together we finished the small hike to get the best views in the house.
On the way down, I ended up pushing too far ahead and ended up getting lost. I had to ask for some directions and found the parking lot after expending a lot of energy running around. Still, it was only the first stop of the day.Read more
Barskoon Waterfall
May 4, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
After the Fairytale Canyons, we went to the nearby Barskoon Waterfalls. There were wide pastures and towering mountains surrounding us as we began another short hike.
We passed by some horses and a forest to finally make it to a clearing. Oddly enough, I couldn't here the sound of the rushing water. It seems like the waterfall was still frozen at this time of year. Still, it was actually pretty beautiful despite that.
After going down, the group spent a lot of time picture taking and we also took a peek inside of the yurts before continuing our journey onwards to Jeti Oguz.Read more
Jeti Oguz
May 4, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Our last major stop for the day was Jeti Oguz, or the Seven Bulls. We passed by the Broken Heart, which was another fabled site about a fight to the death between two men over a girl.
I saw pictures of Jeti Oguz online but I definitely wasn't expecting it to be this massive, towering chunks of scarlet that seemed to extend endlessly. From afar, I could see the glaciers on top of the mountains and the surrounding pine forests. I was planning on doing a hike around here towards the Valley of Flowers but I guess since we already got here, there was really no need.
After more than half an hour or so, we were all rounded back into our van to continue on to Karakol, where we were going to be staying the night.Read more
Karakol
May 4, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
After a long day visiting the various sites around the south of Lake Issyk-kul, we finally touched down on Karakol. We had a place booked at Caravan Hotel where we were staying the night.
I was roomed with Ayan from Bulgaria, Hiro from Japan, and Mohammed from Malaysia. I guess after a day of traveling, I was slowly warming up to them. It just takes me a while to let people in.
We went to a nice place for dinner, pricey but good stuff. I got some of that shirin, a spicy eggplant dish. Afterwards, we went to the Ak Suu Hot Springs where everyone had a much better time bonding. We took turns going from the hot baths and down to the freezing river. I could outlast anyone all day.
It was the perfect way to end the day. Feeling fully refreshed and healed, just like the Banya experience in Bishkek, it seems like Kyrgyzstan was doing all the work in helping me mend my body back in shape.Read more
Lake Issyk-kul
May 5, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
The next day took us to various sites around Lake Issyk-kul's north side. They weren't as grand as yesterday's sights but I liked how much more laid-back and relaxing the second day was. I was able to become much closer to other people including Sharon.
We first stopped by a nomad camp except the area was huge. It turned out to be where the Nomad Games were held a few years ago. There were these strange-looking statues as well, I'm sure it's something related to nomad culture and spirituality. I walked around the fence's perimeter, staring out at the great expanse before me while the horses roamed and lazed about.
We were soon called back to head out to a gorge where we were going to have lunch. With the river as our backdrop, we had fresh fish. and while I shared stories of how Mongolia is one of the most magnificent countries I've ever been to. Piquing Ayan's curiosity. After everyone had left the table, Sharon and I had some more time to talk a bit more about our lives and travels.
Our last stop took us to the shores of Lake Issyk-kul. The beach was surprisingly empty so I was able to walk around and think about my life a bit more. I later joined Ayan and Pasha, one of the two Belarussians in our group, by the waters. It felt good to take off my shoes and have a soak in the cold waters.
As we walked back to our van, it seems like the day was coming to an end. We stopped by the final restaurant at one of the resting stops. It was just a bunch of bread, but it was good bread. Back in Bishkek, we said good-bye and went our separate ways except I was still going to go on another adventure with Ayan, Max, and Pasha the next day. We were going to do Ala-Archa National Park.
I found myself going in the same direction with Sharon, turns out we had the same hostel. As usual, there was nobody by the reception but I had the owner's number so I made a call and he was able to check Sharon in. We planned on having breakfast tomorrow. She was going to go to Kazakhstan next, with Hiro and Mohammad.Read more
Ala Archa National Park
May 6, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
I woke up to another morning in Bishkek, having ample time to sleep this time around since our hike was starting later in the afternoon. After I freshened up, I went out with Sharon to get some breakfast. We ended up in a fancy place with great food, I ordered some avocado toast and a tuna pasta to help kick start things since I knew I wasn't going to get good food at the hike today.
