Day 78. Bishkek

There are many similarities between Almaty and Bishkek. There are obvious ones like the spectacular mountain backdrops, they both are striving to become vibrant modern cities. They are quite tidy and clean with good roads and infrastructure.
If you delve a little deeper you see friendly, open people and modern commerce mixed with traditional traders. They have their issues with unemployment but it seems that they are trying.

There is not too much by way of tourist attractions to attract the hordes of tourists from the west, but if you like mountains for hiking or climbing or even just to look at them and enjoy the atmosphere you will be spoilt for choice.

This morning we had a wander around the Osh market, if you can’t find it here you don’t need it. I found jandals woohoo.

We then headed into the centre of town to some lovely parks with many statues of past civic leaders as well as Lenin and Marx of course. Beautifully manicured flower beds and fountains set a nice scene.

Karl Marx  and Friedrich Engels

A relic from the past.

We then found a real gem of a fine arts exhibition. Two pieces in particular caught our eye and we may have been much much lighter of pocket if they had been for sale but unfortunately niet.

A wonderful doll interpretation of St Patrick and then the most beautiful dandelion on a felted wall hanging. Just stunning.

The museum is a large and imposing building but unfortunately "closed for renovation"

When we were in Samarkand and first encountering the hot temperatures, we left our boots outside to air (they needed it) unfortunately the glue binding the sole to the upper on Robyn’s boots melted and they haven’t been the same since. So yesterday we tracked down a shoe mender or Remont Obuvi, thank you Google maps. A little old man in a tiny little workshop working with machinery older than he is. So he took the boots with a nod and a wink (and 200 Som- ) and said come back tomorrow at 4. So I quickly marked on the map where we actually are, so we could find our way back. Well we found the place ok but we were greeted with a padlocked door, completely our fault as we were running 10 minutes late. . Oh shit. 

We adjourned to the hotel where Diana and Dick were staying and had a nice afternoon in the pool followed by pizza and beer. 

When we got to our hotel the owner rang the shoe man and he agreed to come into town to let us have the boots but for an additional fee. It’s the least we could do. Our hotel owner and his family have been superb hosts and have gone the extra mile for us especially over this debacle. 

So we bid farewell and shiny side up to Dick and Diana, it has been a pleasure to have been in your company for a few days and to be officially inducted into “Team Kiwi”. A rare privilege.