61) I woke up early for sunrise in Bishkek. I love getting up early and walking around when it's quiet. Not even the drunks are up at 7am.
62) Plants like these produce hot water, heat and electricity for the city. They are all coal-powered so by late morning in winter the entire city is enveloped in smog.
63) Strong winds coming through Issyk-Kul in winter blow spray off the lake which freezes around grass blades...
I was on vacation for a month but I'm back now and have many photos to post
65) The abandoned amusement park in the town I live in, Balykchy
66) We took a trip to Naryn, the coldest oblast in Kyrgyzstan in January. It was beautiful and yes, very cold. This is one of several outdoor ice skating rinks, they are open 4, sometimes 5 months a year since it's so cold.
67) The animal bazaar in At-Bashy, Naryn. Hundreds gather here every Sunday to buy and sell horses, sheep, cows, etc.
68) A woman in At-Bashy helps a young lamb feed
Naryn is a really beautiful place and gets few tourists. I posted more about it here: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-YP
69) Winter in Kyrgyzstan is cold and snowy everywhere, if you don't like to be out in it winter will be a pretty depressing time. This is a shot of Issyk-Ata in winter from a camping trip
70) Balykchy, where I live is a pretty bizarre place. Riding my bike around the hills nearby I found a whole bunch of cow skulls.
71) As part of my work, I visit families who have built new greenhouses under a local project. This is one of the proud families in their greenhouse.
72) A two-day old lamb and his protective mother at a friend's house
73) I started a photo club for students in my town. Here's one of them working on getting an interesting shot
74) Another one of the kids in my photo club working on portraits
Ak-Tuz is rarely visited by tourists to Kyrgyzstan but it's not a beautiful valley, it has a fascinating history as well. During Soviet times, lead and other metals were discovered. During WWII, a massive amount of metals were mined, processed and turned into weapons. Active landmines and weapons stores still exist in the area. A lot more photos and info on Ak-Tuz: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-11S
75) Panorama from the end of Ak-Tuz Valley
76) Spring hiking is great in KG. Few people and the snow makes everything beautiful. Despite the cold, most places in KG don't get that much snow so hiking is not a problem.
Wow. This is lovely. Eurasia is a pretty underrated place I guess.
How is the safety angle. I am told eurasian countries have little street crime. Far better than eastern Europe
Wow. This is lovely. Eurasia is a pretty underrated place I guess.
How is the safety angle. I am told eurasian countries have little street crime. Far better than eastern Europe
Thanks, Kyrgyzstan is slowly attracting more tourists as is the rest of Central Asia and for good reason.
Overall, it's a safe place to visit as is Kazakhstan (I have not yet been to the rest of Central Asia.) The main problems are petty theft (pickpockets.) Most other problems are the result of people getting into trouble when drinking. There are also sometimes problems for women traveling alone but fewer problems statistically than India for example. Eastern Europe is actually very safe overall too. Really, most places are safer than people think.
Thanks! And yes, it's often cold. Winter is loooonnnggg in most of the country.
More photos....
Here are a few photos from Talas, the smallest and 2nd-least visited region of Kyrgyzstan by tourists. If you like off the beaten path travel, you'll find it here. It's beautiful like the rest of the country and you'll probably not see another tourist. A lot more photos from Talas here: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-12l
78) This proud herder picked up his favorite lamb and asked me to take a photo of him
79) The entry gate to Talas Oblast.
80) A shot from our attempt at climbing Peak Uchitel in Ala Archa National Park. My friends were tired so we didn't quite summit but it was a fantastic hike. This is a non-technical but high peak and close to the capitol city so worth checking out if you like challenging hikes: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-12J
81) A shot from Balykchy, where I live. The kids walking around are the students in my photo club.
82) During a field trip with my photo club, I took them to the botanical garden in Bishkek. We found this mostly-forgotten greenhouse which I learned was built by WWII German prisoners of war in the mid 1940's.
Wow that's quite a greenhouse. Too bad its so run down but certainly makes for an interesting photo.
Funny but while you think it looks run down I think it's amazing they've kept it working at all this long. My perception has changed so much after being here this long.
83) Tash Rabat is one of my favorite sites in Kyrgyzstan and also visited infrequently by tourists. The building used to be a combination inn, prison and market and is said to be haunted by locals.
84) Tash Rabat valley. One of my favorite spots in the country and a place you must see if you come. More from Tash Rabat: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-18H
85) During the 4th of July we hung out on the south shore of Issyk-Kul. Most tourists to KG are Russian and Kazakh and during the summer they swarm the north shore. Skip the north shore, go to the south.
86) Lightning frequents KG in summer. This is from the south shore of Issyk-Kul.
I've been pretty bad about updating this. I'm a bit bored here which is making me lazy...