Sharon and I talked about life and finding love while traveling which gave me a lot of insights. I walked her over to her bus and said good bye while I went back to Cozy Hostel to prepare for Ala Archa. I walked to the same meeting place as before and found familiar faces including Ayan, Max, and Pasha.
The rest of the people were strangers but it was just going to be a short half-day trip anyways. We stopped by the supermarket where I grabbed some snacks for the road including some chips and wasabi nuts. During the ride, we played some icebreaker games.
The weather was foggy and cloudy but at least it wasn't raining. Our group formed a tiny circle while our tour guide led us through some warm-up exercises. As usual, the hike picked up pretty quickly, the slopes weren't bad at all and I found myself easily overtaking everyone. It was a short one, since we weren't doing the whole trek. Only up to the one of the landmarks known as the Broken Heart, a different one from the one over at Jeti Oguz.
I found myself sitting on top of the Broken Heart before the rest of the gang managed to catch up. The views were nothing short of well...nothing as everything was covered by the clouds. Still, it was fun talking to friends from the previous group. Actually, it was only here that I was able to learn the names of Max and Pasha since we never actually spoke the previous trip. I didn't even know that they could speak English.
Mid-conversation, the clouds started to partway to reveal exactly what was hidden from us all along. One of the most magnificent mountain ranges I have ever seen so far in my life. The river cutting through the middle and all around us were snow-capped mountains. I shouted to Ayan who was still in mid-conversation to look behind him. Oh, the face he made was hilarious. Now everyone was even in a much giddier mood. It was time to take pictures. And plenty of pictures were taken indeed.
Pasha's camera somehow ended up falling down the mountain which was such a bummer. Max was also helping him find it and I felt pretty bad for them so miss out on this view so I also went down to try and help. Luckily, they found it was stuck in some brush. I took a long time to introspect and appreciate the profound beauty of nature here.
As the clouds started to come back, our guide signaled for us to start our descent. We went down towards the river where I was able to refill my bottle with fresh mountain water. The taste was sublime. It had also started to rain pretty hard, luckily I had an umbrella with me. We even saw a Himalayan squirrel on the way which was so adorable.
Soon enough, I found myself back in Bishkek with plans to meet the rest of the group later that night at a bar near my place so wasn't that bad. I spent some time to rest at the hostel before going out to eat dinner at another fancy restaurant, yet the price was so manageable.
I met up with the group and got some citrus tea since I wasn't drinking alcohol. It was a fun night but eventually everyone just started to speak in Russian and I found myself the odd one out. It was also getting a bit late so I excused myself and took a group photo so I could send it to everyone else.
It was crazy to think but my Kyrgyzstan adventure was only halfway done at this point and the best was yet to come.Read more
Ak Sai
May 7, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
So begins my long journey back to the boundaries of Lake Issyk-kul. Checking out seamlessly and heading to the main bus station, I ate lunch at one of the eateries, some fish and a rice pilaf. There was also a lone drunk man passed out on one of the tables. I went out to find the bus going to Bokonbaevo and was directed to a pretty fancy van. There was one woman there. Here, we waited for a very long time, maybe too long. It seems like there wasn't anyone else coming in and the van wasn't going to move until it was full. It seemed like we were going to be here awhile.
After a while, the woman seemed to have left. I quickly followed after her and asked if she was going another way. I offered that we could go together and she agreed. I took my things and followed her to another car which was at least half full. A family also joined us, my seatmate being the cutest little girl who seemed to have much energy.
Finally, we set off. It was going to be a 4 hour ride to Ak Sai so I put on my tunes and just watched the same scenery again. One that I couldn't seem to get tired of. My new friend pointing out Issyk-kul and the mountains. There were two babies as well in the car, one of them was definitely uncomfortable and was crying, even the little lady seemed to be having a hard time. I emphatize because it was certainly hot at the back. There was no ventilation at all.
We made a brief stop at the same checkpoint during my tour around Lake Issykul. I sat down while everyone went off. The woman from earlier approached me and invited me to go have some tea with her. I happily agreed. We ordered some food and tea, I offered to pay for her meal as well. We went back to the parked van and tried to talk via Google Translate with what we could muster. Once the family got back, we got back on and continued on to Ak Sai.
With what seemed like such a long journey, I was glad to finally make it to my first check point at Ak Sai Village. Here, I made contact with the guy from Feel Nomad Yurt camp and asked for a ride to camp. An old guy and his worn out car soon showed up and took me right in to the Valley. It was an amazing adventure, being surrounded by towering cliffs as we went deeper.
Upon arrival at the camp, I was asked to pay the driver and was shown to my yurt. A whole private one for myself, spacious, quiet, and all-natural. There was another camper there who told me about where the bathroom was. After I got my things settled, I decided to finally get a taste of Lake Issyk-kul's waters. There I encountered my soon-to-be friends, it was the woman again with her other friends. They introduced themselves shortly but I wasn't able to remember it since I thought I wouldn't really see them again. I asked them if they wanted to swim and they said that it would be too cold.
Perfect. I took a dip in the freezing cold waters of Issyk-kul and was completely at peace. I just let the cold wrap around me, calming my mind, and letting everything go. It was a great way to de-stress and refresh. There was really no one on this side of the Earth so it was an honor to immerse myself in such bountiful nature. The lake was surrounded by the glacial Tian Shan mountains and behind me was the Ak Sai Canyons, the Valley of Forgotten Rivers they call it.
Going back to the camp, I explored the backside to get a better view of the mountains and may have found some trails to what I thought would be the Ak Sai Panorama, I turned back and decided to save it for the next day. I found the group from a while ago hanging by the main bungalow's hammocks. I made some small talk and learned about Ruslana who was with her husband Nur, both from Kazakhstan, and Em who was from Tunisia. They had a reunion after so many years and were traveling Kyrgyzstan together. Em had also been to Japan before so there were some interesting topics to talk about. I told them about the trail I found and asked them if they wanted to check it out to see the sunset. They surprisingly agreed and now we were off on an adventure.
The hike took us high and low, and high and low again. It seems like we were going to the right direction but were also lost at the same time. The journey carried on for a while, as we went up and down dunes and hills. Trying out various high points to see if it was viable but the end goal always seemed in and out of sight. At one point, after a huge expedition, it seemed like the three of them had given up but I wasn't one to back down from chasing sunsets.
I kept on going, this time with a bigger sense of urgency. I didn't want to miss it after all. I climbed down canyons and up steeper inclines even cutting my hand on some rocks but I still kept going. Until I saw silhouettes of people by the distance. That's when I knew I was heading in the right direction. They seemed so close yet so far, I kept on pushing high and above and even, the space between us kept expanding. Eventually, I made it to the last few steps up to see a group of Russian people taking photos around the Panorama.
I made it and still with just enough sunset to spare. I quickly started to take photos for myself as well. I asked them how they got here and turns out there was a much easier route. They asked me what camp I was from and turns out we were from the same one. I asked if I could hitch a ride with them and fortunately, it was a yes.
We went down together and they made some room for me and we were off back to the camp. I was hungry and thirsty and couldn't wait to eat and meet Ruslana and the gang again. I found them seated together inside the main hut. I told them of my exploits and showed them pictures of what they had missed out on, but still I wouldn't wish that journey on anyone as I don't think a sane person wouldn't have done it the way I did. After a scrumptious dinner, I took a much needed shower and for the first time, experienced a sky full of stars. I was hoping they would have joined me outside since we did discuss it but it seems like they weren't coming.Read more
Ak Sai II
May 8, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
I ended up oversleeping a bit and missed out on saying goodbye to Ruslana, Em, and Nur. Even missed out on breakfast but today was a rest day. A day to truly do nothing as there was literally nothing to do. I spent the morning lazing away inside the yurt, watching the light filter through a hole on the roof.
It seems like everyone from camp had already left so I decided to go for another swim at the lake. Today, the waters were surprisingly calm and so my morning bath was quite relaxing as well. Still, the waters were still freezing yet I found myself completely comfortable in their embrace. I went back to camp after a few more dips to take a shower and returned to my yurt.
Nothing much to do today at all, I found the outside to be a bit chilly and windy at times so I would just go back to the tent to rest. This cycle went on for a while, with me alternating lazing about on the hammock before going bad to wrap myself under a blanket on the bed.
As the sun started to set, I felt that I wanted to go out on a mission today. Try to snap myself a good profile photo with the golden hour and Lake Issyk-Kul behind me. Off I went on a long walk by the beach, I was really thinking about my life situation throughout this walk. Voicing out my concerns to the world and just giving myself some time to vent.
I found an interesting cinderblock and decided that this is where the photoshoot will be taking place. I used it as a stand while propping some rocks to hold my phone and after more than an hour of shooting, I left satisfied with plenty of great shots to filter through.
When I got back to camp to eat dinner, I found myself to be the only one left, save for another lady at the other end of the corner. She slowly started to make small talk while I chowed down some vegan food. Suddenly, she was at my table. Her name was Kate, from Russia as well, just like the rest of the campers. We went outside to join the group of Russians making a bonfire which was a welcome one during this cold night. When I mentioned the lake, Kate mentioned that she wanted to see it so I invited her to join me. After a walk through the dark, we arrived at the still calm waters of Lake Issyk-kul and stared at the stars for a while. The conversations here got much deeper, and we got to know each others' past a bit more. Not a sound coming from the waters too, that's how quiet it was.
I told her that I needed to go back to take a shower but invited her to knock on my yurt after she's finished with her business. We met up again later that night to sit by the camp fire, now just a few people were left. The fire slowly fading into dying embers. The rest of the campers left until it was just me and Kate left. We talked until 1AM or so which was pretty insane. I kept on probing the embers to make them light up again but there came a time when it was really time for bed. I bid Kate good night and hoped to see her again the next morning before I left for Karakol.Read more
Karakol II
May 9, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Another day waking up in the peace of Ak Sai. I remember around sunrise, Kate knocked on my door to invite me for a walk outside. I did tell her to do that but I realized I was just too sleepy and told her that I'll meet her during breakfast time instead.
We saw each other again during breakfast, she moved to my table, away from her tour group and we were able to talk a bit more. But alas, it was time for good bye. She saw me off as I gave her one final wave, back on the same car that took me here with the same driver.
It seems like my journey was slowly coming to an end with only 3 more days left in Kyrgyzstan. My driver took me to Bokonbaevo where I got on another car heading towards Karakol. Good thing the wait wasn't too long this time. Still, it was a pretty long journey. With the sun out bright, Victory Day was being celebrated today all around the country, including Karakol. I was dropped by near the main road and was told to walk the rest of the way. It was a 20 minute walk under the sun but seeing Karakol properly this time around was great. The town was in a festive mood, especially the park.
I got to my place, Argo Guesthouse, where I was welcome by a nice lady. I immediately requested to do some much needed laundry before getting settled in my room. Taking a nice cold shower before heading out to explore the city properly. I stopped by a restaurant called Lighthouse before proceeding to Destination Karakol to ask for some tips on what to do. Unfortunately, because it was a holiday, it was closed. I ended up just searching for what to do in Karakol on my phone while walking the street and found some potential leads: Jyagarlan.
With that out of the way, I proceeded to the Russian Quarter to see some nice architecture but ended up getting side tracked with the Karakol Historical Musuem, which for a measly price provided a pretty substantial experience. I also visited the Holy Trinity Cathedral which was one of the most impressive buildings I've seen in town. The Tartar Mosque and Dungan Mosque were also both interesting, particularly the latter with its flamboyant colors and unique facade.
With everything said and done, I found the day to still be quite early and feeling a bit tired from the long journey and exploration, I once again made my way to the Ak Suu Hot Springs. I took the wrong marshrutka and had to go down to catch the right one. Doing the hot springs in the morning was a bit different than at night, I guess it was just plain hot for starters and I found myself returning more to the freezing river to chill out. After a few cycles, I was finally ready to head back to my place to plan my trip to Jyagarlan the next day.Read more
Jyrgalan
May 10, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
After another cold shower and a hearty breakfast, I started my walk towards the bus station near the market to catch a ride towards Jyrgalan.
What did I know about Jyrgalan? Not much to be honest. Based on what I read, it seemed to be an up-and-coming adventure destination but it's still more or less left undiscovered by many. It was pretty close and convenient to get to from Karakol and I wasn't exactly in the most adventurous mood to be doing a crazy trek on my last day in Kyrgyzstan.
