THE Spektator 40 som/сом

№6 July 2009

Your sporadically published guide to what’s happening in and around Bishkek

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Escape From

Six ec
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Sp

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Uzbekistan!

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Plus:
Osh: City by a hill
Hiking: A week in Altyn Arashan
One woman’s tale of a Soviet massacre
Brazilian football legends in Uzbekistan
...and much more!

.
Tourist Maps What’s On Restaurant Guide .
 Contents
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 Out & About

Contents

Old bear Page 5

Osh: City by a hill
Older than Rome, and now boasting Kyr- 4
gyzstan’s one and only UNESCO World Her-
itage Site, there’s a lot more to Osh than
The Spektator Magazine meets the eye.

A week in Altyn Arashan

Editor & publisher: Tom Wellings
The Spektator dons its hiking boots and 8
reports from one of Kyrgyzstan’s most
(editor@thespektator.co.uk) spectacular mountain regions.

Staff writers: Robert Marks (robert-

marks@thespektator.co.uk), Andreas
Hedfors, Chris Rickleton (chris_rickle-
ton@thespektator.co.uk), Evan Harris

Guest Contributors: Lois Kapila,

This Month
Alexandra Prentice News and Views
Flagpoles, U-turns and football legends,
12
what’s caught our fancy this month?
Design: Tom Wellings
Pastures new
A report from the Rural Development Fund
14
on their latest Awareness Raising Pasture Fair.
Advertising Manager: Irina Kasymova
(email: advertise@thespektator.co.uk
Focus
Bad
mobile: 0772 304146)
The Som Gang part II
Rounding up the rest of the famous figures
15

back
that decorate Kyrgyz banknotes.
Secrets of the dead 16
A Soviet atrocity, a bad smell at the bottom
of the garden and a secret borne for nearly
twenty years. The Spektator finds out more. Page 7
COVER STORY: Escape from Uzbekistan!
He blames British embassy incompetence,
18
but special correspondent Harris was lucky The Guide
to get out of Uzbekistan with nothing worse
than a hole in his wallet. We bring you a tale
Restaurants, Bars, Clubs
All the best bars and clubs in town.
21
of death, bribery and rusty boats.

What’s on
The pick of this summer’s festivals.
24
Bishkek city map
The pick of the entertainment listings.
25
www.thespektator.co.uk Lake Issyk Kul map
Go forth and sunbathe.
27
Want to contribute as a freelance
writer? Please contact:
editor@thespektator.co.uk
Weekend
Crosswords, sudoku, and other things to
28
New job do over a coffee.

Page 13 COVER PHOTO (by special correspondent Evan Harris)

The seaside no more. A boat rusts in Uzbekistan.

The Spektator Magazine is available at locations throughout Bishkek, including: (Travel Agencies) Adventure Seller, Ak-Sai Travel, Carlson Wagonlit, Celestial Mountains, Eotour, Glavtour,Kyrgyz Concept,
Kyrgyz Travel, Muza, NoviNomad (Bars & Restaurants) Cowboy, Hollywood, Metro, New York Pizza, No1, 2x2, Boulevard, Coffeehouse, Doka, Fatboy’s, Four Seasons, Live Bar, Lounge Bar,
Meri, Navigator, Stary Edgar’s Veranda, Adriatico, Cyclone, Dolce Vita, Santa Maria, Golden Bull (Casinos) Europa, Golden Dragon, XO (Hotels) Dostuk, Hyatt, Golden Dragon, Holiday, Alpi-
nist (Embassies and Organisations) The UN building, The American base, The German Embassy, The Dutch Consulate, CAMP Ala-too, NCCR, The Bishkek Opera & Ballet Society.

Spektator
THE

.co.uk
The Spektator - tastier than besbarmak
 4 Out & About
Osh:
City by a hill
N
CHRIS RICKLETON
EVER TAKE A PLANE from Bishkek to Osh.
Chris Rickleton spends a week in Osh and
The eleven hour approach to Kyrgyzstan’s
finds there is more to Kyrgyzstan’s second second city is one of the planet’s most in-
city than bowls of plov and a sacred moun- spiring road trips; an improbable passage
tain. And with the road from Bishkek taking linking the country’s north and south and
in some of the most spectacular scenery in a journey through colours that border on the psych-
the country, getting there is half the fun. edelic. Aptly, the starting point for this half day jaunt
is Bishkek’s Osh Bazaar’ a market of vibrant character,
situated on Molodaya Gvardia Street in the western
part of the capital. Here, opposite the Sobachni Rinok
(Molodaya Gvardia/Toktogula), a whole host of indi-
viduals that can’t really be trusted will hustle for your
custom, often physically pulling you and your cargo
in the direction of their carriage. Circumvent the
grand haggle by calling an affable taxi driver named
Jenish (0777400686) and fixing a seat for somewhere
between 700 and 900 som beforehand. He differs
from many of his rivals in that he won’t play loud
1980s electronica and smoke inside the car if you ask
him not to.
It was also my good fortune that Jenish’s other
two passengers were Osh locals, a retired doctor and
his informative wife. They made the haul to the capi-
tal and back at least once a week, and could trace its
long, climbing path in their sleep.
“This is the beginning of Naryn oblast.” The Doc-
tor’s wife told me two hours into the drive, as brick
red mountains rose up around us, obscuring our
view of everything bar the thin blue strip of sky divid-
ing their vast, converging faces. “We say that people
here speak the purest Kyrgyz, because there aren‘t
any other languages to borrow from. In Talas they
speak with a Kazakh accent,’’ she continued, “in Chui
and Issyk Kul there is a lot of Russian influence and in
Top The view from Suleiman’s Mount (all pho- Osh and Jalalabad you will hear plenty of Uzbek.”
tos by Chris Rickleton) The mountains slowly fell away to make room for
gentler, greener inclines, where chestnut coloured
Top right The natural rock slide’s reputation horses stood grazing to bring the scenery towards a
for curing back problems may be unwarrant- clichéd, romantic sort of perfection. Adjacent to our
ed, but it sure is fun chugging Mercedes - barely worthy of the name - the
July 2009 The Spektator
Karabalta River - barely worthy of the title - tripped,
spat and frothed over rocks in the opposite direction.
It wasn’t until we reached the fringes of the fantastic
Suusamir Basin, where an early yurt had braved the
snow to serve us burnt bread and yoghurt dip, that
the doctor’s wife stopped talking. Seizing a belated
opportunity to introduce himself, her husband told
me about the dangers of crossing the Otomok and
Alabel Passes in mid-winter before adding proudly;
“Every Kyrgyz should know as much about their
country as my wife does. Young people today are so
detached from their heritage!”
Following refreshments, we travelled through
the Kulsein Kulbaev tunnel and a series of similar
but slightly shorter passages drilled at over 2500
metres above sea level. It is along this stretch, just
before Jalalabad province and its wild, poppy spot-
ted pastures, that you realize Kyrgyzstan is nothing
less than a country carved into mountains; a nation
state sized tribute to Soviet era engineering. An al-
together sadder sight comes further down the line
however, as the road runs parallel to the River Naryn.
Toktogul Reservoir, created in 1976 after fourteen ar-
duous years of construction, shrinks with every visit,
and is now deemed to have reached a critically low
volume. The reservoir and its adjoining hydroelectric
powerstation function not only as a means of provid-
ing the domestic market with intermittent electricity,
but also Kyrgyzstan’s more powerful, energy thirsty
neighbours, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The water
marks of previous years reveal themselves like scars
on the landscape, scars the doctor’s wife pointed out
with dismay as we skirted round its turquoise gleam.
Having followed the River Naryn to its source, the de-
scent into the flat, arid expanse of the Fergana Valley
began. From here, cotton fields line the road all the
way to our destination and beyond, a dehydrating
‘white gold’ monoculture that expands aggressively
into the Uzbek side of the valley, continuing north
past Khiva and the Kazakh shore of the Aral Sea.
www.thespektator.co.uk

How Oosh became Osh
Osh is a city of ancient references. It is also the only ma-
jor settlement in the former Soviet Union that can be
represented by just two letters of the Cyrillic alphabet
- not even a myaky znak (soft sign) to bring closure.
Upon arrival I meet my guide, Anastasia, a Crimean
Russian who has lived here her whole life, and imme-
diately ask as to the origins of the city’s name.
“There are a couple of legends,” she replies, smil-
ing. “My favourite is this: over three thousand years
ago, a farmer was tending his cattle on a farm where
the city now stands. A nearby bull began to act up,
disturbing the cows and generally creating a scene.
So the farmer went at him with a large stick crying
“Oosh Oosh Oosh!” until the bad bull got the mes-
sage. The city was called ‘Oosh’ after the story, and
the name just got shortened over time.”
The first thing you encounter in modern day Osh
is the incessant waft of shashlyk kebabs coming from
roadside chaikanas (teahouses). At dusk the Oshki
flock to these places to chew the fat in both the lit-
eral and idiomatic sense, as they see out the night on
bed-cum-tables called topchans. We sit and order wa-
termelon, tea, and a platter of Central Asian favour-
ites - manti, plov and lagman. Later, the waiter brings
us a carafe of vodka. It’s arrival is greeted by power-
ful frowns from a gaggle of traditionally dressed,
bearded men slouching on a neighbouring topchan.
“Don’t worry,“ my guide reassures, “They’re looking
at me, not you. Osh is more conservative than your
Bishkek. I would never normally drink in a chaikana,
but we should make a toast to celebrate your safe ar-
rival.” We clink shot glasses. “Besides,” she adds, “you
should never take in large quantities of cold liquid
when you are eating plov. It makes the rice stick to-
gether in your stomach and can do serious damage.
Vodka comes in smaller quantities.”
Homespun plov truths aside, the exchange served
to emphasize some of the tensions that have accom-
panied Osh into the 21st century, growing exponen-
www.thespektator.co.uk
tially with the current global discourse surrounding Is-
lam and its various manifestations. Recently, there was
a fierce local debate about ’Women’s Day’, a holiday
with Soviet roots which has remained a firm fixture in
the Kyrgyz calendar since the transition to independ-
ence. A cleric from the town argued that Muslims in
the republic should stop honouring the holiday, since
it was no longer relevant; a remnant of a deceased,
officially atheist state which suppressed religions of
every denomination. He additionally advised that in
“ In July of last year the love worn
staircase received a massive boost
as the site was awarded protected
status by UNESCO”
accordance with the Koran, women should be respect-
ed rather than celebrated. His comments triggered a
series of articles in local newspapers defending the
right to celebrate the day, many of which quoted local
Muslim women in their opposition to the cleric’s com-
ments. The to and fro lasted about a week after the hol-
iday‘s end, and duly reflected the uneasy relationship
between the secular and the religious, the moderate
and the fundamental; slowly cementing positions that
seem sure to determine not only Osh’s future, but that
of the whole country. Stuffed to the seams with food
and current events, I thanked Anastasia and took a fifty
som taxi to the apartment I had hired for the weekend,
where I set my alarm for 5.30 am.
Suleiman’s Mount
Osh is a place of low rise buildings, a curious fusion of
Islamic and Soviet architecture which is at worst un-
imposing, and at some points a fascinating showcase
of the town’s contradictions and peculiarities. Over
these humble structures, Osh’s main tourist attraction,
Suleiman’s Mount, towers like a vast indomitable god,
Out & About 5
unrivalled for its view of the city and the master of all it
surveys. The mountain is best climbed at sunrise when
an orange glow augments its formidable spiritual aura
and young sportsmeni pelt up and down its steps be-
fore the daily crowd of visitors begins to gather.
“Idiots!” Anastasia complains of the sportsmeni as
they charge past us, panting. I suggest that she is be-
ing uncharitable, and that their attempt to enjoy some
medium altitude training at dawn while their peers are
busy sleeping should be applauded.
“You don’t understand,” she responds, pointing at
the crumbling steps. “They are damaging the track
to the top and there is no money available to repair
it. They run up and down the steps four or five times
before breakfast, and then return in the late evening.”
It is said that Suleiman’s Mount has been a place
of sanctuary and pilgrimage for over three thousand
years. In the most recent chapter of its existence, this
has taken on an Islamic flavour owing to the mount’s
associations with the Prophet Solomon and Babur,
Lord of Fergana, who founded the Grand Mogul dy-
nasty. But the site is similarly revered by both the
faithful and non-faithful local population, and is fun-
damental in Osh’s claim to being ‘Older than Rome‘. In
July of last year, the love worn staircase and similarly
eroded hillside which many trek up to avoid the paltry
entrance fee, received a massive boost as the site was
awarded protected status by the UNESCO World Herit-
age Agency. Yet my guide fears that this isn’t enough.
“Year on year we see more damage. The new status
will stop people exploiting the site, and building near
it, but we also need to take more responsibility for its
upkeep ourselves. That begins by getting tough on
the sportsmen.”
At the top of the steps is Babur’s house, a single
room structure Babur built himself. It now consists of
prayer mats, a patterned, domed ceiling and an in-
scribed wooden door frame. The 15th century ruler
was apparently especially fond of Osh, and with the
view he had of it, it isn’t difficult to see why.
July 2009 The Spektator
 6 Out & About
Right & opposite Scenes from the bazaar
Far right Miskha the bear, mascot of the 1980
Moscow Olympics, puts on a brave face
Eating out in
Osh
There is a myth perpetrated by western guide-
books that Osh lacks for nightlife and is full of
alcoholics and narcomani waiting to maul for-
eigners after dark. I can confirm that we en-
countered a few such characters, but they were
in no fit state to start a fight. If you are particu-
larly fearful of the latter however, simply take a
cheap taxi and enjoy a unique evening at any of
the following:
Bravo (Frunzinskaya region)
Great place to relax with drinks and a kaliyan
(bubble pipe). Patio done up in the Uzbek style
with grapevines hanging from the roof in sum-
mer. Lounge type atmosphere inside with taste-
ful music. $$$
Tsarski Dvor (Aravanskaya region)
Ever eaten dinner while sitting on a swing? The
wide selection of food on offer here should sat-
isfy any hungry punter. The woodchip floor and
general décor is likely to remind you of those
mock up medieval forts you used to play in
when you were little. We recommend reserving
a seat atop the watchtower. $$
California (Aravanskoe, opposite Tsarski Dvor)
While California is well worth checking into to
enjoy pizzas named after Arnold Schwarzeneg-
ger or Julia Roberts and Leo DiCaprio salads,
the highlight has got to be Akademia beer, on
draught for just 30 som. Similar to Belgian wheat
beers like Hoegarden but a fifth of the price.
Friendly attendants. $$
July 2009 The Spektator
Next to the path that runs past Babur’s house, old turns once more, disappearing into the crowd of be-
women propel themselves down a smooth, stone lievers at the mosque’s entrance. “It means ‘No prob-
slide to the giggles of grandchildren who queue up to lem’ in Uzbek.” Anastasia elaborates. “The younger
follow on after them. guy is probably fretting that he is getting ripped off
“The babushki are doing it because they believe it by his friend. He probably is.”
will help them save their spines.” Anastasia tells me. The Main Mosque is a slightly crumbly, elegant
“The kids are just doing it for fun.” building located at the start of the old town. It is
While the oldest and youngest generations fool busy every morning and heaves for Juma Namaz,
around together near its holy summit, those prepar- or Friday prayers, the fulcrum of the Islamic week.
ing for the long, sticky patch in-between can be found “I wanted to go in one day,” she remarks, “but the
a few tiers further down, at the end of a wider track gatekeeper told me that while I could enter if I
wrapping around Suleiman’s midriff like a giant earthy wished to, there was a rumour that if a non-believ-
belt. On every weekend, in weather fine or foul, this ing woman entered the Mosque, her soul would
part of the mount plays host to carloads of wedding burn in hellfire for all eternity.
parties seeking both marital blessings and the man- Conversation becomes lighter when I express
datory group picture with their hometown panorama an interest in two mosaics on the side of apartment
in the background. The happy couples here are invari- blocks behind the mosque. One is a giant advert
ably even happier when foreigners take an interest in for the Russian airline ‘Aeroflot’, whose once impe-
their special day, and seem willing to pose with them rial reach diminished drastically with the collapse of
and other newly-weds for hours, apparently immune the Soviet Union, as the newly independent states
to photo fatigue. I ask one young groom, a twenty- acquired their own national airlines. The other is a
seven year old Kyrgyz called Ulan, if he minded shar- towering tribute to Mishka the Bear, the mascot of
ing the experience with so many other pairs. His reply the 1980 Olympics held in Moscow. “He was devel-
is stern and adamant: “I am a son of Osh. My marriage oped by Victor Chizhikov, a famous illustrator of Rus-
is going to mean a new life for me. What better place sian children’s books,” my guide relates with evident
could there possibly be to start it?” nostalgia. “At the closing ceremony, there was a giant
The sun is high up in the sky now, the jagged Alai banner showing Mishka crying because the games
Range glowing otherworldly on the horizon’s edge, were over.” But these two images - once powerful,
the fields I saw en route lit up, just east of the urbanemblematic reminders of Soviet rule - are now func-
sprawl. The streets themselves, so desolate at dawn, tionless relics; the latest layer of history discarded as
now teem with people, cars and the occasional farm the city continues on, in search of it’s prosperous silk
animal. Osh has woken up, and after some time stir- road past. Yet the path ahead is tarred by more bur-
ring, demands to be seen from the ground. densome memories than Aeroflot and Mishka.
Ask a hundred locals what caused the events of
Relics and Riots June 1990 and you will most likely hear a hundred
“Gap yok!” a middle aged man carrying a portfo- different interpretations. Poverty, the struggle for
lio of watches says to a fellow trader as they shake land and housing and manipulation from above will
hands. The other younger entrepreneur then heads invariably be cited as some of the broader factors
off in the direction of Osh’s Glavni Mechot or ‘Main underpinning the ethnic rioting that took place be-
Mosque’ before turning round and firing a volley of tween Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in Osh and its hinterland
concerns in the direction of his senior. “Gap yok!” the in the first two weeks of that month. Beyond that,
watch seller says again, before the younger man much sense and structure got lost in the melee as
www.thespektator.co.uk