These next five shots are from the best hike I've done in the country so far this past summer. It was a little sketchy since the intel we got wasn't so accurate and we ended up on a glacier unprepared way to late in the day. But it was worth it.
Some very well composed landscape shots here. Nicely done. Keep posting!
"Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53
Hi Eric, I just stumbled onto this thread and enjoyed browsing through your photos. From this last bunch I especially enjoyed #88 with the red lichen on the rocks in the stream. BTW, I also checked out both of your websites - you have a great sense of design. Luscious.
Hi Eric, I just stumbled onto this thread and enjoyed browsing through your photos. From this last bunch I especially enjoyed #88 with the red lichen on the rocks in the stream. BTW, I also checked out both of your websites - you have a great sense of design. Luscious.
Comments
62) Plants like these produce hot water, heat and electricity for the city. They are all coal-powered so by late morning in winter the entire city is enveloped in smog.
63) Strong winds coming through Issyk-Kul in winter blow spray off the lake which freezes around grass blades...
64) ... and benches
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
65) The abandoned amusement park in the town I live in, Balykchy
66) We took a trip to Naryn, the coldest oblast in Kyrgyzstan in January. It was beautiful and yes, very cold. This is one of several outdoor ice skating rinks, they are open 4, sometimes 5 months a year since it's so cold.
67) The animal bazaar in At-Bashy, Naryn. Hundreds gather here every Sunday to buy and sell horses, sheep, cows, etc.
68) A woman in At-Bashy helps a young lamb feed
Naryn is a really beautiful place and gets few tourists. I posted more about it here: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-YP
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
70) Balykchy, where I live is a pretty bizarre place. Riding my bike around the hills nearby I found a whole bunch of cow skulls.
71) As part of my work, I visit families who have built new greenhouses under a local project. This is one of the proud families in their greenhouse.
72) A two-day old lamb and his protective mother at a friend's house
73) I started a photo club for students in my town. Here's one of them working on getting an interesting shot
74) Another one of the kids in my photo club working on portraits
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
75) Panorama from the end of Ak-Tuz Valley
76) Spring hiking is great in KG. Few people and the snow makes everything beautiful. Despite the cold, most places in KG don't get that much snow so hiking is not a problem.
77) One more shot from Ak-Tuz
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
How is the safety angle. I am told eurasian countries have little street crime. Far better than eastern Europe
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Thanks, Kyrgyzstan is slowly attracting more tourists as is the rest of Central Asia and for good reason.
Overall, it's a safe place to visit as is Kazakhstan (I have not yet been to the rest of Central Asia.) The main problems are petty theft (pickpockets.) Most other problems are the result of people getting into trouble when drinking. There are also sometimes problems for women traveling alone but fewer problems statistically than India for example. Eastern Europe is actually very safe overall too. Really, most places are safer than people think.
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
Thanks! And yes, it's often cold. Winter is loooonnnggg in most of the country.
More photos....
Here are a few photos from Talas, the smallest and 2nd-least visited region of Kyrgyzstan by tourists. If you like off the beaten path travel, you'll find it here. It's beautiful like the rest of the country and you'll probably not see another tourist. A lot more photos from Talas here: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-12l
78) This proud herder picked up his favorite lamb and asked me to take a photo of him
79) The entry gate to Talas Oblast.
80) A shot from our attempt at climbing Peak Uchitel in Ala Archa National Park. My friends were tired so we didn't quite summit but it was a fantastic hike. This is a non-technical but high peak and close to the capitol city so worth checking out if you like challenging hikes: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-12J
81) A shot from Balykchy, where I live. The kids walking around are the students in my photo club.
82) During a field trip with my photo club, I took them to the botanical garden in Bishkek. We found this mostly-forgotten greenhouse which I learned was built by WWII German prisoners of war in the mid 1940's.
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
Thanks!
Funny but while you think it looks run down I think it's amazing they've kept it working at all this long. My perception has changed so much after being here this long.
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
84) Tash Rabat valley. One of my favorite spots in the country and a place you must see if you come. More from Tash Rabat: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-18H
85) During the 4th of July we hung out on the south shore of Issyk-Kul. Most tourists to KG are Russian and Kazakh and during the summer they swarm the north shore. Skip the north shore, go to the south.
86) Lightning frequents KG in summer. This is from the south shore of Issyk-Kul.
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
These next five shots are from the best hike I've done in the country so far this past summer. It was a little sketchy since the intel we got wasn't so accurate and we ended up on a glacier unprepared way to late in the day. But it was worth it.
87)
88)
89)
90)
91)
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
Cheers, Sara (former Seattleite!)
Thanks, and will do!
Thanks! (and I really miss Seattle right now...)
www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure