Roadtrip to Almaty.

Roadtrip lunch break.  Today, it was Turkish food.

Today will be another spent driving - we're on a roadtrip from Bishkek to Almaty, Kazahkstan!  Though the distance between the two cities is not all that far, Lilya told us that crossing the border can take quite a bit of time so she was preparing for a full day's ride.

On The Way Back to Bishkek.

Even heavy clouds can't take away the beauty of the landscape here.

A

fter visiting the petroglyphs, which comprise the *open air* exhibit of the  Issyk Kul State Historical and Cultural Museum, we drove to the town of Cholpon-Ata to see the museum proper.  Cholpon-Ata is a popular lakeside resort, located on the northern shore of Issyk Kul.

Issyk Kul. Petroglyphs.

Ancient petroglyph at Issyk Kul.

After a very restful night's rest, I woke up to another gloomy day. We've only had glimpses of sun since we've been in Kyrgyzstan :-(

Issyk Kul. The Road Trip Continues.

At Issyk Kul

Leaving Burana Tower and the cute balbals behind, we continued our roadtrip towards Issyk Kul.

By now, the landscape was a long gone novelty.  We turned inward and chatted a wee bit to pass the time. Like me, Pat isn't much of a talker so there's more quiet thinking than verbalizing.  Lilya and Bakhryt had struck up their own conversation.

On The Way to Issyk Kul. The Balbals.

Pat posing next to a balbal; Burana Tower in the background.

Roadtrip! Today, was roadtrip day.  After breakfast, Pat and I checked out of the hotel and waited for Lilya and Bahkryt to come.  As always, Pat made sure we weren't late :-)

And as always, our ever so conscientious guide and driver arrived on time. With people and luggage on board, Bahkyrt drove us out of town.  We were on the way to Issyk Kul where we would spend the night, in a resort, located right beside the lake!  I was really looking forward to it.

A Bit of Kyrgyz Mother Nature. Ala Archa National Park.

Central Asian beauties :-)

Yesterday, when Lilya went over our Kyrgyzstan travel itinerary with us, she mentioned that we would be going to Ala Archa National Park and that because the weather has been very unpredicted, we should be prepared for cold temperatures. After our chilly, windy visit to Kunya Urgench, I have just left my down jacket in my back pack so I have it with me at all times. Today, it was overcast all morning in Bishkek and since Ala Archa is located only about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Bishkek, I was expecting it to be cloudy there as well.  The park is situated at an elevation of about 2,100 meters (6,890 feet) so I expected it to be chillier than Bishkek.

Around Bishkek.

Students passing by the statue of Tokombaev Aaly (1904-1988), a Kyrgyz national poet and academician.

We arrived into Bishkek last evening, with Lilya accompanying us.  When we stepped out of the arrival terminal at the airport, our driver was there to greet us.  Lilya introduced him as Bakhryt (sp?), pronounced *bak-kreet*.  I can remember this name.

With our luggage safely stowed away in the back of the van, Bakhryt drove us to our hotel, Asia Mountains 2, located in downtown Bishkek.  After arriving, Lilya helped us get checked in and then bid us goodnight.  The plan was to meet back up with her this morning at 9a.

Seeing the Sights of Osh.

Having a bit of fun trying on a traditional Kyrgyz men's hat :-)

By the time we crossed the border into Kyrgyzstan and drove to the heart of Osh, it was lunchtime so are first destination was a restaurant.  By the clock on my cellphone, it was barely noon but what we hadn't realized was that we crossed another time zone when we went from Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan.  It was actually close to 1p.

Welcome to Kyrgyzstan!

On the road with Yevgeni behind the wheel.

Yevgeni was ready to roll at 9a, dressed in his beloved work clothes - his track suit :-)

Today, we're heading to Kyrgyzstan, leaving Uzbekistan for the final time.  As always, I pray that we'll have an easy time at the Uzbek border control.

Meet My Travel Partner.

Say hello to Pat, my travel partner for this trip. When I had decided to do this trip,  I wanted a seasoned traveler by my side as I knew that traveling through Central Asia would not necessarily be easy.  There was only one person that I thought who would be even remotely interested and capable in coming with me and that is this lady.

She is an experienced traveler who has been to more than 70 countries and counting.  Her travels have taken to all corners of the globe and even in her younger days, when money was tight, she and her husband (now deceased) figured out how to stretch their money to enable them to travel.  They were budget travelers before the phrase ever even existed!  Her husband's love of foreign languages took them to non-English countries that most people would never dream of traveling to - like Mali.  I find it amusing to think that off all the places that she has never been to but wants to go to, the UK tops the list.  

The Markets.

Photo From International Mission Board (imb).

With a legacy imbued by centuries of trade, it does not come as a surprise to me that Central Asia is famed for its markets.  Contrary to what the name implies though, the Silk Road was never a single road.  Instead, it a loose network of routes, linking together the major trading centers of East Asia with those in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Europe.

The Beautiful & Mysterious Lake Issyk Kul.

Issyk Kul  (Photo from Goista.com)

When I first got the detailed itinerary for this tour, the words *Issyk Kul* caught my eye.  I read on...."Issyk Kul, the second largest mountain lake in the world...."  That sentence most certainly caught my attention!  Of course, curious me, I had to find out more about Issyk Kul and that started with looking at images of the lake. The lake is ringed by the Tian Shan mountains which I hope that when we are there, will still be snow capped.  It would be so beautiful.  In the warmer months, Issyk Kul is popular retreat, appreciated for its warm, sandy beaches, thermal mineral springs and spas, alpine meadows, and parks.  Looking at one image after another, my initial reaction was just how nice and relaxing it will be to spend a day and a night on the shores of this lovely lake.