In between a former Soviet Capital and humbling mountains

BISHKEK-They call this mountainous country the Switzerland of central Asia but the traffic jams that force even foreign visitors to drive on the wrong side of the road in this sand-swept capital of grim Soviet high-rise buildings bear no resemblance to the peaceful lanes bordered by meadows in the foothills of the Alps.

 Trying to blend in with local drivers by not following any of the traffic rules when we entered the city, I jumped into the oncoming traffic lane to make it up to the front of the line. Protesting at first, my traveling partner then seemed content when we saved hours of the daylight we had left to explore the city. Chris and I were trying to avoid hours of traffic caused by an intersection under construction and a minor accident. Our rented beat-up Hyundai was no match for some of the battle-ready vehicles we were up against.

 Chris is an American from my hometown and has been working as a language professor in Almaty, Kazakhstan for just over two years and speaks fluent Russian. He decided to join me on my weekend trip to Bishkek which he referred to as Almaty’s little brother. He enjoyed living in a place with several cultures living together including Kazakhs, Russians Dagestanis and Chechens. He said “Despite the challenges of being a Post-Soviet society and the long, grueling winters, there is a sense of peace and acceptance of others as if the accepting is done organically rather than imposed ideologically.”

 Bishkek was a smaller version of Almaty with the same large Soviet blocks. Our first stop was Victory Square, which features the WWII memorial, honoring the 115,000 soldiers that died during the war. About a third of the soldiers that we sent. Then we headed downtown to Ala-Too Square in the center which was picturesque at sunset. It holds the largest national flag in the country and the state museum. This was also the site of the Tulip Revolution in 2005 which resulted in the overthrow of Russia-backed president Askar Akayev due to rigged parliamentary elections.

 The next day at 7 in the morning, four of us set off on a hiking tour to Kol-Tor Lake. Kyrgyzstan is referred to the Switzerland of central Asia as it is covered 80 percent by mountains, including the region’s highest peak, Jengish Chokusu (7,439 meters). I had asked our Guide, Faruk, if we could stop at the Tokmok Animal Bazaar. The other travelers agreed, and we did a quick walk through.

 The market is made up of herders from the Chuy Valley and only open Sunday mornings so we were lucky to see it. What seemed like complete chaos of close-quartered sheep, goats, cows, and horses all being pushed and prodded in every direction had an order to it that I could not see. The place would make most visitors consider going vegan.

 Our other two travelers from Wales were disturbed but content that they saw it. Our guide explained that some sheep were valued as high as 11,000 dlrs because of the fat stored under their skin. We were the only non-participants in the market, but the locals were more interested in making deals than in paying attention to us.

 The next stop was Burana Tower, a 24-meter-high brick minaret from the 11^th century. This location is on most tour itineraries as it’s an easy place to reach on your way to the mountains outside of Bishkek. The tower itself has a challenging climb and provides outstanding views of the surrounding landscape including the Tien Shan mountains. The vista helps you to imagine this village at the height of its power during the Silk Road trading heydays.

 After a quick bagged lunch made up of fruit and heavy mayonnaise salads next to the foot of our trail, we were ready to hike up to Kol-Tor Lake. The guide set an aggressive pace on a trail that was somewhat steep. I said to myself, “ok, you do cardio three days a week and have climbed a few mountains, you can do this.” That lasted for the first hour. Then I found myself in the rear of the group which was very humbling. I wanted to blame the altitude, the fact that I was the oldest in the group, and anything else I could think of.

 The unbelievable scenery kept me going. This range really reminded me of hiking in the Alps, with cooling temperatures and fresh streams cutting through green pines. We also came across several horses grazing on the mountain.

 Our guide explained to us that locals that live on the mountain in yurts (large round tents) would go to the small villages around and offer to babysit the local horses, goats, and cows for the summer. This would give the villagers more freedom for the summer and a chance to fatten up their animals.

 After two hours of an assailing climb, we finally arrived at Kol-Tor Lake about an hour before sunset. It was all worth it, as I had never seen water that light shade of blue before against the green mountains. It did not seem real. I realized that the hard climb was worth it and that he pushed us so hard to make it up here so we would still have good daylight. Unlike the crowded lakes in Kazakhstan that were on everyone’s itinerary, we had earned this view. The lake was empty except for a yurt and two boatmen.

 The next day we had a quick tour of downtown, and then we were on our way back to Almaty. After more time in Bishkek, I saw several minor accidents all over the city and a few drivers distracted or not looking at the road when they would make turns. My defensive driving helped me avoid collisions in the city a few times.

 Overall, Kyrgyzstan was one of my favorite Stans. It felt more laid back, less developed and less crowded than Almaty. The place invited adventure on the roads and especially in the outdoors. There was comprehendible chaos in this former Soviet monotown.