over three hundred people lost their lives in sporad-
ic and vicious bursts of violence, with scores more
burned and maimed. As part of a minority popula-
tion uninvolved in the fighting, my guide probably
gives as impartial an account as any:
“It was a scary time. I was just nine years old. My
sister and I were watching cartoons inside when a
bullet suddenly flew through the window of the
room next door. My sister switched off the televi-
sion and we lay flat against the floor with our hands
over our ears until the shooting stopped.”
The worst fighting occurred in Uzgen, a village
nearby, where the Kyrgyz dominated city adminis-
tration had decided to annex part of an Uzbek run
collective farm to provide housing for what would
later be the titular nationality. This provided an op-
portunity for an Uzbek rights group called Adalat,
formed in 1989, to force through claims for auton-
omy/integration into the Uzbek SSR by encourag-
ing Osh based Uzbeks to take up arms and avenge
the injustices wrought upon their brethren in the
countryside. Shootouts and arson soon spread to
the city, with some taking advantage of the chaos
to settle personal scores with neighbours.
“Housing and land were the main issues,” recalls
Anastasia. “At that time there was on average a two
year waiting list for houses and plots in the area.
Many of those waiting were young Kyrgyz from
other parts of the oblast. There was a perception
amongst them that the Uzbeks had made Osh their
own as they had a definite mahalla (neighbour-
hood) in the city centre. The Kyrgyz didn’t.”
The Soviet authorities, struggling to contain the
waves of nationalism unleashed by glasnost, were
ill-equipped to deal with the situation. The Fergana
valley is one of the most densely populated parts of
the Asian continent, and tensions between it’s peo-
ples carry a potential which rises in correlation with
the birth rate. But this alone cannot excuse the level of
state incompetence and mismanagement that stoked
the flames of the quarrel before they were eventually
quashed via military curfew.
www.thespektator.co.uk
Out & About 7
“It could have been prevented.” Anastasia con- Yet ‘locally’ is a misnomer - Osh lies no more
cludes. “But it wasn’t. To remember is painful, so we than a well sprung catapult shot from Uzbek ter-
try to move on.” ritory. Given the close proximity of Central Asia’s
most populous state, and the fact that Uzbeks out-
Bazaar Tours number Kyrgyz 2:1 at Jayamar and in other parts of
No trip to Osh is complete without a barter at the the old town, it would seem only logical if Adalat’s
Jayamar Bazaar. While Bishkek’s Dordoi may be bigger, campaigns for municipal autonomy or even an-
Jayamar, which spreads its rambling mass along both nexation to Uzbekistan were to be revived at some
sides of the White Camel River, is far more atmospher- point. Yet they haven’t been, and it appears that
ic. Here you can find stall holders throwing a piece of one of the main reasons no-one talks seriously
cow back and forth across the aisle, with a disregard about Osh being anything other than a Kyrgyz city
is economic. I ask one Uzbek trader who refused
“It was a scary time. I was just to give his name why he doesn’t sell his product
nine years old. My sister and I were somewhere closer to its source, instead of cross-
ing the border to sell it in Osh. “Over there I can’t
watching cartoons inside when a make money!” he complains. “There is too much
bullet suddenly flew through the competition. Also, for every strawberry I sell there,
the government steals one!” He pauses nervously,
window of the room next door as if struck by the notion that someone close by
might be listening. “Of course the main reason is
the competition!”
for hygiene that would have health and safety officers If locals should in part thank the despotic regime
back home shrieking in indignation. Here you can find in Tashkent for harmonious ethnic relations, then
children who spend their mornings, not at school, but tourists should thank harmonious ethnic relations
sitting among stacked piles of cabbages, learning the for the diversity of handicrafts on show at Jayamar.
trade of their parents, grandparents and ancestors ad Deep in the bowels of the market, attractive, tur-
infinitum. Here you find the best samsi (samosas) in quoise coloured Uzbek pottery sets are sold right
Kyrgyzstan and very possibly, the world. next to ornately painted beshkoti, (Kyrgyz cots)
The bazaar can be entered at a number of differ- which retail at a criminally cheap $120. Opposite
ent points, some of which connect it with roadside these and a massive array of spices is a stall sell-
‘mini bazaars’ in the tight winding alleys of the old ing the aforementioned samsi; must-eat symbols
town. In the middle of one of these alleys, we find two of Osh’s culinary superiority relative to the capital.
women vigorously shaking a batch of wet potatoes Eventually the bazaar trickles to an end and leads
in a large net, cleansing them of surface dirt so they into the city’s long distance taxi hub. Here I had a
can be ready for display. A seller nearby complains chance but very enjoyable encounter with an old
as flecks of earth come flying in the direction of him friend called Sharshem (see issue 3 of the Spekta-
and his strawberries. The women take two steps back tor) before saying goodbye to Anastasia. She hangs
and keep shaking. “Most of the watermelons, straw- a Tuman necklace, containing a passage from the
berries and apricots have arrived from Uzbekistan,” Koran around my neck. “I don’t think your soul will
my host says, pointing at the border. “It’s only April burn in hellfire if you wear this,” she says, as I step
now. Good strawberries and water melons won’t be into the cab, “but it might protect you from danger
available locally until late May or early June.” on your journey back.”
July 2009 The Spektator
 8 Out & About
Altyn
Arashan
Tom Wellings and several other painfully
unfit Spektator conscripts travel to the Altyn
Arashan Valley via the city of Karakol to ex-
perience one of Kyrgyzstan’s most popular,
and spectacular, tourist destinations.
Top The end of the road. Hiking in the Altyn
Arshan Valley (Evan Harris)
Top right Altyn Arashan. The cottages in the
foreground of the picture belong to Valentin’s
neighbours and offer hot spring baths for 200
som. The Yak Tours guesthouse is 100 metres
lower down the valley (Tom Wellings)
July 2009 The Spektator
B
TOM WELLINGS
ESHBARMAK WITH THE Karakol police force and walls, and one room even has a tuneless piano.
and a vodka party with a bevy of Japanese Every nook and cranny of the old house is put to
girls were not the only promises made by use and some guest ‘rooms’ are just small alcoves
Valentin Danilchenko that failed to come set back from the creaking wooden staircase and
to pass, but they stood out as the least and protected by nothing more than a heavy curtain
most disappointing, respectively. Valentin, as Rus- - full of character but maybe not offering enough
sian as a large brown bear, is the marmot-eating privacy for the more pernickety guest.
owner of Yak Tours, one of the longest established A bed costs up to approximately $10 in the nicest
tourist companies in Karakol. With a drooping, nico- rooms down to a $1.20 to pitch a tent in the garden. For
tine stained moustache hanging off his craggy face, a few dollars more, the cook will rustle you up a hearty
a James Bond villain accent and a penchant for breakfast. We had tasty omelettes and fish, honey, tea
jumpsuits that look like costumes from a B-movie and bread - and our vegetarian friend (there’s always
about post-apocalyptic dystopia, he is the sort of one) was catered for without a fuss.
character you dream of meeting in these far flung
reaches of the former Soviet Union. Therefore, de- To Altyn Arashan: In a knackered Soviet jeep
spite suffering several hiccoughs during our Yak The Altyn Arashan Valley, renowned for its excel-
Tours experience - such as forlornly watching him lent hiking and some truly special scenery, begins
ride off into the distance on his quad bike leaving about twenty kilometres outside of town and is the
us with a three hour walk back to Karakol on empty location of Valentin’s second enterprise. It’s pos-
stomachs - I found him impossible to dislike. sible to make your own way to the valley but we
recommend asking Valentin to take you up there
Arrival: Karakol and the Yak Tours Guesthouse in his Soviet jeep. Although the road will probably
By day it is pleasant to take in some of Karakol’s dusty get better as the summer draws on, it can be a jar-
frontier charm, wander along its streets of quaint, ring ride whatever the season as your aging trans-
picket fenced Russian cottages and witness the di- port heroically negotiates rocks, running water,
lapidated grandeur of the larger houses that used to potholes and hairpin bends (see the video at www.
belong to the town’s merchants and wealthy explor- thespektator.co.uk for a sneak preview). The price
ers of yore. By night, it may be best to stay inside your should be somewhere between 700-1300 som per
hotel as according to our Peace Corps contacts, the person (about $15-30) depending on the amount
muggers and junkies come out with the moon. But of people in the vehicle and the type of transport
then who takes the Peace Corps seriously? used – you may be taken up in an off-road bus or
Yak Tours operates its charming guesthouse at perched on the back of a quad bike).
number 10 Gagarin Street in an old colonial house. When wishing to return to Karakol, Valentin
Decorated in a manner evoking the twilight years may even offer you ‘free’ transport back down the
of the Russian Empire, some rooms have period valley - which in our case turned out to be our own
furniture, dodgy antique lamps, rugs on the floors feet. Cheers Valentin.
www.thespektator.co.uk
 Out & About 9

Those of a more delicate constitution can walk uptold the police were coming for a knees-up over over distant 7000m Khan Tengri. Other lesser moun-
some beshbarmak (horse meat and noodles) Valentin,
to the valley from the village of Lesnoe near the main tains abound and it would be easy to spend several
road (see map). Depending on your fitness it should along with his portly police guests, failed to show up weeks exploring. A popular trail leads to high alti-
take somewhere between four and six hours. – as had the Japanese girls the night before. The cook tude Lake Ala Kol and then continues all the way
went to bed early leaving us with a bowl of borsch to Jety Orguz (see issue 1 of the Spektator – Out &
Basecamp Arashan: Uncle Valentin’s Cabin each – not really enough after eight hours in the hills. About) but at the time of our visit in late spring the
A Russian family lives at the Yak Tours Guesthouse The next evening, when Valentin was back with pass was still choked with snow.
at Altyn Arashan (2800m) all year round, and in the us, the food was again hearty and plentiful. It was The surrounding area is home to around twenty
summer a cook also lives on site. There are several interesting to see that the Lonely Planet guide also snow leopards, a few bears, and plenty of wild boar
sleeping rooms for guests and a lounge area with notes this variable state of affairs in the kitchen. and birds of prey - take your binoculars.
a chess board and open fireplace. Valentin has got
hold of some fantastic American military sleeping Hiking in the valley: Know your limits There’s more...
bags that will keep you warm in the most frigid of On our first morning Valentin, munching away at a Aside from the multiple bathing options in the hot
conditions. In fact last New Year’s Eve when the cigarette, pointed us in the direction of a mountain springs that dot the valley, other local attractions in-
guesthouse was overrun with unconscious drunks, on the east side of the valley, the shoulders of which clude horse riding, a small museum and an ancient,
Valentin says he took a sleeping bag outside and slope down almost to the doors of the guesthouse. possibly Tibetan, rune stone that was allegedly dug
slept quite contentedly in the January snow. They With a nonchalant waft of his hand and a quick whis- up by Valentin’s driver. Over tea Valentin will play
probably don’t get washed very often so if you are tle he assured us it would take three hours to hop, amateur historian and tell tales of how the valley
the fussy type you may want to bring your own skip and jump our way to its 4100m summit. was once home to an outpost of Buddhists before
sleeping bag liner. We failed to get to the top on two occasions. The they were forced out under Muslim pressure in the
Valentin has constructed several small bathing first after going the wrong way and encountering a early Middle Ages.
pools in sheltered spots by the river that collect prohibitive and clearly death-causing rocky buttress, Fans of honey should mention their sweet tooth
pungent-smelling yet allegedly restorative water the second time after getting tired and hungry and as Valentin has a bee-keeping friend in a nearby vil-
from natural hot springs. These provided free yet giving up like a bunch of girls. On neither occasion lage. Here you can sample and buy some truly won-
slightly bracing post-hike baths, but should be were we back in less than eight hours. Nevertheless, derful local honey, leagues apart from what‘s avail-
much more pleasant when the summer arrives the area rewards even a modest walk with some awe- able in the supermarkets. It’s worth a stop if only to
and the snow melts. For 200 som ($5), or less with some vistas of the Tien Shan. Retrace our lacklustre view the Honey-Man’s incredible Brezhnev surpass-
a bit of negotiation, you can take an indoor wash steps by following the small stream that runs past the ing eyebrows.
in one of the private spa rooms at Valentin’s rather guesthouse up the east side of the valley. A rough path For the adventurous, the valley is renowned as a
crotchety neighbours’ house. will take you up and away from the steam through a great spot for paragliding – although you’ll have to
The food was, on the good days, some of the best copse of firs. Work your way up to the ridge and follow bring you own equipment.
cooking we’ve tasted in Kyrgyzstan. We enjoyed it to the summit, keeping the stream to your left. Finally, tourists can visit the Yak Tours yak farm just
freshly prepared soups, stews, pork ribs, scrambled At the head of the valley is Peak Palatka (4620m) outside of Karakol. The farm is also home to several lla-
eggs with Chinese herbs, fried bread and sweet pan- which, according to Valentin is rated as a 3B techni- mas rescued from the local zoo when it hit hard times.
cakes - and again vegetarianism surprisingly proved cal climb, and, if you are prepared to set off at the What’s more, Valentin alleges the llamas are excellent
no problem. However, on the night that we’d been crack of dawn, affords a view of the sun coming up judges of character.

