Hello, February in Kyrgyzstan! We got a tease of spring with one sunny day in the high 40s (err… 7 or 8 degrees C?), but as of this morning we were hurled back into the throes of the harsh (post-)Soviet winter.
I was bundled up in my office (aka, the couch) working on my lesson for tomorrow (composition!) when Farrell said:
“Oh snap! The coolest Lada just pulled in to the courtyard. Bright yellow, and it might be a station-wagon.”
Operation Throw-on-snow-clothes-and-rush-outside-with-camera-before-driver-returns-and-sees-creepy-foreign-girl-photographing-his-car was officially under way.
Sadly, it was not a station-wagon, but it was still awesome.
And no, we weren’t completely discreet, but I managed to get some photos of it anyway.
Overall, I’d say it was a success. And, you already know about my obsession with these adorable Soviet cars, right? No? Well, mosey on over to my Flickr set for shots of all sorts of brightly colored, beat-up, four-wheeled disasters from the roads of Bishkek.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Comparably to other former soviet countries, Kyrgyzstan has warm winter.
Lada stalking is one of my favorite post-Soviet hobbies: http://janesdailyblah.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-pictures-and-some-car-lust.html and http://www.flickr.com/photos/janekeeler/sets/72157625886436639/detail/ :-)
I’ve never heard of Ladas before. They are too cute!
@Kalys – Good thing I moved to Bishkek then, I don’t think I could handle a colder winter than this! I’m a total wuss about cold weather.
@Jane – cute!
@Dana – Glad I could share them with you :) I’m so tempted to get one except I hear they’re horrible cars to own! Breaking down all of the time, etc.
I found your blog because I was looking for info regarding how to use the toilets on Bulgarian buses. To be a bit more specific, another site link to yours. But why am I commenting here? My son in Baku, Azerbaijan is part owner of a mustard-coloured Lada, named The Colonel. It was recently stolen, but it has been returned. However it looks like it may have paid Bishkek a visit.
Since you are a Lada-lover, you might get a kick out of their Facebook page, the Lada Legend: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Lada-Legend/110890462268164
Another great country for spotting Ladas is Cuba. We just returned a week ago and the country is full of them!! We photographed many for our son. They use them for taxis.
We also suspect The Colonel may have paid Cuba a visit, as I am sure I spied him there. The old boy surely gets around!!
“I’m so tempted to get one except I hear they’re horrible cars to own! Breaking down all of the time, etc.”
We went there. Best thing we ever did. A 1980 Zhiguli VAZ-21011. It’s a work of Soviet art. And it has its own Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Lada-Legend/110890462268164
The Colonel, as it’s called, has done pretty much everything:
-been stolen (the current saga)
-appeared in a music video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkkyTw6B99g)
-been to the top of a mountain
-driven to the other side of Azerbaijan and back
-had the engine seize
-acted as a moving van
-used as a “trunk kitchen” for region bbqs
-etc.
The problems are what makes the car fun. If you can get 3 or 4 investors together, it cuts the repair costs down considerably. And think of the street cred you will have!
Muriel and Kent: that is amazing! The colonel sounds like a wonderful machine and it’s pushing me one step closer to possibly owning one. A friend here owned a Niva for a few short months (most of which were spent parked) before selling it because it needed so many constant repairs. I would definitely want one that’s brightly colored… and my husband knows a few things about cars. Maybe I can convince him, it would definitely give us street cred! How much did the colonel cost?
We (4 of us) put down $1200 US total for it. The used car market here is pretty expensive, given the quality you’re dealing with. Then we had another $800 or so in necessary repairs. Our latest round of repairs after the theft was another $800. Some of that we were going to do anyway, some was a result of the damage caused by the theft. I look at all the costs as a way of supporting a sector of the economy I wouldn’t otherwise be supporting.
Two things to remember if you’re thinking of buying:
1. Understand the ownership process. Here, you can get a power of attorney over a car, which gives you complete ownership rights, but doesn’t actually make you the owner of the car. This is by far the much easier option.
2.. Get the engine checked out by an engine master. Don’t just get a mechanic to come look at the car. Find and engine master specifically. He will be able to tell you what condition the engine is in. A mechanic is also necessary to ascertain the state of the body and such. Basically, just do your due diligence.
I think we’ve driven it a total of 5000 km, so I’d say we got our money’s worth. If anything, it is a constant source of entertainment.
Hope that helps!