Quick Observations on Kyrgyzstan

Happy and sad to be back in Vladimir from my extended vacation in Kyrgyzstan. Sad because classes start again and I'll have lost my freedom to roam and sleep in. Happy, surprisingly, to have Russian food again.

I'll have some good stories in the near future about trying to get an Uzbek visa and some of the strange and interesting people I met; for now, here are a couple of quick things I jotted down:

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When shaking hands to greet each other men touch the sides of their heads together.

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Manholes are often missing. Some of the drops are ten feet deep. Careful where you walk at night! (I was later told by a Kyrgyz girl that it was because people steal them for scrap.)

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Manure bricks are often used as fuel, especially in small towns and in the country. It has a particular smell when burning - sweet, muttony, muddy.

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Females receive straws when they order beer.

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At street stands and in shops you can buy single cigarettes (3som, ~7cents), pieces of gum out of a pack (1som, ~2cents) or plastic cups of vodka (10-15som, ~24-30cents). In Kochkor we saw a man walk into the market, order a plastic cup of vodka, and down the thing on the spot.

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Nick really, really likes seeing blood and guts.

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A single city block of Bishkek has more internet cafes then I've seen in my entire time in Russia.

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Of the three times I hitch hiked, each time was with Russians and two times it was after Kyrgyz drivers had asked exorbitant prices for the journey.

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There is a Russian military base in the city of Kant, outside of Bishkek. It's not named after the philosopher; it means "sugar" in Kyrgyz.