www.thespektator.co.uk July 2009 The Spektator

 10 Out & About
Top With so much wilderness to explore, there Practical Information
are trails that even the relatively useless can
enjoy. (Tom Wellings)
Map key
1. Pristan Prezhevalsk (Prezhevalsky’s Pier).
See back page for more tourist information.
2. Karakol Town
3.Lesnoe. This is the place to bus/taxi to if you
wish to walk up to Altyn Arashan (100som/taxi)
4. The Altyn Arashan Yak Tours Guesthouse
(approximately 2800m).
5. Ala Kol Lake. Stunning mountain lake within
hiking distance of the Altyn Arashan Yak Tours
Guesthouse.
6. Jetty Orguz. Site of more hot springs and a
summer sanatorium. A three day hike from Al-
tyn Arashan. See issue 1 of the Spektator.
Videos of the region are online in the grandly ti-
tled ‘video lounge’ at www.thespektator.co.uk
July 2009 The Spektator
2
3
6 5
N
When to go
The road from Karakol to Altyn Arashan has been
What will it cost? passable by car since late April and should remain
Transport from Bishkek to Karakol: Approx. 400 per open for the rest of the year, weather permitting.
person in shared taxi from Bishkek’s New Bus Station. The hardest time to make the journey is during the
Accommodation in Karakol at Yak Tours Guesthouse: spring thaw when the road can be blocked by land-
from 50 som per tent to approx. 400 som for a bed slides. Karakol is pleasant throughout the summer,
Transport from Karakol to Altyn Arashan: from 700- but will be at its most foreigner-packed during Au-
2000 som per person with Yak Tours. Negotiate with gust. Karakol is also the premiere skiing destination
Valentin. in Kyrgyzstan during the winter season.
Accommodation at Yak Tours in Altyn Arashan:
When we stayed, prices were 750 som full board or Travelling between Karakol and Bishkek
550 som without lunch. Camping is free. Buses to Karakol (250 som) depart from Bishkek’s
New Bus Station (novy avtovoksal) in the west of the
Having a happy Yak Tours experience city. A shared taxi costs only four dollars more at ap-
• Ensure you maintain a written record of exactly proximately 400 som per seat and should take five
which services you are getting and how much they to six hours – the best place to pick up a taxi is also
cost, this will hopefully ensure you don’t have any dis- at the New Bus Station.
appointments, awkward moments or empty stom-
achs such as we had. During our stay Valentin some- What to bring
times requested small advances to pay for petrol and If you are on a budget bring a tent (one can be
supplies – make sure you make a note of these too! rented at the Alpine Fund www.alpinefund.org)
• Don’t use shampoo in the hot springs. so that you can camp in the Karakol guesthouse
• And finally, if you intend to walk back down garden for 50 som, and then camp for free up at
from the valley to the main road, make sure you Altyn Arashan.
are armed with walking poles, pointy rocks or a The weather in the valley can be unpredictable,
shotgun to fight off the mentalist dogs that prowl even in summer, so bring warm clothes and a good
about the village. sleeping bag if you plan to camp. If you are staying
at the Altyn Arashan Guesthouse - sleeping bags
Karakol tips are provided.
• Peace Corps volunteers based in the town advise Maps of the area can be bought at Geoid map
exercising caution during the night time as ne’er-do- shop on Kievskaya street in the DHL building. The
wells lurk in the parks, and the streets are often unlit. entrance is on the west side of the building - fol-
• Karakolski ashlan fuu, a cold and noodly local spe- low the signs.
ciality, is lauded by locals and tourists alike. Try a
bowl with a shot of vodka in the central Bazaar for Who to contact
less than 100 som. Yak Tours, 10 Gagarin Street, Karakol.
• The Animal Market operates from the crack of Tel. (33922) 2-23-68
dawn to midday-ish every Sunday just outside of Email: Yaktours@infotel.kg
Karakol. It’s is a great place to see local people in Many other accommodation options are available
their element doing what they do best - working in Karakol and were listed in issue 5 of the Spektator.
with their animals and ripping each other off. View online: www.thespektator.co.uk
www.thespektator.co.uk
 This Month 11

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 12 This Month
Photographs US base rebrands, stays open
of the Month
New bigger flagpole allays insecurity and fos-
ters national pride.
So high it has been installed with a red light at the
top to ward off passing aircraft, the new flagpole
considerably dwarfs the old old pole (below) in
both length and girth.
Alatoo gets a makeover
Crowds have been flocking to relax near the
new-look Alatoo Square that now boasts oper-
ating fountains - accompanied by music and a
chilled out atmosphere every night from 19:00.
The large swathes of flower beds and watery
amusements may have been designed to provide
a more pleasant environment for protest yurts,
should post-election unrest develop.
July 2009 The Spektator
URMATBEK TASHMATOV
BISHKEK, June 27 (IWPR) - After ordering the Unit-
ed States military airbase outside the capital Bishkek
to close earlier this year, the Kyrgyz government has
changed its mind and decided to let the Americans
stay.
Once a US delegation had signed two agreements
covering the new arrangements on June 22, the Kyr-
gyz parliament swiftly ratified them three days later,
ending months of uncertainty for Washington.
“We see it as a very positive step,” said State Depart-
ment spokesman Ian Kelly, speaking in Washington
just after the Kyrgyz parliament ratified the deal on
June 25. “We welcome the efforts of the Kyrgyz gov-
ernment to continue to play a role in helping the in-
ternational community bring peace and stability and
security to Afghanistan and the whole region.”
Officially, the military base at Manas International
Airport ceases to exist and is replaced by what the
Kyrgyzstan are calling a “freight transit centre” and the
Americans a “logistics and transportation hub”, mean-
ing that the US will continue to use the airfield as a
stopping-off point for people and cargo going to sup-
port its operations in Afghanistan.
As part of the deal, the Americans will pay much
more in rent. Speaking on June 23, Foreign Minister
Kadyrbek Sarbaev told parliament that the rent on the
Manas base would triple from 17.4 million US dollars a
year to 60 million.
In addition, Washington will spend nearly 37 million
dollars this year on building new facilities at the base,
and 30 million on air navigation systems. Separately,
just over 30 million dollars will go towards counter-ter-
rorism and counter-narcotics work in Kyrgyzstan and
another 20 million will be placed in the American-Kyr-
gyz Development Fund, for economic programmes.
The US-led Coalition in Afghanistan acquired the
lease of the base in 2001 to provide logistical support
for the military operations it launched against the Tale-
ban. Since then, the base has served as a stopping-off
point for transport planes carrying military personnel,
weapons and other freight, as well as providing air re-
fuelling for planes operating over Afghanistan.
In February, the Kyrgyz parliament voted to close
the base, arguing that there was no longer a real need
for it. That decision followed President Kurmanbek
Bakiev’s announcement that the base was to close,
made on a visit to Moscow during which he secured
pledges of loans and investment worth two billion
dollars. Some analysts argued that Bakiev traded the
US base for Russian financial and political support. (For
a report on this, see Kyrgyzstan: How Imminent is US
Base Closure?, RCA No. 565, 5-Feb-09; and for recent
signs of a shift in the Kyrgyz position, US Airbase in Kyr-
gyzstan Could Stay After All, RCA No. 580, 12-Jun-09.)
In his speech to parliament, Sarbaev indicated that
his government now believed there was after all a
need to retain the US facility for security reasons.
He cited rumours that intense military pressure on
the Taleban militia has forced some of its allies which
include the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, an armed
group that conducted raids into Kyrgyz and Uzbek ter-
ritory in 1999 and 2000, to slip back into Central Asia.
“Following the intensive combat operations in Pa-
kistan and Afghanistan there have been rumours that
some armed militants have relocated to the Fergana
Valley. And you are aware of the recent explosions in
Andijan,” he said, referring to attacks on police and a
suicide bombing in May in and around the Uzbek
city in the eastern Fergana valley, close to Kyrgyzstan.
Pro-government politicians in Kyrgyzstan are playing
up the differences so as to demonstrate that this is a
completely new deal. First, the airfield perimeter will
be guarded by Kyrgyz rather than American soldiers;
second, US military personnel will be granted immu-
nity from prosecution only when they are physically
on the airfield, and not when they leave it.
Kabay Karabekov, a member of parliament from
the governing Ak Jol Party, insisted the authorities had
not executed a U-turn.
“Don’t confuse the terminology,” he told IWPR.
“There is no base, and there isn’t going to be one. The
decision to close the base is being implemented. It’s
[now] a transit corridor.”
As details of the deal become clearer, everyone will
be watching to see whether the Americans have to re-
duce the scope of their transport operations. Kyrgyz
officials have said the revamped arrangements mean
planes will only be carrying “non-military freight”.
Kubanychbek Kadyrov, a legislator from the opposi-
tion Social Democrats, quizzed the foreign minister on
this issue in parliament. “Can you guarantee that only
non-military freight will be transported?” he asked Sar-
baev, who replied that US military aircraft would not
be subject to checks.
State Department spokesman Kelly made it clear
that army personnel would continue to transit the
Manas facility.
“I think what we agreed to is setting up a logistics
and transportation hub at Manas International Airport.
This is to facilitate the transportation of personnel and
equipment that are en route to Afghanistan,” he said
adding, that “of course, there will be military personnel
who will be transiting there, and there will be military
personnel who are helping with this transportation
and logistics hub”.
Analysts interviewed by IWPR in Kyrgyzstan take
differing views of the extent of the change, with some
arguing the change of nomenclature from “base” to
“centre” is little more than cosmetic.
Politics expert Mars Sariev describes it as “a change
in packaging but not in essence”.
“They’re currently saying it is for the transit of non-
military freight, but fuel and army servicemen also
count as a sort of non-military freight,” he said. “The
format of the base is retained and even expanded
through the addition of more aircraft parking and
storage areas. So the American military presence is de
facto staying.”
Alexander Knyazev, head of the regional branch of
the Commonwealth of Independent States Institute,
predicts further Kyrgyz-US negotiations aimed at wid-
ening the remit to explicitly include military freight,
given that the Americans already have arrangements
in place with other Central Asian states to transport
humanitarian freight overland, and have the option of
using Navoi airport for the same type of goods under
a recent deal in which South Korea will manage the
site as a transit hub. (See Uzbekistan Opens Airbase
to NATO Freight, News Briefing Central Asia, May 27,
2009.)
Sariev believes this kind of arrangement will be
reached once Washington has secured Moscow’s ap-
proval.
Reproduced with kind permission from
www.iwpr.org
www.thespektator.co.uk
 This Month 13
World Cup Winner Scolari joins Rivaldo in Uzbekistan
CHRIS RICKLETON
TASHKENT, June 15 (Spektator) - In the first half of a preferred to choose Bunyodkor and Tashkent, 8,500 links to Gulnara Karmimova, daughter of one Islam
month which has seen Real Madrid twice break the miles from his native Brazil, at the heart of a region Karimov, Uzbekistan’s 71 year old President for life. The
football record for player transfer fees paid, the news known better for nomadic horse sports than football. Karimov clan have held Uzbekistan in their brutal grip
that World Cup winning Brazilian coach Filipe Scolari A paddle in the Bermuda Triangle may have seemed since before the country’s independence in 1992, and
had recently signed an 18 month contract with the a less convincing disappearing act by the coach act as the main point of reference in a regime which
Uzbek champions Bunyodkor barely registered as a Chelsea sacked in early February 2009, but images boasts one of the worst human rights records the
murmur on the global game’s seismograph. Buried can apparently be deceiving. world over. Sources in the Russian and Uzbek media
under screeds of newsprint devoted to the Madridis- “Uzbek football is on an upswing right now.“ Sco- have claimed that Gulnara, 37 this year, is both Zero-
tas capture of Kaka ($94 million) and Cristiano Ronal- lari opined at a press conference on June 9th, possibly max and Bundyokor’s de-facto owner. And the plot
do ($131 million), one of soccer’s strangest side notes while biting his lip and straining to keep a straight face. thickens. While the top half of Bundyokor’s badge
almost passed unnoticed “I know I am at the right place at the right time.” That mirrors the light blue in Uzbekistan’s national flag, its
True enough, fans of the sport have become ac- might prove to be correct. Scolari joins Bunyodkor at shape and bottom half are positively Barcelona-esque,
customed to seeing big name players and coaches arguably the most glorious point in their four year his- reflecting a growing number of perplexing links be-
in the twilight of their careers, packing their bags tory, as they seek to defend their Uzbek league title tween this star studded para-statal and the Catalan
and heading east for one last, massive pay check, club. Last summer Bundyokor were offered a loan op-
usually at the expense of wealthy club owners in “Uzbek football is on an upswing tion on Samuel Eto’o, Barca’s Cameroonian striker. De-
oil rich countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the spite the Uzbeks putting a mouth watering $25 mil-
United Arab Emirates. Yet Uzbekistan is no OPEC right now.“ Scolari opined at a lion three month contract on the table, Eto’o refused
blessed tax haven. While the Gulf states teem with press conference on June 9th, pos- the offer, albeit after a two day consideration period
wealthy entrepreneurs desperate to turn both he described as “dizzying”. This summer Barcelona will
domestic and foreign based football outfits into sibly while biting his lip and strain- play a friendly in Tashkent to open Bundyokor’s new
personal toys, the growth of private commerce in ing to keep a straight face. stadium, and receive a rumoured $8 million for the
Uzbekistan has been tempered by a regime still pleasure of doing so - their President Joan Laporta will
wedded to Soviet-style command economics. The have his own plaque on the side of the building.
climate for private commerce there is lousy, the With such powerful backers and connections off
most profitable sectors of the economy, cotton and and better last years semi-final placing in the Asian the pitch, Bundyokor’s progress on it should be as-
gas, are the indisputable domain of the state. Champions league. Moreover, his attempts to accli- sured. Youtube highlights of the side feature Rivaldo
What further jars about Scolari’s switch is the matize will be aided by the presence of four other Bra- and chums passing their way around teams that ap-
near total lack of football activity in and around Uz- zilians among the playing staff, who have presumably pear to be playing the sport for the first time, finish-
bekistan. In a cash flush league in the Middle East, already picked up basic Uzbek and acquired a taste for ing intricate moves with flourish and panache. The
he would have at least found no end of semi-retired plov. One of these Brazilians is Rivaldo, a key member club have yet to drop a point in their first ten league
has-beens, an ex-pat community with whom he of the team Scolari won the World Cup with in 2002. games, have conceded just 3 goals and scored 25.
could have reminisced about golden evenings and Two of the other three are in their early twenties with Their tenth game was in Andijan, a religiously con-
trophies won; fragments from another time where promising futures in the game, bucking the trend of servative settlement in the heart of the Fergana Valley
games actually mattered. He could have done this the veteran’s march East. All of them, like Scolari, are that provided the stage for a horrendous massacre
and raked in sickly sums of petrodollars while guiding on very lucrative, short term contracts. Smell a rat? in 2005 as government troops mowed down scores
some none-descript team to a largely meaningless Whilst a glance at the members of the Bunyodkor of protesters in the town centre. Andijan FC lost the
title. He could have even got another job in Europe, executive board sheds little light on the club’s sudden fixture by 2 goals to 1. If it’s really the case that the
in Italy or Portugal: one last crack at the Champions and dramatic bid for superstardom, a look at the clubs forces behind Bunyodkor and the forces behind the
League to add the finishing touches to an impres- parent company, Zeromax, reveals more. Zeromax is massacre are one and the same, winning the game
sive CV. There were offers, he admitted. Yet ‘Big Phil’ a Swiss registered company with repeatedly alleged would doubtless have been a very bad idea.
Below Brazil football legend Filipe Scolari
MARIA GOLOVINA Kyrgyzstan in brief
KG gets first UNESCO site Tax amnesty bill passed
SEVILLE June 26 (Spektator) - The Sulamain-Too BISHKEK June 27 (IWPR) - A bill allowing people
Sacred Mountain in Osh has become Kyrgyzstan’s to declare assets and unpaid tax without fear of
first UNESCO World Heritage site. The mountain retribution has sailed through the Kyrgyz parlia-
has long been a destination for worshippers of ment. The legislation, termed “an amnesty for un-
multiple faiths and is dotted with worship sites and declared taxes and customs duties and legalizing
caves with petroglyphs. The announcement was property”, is designed to reduce the amount of
made during a UNESCO meeting in Spain. business activity that takes place in the illegal or
black economy.
Kyrgyz troops kill 3 terror England fan shot in leg
suspects in shootout BISHKEK, June 4 (BBC) - An England football fan
OSH, June 29 (AP) - Kyrgyz security forces killed was shot in Kyrgyzstan during the build up to the
three alleged members of a terrorist organization World Cup qualifier match against Kazakhstan
in a shootout on the night of the 27th June - the early this month. The incident, allegedly sparked
latest in a series of clashes with militants. by the fan’s refusal to stop singing, took place in a
Soldiers battled gunmen for several hours after bar in Bishkek.
surrounding a house in the western Osh region The fan is understood to have been taken to hos-
late Saturday night, the State Security Ministry pital, but was later discharged. England went on
said in a statement. to beat Kazakhstan 5-0 in Almaty.

