Kyrgyzstan. Cholpan Ata to Karool-Dobo. Day 18. May 17th 2019.
It is the small conversations, as well as the big scenic moments that make travel so special.
Breakfast – 9.33am Kyrgiztan time – as we sat having with our coffee when the ebullient man at the next table – about to down clear liquid from a shot glass – looked over and said: “Don’t listen to the politicians we all just want peace”. Hear! Hear! We all toasted in agreement. This Russian man holidaying in Kyrgistan also shared a lesson we learn over and over in our travels. The politicians and politics of a country bear little resemblance to the generosity and universality of the people we meet wherever we go.
Before leaving Cholpan Ata we visited the Petroglyphs of Cholpon Ata near Issyk-Kul . What an incredible sight – acres of glacial stones and boulders – covering a huge area of about 42 hectares. Thought to have once been a large temple. On a number of stones throughout the field were paintings said to be 8th century BC to 5 century AD. Those of animals and hunting pics are the more easily recognisable. These included commonly Ibex (local mountain goat), hunters and the Snow Leopard.
Throughout the area larger structures included a border fence of stones delineating early tribal lands.
And throughout the field were stone circles of varying sizes, there function only to be guessed at.
Leaving, we passed a site that caught my eye – a well constructed square stone structure with a sign “Cash Register” on the top. An ancient machine or a modern imitation!
Following the lake, to its end, we were treated to wonderful views as the mountains framed the lake on both sides of us. At the end of the lake, we veered off through a gorge.
Police were sitting pulling over almost every car that came through – it is a law you must have headlights on full when travelling through the gorge.
A river came alongside the road – the Chon Kumen (also the name of the National Park) which forms a natural border with Kazakstan (Qazaqstan). The river gorge opened up onto a large green plain again bounded by snow-capped mountains on one side and sharp-angled green hills on the other. Finally turning off onto a small dirt road to the village – Karool-Dobo where we would be staying for the night.
There was a short delay while we tried to find the guest house along the dirt laneways, and the guest house owners tried to find us. Eventually meeting we arrived at a large community-based tourism (CBT) Guesthouse – Jekshen.
Our light-filled room was decorated with carpets, a large mural and inviting looking beds – every bit as comfortable as they looked. This immediately allayed Chris’s concerns about what he might be sleeping in – and that was before the welcome drink.
The Community Based Tourism industry in Kyrgistan has regional chapters this is the Chon-Kemin region. A national park named after the river running through the region.
Once settled in we were offered a welcome drink. Entering the large, heavily chandeliered, gold curtained, dining room we discovered was a feast accompanying a cup of tea. The feast included a large pastry – each one a similar crown-shape with a taste like a Crostini – quite delicious.
After lunch a walk up the hill behind the village where we were treated to views of the mountains still snow-capped. Along the way passing villages, homes, streams, cattle grazing, horsemen and young children expertly riding – even when their feet did not reach the stirrups.
It was insisted that we take a local guide and while reluctant at first as it seemed straightforward – local knowledge supporting local tourism afforded us a circular walk and variety of scenery we would not have managed to navigate on our own.
Dinner was even more lush than lunch. The table already groaning with food was quickly added to -salads, dishes of vegetables and large plates of Manti, a substantial but gentle dumpling filled with beef and onions encircled by a wrinkled fine sheet/dough wrapped around it. A taste sensation which encouraged overeating!!
Upstairs a young woman had just given birth and was beginning a 40 day settling in period with her baby. Remaining indoors and cared for by her family for the entire 40 days. For some, it may seem too confining, but for a new mother and baby, it sounds a wonderful way to begin.
