Archive sections: ‘For the Record’
As I review the news coming in from Egypt, reports and analysis, I see that reporters are making quite a few references to Kyrgyzstan. I suppose that is natural, and understandable, as yet another government faces outbursts of public discontent, with calls on the President and government to resign and the resulting disorder on the [...]
The Southern Ring road around Bishkek is named after Isa Akhunbaev, a notable Kyrgyz doctor and surgeon (who lived between 1908 and 1975). Akhunbaev is not well known today outside his native Kyrgyzstan – but he is held in very high regard amongst his own people – not only because of his achievements – but [...]
As I have been sitting nursing a bout of the flu, my mind has turned, (naturally), to medical matters … I have, for example, looked up symptoms and treatments, but I have also been thinking about the medical provision here in Kyrgyzstan. The travel advice for Kyrgyzstan from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office states: [...]
Balbals are small stone figures, (statues, statuettes), which are found scattered throughout the Steppes of Central Asia, (from North-western Mongolia to Turkey – the area between the Caspian and Black Seas), and in Northern Kyrgyzstan they are considered to be a feature. This may be because these enigmatic stone figures are a number of places [...]
I am aware that there has been a somewhat depressing turn to the postcards recently, in that there have been quite few references to deaths and funerals. I have mentioned several times that last year was the year of the “black tie”. It wasn’t just a case of the number of people that died in [...]
When I first came here I often ran into problems over names. Back in the UK, for example, as a school teacher, I would have “hit the roof” if one of my pupils had dared to call me Ian. The correct form of address is “Sir” or “Mr. Claytor”. The use of the given name [...]
I was watching the news on the TV the other day when an item caught my attention. It was about yet another anniversary … they are very hot on anniversaries here in Kyrgyzstan. This time it was marking the anniversary of the adoption of the State seal, or Gerp as it is known here, as [...]
One of the things I have met here in Kyrgyzstan that has always fascinated me is the fascination with celebrating almost any and every occasion possible. January 13th represents, perhaps, a classic example. It is a “holiday” known as Stariy Noviy God, (or “Old New Year”). It could the apparent contradiction in the name that [...]
In a postcard a few days ago I mentioned the fact that the Orthodox Cathedral of the Resurrection here in Bishkek has the tomb of St. Irakily – Kyrgyzstan’s only Saint. Actually, I was a bit unfair, because Kyrgyzstan may also be the final resting place of another Saint, with a much more grandiose claim [...]
One of the most difficult questions we get asked by clients is about tipping. Should they give a tip? And, if so, how much? Now, back in Britain, when I was growing up we never had a system of service charges imposed on the bill. In a restaurant, the price on the menu was what [...]