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 14 This Month

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Som Gang II
The
We resume our look at the famous figures depicted on Kyrgyz banknotes. This month fea-
tures the heavyweights on the two-hundred, five hundred and one thousand som notes, and
introduces the man honoured by the brand spanking new five thousand som note.
CHINARA SULTANIEVA
Two-hundred som
We begin with poet and writer, Alikul Osmonov
(1915 - 1950). Born in the village of Kaptal Aryk in
Chui oblast, he began writing poems early in life and
had his first collection of poetry published at the age
of twenty-two. His masterpiece, Mahabat (Love),
was published eight years later in 1945. In addition
to his writing he translated many literary works into
Kyrgyz, including those of Pushkin and Shakespeare.
He was revered in Soviet times as an important So-
viet writer, and his poems were published in both
Russian and Estonian as well as in his native Kyrgyz.
He died at the age of thirty-five from pneumonia.
There is a statue of him outside the National Li-
brary in Bishkek and a museum dedicated to him
and his work at Kaptal Aryk, seventy-five kilome-
tres west of Bishkek.
Five-hundred som
The 500 som note belongs to Sayakai Karalaev
(1894 - 1971), one of the greatest manaschis (recit-
ers of the Manas epic) of the modern era. Chinghiz
Aitmatov went as far as to call him the “Homer of
the twentieth century”.
Born in the village of Ak Olon in the Ton region
on the southwestern shore of Lake Issyk Kul, he
learnt much of the Manas epic and many folk
songs from his grandmother, Dakish. He began
his career as a manaschi in 1918. At first he was
greatly influenced by Chouke Omur, a well known
manaschi from Issyk Kul, but by about 1925 he
had started to develop his own dramatic style, in-
corporating laughing, crying and singing into his
performances. Between 1932 and 1947 he wrote
down the entire Manas epic totalling over half a
million lines of poetry. He performed in Finland
and in Moscow as well as in Kyrgyzstan, and re-
ceived several awards.
One-thousand som
Djusup Bakasagin in the imposing figure on the
1000 som note. A writer and thinker born in the
ancient city of Balasagin, ancient site of the Burana
Tower, near present day Tokmok. He is best known
for his work Kutagdu Bilig which is sometimes
translated as The Theory of Knowledge. Written in
couplets in the Uighur language sometime around
1070, one of its main themes is the supremacy of
the law. The work secured the author a renowned
place in the history of Central Asian literature —
and a place in the court at Kashgar, the famous Silk
Road city in modern day China.
The Kyrgyz have adopted him as one of their
own, largely because his birthplace lies within the
country’s modern borders, but it is not clear if he was
www.thespektator.co.uk
Focus 15
himself Kyrgyz. Most of what we know about him is
drawn from little snippets of information contained
in his writing. We can infer that he was a highly ed-
ucated person, skilled in poetic forms, with a wide
knowledge of astronomy, mathematics and medi-
cine, but a great deal of his life remains a mystery.
Five-thousand som
Suimonkul Chokmorov (1939 - 1992) was a talent-
ed Kyrgyz actor and artist who overcame many
difficulties during his life. Born in Chon-Tash vil-
lage, Chui oblast, in November 1939 he endured
a harsh childhood, and not only because of the
ensuing hardships of the Second World War.
Chokmorov suffered from poor health almost
all his life. In addition to other physical disabilities
he was diagnosed with multi-cystic kidney disor-
der, a condition that left him with only one func-
tioning kidney.
Owing to his illness, Chokmorov missed a school
year and, during this period, went to live in Bishkek
(then called Frunze) with his older brother, Namyr-
bek. With plenty of time on his hands, Chokmorov
studied drawing under the tutorship of his broth-
er, and the results were unexpectedly successful.
Painting became a favourite activity for the young
boy and upon his return to full time education, he
quickly gained fame as the best artist in his school.
After graduating from the Leningrad Academy
of Arts in 1964, Chokmorov started work as a teach-
er and went on to become head of the Frunze Arts
School. During those years he worked in various
genres of painting, but was particularly interested
in portraiture, which he saw as an opportunity to
convey the emotion of the human soul.
Chokmorov’s experience of the art world ben-
efited him a great deal when he became an ac-
tor, and he went on to achieve much success. He
was the only one of his colleagues from the USSR
to achieve four diplomas for best actor. During
his career in the movies Chokmorov appeared
in four adaptations of works by Chingiz Aitma-
tov, the famous Kyrgyz writer: “Jamilya”, “I am the
Tien Shan” (Mosfilm),” Red Apple “(Kirgizfilm), and
”Early Cranes” (Lenfilm and Kirgizfilm).
Even after becoming a deputy of the Republic,
Chokmorov was able to balance his personal crea-
tive work with his public duties for many years.
He remained a keen painter to the end of his life,
never leaving hold of his paint brush, even when
confined to a hospital bed.
Despite his many accomplishments, Chokmorov
is best remembered for his acting. In 2000, eight
years after his death, he was recognized as the From top Alikul Osmonov, Sayakai Karalaev,
greatest Kyrgyz actor of the 20th century. Djusup Bakasagin and Suimonkul Chokmorov
July 2009 The Spektator
16 Focus
Secrets
Dead
of the
W
LOIS KAPILA & ALEXANDRA PRENTICE
As Bubura Kydyralieva’s father lay on his E WANDER AROUND the fairground of
deathbed he told his daughter the disturbing Ataturk Park and scan the faces of the pas-
sersby. While all we have is a name, it is not
truth about a curious episode from her child-
difficult to spot Bubura Kydyralieva among
hood. At the bottom of the garden where she the gold-toothed candyfloss vendors,
had played as a child, the Soviets had buried
young couples and mewling children. Standing in the
the evidence for one of their worst atrocities
shade of the broken down ferris wheel, the Kyrgyz apa
committed on Kyrgyz soil.  Now in her eight-
has a serenity which is at odds with the bustle around
her. After she embraces us warmly, we walk to her flat
ies, Bubura tells Lois Kapila and Alexandra
where we are overwhelmed by Kyrgyz hospitality at
Prentice how she guarded the secret for near-
its most generous - jams, biscuits and chocolates all
ly twenty years until the truth could be told.
washed down with endless cups of sweet tea.
Like others born in the 1920s in Kyrgyzstan,
Bubura has lived through forced settlement, mass
collectivization, revolution and war. What makes
her experience unique is the secret she kept un-
til the fall of Soviet Union. Once the tea cups have
been cleared away, she spreads out a few faded
photos and begins her story.
Bubura grew up in the countryside about 10 kilo-
metres from Bishkek. Her father was the caretaker at
the NVKD country retreat just outside the village of
Chon Tash, where weary officials would come to un-
wind. Like many at the time, he was expected to work
hard with no holidays. It was a surprise then for the
family, when on the 5th November 1938, word came
that they had been granted a twelve day break, which
they were told to spend away from the retreat.
When they returned home, their familiar sur-
roundings were not quite as they had left them. One
of Bubura and her sister’s favourite games was hide-
Top Bubura Kydyralieva as a young woman and-seek and the best hiding place was in the old
(All photos Lois Kapila) brick kiln, a tumble down building at the back of the
estate. After the holiday, the sisters rushed back to
Top Right The monument to the victims at their secret hideaway only to discover a large heap
Chon Tash of earth where the kiln had once stood.
July 2009 The Spektator
“Where has the kiln gone? Where are we go-
ing to play now?” Bubura recalls asking her father.
Even to the young girl, his reply seemed somewhat
strange: “The weather was bad while we were away.
The heavy snow and strong winds must have torn
up the earth and buried it.”
Life continued as normal, until early December
when the family noticed an unpleasant smell per-
vading the entire estate. As the days went by, the
odour became stronger and almost unbearable.
Bubura’s parents resorted to nailing shyrdaks (heavy
felt carpets) across the doors and windows of their
house in a vain attempt to escape the stench, which
had become so noxious that it turned fresh milk
sour. The dogs howled continuously; a bad omen
in Kyrgyz culture. Their uneasiness only increased
in February. At night, they noticed the greenish
glow of phosphorescence emanating from the
mound where the kiln used to be. Bubura’s father
spent more and more time at his prayers, but these
strange occurrences were never discussed.
‘We never talked about it, not once,’ she stress-
es. It was only in 1973, when her father was on his
deathbed that he called the two sisters into his
room and told them, ‘I need to tell you a secret.’ For
35 years, Bubura’s father had never mentioned the
disturbing winter of 1938. Now that he was dying,
he felt the need to share all that he knew.
He told them that while they had been away
on their two week holiday a large number of pris-
oners, all ‘enemies of the people’, had been execut-
ed at the retreat near Chon Tash. The bodies were
piled up in the old kiln, which was then covered
with soil. Sworn to secrecy and fearful for his fami-
ly’s life, Bubura’s father had kept silent, suffering
with the knowledge that he alone knew what had
www.thespektator.co.uk

