On a complete whim, I went to Kochkor with friends for the Women’s Day three-day-weekend. (You see, Women’s Day fell on a Tuesday this year, but for some reason, Kyrgyzstan felt it was still necessary to place it on a three-day-weekend. Solution? Saturday became a working day. I really do appreciate public holidays in Kyrgyzstan.)
First impressions are of a town bursting with brightly colored Ladas and friendly, smiling faces. It’s like the whole town has been coached on how to say, “Hello! What is your name?” and relishes the chance to yell it at any passing foreigner.
Just like my trip to Chon-Kemin in December, this weekend consisted of tea, bread, and jam in unending amounts, in addition to people watching, horseback riding, shyrdak searching, and salt buying.
A more detailed post is due, but with business bureaucracies, an upcoming 8-hour trip to Kazakhstan, and grading my photography students’ assignments, I can only post some of my favorite photos from the trip for now.