I was talking to two dudes from America as we got closer to the valley. I was asking them what they were up to but it seems like we all had no idea and planned to visit the Destinations Jyrgalan tourist center. We went there together and started talking with a man and a lady who brought out a map and explained to us the various routes. The Americans seemed to have more time on their hands and wanted to do a multi-day trek and camp (even though they didn't have the gear). While I only planned on doing a short day trip and wanted to catch the only and last bus heading back. We tried our best to find a route that we could do together but alas, we decided it was best to go on our separate ways.
I decided to do a trek to Kok-Bel Waterfall, all I needed was Maps.Me apparently. I got some snacks and water at the convenient store and headed out. Most of the road was dirt and I was quite happy to just be walking along this easy path, looking at the beautiful green all around, the mountains and the glaciers, the pine forests, and the cows, sheep, and horses.
It seemed like something out of a fairytale. Until I reached the end of the road and started to walk on pure untouched nature. It was fun to walk along the endless plains though the mud bogs were challenging. My shoes were definitely not happy to get covered in mud. With much maneuvering, I somehow was able to push further until I saw ice accumulating at the side of the road. This was a foreshadowing of what was to come as I got closer to the waterfall.
I stopped under a tree and ate some of the chocolate biscuits I bought at the store which was actually really good!
On the way, I saw a familiar face, another lady from the bus heading back. I thought that she had finished the trail so I assumed it was the right direction. But upon arriving, I found that most of the river had frozen completely. A normal person would have turned back, but I wasn't a normal person. I was an idiot so I did what any idiot would have done and pushed on forward. I used the cliffside at the edge with little wiggle room. Oh the adrenaline and fear. I had no idea if this was the route or not but I wasn't going to be turning back after coming this far. I had to move from one side of the river to the next. Sometimes stepping on the ice, and sometimes my feet falling through the ice which gave me a mini heart-attack. Yet I pushed on, with plenty of close calls.
Victory was mine though because I got to see Kok-Bel Waterfall in all of its glory, I was so satisfied with the hike and the journey. It was magnificent and much worth the effort. Until I realized that now I had to go back. It was about to get hella dicey again. I tried to retrace my steps and still, my legs were breaking through the ice. At one point, as I tried to jump across the river, the boulder that I had put my foot on tipped over and I ended up in an outstretched position with my arms and legs hanging on both sides of the river, forming a human bridge of some sort. It was scary and quite a close call but I managed to somehow get to the other side. Nothing to do but keep going.
Eventually, I did make it out of the cursed frost lands. I happily waddled across the muddy plains and was comforted by the many animals surrounding my trek back to the main road. Again, I found myself on the other side of the river and had to make one last risky jump back to the other side. As I got to the main road back, I was so glad to be on normal dirt again. Looking back, I found it to be a monumental success. No injuries, no missing items, just dirty shoes, and good memories!
I walked all the way back to Jyrgalan and made a brief stop just before the village to just experience the peace of the place just one last time. Then I chilled at the tourist center while waiting for the bus back to Karakol.
At Karakol, I ate at a restaurant called Arzym which was near my hostel, Argo Guest House. A bit salty that noodle dish, but after a crazy hike, anything was delicious.Read more
Bishkek II
May 11, 2024 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
My last day in Kyrgyzstan. I took a Yandex to Karakol's bus station to catch my ride back to Bishkek. Can't believe it's the second time I took this route back but after another long and arduous journey, I finally made it back to Bishkek.
It was raining today but I was in a bit of a mood to explore so I made my way to the nearby Holy Resurrection Cathedral. I then went to through Panfilov Park and walked until the State History Museum over at Ala Too Square before booking a Yandex back to my original hostel, Cozy. Since there was really no one manning the booths, I just went to my old room and plopped my bag inside one of the lockers and headed out again.
I particularly enjoyed the green spaces of Bishkek, like tiny islands full of green which made walking through the rain really enjoyable. I passed through Oak Park and checked out the National Musuem of Fine Arts and the Opera and Ballet Theatre.
I checked out the Victory Square as well which still had some banners up from the earlier May 9th Victory Day. I decided to just walk back to my hostel and stopped by the Central Mosque. I was contemplating if I should try out the Banya again but opted to just get dinner over at Navat.
I grabbed a couple of ice creams before heading up to my hostel room to relax and even took a sneaky shower before finally booking my taxi to the airport. I had a layover at Beijing before touching back down to Tokyo and it was one helluva long journey getting back.Read more
