Postcard from Bishkek

Raise your voice, not the sea level: This might seem strange slogan for a small landlocked mountainous country, in the center of the world’s largest continent – about as far as it is possible to be from the sea … but it is the official slogan for this year’s World Environment Day. On the other hand, World […]

Today, 29th April, happens to be International Dance Day … and has been ever since 1982 when the day was initiated by the International Theater Institute – one of UNESCO’s partner organizations – to “celebrate Dance, to revel in the universality of this art form, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and bring […]

Back in 1983, 18 April was endorsed as The International Day for Monuments and Sites by UNESCO. The aim of this special day is to raise public awareness concerning the diversity of the world’s heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as drawing attention to its vulnerability. It […]

The subject of my Postcard today might seem odd, coming from someone involved in Tourism and eager to attract visitors to the country … but: I believe that it’s important to face reality and describe the situation “as is” – “warts and all” – rather than trying to gloss over things that seem unpleasant or […]

When I was at school I got promoted – out of the Second Set for English into the Top Set.  I suppose I should have been proud … but it had it’s drawbacks. Apart from having to get used to a different teacher, not a minor issue in the lead up to the all important […]

On 24th March, 1907, a new institution opened its doors for business for the first time: the Pishpek Mutual Credit Society – Bishkek’s first local bank.  (At the time, Bishkek was called Pishkek.) Things have changed a lot since those days … Actually, There were other financial institutions around, which is understandable as Kyrgyzstan lay on […]

One of the fist Russian dishes I was served when I first came here back in the mid-90′s was a dish of Solyanka. This is a soup – which may be either Russian or Ukrainian in origin … no-one seems to know for sure – that is very popular throughout Russia and other former Soviet […]

We get some very strange questions from time to time … and one in particular sticks in my mind: “Can we get Pot Noodles in Bishkek?” For the record: Pot Noodle is a propriety brand of instant noodle – a snack food – available introduced into Britain by Golden Wonder in 1977.  They are available in a […]

To those of working in Tourism, today is an important day … it’s the International Day of the Guide. It’s not recognized as a Professional Holiday here in Kyrgyzstan, even though Tourism is considered to be a priority area for the Country Development Strategy.  Here the International Day of Tourism, (September 27th every year, as […]

For Thirteen days in 1918, nothing happened in Russia – nothing a all … nobody was born, nobody died, nobody got married or divorced … Well, that’s exactly true … but for all intents and purposes the first thirteen days of February just didn’t exist.  A Decree of the Council of People’s Commissars issued on […]