happened to these people. ‘Their relatives have
never found out where their loved ones lie.’
Bubura’s sister died the following year. Through
the remaining Brezhnev years and later under An-
dropov and Chernenko, Bubura guarded the secret
alone, waiting for a time when she could safely reveal
everything she knew. She describes how her health
deteriorated as she got older. ‘I would see the ghosts
of those who died around my bed. The secret was like
a weight on my neck.’ It was only when Gorbachev
came to power, and the spirit of glasnost made it
seem less dangerous to speak out that Bubura decid-
ed to tell all. In 1987 she approached a number of lo-
cal newspapers, but was either ignored or ridiculed.
She spent the next three years desperately trying to
find somebody who would believe her story.
When in 1990 Bubura received a phone call from
the KGB, she panicked fearing that one of her fam-
ily members had got into trouble. The official, Bolot
Abdrakhmanov, informed her that he would pay her
a visit the following day. Bubura proceeds to tell us
with a coy smile how she opened the door to find ‘ta-
koi krasavits!’ (such a handsome young man) standing
there, an unlikely representative of the dreaded KGB.
Bolot had heard that Bubura had a secret to tell
and expected her to denounce one of her neigh-
bours as a spy, still a common occurrence in the
early 1990s. He realised that it was a different mat-
ter altogether when the old woman, tired of having
her story ignored, insisted on breaking bread with
the official as a symbolic gesture of trust and open-
ness. As she told her story to him, she realised that
he was actually listening with interest. Today, almost
twenty years later, Bubura’s eyes fill with tears as she
recalls the overwhelming relief and the gratitude
she felt towards this unlikely ally.
www.thespektator.co.uk
Bolot believed her. He suggested that they
travel to Chon Tash together to find the site. It was
mid-winter and despite an extensive search, the
deep snow made it impossible to find anything.
Nevertheless, Bubura’s story had made such a
strong impression on Bolot, that he promised to
return with her again in summer. Bubura describes
“I would see the ghosts of those
who died around my bed. The
secret was like a weight on my
neck”
the intervening months as a purgatory of sleepless
nights and constant worry. May eventually arrived
and when they went back, the snow had been re-
placed by drifts of red tulips.
Without the snow obscuring the landscape,
Bubura managed to lead Bolot relatively easily to
the location of the old kiln. A cursory excavation re-
vealed several old bricks, confirming that they were
in the right place. A few days later, Bolot returned
with a couple of soldiers and two archaeologists
and began to dig. It did not take them long to make
their first discovery: a human skull with a perfectly
round hole through the temple.
Although on the fringes of an ailing Soviet
Union, Bolot’s activities had not gone unnoticed
by Moscow. Late one night, he received a phone
call. “What are you doing digging? You’re a KGB
agent, not a JCB.”
Ignoring the Kremlin ridicule and scepticism,
the team continued to dig. Further excavation
Focus 17
Find out more:
Chon Tash Museum
An informative and well-conceived museum
now stands at the site of the old brick kiln just
outside Ata-Beyit (Grave of our Fathers).
Despite initial media attention, few people
are aware of its existence and the event itself
seems to be gradually fading from memory.
When we attempted to get a taxi to the muse-
um, the driver nodded enthusiastically before
trying to deposit us at the Manas amusement
park.
How to get there:
By bus: The Lonely Planet claims that there are
three buses a day to Chon Tash (10:00, 13:15,
15:40) from the Osh bazar bus stand. Although
we asked around for some time, we failed to find
one so decided upon a taxi. Others might have
more luck.
By car: The site lies just out of Chon Tash, off a dirt
road linking Kaskha-Suu and Koy-Tash. About
nine kilometres from Kashka-Suu, turn south.
If you ask around, then locals should be able to
point you in the right direction. A taxi to the mu-
seum and back again costs 300-400 som.
uncovered yet more skulls and an assortment of
cigarette holders, old coins and a shattered pince-
nez. Half-smoked cigarettes served as a poignant
reminder of these victims’ untimely end. On closer
inspection, Bolot noticed that the majority of the
skulls had gold teeth. This was their first clue to
the identity of those buried. The initial assumption
had been that the victims were ordinary citizens
who had fallen foul of the authorities in the dark
days of the Great Terror, but the expensive den-
tistry suggested that they came from among the
ranks of the elite.
Gradually more concrete evidence came to
light. Carefully stitched onto the waistband of a
pair of trousers was the name Dzhamansariev. In
the coat pocket of another was a crumbling official
document. In faded, yet stark letters it condemned
the accused, Yusup Abdrakhmanov to death by
firing squad. The next name that they found was
recognisable to any Kyrgyz citizen: Aitmatov. The
father of Kyrgyzstan’s most famous literary fig-
ure, Torokul Aitmatov had been a member of the
Soviet nomenklatura in the late thirties. His fate,
following his disappearance along with the rest
of the Kyrgyz Soviet elite in 1938, had remained a
mystery until now.
By the time Bolot and the team of archaeolo-
gists completed the excavation, they had found a
total of 138 skulls. The name tags, judicial orders
and personal effects confirmed them to be former
ministers, teachers and scientists. This was one of
the first mass graves dating from the Great Ter-
ror to be discovered and excavated in the Soviet
Union. For more than half a century, Bubura’s fam-
ily had guarded the secret of Chon Tash. Finally,
Bubura felt herself freed of her burden.
July 2009 The Spektator
 18 Focus
scape
E from
kistan!
Uzbe
Kul a quick guide
O
EVAN HARRIS
Uzbekistan may be a police state slowly NE EXPIRED VISA, two corpses, three
succumbing to desertification, but there is countries, four fugitives, eleven cities,
still much to see. Evan Harris recounts an seventeen days, $200 in bribes. I’ve
just exited Uzbekistan illegally and I’m
eventful tour of the region he made last stranded in Jamalia, a village on the
winter that culminated in an expired visa Kazakh-Uzbek border. It’s 9pm and no one will
landing him in a spot of bother with the take me to civilisation for less than $100. The fa-
Uzbek authorities. cilitator who aided me across the border, dodgy
by appearance and occupation, has left me in a
windowless concrete café, his promise of a room
for the night unfulfilled. I ask the boy serving
me eggs and sausage where my ‘friend’ and his
promises have gone. He motions to a pile of mats
and blankets in the corner of the room.
“Sleep there.”
There is nothing to protect me from the night’s
deep freeze but concrete walls, and nothing what-
soever to protect me from the stream of local
youths who have been visiting the café in a steady
stream, sizing me up. A fortnight of bowel loos-
ening events should have had me well prepared,
but the prospect of this night really has me on the
brink of soiling myself. Fortunately my luck takes
a turn for the better and I see the night out in the
blessed warm house of the owner of another café,
a large motherly woman who knows a needy boy
when she sees one. This is Central Asia’s schizo-
Top A rusting boat stands on a snowy sand phrenia: aggressive mercantilism, obliging hospi-
bank near Moynaq. Many boats left high and tality. A taxi tour from Bishkek around Uzbekistan
dry by the retreating Aral sea are slowly dis- taught me this much.
integrating into the desert. (All photos Evan
Harris) To Tashkent
Rewind fifteen days. On the mountain pass before
Top Right Bolo-hauz Mosque, an architectural Tashkent we witnessed some extreme hitching.
highlight of Bukhara, has an enormous carved With their cars marooned in the snow, stranded
wooden portico into which the Imam sings his drivers and passengers were taking their only op-
call to prayer. portunity of escape by sitting or lying on the bon-
July 2009 The Spektator
nets of more powerful cars, clinging to the wind-
screen wipers with their blue hands.
Attempting these mountain passes in the depths
of winter is asking for trouble, a point graphically il-
lustrated when we pulled up besides the aftermath
of a car crash. Our taxi driver, the first passer-by to of-
fer any assistance, took the lead. Of the eight blood-
ied victims, our driver loaded two unconscious eld-
erly ladies into our car, one laid out in the boot and
the other wedged into the back seat alongside my
travelling companions and I.
Things didn’t improve much upon arrival at the
town hospital near Uzgen. Several doctors, smok-
ing cigarettes by the entrance, were inexplicably
unkeen to offer any help until eventually one of
the more enterprising nurses wheeled out a trol-
ley. After cursorily pronouncing them both dead,
the nurse carted both bodies away leaving behind
a bloody trail in the snow. Our morbid cargo thus
dispatched, we travelled on towards the Uzbek
border in silence.
Tashkent to Nukus
After a couple of days’ recuperation I left my com-
panions and the reassuringly European Tashkent
behind, boarding the train to Nukus with nothing
but a book and a carriage of curious Uzbeks for
company.
Twenty-four hours on this rusting snake re-
ally challenged my love of trains. Oppressive heat
sweated me to my hard bed while outside the win-
dow rolled endless snowy desert. A trip to the unlit
toilet found me literally taking a shot in the dark.
The light didn’t work and all I could do was hope
I wasn’t pissing on my shoes. Exiting, the outside
hall shed light on my marksmanship; I was stand-
ing in my own puddle. When my fellow passengers
www.thespektator.co.uk
 Focus 19

tired of toilet target practice, crosswords and pur- A dirty drip of paint on an otherwise blank The sound of agony echoes around the town
chasing Chinese tat from the babushki who board- desert canvas, Moynaq is fading. Ecological ca- and no one flinches. The only bus has left, but a
ed the train at every stop (why oh why don’t they tastrophe has dragged the lick of the Aral Sea man is waiting for another passenger to take to
sell useful things like water?) they gave me a grilling waves far from this once thriving fishing port; Kungrad. I join his car, relieved to be leaving this
worthy of the KGB and fingered my passport and Moynaq feels a zombie town this winter. The re- sad eerie town.
visas. One interrogator invited me to his home, an- sult of the USSR’s attempt to mobilise resources
other offered me a lift in his car, but the authentic- to increase productivity, the Aral Sea has been Khiva and Bukhara
ity of their offers had to remain untested as I was reduced from a giant blue puddle on satellite The cold recedes little in Khiva, the reconstruct-
headed for the yellowing wallpaper, dripping water, images, to a tiny teardrop in the desert. The re- ed desert city and slave trade hub of yore. The
and drunk businessmen of ‘Hotel Nukus’. sult has destroyed a productive fishing industry, weather is no obstacle for Uzbek marriages. The
The receptionist gave me my key and a faceful of created health endemics, and destabilised the only life in these reconstructed streets is the
coy smiles and I walked the moody dark corridors local climate. groups of marriage parties dancing their way
of The Shining to my room. Only, it’s not my room, My god it was cold. Stepping off the bus, a ve- to Khiva’s holy shrines. The men seemed well
is it? The bathroom light is on, and the room smells hicle held together with gaffa tape and string, I protected in their leather suits, but the brides
of perfume, and there’s a handbag on the bed. I understood why the women exiting behind me blushed blue under their heavy makeup, naked
wonder if the rooms are dorms rather than singles, were as wide as I am tall; the cold is penetrating; to the cold in their modern white dresses.
but reason they’d never have a mixed dorm. it grips your bones, it turns your face to raw meat “It’s a popular time of year to get married,” the
I return to the reception desk. and makes you wish you were back on the bus guesthouse owner tells me over tea, jam and
“Is there supposed to be someone else in the flattened against the window by an enormous chess thrashings, “it brings good luck.”
room?” woman, surrounded by leather skinned men Here, in my guesthouse, hides the elusive
“No, there isn’t” gripping old cigarettes with their golden teeth. Central Asian hospitality. A warm house, fresh
“You’ve made a mistake, someone is already in Five-hundred meters away from Moynaq’s tea, bread and jam any time I need a break from
that room” only road I see the spectre of a ship against the the cold (every hour), and free washing when my
“Really?” white sky. Atop a crunchy white dune I spy more host realised I was running low on cash. Once, he
“Yes…” rusting husks. The metal ribs of one can be seen explained, he welcomed a European cyclist who
“Are you sure?” All coy smiles again. through the hull, the insides empty, picked for had been robbed of all but his clothes. Having
“Yes, there’s a woman’s handbag on the bed.” parts and left looking like a rotting whale. fed him for several days, the luckless traveller
She shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly and Walking back, a teenage boy eyes me sus- said goodbye, paying only with a moral IOU. A
gives me a different key. As I twist the key of my piciously and asks for a cigarette. Craving satis- month later a German tour group leader knocked
new room it dawns on me that it may not have fied he gestures to his mouth and asks for food, I on his door and presented the cyclist’s money. A
been a mistake. I lock the door behind me. apologise and hurry back to the bus. The one café modern parable right here in the desert.
is closed, and the streets are busy with shuffling Bordering Turkmenistan, Khiva had a rough
Moynaq figures. People seem to be eyeing me with a mix- reputation in its heyday. It’s fitting then that I
Nukus has little to offer aside its renown collection ture of suspicion and amazement. Tottering high- left in the company of scoundrels. Two broth-
of Soviet art in the city gallery. Its other purpose is heeled teens giggle at me, packs of men laugh ers and a father hemmed me into a taxi, all their
as a base for reaching Moynaq, the former Aral Sea and taunt. Halfway along the street I hear an un- worthy possessions with them, including a TV in
fishing port. godly wail from one of the houses off the road. the boot and a bag on my lap.

www.thespektator.co.uk July 2009 The Spektator

 20 Focus
Above Would you marry this man’s daughter?
Vodka and pottery in Samarkand old town.
July 2009 The Spektator
Visibly hammered they appeared in a celebratory
mood, the sons’wretched faces contorting into tooth-
less smiles as we cruised the desert. They checked
that I didn’t speak Tajik early on, so they could yell at
each other without my comprehension.
They seemed unsure of where they were going, but
my ears picked out the names of Andijon and Termiz
regularly. At one military checkpoint one of the sons
handed over his passport instead of bribing the grunt,
and once out of view of the hut the family descended
into a fistfight, handsome wiry father asserting him-
self as alpha male. After they’d taken great interest in
my passport and visa their heads dropped and began
to snore in unison, cartoon drunks all three. Ignoring
the smell of dirty hair from the head slumped on my
shoulder I fantasised about their story. What were they
running from? Who would they bother next? Our ad-
ventures parted ways in Bukhara, and I felt glad that
mine was only a cameo in their tale.
Bukhara’s sweeping squares and crumbling nar-
row lanes offer a charming place to lose a few days.
Inside empty madrassas and mosques I was free to
sneak up stairs that felt off limits and stand among
the doves atop the roofs of buildings. Two pecu-
liar architectural wonders stand out in this city. The
first, Bolo-hauz Mosque, opposite the citadel, has an
enormous carved wooden portico which sets it apart
from golden-stoned entrances of other mosques. The
Imam sings his call to prayer into the portico, using its
acoustics as an enormous amplifying dish. Nearby,
the Soviet constructed water tower deserves a climb.
Its lattice-work skeleton cuts a unique silhouette,
and the roof allows a romantic view of the domes
and minarets of the city. Whether for the views or the
safety from conservative elders granted by challeng-
ing stairs, many towers I climbed were occupied by
teenage couples enjoying their first lust.
Samarkand
As the most famous city in Central Asia, Samarkand
threatens anticlimax. Though the dimensions of the
Registan and the nearby mosques do not disappoint,
the city’s highlight was to be found in the company
of three old men. Between my guesthouse and the
Registan I stumbled upon a courtyard of rickety craft-
studios. As the first day of the New Year, it appeared
deserted and I took advantage of the sunlight stream-
ing through dusty windows illuminating fabric mas-
terpieces and took photos. One pottery studio was
occupied by three men, and the master potter beck-
oned me inside and insisted I lunch with them. Soon
the small dark room was filled with the buzz of rich
turkey stew and a bottle of vodka was fetched from a
kiosk. The room was strewn with half finished pottery
like clay scabs hanging to some old beast, like the half
baked commentary on money, politics and women
that circulated the room that afternoon. Once the bot-
tle of vodka was finished and the offers of their daugh-
ters became too insistent I left them to their pink el-
ephants and spent the afternoon rolling around the
magnificent architecture in a drunken haze.
The rest was but fairytale madness. Getting on the
wrong bus, cancelled trains, embassy incompetency,
being sent to the wrong border, pushing a Lada up a
snowy hill, closed border, hotel refusing to let me stay,
expired visa, staying at my taxi driver’s wife-beating
brother’s house, money transfers, more embassy in-
competence, and finally threats of prison or a $1000
fine. Two hundred dollars in bribes later I’m treading
frozen grass past an armed Uzbek guard 500m to the
left of the official border passage. The guard nods his
head at my escort, a man whose daily job is facilitat-
ing people across the border. Halfway to the Kazakh
border we pass a man on a donkey cart laden with
goods. I bet he didn’t have to pay $200.
www.thespektator.co.uk
 THE GUIDE
8

