With our unexpected guide in Osh
After a few relaxing days in Khujand, we crossed into Kyrgyzstan and spent 2 days in Osh before heading north towards Bishkek, the capital. An animal bazar and meeting a nice old man there were the highlights of the town, as the man spent almost all day with us showing us around, giving explanations... really good first impression of Kyrgyz people. It felt like Iran!
As you don't need visa to enter Kyrgyzstan, the border crossing from Tajikistan was the easiest one. No checkings, just a small stamp on the passport and you are free to spend a couple of months in the country. It should be like this everywhere!
The minibus we took in Isfara offered us to go all the way to Osh at a decent price, so we accepted and after a 4 hour drive through a quite good road we arrived in Osh. The way was pleasant and the first thing you notice in Kyrgyzstan is that there are mountains, a lot. And sheeps. Black ones. All the hills surrounding the road from the border to Osh were full of black sheep happily grazing. But the best of the trip was when, only a few kilometers before getting to Osh we came accross what it looked like some kind of horse festival.
Kokpar on the road to Osh
On the right hand side of the road, in a big open area, there were hundreds of horses being ridden, running together from one side to the other. It looked like a kind of sport and in fact it was. It was Kokpar, a Kyrgyz traditional sport consisting on playing a kind of polo but with a dead goat as a ball. Quite weird, eh?
The driver asked if we wanted to stop for a while and of course we accepted. We spent some half an hour watching that surreal activity and then back into the minibus for the last few kilometers till Osh.
The driver asked if we wanted to stop for a while and of course we accepted. We spent some half an hour watching that surreal activity and then back into the minibus for the last few kilometers till Osh.
Kokpar game
When we finally arrived in the city, the first thing was going to eat something, so we just jumped into the first place we saw and ordered a couple of samsas (a kind of samosa, a bread bun filled with meat and onion, quite tasty). From there, a marshrutka to the hotel, in this case Osh-Nuru Hotel. It looked like a decent hotel and it was really cheap, probably because they are renovating it and all the place is under construction. However, the room was comfy and we had a good sleep there.
It was already quite late and that day we just went to the ATM for some money (in Kyrgyzstan no problems at all, as most of the ATMs accept Visa and MasterCard) and to try to find a place to eat. This last activity was a bit difficult, as the only two places we found by the hotel were undergoing some wedding celebrations, so the only option was having dinner at the hotel restaurant, not very good but the only choice.
It was already quite late and that day we just went to the ATM for some money (in Kyrgyzstan no problems at all, as most of the ATMs accept Visa and MasterCard) and to try to find a place to eat. This last activity was a bit difficult, as the only two places we found by the hotel were undergoing some wedding celebrations, so the only option was having dinner at the hotel restaurant, not very good but the only choice.
Kyrgyz traditional hats at the bazar
The next day was Sunday. We had read on the Internet that there was an animal bazar somewhere in the outskirts of Osh. We asked in the hotel about it and they didn't know anything. Anyway, we decided to go to the place and check, and if there was nothing come back to Osh and visit a bit the city. After breakfast, we took the marshrutka 105 (we read about it on the net) and went all the way till the end. And bingo! We stopped right in the middle of the animal bazar. It was really impressive when we got off the vehicle. In a quite big area there were full of people, cars loaded with cows, sheeps and even horses and then a main gate to enter the bazar.
The animal market
By crossing the gate you get into the middle of the big thing. Full of people and full of animals on display waiting to be sold. There are three main areas: one for cows, another one for sheeps and the last one for horses. The place is bustling with activity and being the only tourist there, all the people were looking at us. We wandered around the place, in the middle of the people and the cows and in the middle of the shit, too. Yes, the ground is totally covered by animal droppings, so mind your shoes.
After a few time there and being the main attraction of the locals, an old man approached us and with a really good English offered to show us around. He explained us everything about the market, how much were the animals, took us to the horse section, told us to take pictures here and there... and finally told us to go with him to town, he would gave us a tour of the city.
