We left the school at about 3:30 and stopped downtown at a НАРОДНЫЙ (Narodni – a chain of small supermarkets) for snacks. It was going to be a long ride. We left the city by 4:15.
As we traveled east out of Bishkek, I am reminded just how poor this country is. Small ramshackle houses populate all the small villages. Many villages have several wells or water spigots for the community. You see people, young and old, walking to or from these water wells with large buckets or metal jugs to get the evening's water. You see horses and other livestock drinking from a bucket which is catching the water stream. Life is hard here for so many people.
At the same time, you see groups of young men playing with a soccer ball, or kids playing some game with rocks and sticks. I'm sure they are having as much fun as the people in other places who are playing X-box, or watching a movie, or blogging.
Anyway, by the time we reach the west end of Issyk-Kul, it is dark, so the lake is more of a large darkness off to the right. A few more hours and we're at the Caprice, checked in, by about 10:00pm. We made good time. The car stalled in Karakol (the city), perhaps due to cold weather and gelling diesel... perhaps for another reason. Anyway, we're glad to be here, and the place is very nice. You can see the chair lifts from the hotel windows. The hotel rents skis and boots right from the “Ski Room,” which is next to the “Cinema,” the “Spa,” and the “Billiards/Bowling” rooms. Feel free to take a look around...
The bedroom window... (it works)
The room itself... (it works)
The "Ski Room"... Very modern skis here.
One day rental - Skis: 450c, Boots 450c. ($10 each)
I think I rented the longest skis they had in stock - 176cm
The green/orange/white/black Elan Race GSRs at center.
The Signage... Always fun.
Thanks for looking around. We'll go skiing soon.
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