10

12

Bishkek life
Bars and
restaurants
15

17
New York Pizza (177, Kievskaya)
Decorated with pictures of the Big Apple and serv-
ing a fine selection of steaks and other American-
themed dishes, NYP is sure to get New Yorkers
International
2x2* (Isanova/Chui)
Trendy drinking hole with a circular bar and friend-
thinking of home. Also serves what many believe ly staff. A good place for knocking back a few pre-
to be the best pizza in town. $$$ nightclub cocktails. Slouch into one of the comfy
There’s a fine
20 line between21‘bar’ and ‘restaurant’ in
Bishkek. Places more suitable for drinking sessions Armenian lounge seats and try to look cool. $$$
are marked with a star * Landau (Manas/Gorky) Avant Gard (127, Sovietskaya)
Fancy something a little different? If you can tol- We’re not so sure what’s so avant-garde about
erate the arthritic service, Landau isn’t a bad spot Avant-Gard. They put candles on the tables in the
Price Guide (main course and a garnish) for a pork steak or some other Armenian culinary evenings, but there is a distinct lack of Parisian
23 $ - Expect change from 150 som goodies. Also, treat yourself to some decent Arme- Bohemians. Still, the food is fine and the relaxed
$$ - A little over 200 should do the trick nian conjac whilst your here, you’ll never go near ambience means AG is a good place for a conver-
$$$ - Expect to pay in the region of 350 Bishkek conjac again. Ever. $$$ sation, or a debate on existentialism. $$
$$$$ - A crisp 500 (or more) needed in this joint
Chinese Beatles Bar* (Gorky/Sovietskaya)
25 Ak-Bata (108, Ibraimova) A Beatles themed bar to make Bishkek scousers feel
This place must serve up pretty authentic dishes at home. Huge screen outside for sporting events.
as it’s always full of Chinese playing mah-jong and Shashlyk and cool beer. $$
American waving their chopsticks about. Smoky and stuffy,
7 Breed of dog — crossword
Cowboy* (Toktogul/Orozbekova) but in a nice way. $ Boulevard (Erkindik/Kievskaya)
compiler
Bishkek’s all-American (6)restaurant-cum-dance club Chuchuara Hoga (117, Chui) A small stylish restaurant, offering a refined atmo-
8 Criminal deception
has now gone a little (11)but wild
more up-market, With this Chinese restaurant, a little out of the way and sphere, delicious cakes and wi-fi internet. By Bishkek
nights are still to be had. Dig in to a kilo of chicken rarely visited by tourists, you really feel you are get- standards, the service is usually excellent. $$$$
14 Crop
wings and then gathering (7) $$$
hit the dance floor. ting the real deal. Request a хого (your own personal
Captain Nemo’s (14, Togolok Moldo)
15 Alley — corridor (7)
Hollywood* (Druzhba/Sovietskaya)
Chinese boiling-pot) and randomly select a variety of
Small nautically themed restaurant with a selection
unusual Chinese delicacies to throw in. Beware, the
16you
As Tap forprobably
would barrelguess,
(6) decorated with ‘spicy’ sauce, although delicious, may leave delicate
of evocatively named dishes including ‘Fish from the
17 Decay
movie posters, of timber
photos caused
of cinema icons by
and a
stomachs in some distress several hours later - con-
ship’s boy’ and ‘Tongue from the boatswain’s wife’.
bunch of American kitsch. Hollywood is popular Cosy wooden interior and porthole style windows
with afungus (3,3)and is usually packed from sider the ‘not-spicy’ sauce as a suitable alternative $$
m younger crowd create a hybrid underwater log cabin experience.
19 Take onwards.
mid-evening a dip (5)A fun place for a few drinks Peking Duck I & II Spirits, cocktails and a good business lunch. $$$
before heading off to the clubs. $$ (Soviet/Druzhba & Chui/Tog. Mol.)
7) 21 Thin crisp biscuit (5) Huge portions to feed even the biggest of glut- Coffee House (9, Manas & Togolok Moldo/Ryskulova)
Metro* (133, Chui) tons and an English language menu that provides Treat yourself to some of the finest coffee and
In the impressive
Want more? Access location
overof4,000
a former theatre,
archive Met-
puzzles plenty of amusing translations. Dancing occasion- cakes Bishkek has to offer at the imaginatively
ro
at remains the première drinking hole for ex-pats.
guardian.co.uk/crossword. ally kicks off on more raucous evenings. $$ named ‘Coffee House’, a cosy boutique café with a
) AStuck?
high ceiling, a long
Then call ourbar and friendly
solutions line onstaff compli-
09068
Dungan European flavour. Curl up and read a book, or just
ment a good
338 248. Tex-Mex
Calls cost 60p menu
perand a wide
minute selection
at all times. drop in for a caffeine hit and a chocolate fix. $$$
of drinks. Metro is one
Service supplied by ATS. of the best bets for catch- Hui Min (Pravda/Frunze)
) ing sporting events on TV, although
Buy 10 great Guardian puzzle books for onlythanks to the A former favourite, we have been told that Hui Concord (Alatoo Square)
s hideously
£20 inc p&plate(save
kickoff timesVisit
£40). for Champions
guardianbooks. League Min has now relocated to the Hotel Dostuk. Ap- Waiting staff dressed as airline stewards and an in-
football matches, don’t
co.uk or call 0870 836 0749 count on the staff waiting parently the menu has been revamped and the terior featuring some aeronautical paraphernalia
up unless it’s a big one. $$$ prices increased. The Spektator will be checking it attempt to lend a little glamour to this small diner
Solution
Answers nomonth’s
to this 12,206 crossword out soon. We hope they still serve the special Dun- just off Ala-too Square. Good, cheap food and fur-
gan tea, as it’s rather good. ther deals for lunch during midweek make this a
P L O U G H C A N T O popular spot during the daytime. $$
O P R O A N Georgian
Cosmo Bar* (Sovietska/Toktogul)
B L I T H E S P I R I T Mimino (27, Kievskaya) Board the sweet smelling elevator, ascend to the
I I A S R I -Mimino is nice, cosy and serves up bowl-fulls of top-floor Cosmo Bar and splash the cash with your
steaming, hearty Georgian fare with pomegranate
I T E M T A P E WO R M seeds a-plenty. We recommend the Georgian cheese
fellow free-spending cosmonauts. Elegant interi-
or, plush sofas, fancy drinks and pretty waitresses.
I U D A W E bread and anything that’s served in a pot. Watch out Huzzah! $$$$
C OM P A C T D I S C for Uncle Joe at the door. $$$
Y R N E O L German Doka Pizza* (153, Kievskaya)
More sexed up than its Akhunbaeva sister bar,
E N G I N E E R N O O N Steinbrau* (5, Gerzena) there’s a strip bar downstairs, Doka Kievskaya is
L A A N E U Don your beer drinking trousers and head down to often a post-party chillout venue for Bishkek’s
L E N G T H I N S I D E Bishkek’s take on a Bavarian-style beer hall. They brew young, rich kids. Enjoy the good food, the lively
their own stuff - such a relief from the insipid bilge vibe, and the coquettish waitresses – just don’t
O I T T C E that’s normally sold as lager. Compliment your pint break your beer glass, there’s a stiff fine. Also
W A C K Y B Y WO R D with a plate of German sausage with sauerkraut. $$$ non-stop. $$$

www.thespektator.co.uk July 2009 The Spektator

 22 Bars, Restaurants & Clubs
Dillinger* (Gorky/Tynystanova) Navigator (103, Moskovskaya) Cyclone (136, Chui)
Glamorous VIP complex including a restaurant, A pricey, but pleasant place to while away an af- Smart Italian restaurant with plush interior, effi-
bar and casino. A decedantly decorated and per- ternoon. Sit in the bar area over a beer or lounge cient, polite serving staff and a warm atmosphere
culiarly endearing homage to the notorious bank in the airy non-smoking conservatory. Attentive to alleviate Bishkek’s winter chills. Pasta dishes
robber - we’re sure he would appreciate it. $$$$ service and a refreshing selection of salads, a good stand out among a menu of traditional Italian fa-
place for a light, healthy lunch when fat and grease vourites. $$$
Fatboy’s* (Chui/Tynastanova) are getting you down. $$$$
Civilised, friendly cafe bang in the middle of town Dolce Vita (116a, Akhunbaeva)
Stary Edgar’s* (15, Panfilova)
and a popular ex-pat meeting point. Sensible spot for Cosy Italian restaurant with smiling waitresses
conversation, but if you’re alone there’s a mini-library
The concrete monstrosity of the Russian Theatre con- serving excellent pizza. Also serves salads and Eu-
to peruse (although literary classics are thin on the
ceals one of Bishkek’s finest attempts at a cosy base- ropean cuisine. Small terrace outside for summer-
ground). Check out the American pancakes for break-ment bar. Friendly staff, a decent menu and a collection time dining. $$
fast, top marks. (Undergoing refurbishment) $$$ of old bits and bobs decorating the walls make Edgar’s
Four Seasons (116a, Tynystanova)
an attractive alternative to the city’s mainstream cafés. Japanese
A blues band plays most nights and a pianist adds a
One of the poshest places to eat out in Bishkek.
romantic ambience on some Sunday evenings. $$$ Aoyama (93, Toktogula)
Elegant, yet modern interior and polite service.
Elegant sushi joint frequented by serious looking
Great place to splash out on a special occasion or Sky Bar* (Razzakova/Moskovskaya)
suited-types concluding their latest dodgy deals.
just for the hell of it. $$$$ Sky Bar opened only recently on the eleventh floor The food’s excellent though - if you can scrape to-
Griffon (Microregion 7) of a highrise but it already seems to have taken off gether enough soms. $$$$
A cosy log-cabin affair with a large meat-roasting - popular with a trendy crowd on most evenings.
central fireplace. On one disturbing occasion the The windows offer fine views of the city, although Watari (Shevchenko, Frunze)
waiting staff were about as plesant as a bunch of wouldn’t it be better if they faced the mountains A small Japanese-owned restaurant that serves su-
chavs, but hopefully that was a passing phase. rather than the grey sprawl of Bishkek? Decent shi as well as dishes with a more indian flavour. The
food, even if the menu isn’t overly adventurous refined atmosphere makes it ideal for a business
$$$$ meeting or just a sophisticated night out $$$
Used English Books for Sale! U Mazaya (Behind ‘Zaks’ on Sovietskaya)
Authors available include: Baldwin, Bryson, Possibly Central Asia’s only rabbit themed restaurant. Korean
Camus, Childers, Dostoyevsky, Hemingway, Descend into this underground warren and tuck in.
Also check out the fairy-light adorned flagship sister- Petel (52, Zhykeeva Pudovkin)
Greene, Kazantzakis, Le Fanu, Murakami, Operating in the back room of a Korean family’s
rabbit-restaurant in Asenbai micro region. $$$
Nietzsche, Orwell, Pelevin, Poe, Sebald, house, this is Korean style home-cooking at its most
Zamyatin and many more! Vavilon (Microregion 7) personal. Closed on Sunday. Ring: 0543 922539 $$
Finely presented dishes, reasonably priced beer (60
All titles 100 som. For a full list email: Santa Maria (217, Chui)
cacartoons@gmail.com som) genuinely friendly and attentive service and a
Plush Korean restaurant offering Eastern favou-
music playlist that mixes up a bit of soul, jazz, swing
rites, including exciting Korean barbecues where
Jam* (179, Toktogula) and classical tracks played at just the right volume.
you get to cook your own dinner, plus an extensive
An underground oasis of cool. Jam is a cafe with Live music from 8-ish on most evenings. Definitely
European menu. $$$
a full menu and a lounge bar atmosphere, open worth the trek out to the suburbs ( tell your taxi driv-
till 3am . $$$$ er to turn left at the yuzhniy vorota and head towards
Jumanji (Behind the circus)
Asenbai for about 1.5km) $$$ Lebanese
It’s strange. This place is decorated with fake jun- Veranda* (Gorky/Soviet. Vefa Centre roof )
Beirut (Shevchenko/Frunze)
gle foliage and is based on a crap kids’ film yet still Wow, what a view. Eat rather decent international
Now in a new location, Beirut continues to serve
sort of works. You also get to roll a pair of Jumanji cuisine whilst taking in a superb view of the moun-
enticing Lebanese goodies including falaffle, hu-
dice before you order for the chance to win a spe- tains from the 4th floor terrace above the Vefa centre.
mus, and tasty little meat pie things. $$$
cial secret prize - we like this. $$$ A great place for some outdoor summer dining.
$$$$
Live Bar* (Kulatova/Pravda - near Ibiza club ) Moldovan
Twenty-four hour sports bar with live music at
weekends. Plenty of leather couches provide the
Indian Moldova Restaurant (Kievskaya/Turusbekova)
ideal place to sip cocktails whilst watching the The Host (Sovietskaya, opposite the Hyatt) If it’s been a while since you last went out for a
Champions league at three in the morning. $$$$ A varied and interesting menu including fine In- Moldovan, this wooden paneled, sturdy-tabled ea-
dian food make this place a real treat. On midweek tery may be the answer to your prayers. Also, the
Lounge Bar* (338a, Frunze) Moldovan Embassy is next door should you care
One of our favourite places to drink in the Sum- days there are also several excellent business lunch to learn more about the world’s favourite budget-
mertime, when we can afford it. Outdoor balcony- deals offering a soup, salad, main course and des- wine exporting country. $$$
cum-terrace high above the street with slouch- sert for 250-350 som. A real stand out and a Spe-
couches and fine veiws of the circus - which you ktator favourite! $$$$
can sometimes smell in hot weather. Nice. $$$ Regional/Central Asian
Meri (33, Gorkova)
Italian Arabica* (Sovietskaya/Kulatova)
In the summer months, Meri has one of the prettiest Adriatico (219, Chui) Descend the steps into an aromatic cloud of hooka
dining areas in Bishkek. International cuisine served 24 Classy restaurant with it’s own Italian chef. Great smoke. The music’s normally reasonably decent
hours a day, more lively nights see jiving on the dance pizza, improved service, and a fine selection of chilled out sort of stuff, the food’s good, and the