After a few time there and being the main attraction of the locals, an old man approached us and with a really good English offered to show us around. He explained us everything about the market, how much were the animals, took us to the horse section, told us to take pictures here and there... and finally told us to go with him to town, he would gave us a tour of the city.
Making friends at the animal market
The man was in his 70s and he was a retired English teacher (that's why of his good English) and policemen. Now he was just hanging out in the animal market and as he was quite bored he decided to show us around.
We spent almost all day with him, going to have lunch (some shashlik), then going up to the mountain in the middle of Osh for some views of the city and finally to the main bazar. In the bazar he took us to some shops selling really nice and cheap souvenirs, so we got ourselves an ak-kalpak (traditional Kyrgyz hat), we walked around greeting a lot of people on the way (everybody knows the man, there) and we went for some more shashlik, this time with a bottle of local cognac he went to buy.
We spent the lunch time talking about his family, his past, Kyrgyzstan and stuff and when we finished he just wished us luck, and the oly thing he wanted in exchange for all the guidance was 100 soms. Yes, it was like experiencing Iranian hospitality again!
We spent almost all day with him, going to have lunch (some shashlik), then going up to the mountain in the middle of Osh for some views of the city and finally to the main bazar. In the bazar he took us to some shops selling really nice and cheap souvenirs, so we got ourselves an ak-kalpak (traditional Kyrgyz hat), we walked around greeting a lot of people on the way (everybody knows the man, there) and we went for some more shashlik, this time with a bottle of local cognac he went to buy.
We spent the lunch time talking about his family, his past, Kyrgyzstan and stuff and when we finished he just wished us luck, and the oly thing he wanted in exchange for all the guidance was 100 soms. Yes, it was like experiencing Iranian hospitality again!
After saying goodbye, we wandered a bit more in the bazar and then went to the other town's bazar to look for the place where to take a marshrutka to Bishkek the following day. The way from bazar to bazar was like a steeplechase, as the road was totally destroyed, with mud and potholes everywhere, so you really had to be careful walking.
We got to the marshrutkas place and asking around we met a driver who told us it was 1000 soms per person to go to Bishkek the following day, the trip should take 12 hours and he could just come at 10 in the morning and pick us up at the hotel. Great!
With everything planned, we went back to the hotel, had some dinner at the restaurant (yes, again the restaurants close to the hotel were celebrating weddings) and went to sleep.
We got to the marshrutkas place and asking around we met a driver who told us it was 1000 soms per person to go to Bishkek the following day, the trip should take 12 hours and he could just come at 10 in the morning and pick us up at the hotel. Great!
With everything planned, we went back to the hotel, had some dinner at the restaurant (yes, again the restaurants close to the hotel were celebrating weddings) and went to sleep.
Friendly people at Osh bazar
The next morning, before 10 the driver showed up at the room, we went down, jumped into the marshrutka together with 7 more people and started the trip to Bishkek, which should take us through scenic views crossing two mountain passes on the way.
The two days spent in Osh were good. Although Osh itself is nothing special, the animal market and especially the man we met made it a really good experience overall. Now we were just looking forward to arrive in Bishkek and spend at least 5 days there, resting, updating the web and celebrating a bit Christmas, although in all these ex-Soviet countries Christmas in on the 7th of January, not on the 25th of December.
You can now check our Osh travel guide in case you end up in this Kyrgyz town! Pictures coming soon!
The two days spent in Osh were good. Although Osh itself is nothing special, the animal market and especially the man we met made it a really good experience overall. Now we were just looking forward to arrive in Bishkek and spend at least 5 days there, resting, updating the web and celebrating a bit Christmas, although in all these ex-Soviet countries Christmas in on the 7th of January, not on the 25th of December.
You can now check our Osh travel guide in case you end up in this Kyrgyz town! Pictures coming soon!
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