The family at Bokonbayev phoned a Community Based Tourism (CBT ) family in Kochkor and booked us in for a short stay there. We were greeted by a huge hug and wide smile from Ainura and her husband Dosumbek. Once we were settled in we were taken to the Chinese metal framed yurt in the garden and given tea, tomatoes and cucumber salad, and bread and jam or honey. It is customary to offer guests tea and food, a tradition from the nomadic days when passersby called in on families.
We had a huge room in the house and it looked like the two sons and parents slept in another part of the house. It seems common to have huge houses in two parts. It is like one is a summer house and the other a winter house. There are certainly two kitchens as well. We had a western flush toilet and 'rain shower' in a huge tiled room. The family used a long drop in the garden. We were able to use the automatic front loader washing machine to launder our clothes and dry them on the outside clothesline that straddled the potato patch.
Like many of the houses we have stayed in, there is a chemical smell in all the rooms. We figured that this was from the paint used to seal the timber floors as the timber is probably not treated against insects and dry rot. When it is freshly painted it is quite a strong smell causing headaches. Most timber floors are borrow or a red-brown colour, and then they are covered with huge mats. The walls are also covered with carpets, probably based on the way the yurt walls are also covered in carpet or felt mats.
We ate dinner in the yurt in the evening and the samovar sat on a metal tray on the table and Ainura served us several cups of tea all through dinner.
Preparing the samovar in the yard ready to put on the table. Reminded us of our parents thermettes.
Dinner was plov- a rice, carrot and mutton dish.
Part way through dinner Ainura and Dosumbek slipped out and changed into traditional dress and put on a little concert for us.
Ainura had both of us up to dance with her and Dosumbek uncovered a box he had with dancing deer that he said was for entertaining children. The deer were attached by a nylon thread to his fingers as he played the traditional three stringed instrument. Both were teachers so they are used to performing in front of people.
Their youngest son was home from studying mathematics at the university in Bishkek so he helped us using our phone and translator to communicate with the parents who had very little English and poor eyesight to read the translator. We only stayed one night with them as we had booked a driver and guide to take us to the mountains trekking so we were able to leave our bags with them until we returned. The oldest son, they called the doctor, studied dentistry in Bishkek.
A house in the street.
In the evenings, like in other places, we saw the young children meeting in the street pushing their siblings in strollers up and down.
We just packed our small day bags with enough gear for the hike. Mainly, a set of sleeping clothes and a set of walking clothes as well as warm and wet weather gear.
I will include a bit about our return after the walk so as not to repeat a posting from here.
There is not much in the town. It is a small place but a hive of industry when the families from the villages and jailoos (high summer meadow lands) come to stock up on supplies. There were several ATMs to get cash. Several tourism companies have small kiosks in the main street near the marshrukta and shared taxi stops. Once you visit them they take you a main office off the main road to discuss what you need.
We saw a man making bread and baking it outside a small shop. First a person at the back prepared the dough and shaped it. The dough was given to the baker who then dipped it in milk so it wouldn't stick to his padded dough holder. He then splashed some water on the top of the dough and then placed it on the sides of the clay oven to bake. After a few minutes he lifted it off with a scoop and it was ready for sale. Being traditionalists, most of the bread is made the same way and in the same shape. A loaf costs 30 cents NZ.
Next stop Song Kol Lake
We had a huge room in the house and it looked like the two sons and parents slept in another part of the house. It seems common to have huge houses in two parts. It is like one is a summer house and the other a winter house. There are certainly two kitchens as well. We had a western flush toilet and 'rain shower' in a huge tiled room. The family used a long drop in the garden. We were able to use the automatic front loader washing machine to launder our clothes and dry them on the outside clothesline that straddled the potato patch.
Like many of the houses we have stayed in, there is a chemical smell in all the rooms. We figured that this was from the paint used to seal the timber floors as the timber is probably not treated against insects and dry rot. When it is freshly painted it is quite a strong smell causing headaches. Most timber floors are borrow or a red-brown colour, and then they are covered with huge mats. The walls are also covered with carpets, probably based on the way the yurt walls are also covered in carpet or felt mats.
We ate dinner in the yurt in the evening and the samovar sat on a metal tray on the table and Ainura served us several cups of tea all through dinner.
Preparing the samovar in the yard ready to put on the table. Reminded us of our parents thermettes.
Dinner was plov- a rice, carrot and mutton dish.
Part way through dinner Ainura and Dosumbek slipped out and changed into traditional dress and put on a little concert for us.
Ainura had both of us up to dance with her and Dosumbek uncovered a box he had with dancing deer that he said was for entertaining children. The deer were attached by a nylon thread to his fingers as he played the traditional three stringed instrument. Both were teachers so they are used to performing in front of people.
Their youngest son was home from studying mathematics at the university in Bishkek so he helped us using our phone and translator to communicate with the parents who had very little English and poor eyesight to read the translator. We only stayed one night with them as we had booked a driver and guide to take us to the mountains trekking so we were able to leave our bags with them until we returned. The oldest son, they called the doctor, studied dentistry in Bishkek.
In the evenings, like in other places, we saw the young children meeting in the street pushing their siblings in strollers up and down.
We just packed our small day bags with enough gear for the hike. Mainly, a set of sleeping clothes and a set of walking clothes as well as warm and wet weather gear.
I will include a bit about our return after the walk so as not to repeat a posting from here.
There is not much in the town. It is a small place but a hive of industry when the families from the villages and jailoos (high summer meadow lands) come to stock up on supplies. There were several ATMs to get cash. Several tourism companies have small kiosks in the main street near the marshrukta and shared taxi stops. Once you visit them they take you a main office off the main road to discuss what you need.
We saw a man making bread and baking it outside a small shop. First a person at the back prepared the dough and shaped it. The dough was given to the baker who then dipped it in milk so it wouldn't stick to his padded dough holder. He then splashed some water on the top of the dough and then placed it on the sides of the clay oven to bake. After a few minutes he lifted it off with a scoop and it was ready for sale. Being traditionalists, most of the bread is made the same way and in the same shape. A loaf costs 30 cents NZ.
Next stop Song Kol Lake
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