Spektator
floor to all your favourite Kyrgyz pop tunes. $$$ pasta dishes. $$$ waitresses smile. At me, anyway. $$$
THE

.co.uk
Find the best bars in town with the Spektator and thespektator.co.uk

July 2009 The Spektator www.thespektator.co.uk

 Bars, Restaurants & Clubs 23
Arzu-II (Sovietskaya/Lev Tolstoy bridge)
Twenty-four hour joint that’s a godsend for those
Turkish Arbat (9, Karl Marks)
Tel. 512094; 512087
who get cravings for lagman or manty at four in Carlson (166, Sovietskaya) Smart ‘elite’ club popular with a slightly older
the morning. Sometimes smoking isn’t allowed, A good outdoor terrace and some hearty food, but crowd. Strip bar and restaurant in same building.
sometimes it is, however the food and prices are the Karaoke style crooners whop provide evening (Entrance charge 200/350 som midweek, 350/450
constantly pretty good. Comfy booth style seats entertainment are an acquired taste. $$ som Fri/Sat. Strip bar 700 som)
to dig yourself into after a heavy night. $$ Ibrahim (Gorkova/Oshskaya) City Club (85/1, Zhukeyeva-Pudovkina)
Arzu-I (Togolok Moldo, next to the stadium) Several dining rooms including private booths and Tel. 511513; 510581
Offers a hearty selection of Kyrgyz and European a covered outdoor terrace with an extravagant wa- So exclusive it makes the Spektator crowd feel like
dishes and a homely atmosphere. It’s probably a terfall fountain to help you keep cool while tucking cheap scum bags, City Club is one of the posh-
little too chilly for al fresco dining these days, but into your kebabs in the summer. $$ est clubs in town. Get past the ‘face control’ (ugly
there’s also a great outdoor terrace. $$ Konak (Sovietskaya/Gorkova) people beware) and spend your evening with
Forel (Vorentsovka village) This Turkish joint used to be ‘Restaurant Camelot’ gangster types, lecherous diplomats, Kazakh busi-
Twenty minutes outside of Bishkek, Forel is a fish- hence the incongruous suits of armour in the back nessmen and a posse of young rich kids who all
based ‘relaxation centre’ set amongst babbling room, and the rather crappy castle facade. However, seem to have studied in London. (Entrance charge:
streams and offering fine veiws of the mountains. Fish the food is often great, the salads are large and fresh, girls 200/boys 300, Fri/Sat girls 300/boys 500
your own trout out of a pool and have it deep fat fried and the staff are always pleasant. Recommended! Golden Bull (Chui/Togolok Moldo)
for your pleasure. Only salads, bread, tea and juice are (And now open 24 hours a day) $$ Tel. 620131
sold on site but you are welcome to bring any booze
or garnish you desire, it’s also possible to rent a BBQ. Night A Bishkek institution. Full of ex-pats and tourists

To get there take a taxi to Vorentsovka village and, if
your taxi driver doesn’t know the exact location, ask a
friendly villager. Trout is 800som/kilo $$$
Jalalabad (Togolok Moldo/Kievskaya)
Basically the cheapest food (that won’t give you gut
rot) in the centre of town. While it should stand out
for its fresh lagman, Jalalabad is sometimes over-
looked. Probably at its best in summer, when the
shashlyk masters flanking the entrance offer their
creations straight to guests sitting at Eastern-style
tables – cross your legs and see how long you can
last before cramp sets in. $
Jetigen (Gorky/Logvinenko)
A new place offering European cuisine as well as
the usual local specials. Stands out for it’s deli-
cious lagman, fresh lepyoshka bread, and attentive
service. $
Smile (Chui/Sovietskaya)
Despite the name, you’ll be lucky to see one on the the dancefloor cost 1000 som but include drinks up
waitresses face. Nevertheless, if it’s decent cheap to this value. (Entrance charge 200-400 som)
food you’re after, this isn’t a bad place to look. The
eggs are just as good as those at Fatboys next door, Fire & Ice (Tynystanova/Erkindik)
and half the price. Think about it. $
Syrian
Damashq (54, Manas - opposite the Humanities Uni)
See a full review of Damashq in this month’s Out
& About section!
Russian/Ukrainian
Pirogoff-Vodkin (Kievskaya/Togolok Moldo)
Classy restaurant with a turn of the 20th century
atmosphere serving Russian specialities. $$$
Khutoryanka (Sovietskaya/Lev Tolstoy bridge)
Unassuming, to put it mildly, on the outside, this
place is a revelation on the inside. Delicious food,
reasonable service, Ukrainian brass band music
on the cd player. We love it! $$$
Taras Bulba (Near the Yuzhniy Vorota on Sovietskaya)
Like all the Ukrainian restaurants we’ve tried in
Bishkek, Taras Bulba serves great food. We liked
the potato pancakes with caviar, the delicious
soups and fresh salads. $$$
Zaporyzhia (9, Prospect Mira)
Recently opened, Zaporyzhia is a cossack fla-
voured restauraunt in a varnish-scented log cab-
in. Hearty rustic dishes and a homely atmosphere.
Recommended! $$$
Clubs
literally every night of the week. Long bar, friendly
staff, cheapish beer, everyone’s happy. (Entrance
charge [girls/boys] free/400 midweek, 150/400 Fri/
Sat. ‘Foreigners’ free.)
There are some Bishkek old-hands who say that
Ibiza (9, Kulatova)
things aren’t what they used to be when it comes
A cavernous space with a large dance floor. Danc-
to nightlife in Bishkek. They talk of legendary nights
ers suspended on platforms 15 feet above the
of carnage, vomit, and debauchery - delights that
floor, strobe lighting, smoke machines and bang-
contemporary Bishkek struggles to offer.
ing dance tunes. Bishkek’s (half-arsed) attempt
Not so, we say. Take your pick from the list below
to create a little bit of the party island. Efforts to
and we’re sure there’s still enough carnage, vomit
negotiate a cheaper entrance fee are futile. (En-
and debauchery in town to keep everyone happy.
trance charge 350-400 som)
Diskoklubs Retro Metro (24, Mira)
Heaven (Frunze/Pravda - in the Hotel Dostuk) www.retrometro.kg
As Heaven is found inside a hotel it is surprisingly Bright, happy, 80’s kitsch bar, the DJ spins his rec-
unseedy. In fact it stands out for being a bastion of ords from inside the front of a VW camper van. One
the well-dressed (if one is generous). Turn up in tat- of the most popular places for post-2am partying.
ty jeans and a t-shirt and you may feel a little out of (Entrance charge: 200/300 som midweek, 350/450
place; then again, you may not give a shit. Tables by som Fri/Sat. Reservation price 200 som)
Live Music
Promzona (16, Cholpon-Atinskaya)
A slightly grittier version of Golden Bull. Again, for- www.promzona.kg
eigners can often get in for free. Popular through- Promzona’s far-flung location sadly means a taxi
out the week. (Entrance ‘foreigners’ free) ride or a long walk home are in order at the end
of a night. Nevertheless, this trendy live music
Pharoah (East side of the Philharmonic) venue has a lot going for it: good bands, an exten-
Shiny, lively ‘elite’ club, apparently popular with rich sive menu, and a hip industrial interior featuring,
kids. (Entrance charge 400-500 som) strangely, a wind tunnel fan, make this one of the
best nights out in Bishkek. Tuesday is Jazz night.
Infinity (Micro region 7) Rock or blues bands normally play at the week-
Yet to be investigated. Ask a taxi driver to take you ends. (Music charge 200-350 som)
to ‘Infinity’ (and beyond) in the 7th micro region.
It’s located way out near the hotel Jannat. Any re- Tequila Blues (Turesbekova/Engels)
ports would be welcome! (Entrance charge ?) Recently re-opened! A possible misnomer, the te-
quila is just fine, but the blues is pretty much non-ex-
Platinum (East side of the he Philharmonic)
istent. Young Russian studenty types mosh away the
Take a seat at the snazzy 360 degree bar and do bat-
nights to rock bands in an atmospheric underground
tle with some of Kyrgyzstan’s most convivial ‘elite’ for
bunker. Weekends are not for the fainthearted, or the
gold-digging temptresses. (Entrance charge 400-
claustrophobic. (Entrance charge 150 som)
500 som)
Zeppelin (43, Chui)
Apple (28, Manas) Zeppelin is in the same vein as Tequila Blues but
Fat, old, lecherous foreigners not welcome, this not quite so spit and sawdust. On the nights we’ve
place is for a younger cooler crowd. Multiple bars, visited, there’s been a line up of young rock or punk
large dance floor, friendly atmosphere. Thursday bands strutting their stuff, heavier beats seem to
usually a big night. (Entrance charge 100-300 som) go down best with the young Russian crowd. Full
restaurant menu.
Mojito (Micro region 12)
(Entrance charge 100-150 som)
Another place to be checked out. Do they actually
serve mojitos? Possibly. Is it a Hemingwayesque Live music also common at Stary Edgar’s and Bea-
club reminiscent of 1950s Havana? Probably not. tles Bar (see ‘bars/restaurants’)

www.thespektator.co.uk July 2009 The Spektator

 24 What’s On
July 18th
At Chabysh Horse Festival (Tajikistan)
Program includes:
- Long distance horse races
- Traditional horse games
- Poetry contests
- Concerts
- Handicrafts exhibition
- Yurt village
The festival will take place between Saturday, July
18 & Sunday, July 19 in Murghab (Gorno-Bada-
khshan, Tajikistan).
To book or to find out more information see
www.atchabysh.com
Festival of Kyrgyz National Cuisine
Karool-Dobo village, Chon-Kemin valley
The festival will feature a demonstration of cook-
ing, tasting of traditional courses from ancient
times, explanation of recipes and cooking meth-
ods as well as shows of traditional music and
national games.
Entrance cost: 600 som.
Price includes lunch and participation in all activities.
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
For all the Bishkek opera, ballet and concert
listings, check our frequently updated what’s
on listings at:
www.thespektator.co.uk
July 25th
Cleaning up Son-Kul Lake, Foklore Show Location: The outskirts of the Tash-Rabat Caravan-
and Games serai, Naryn oblast
Son Kul, Naryn oblast
Between the 25 and 26 July volunteers will be in-
vited to help clean up Son-Kul, the beautiful high-
altitude lake in Naryn oblast. The weekend won’t
be all hard work however! Volunteers will be treat-
ed to national group games (arkan tartmai, jooluk
tashtamai and others), a folklore show, a display
of felt-making and weaving, a song contest and a
campfire. Activities will take place on the northern
lakeshore (100 km from Kochkor Village).
Taking part is free!
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
Festival of Cuisine and Folklore
Location: Jeti-Ögüz Gorge (55km from Karakol).
The festival will feature a display of felt-making,
a contest of folklore groups (traditional music,
songs and dance), a national cuisine contest
(Dungan, Kyrgyz, Russian-Ukrainian, Tartar, Uigur-
Uzbek cuisines), and the possibility to hike in the
Kök-Jaiyk (Valley of Flowers).
Entrance: 300 som without transport or 400 som
with return transportation from Karakol. Price in-
cludes lunch and participation in all activities.
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
July 2009 The Spektator
August 1st
Festival of Falconry, Hunting Dogs and Kyrgyz National Wedding Ceremony
Unmissable Donkey Games Bel-Tam (southern lakeshore of Issyk-Kul)
Tamchy village (northern lakeshore of Issyk-Kul)
The festival will feature a demonstration of hunt-
ing with a golden eagle, a demonstration of taigan
hunting dogs, and a show of Kyrgyz national
games (ulak-tartysh and tyiyn-enmei) on donkeys
by children.
Entrance: 500 soms.
Price includes lunch and participation in all activities.
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
At Chabysh Horse Festival
Osh oblast
Program includes:
- Long distance horse races
- Traditional Kyrgyz horse games
- Poetry contests
- Concerts
- Handicrafts exhibition
- Yurt village
The festival will take place between Saturday,
August 1 & Sunday, August 2 in Lenine Peak (Osh
oblast, Kyrgyzstan).
To book or to find out more information see
www.atchabysh.com
August 6th
Festival of Kyrgyz National Ceremonies The Conservatory
and Traditions Jantosheva, 115
Concerts by students and professors.
The festival will feature a display of Kyrgyz na-
tional traditions and rites (including a wedding
ceremony, lying to the cradle of the baby, and
the celebration of a baby’s first steps), concerts
of national musical instruments and an excursion
to the Tash-Rabat Caravanserai - a remarkable
ancient building.
Entrance:650 som.
Price includes lunch and participation in all activities.
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
August 15th
Kyrgyz Kochu Festival
Location: Starting on the southern shore of Son-Kul
lake and finishing in Kurtka village.
The festival demonstrates the traditional annual
moving of households from a high-altitude moun-
tain pasture (jailoo) to valleys. There will also be
national games (kyz-kuumai, tyiyn-enmei, er-en-
ish etc), music and cuisine.,and an opportunity to
join in a demonstration of dismantling a yurt.
Entrance:650 som.
Price includes lunch and participation in all activities.
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
August 22nd
The festival includes a folklore show, a demon-
stration of the Kyrgyz national wedding ceremo-
ny with the escorting of a bride to a new nomad
camp, and the tasting of traditional cuisine.
Entrance:600 som.
Price includes lunch and participation in all activities.
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
August 30th
National Horse Games Festival
Sarala-Saz jailoo (65 km from Kochkor Village).
The festival will feature national horse games
such as ulak-tartysh, kyz-kuumai, tyiyn-enmei and
er-enish, as well as a folklore show and the oppor-
tunity to taste traditional Kyrgyz cuisine.
Entrance: 600 soms. Price includes lunch, partici-
pation in all activities, and transportation from
Kochkor – Sarala-Saz - Kochkor.
For more information and booking contact:
58, Gorkiy Street, Bishkek.
Phone: 312 44 33 31, 312 54 00 69
Mobile: 0772 57 02 67
Find out more at http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
Entertainment Directory
Tel: 479542
The Puppet Theatre
Sovietskaya/Michurina
Performances on Sundays at 11:00am.
Kyrgyz State Philharmonic
Chui Prospect, 253
Tel: 212262, 212235
Hours: 17:00-19:00 in summer
Tickets: 70-100 som (sometimes much more for
special performances)
Classical, traditional Kyrgyz, and pop concerts and
a variety of shows.
Russian Drama Theatre
Tynystanova, 122 (Situated in Oak Park)
Tel.: 662032, 621571
Hours: Mon-Sun, 10:00-18:00
Tickets 30-100 som
A range of local and international plays in Russian.
The Abdylas Maldybaev Opera and Ballet Theatre
Abdyrahmanova, 167
Tel: 661548; Tickets 50-300 som
The theatre has resident opera and ballet compa-
nies with occasional guest companies. The season
usually runs from autumn to spring but there are of-
ten performances at other times of the year as well.
The Kyrgyz Drama Theatre
Panfilov, 273 (behind the Government House)
Tel: 665802, 216958
Hours: 8:00-20:00 in summer
Tickets 20-200 som
The resident company performs a range of local
and international plays – performances are in Kyr-
gyz or Russian.
www.thespektator.co.uk
 City Map 25
Gva rdi a
aya Gvardia Molodaya
Molod

Jibek
Jolu
Kievskaya
THE MOUNTAINS

Chui
3

Engelsa
Lva Tolstogo

Toktogula
2
1
a n a s ave.
M
ve.
Manas a

Ryskulova
4 5

Jumabe
a n a s ave.
M

Kievskaya
Moskovskaya

Isanova

k
T. Abdymom
Map: Location guide
Isanova 6 Koenkozo
va
1. Tequila Blues
2. Metro Bar (American Pub)
Isanova 7 8
3. Watari Dvorets
Sporta
4. Zaporyzhian Nights
9 10

u
nov stadium
5. Coffe House (I)
old o
Togolok M
6. 2x2 Bar

Jibe
Michael Frunze
Spartak
7. Beta Stores Supermarket
8. Infinity Night Club
11

k Jo
9. Cyclone
Chui

13 12
Toktogula

10. Coffee House (II)

11. Adriatico
12. Santa Maria
ko
13. Cyclone Logvinen
Moskovskaya

14. New York Pizza 14 va

15. Cowboy
Orozbeko
16. National Museum 15

Juma

Baeto
Lva Tolstog

va
17. Navigator
18. Sky Bar
Orozbeko 16 Razzakov
a
Bokonbaeva

bek

va
19. Boulevard
20. Fatboy’s 18 Razzakov
a
17 19 Erkind
Abdym

21. Stary Edgars

Erkindik
Tugolbay

Michae

22. TSUM Department Store

23. The Host
21
omuno
o

24. Mimino
l Frunze

25. Arabica
a ova
26. KonakFatianov Tynystan
va

27. VEFA shopping Centre (& Veranda) ova 20 23

Tynystan YA
V E TSK A
SO
26 AYA
Circus

S OV E TSK
Chui

27 AYA
Kievskaya

OV
S 25E TSK 22 va
senbaev
a Shopoko
A. U
Toktogula
Lva

Shopoko
va 24
Pravda
a
Elebaev
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www.thespektator.com July 2009 The Spektator

 The Alpine Fund
About Us

Founded in 2000 by American climber Garth Willis, The Alpine Fund seeks to connect Kyrgyzstan’s two greatest resources - its youth and its
mountains. We are a small but very active organization. Our total budget is currently $1500 per month, yet our dedicated team is able to provide
education and mountains programs to about 40 youth each week. (how it all began)

What we do

We currently offer four integrated programs that combine experiential education in the mountains with more traditional lessons in the city:

Clouds at their Feet is the wilderness-education program that provides a weekly outing - hiking, trekking, climbing or camping. Participants
learn new skills and important environmental lessons. Imagine the change of perspective when an adolescent who has never left the concrete
walls of the city has the opportunity to literally climb high above their perceived limitations and look down upon where they once were.
The Alpine Club is the tutoring program located at the Alpine Fund office in Bishkek where children receive twice weekly assistance in learning
English and weekly lessons in computer skills. The Alpine Fund office has two computers accessible to its students.
Alpine Interns is an opportunity for young adults who have been involved in the previous two programs to share what they have learned with
younger students. By instructing and leading outings for younger students the Alpine Interns build up their own skill-sets. Increased self-confi-
dence and leadership abilities make Alpine Interns more employable in the tourism field.
The Alpine Learning Center is a cabin near Bishkek that serves as the staging area and launching point for Alpine Fund outings. Camping
participants often camp outside the cabin, enjoy breakfast from the kitchen and launch their own hiking ‘expeditions’ from this base camp. The
primary reason for using this cabin is to provide a safe shelter from the weather but children here are also able to learn independent living skills
such as preparing breakfast and maintaining good hygiene.

Help us out!

As we are a very small non-profit organization we always have to watch every dollar in our efforts to provide high quality education and moun-
tain experiences for our students. It is exactly this small nature, however, that ensures every donation directly supports our students. Check out
our website to learn how to make a donation:

www.alpinefund.org

The NCCR North-South is one of twenty National Centres of Competence

in Research implemented by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Cre-
ated in the understanding that development research and cooperation
are of primary concern to Switzerland, it currently comprises a network
of about 400 researchers worldwide.

The Central Asia partnership region comprises Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Work in this region has been particularly chal-
lenging as the highly specialised and disciplinary research tradition in-
herited from the Soviet period did not support integrated approaches,
methodologies and concepts. Since its inception in 2001, efforts by the
NCCR North-South and its local partners have had a major impact on
inter-institutional research collaboration within the region.

www.nccr-central-asia.org
 Karakol
Balykchy
28 Weekend The End
Quick crossword no 12,206
crossword quick quiz
1 2 3 4 5 6 1. Which mustachioed Gdansk
shipyard worker led Poland’s Soli-
darnosc movement and went on to
7 8
become the country’s President?
2. What was the name of the Nazi offic-
er who led a failed attempt to kill Hitler
with a suitcase bomb - a plot that has
9 10 11 recently been made into a movie star-
ring Scientology-weirdo Tom Cruise?
3. In engineering terms, what does
12 13 14 15
RPM stand for?
4. What do the following people have Down and out in Pristan Prezhevalsk
16 Pristan Prezhevalsk, nestled on the shore of Lake Is-
in common: Ryszard Siwiec, Jan Palach
and Thich Quang Duc? syk Kul’s Prezhevalsky Gulf, lies a short distance from
17 18 19 Karakol. According to our guidebook not only did it
5. Which two countries separated
boast a popular beach but it was also the home of
peacefully in the Velvet Revolution?
an old Soviet submarine base - the perfect place to
6. What was the name of Prince’s
20 21
first band? enact our plan of commandeering a rowing boat
Republic 6) The Revolution and taking a Sunday morning fishing excursion.
Bobbing around in a wooden boat and hauling in
as a protest 5) Slovakia and the Czech
fat trout from the sparkling blue water seemed an
all committed public self-immolation
22 23 excellent form of recuperation after several days
berg 3) Revolutions Per Minute 4) They
tramping up and down mountains.
Answers: 1) Lech Walesa 2) Von Stauffen-
Across
Answers to this PrintFreeSudokuPuzzles.com
13 Produced by natural
month’s crossword can be found on page 23
Our daytrip, however, quickly turned ugly. After
1 Agricultural implement PrintFreeSudokuPuzzles.com
Puzzle Set #C5718meansLevel: (7)
Challenging approaching a taxi driver in central Karakol we were
14 O soLevel:niceChallenging
(anag) — told 100 som would take us to our beach - but that
(6)
Across
Puzzle Set #C5718
playwright (7)
Sudoku
4 Section of poem (5) we would have to wait several minutes as he had
1 Agricultural implement (6) 15,16 Butterfly (in TOUGH
1951 film?) been booked by a female client, also intent on going
7 Joyful and unconcerned
(6)
4 Section of a poem (5) (7,6) 8 7 to the lake, who had yet to turn up. Cue an expect-
7 Joyful and unconcerned (6) 18 Smart (5)
8 Ghost (6) 8 7 ant three minute wait followed by an disagreeable
8 Ghost (6)
9 Two 9people? (4) 9 5 2 6
10 Parasite
Two people? (4)
in the gut (8) 9 5 2 6 fifteen minute journey, a smacked up Russian prosti-

12 Means
10 Parasite in the gut (8)
12 of recording sound 7 8 5 tute riding in the front seat and three slightly uncom-
Means of recording
(7,4) 17 Arrange - contrive (8)
sound (7,4) 7 8 5 fortable Englishmen riding in the back. Following
at guardian.co.uk/crossword.2 6 9
Want more? Access over 4,000 archive puzzles
some struggle we evaded our impressively undesir-
crossword clues

17 Arrange — contrive(4) (8)

19 Midday
19 Midday
(4)
20 Dimension (6) 2 6 9
Stuck? Then call our solutions line on 09068 able taxi-companion by asking to be dropped off at
6 2 3 8
338 248. Calls cost 60p per minute at all times.
20 Dimension (6) (6) Service supplied by ATS. the Prezhevalsky Museum a short distance before
21 In prison?
21 In prison? (6) - erratic (5)
22 Eccentric
Buy 10 great Guardian puzzle books for only 6 2 3 8 town, loitering at its gates until the battered brown
22 Eccentric
23 One—pointed
erraticat(5)
£20 inc p&p (save £40). Visit guardianbooks.
as exemplarco.uk
(6) or call 0870 836 0749 9 1 taxi had trundled a safe distance down the road. Sat-
23 One pointed at as Solution no 12,205 9 1 isfied with our escape, we began the downhill trudge
C U C U M B E R F R A3M E 8 4 9 5
exemplar
Down(6) towards the lake in search of the beach, leaving the
1 Prudent (7) A A O X O N3 N 8 4 9 5 museum attendant in a state of some confusion.
Down 2 Best possible (7) P I T S T O P 9R A G E D4 The guide book is correct, there is indeed a beach
1 Prudent
3 Big(7)
dog (5,4) W H E 9 E E E4 at Pristan Prezhevalsk, but it’s roughly one part fag
2 Best 4possible (7)
Piece of managed woodland Z (5)E A L P R E T O R5 I A 2 9 1 7 ends to two parts sand and the Hawaiian style para-
3 Big dog (5,4)
5 Gets less wide (7) E L C T E 5 V 2 9 1 7 A sols that form a soldierly line across the faggy shore-
4 Piece6of managed
Punctual (2,4) I N K P O T B L O T T O
A line are nothing more than twisted metal frames, the
woodland (5)
11 Fatherhood (9) T N R L AS
JUST H TOUGHU
5 Gets 13less wide (7)
Produced by natural means G(7)O L F C L U B N E A R original parasol covers seemingly blown away by a
E A E M 7 P S6 8 4 2 nuclear wind. And no-one would give us a boat.
14 O so
6 Punctual (2,4)
nice (anagram) - playwright (7)
I N T E R P E7 R T A6 I N 8 4 2 After wasting an hour of our lives, the ride out of
15,16 Butterfly
11 Fatherhood (9) (in 1951 film?) (7,6)
18 Smart (5)
S E T U O M I
6 7 Pristan Prezhevalsk was in a Uighur man’s taxi. The
T O R T O I S E S H E L L
6 7 only taxi driver I have met with fewer fingers than
3 9 5 thumbs. A nasty mishap with a Soviet torpedo per-
brainteasers 3 9 5 haps? It turned out that our chatty but somewhat
4 8 9 sour driver had used to work at the base and told us
I am a bird sound. 4 8 PrintFreeSudokuPuzzles.com9 nostalgia-laced tales of how his home town had once
Change one letter and I am an animal’s foot. 6 4
Puzzle Set #C5718 Level: Challenging [Key]

Change another letter and I am an animal sound. 6 4 thrived, how there had been a community spirit and
7 6 8 94 1 3 7 9 5 2 638 alittle sense of purpose. It was hard not to feel sorry for
6 9 2 8 4 3 5 1 7
Change a further letter and I am animal hair.
Change one final letter and I am a fibrous material. 7 6 8 97 8 5 2 1 6 4 933 Pristan Prezhevalsk as we wheeled away, the al-
What was I and what did I become? 2 6 9 1 3 8 7 4 5
1 painted
most poignant “Welcome to the beach dear guests!”
5 7 1 4 6 2 3 8 9
1 on a wonky concrete barrier and the stoic
9 1 61 3 756 8 84 9 5 2
3 4 8 9 5 7 6 2 1
There are four everyday words of nine letters in heavy-set Russian babushkas toiling in their veg-
length that begin with ‘C’ and contain ‘TEN’ in their 9 1 69 2 455 7 81 8 3 6 etable gardens. In the ‘closed zone’ across the bay,
exact centre. What are they? PrintFreeSudokuPuzzles.com 3 8 5 6 3 2 9 1 7 4 where the town’s obsolete submarine secrets are still
3
Puzzle Set #C5718 Level: Challenging [Key]
A

B
protected from nosy foreigners, motionless cranes
6 9 2 8 4 3 5 1 7 7 6 5 8 3 1 4 2 9
Using only the numbers and signs given, create a sum lean awkwardly above the surrounding treetops
4 1 3 7 9 5 2 6 8 8 1 2 9 6 4 3 5 B7
ANSWERS

where both sides are equal: 7 8 5 2 1 6 4 9 3 3 4 9 2 7 5 1 6 8 and remain in rusting memorial to a time when local
2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 12, –, x, x, /, ( ), ( ), =
2 6 9 1 3 8 7 4 5 4 2 8 1 5 3 9 7 6 people felt they had a part to play in upholding the
5 7 1 4 6 2 3 8 9
- 9 3 1 6 2 7 8 4 5 might of the Soviet fleet. These days, our taxi driver
Instructions, Tips, 3 4Answers,
8 9 5 7Reprints
6 2 1 & More
5 7 6Sudoku4 8 9 Puzzles
2 1 3 Online!
continued, there are no jobs, no prospects, no hope.
1 3 7 6 8 4 9 5 2
Answers to last month’s brainteasers Ra-di-en-ce; Instructions, 61 Tips, 6 8 4 5 9 2 7 3 1
Answers, Reprints & More Sudoku Puzzles Online!
9 2 4 5 7 1 8 3 6 2 9 3 7 1 6 5 8 4 A familiar and depressing sentiment to round off a
and 3.33’ - 8 5 6 3 2 9 1 7 4 1 5 7 3 4 8 6 9 2
A
rather dispiriting morning. B

July 2008 The Spektator 7 6 5 8 3 1 4 2 9 www.thespektator.com

8 1 2 9 6 4 3 5 7Instructions, Tips, Answers, Reprints & More Sudoku Puzzles Online!
3 4 9 2 7 5 1 6 8
4 2 8 1 5 3 9 7 6