For those of us involved in tourism, we used to understand the acronym as World Tourism Organization – a UN agency which brought together the members of the United Nations to consider issues relating to one of the World’s major industries … but a few years ago we had to get used to a new acronym as it changed its name to UNWTO – The United Nations World Tourism Organization.

At the time we asked ourselves why on earth they would want do that – WTO is clear and simple, easy to remember and also rolls off the tongue.  The answer was simple … there was a “new kid on the block” that had lain claim to those three letters of the alphabet – the World Trade Organization.

Well, yesterday I came across a new WTO, (well new to me – it’s been around since 2001), the World Toilet Organization.  I kid you not!

The WTO was founded, as I said, in 2001 by a Singaporean, (Jack Sim), to lobby and work for sanitation work and development around the world.  They say that globally diarrhea is the leading cause of death in the world today – killing more people than have been killed in all the conflicts in the last century.  An estimated 2.6 billion (yes, billion) people – including 980 million children – do not have access to basic sanitation in the world today.

They currently have 235 members, in 58 different countries – either professional individuals or organizations working in the field.  Unfortunately they don’t have members in Kyrgyzstan … which is not renowned for the quality of its toilets.

Toilets, and in particular public toilets, are a common topic of conversation amongst visitors to the country, whether they be tourists or consultants, and they represent one area of the infrastructure where the Kyrgyz Republic really needs to invest.  Indeed, there has been a lot of comment and controversy on this topic in recent years … led by the previous Japanese ambassador to the country who raised the topic at almost any and every opportunity.

At first there was embarrassed laughter, but as time passed people came to realise that, in the words of a former Prince of Wales, “Something must be done”, and the controversy stirred up so publicly by the Japanese ambassador has finally begun to have an effect.  There have been suggestions that anyone wanting to open new roadside service stations will have to provide special facilities and as part of the reconstruction of the Bishkek-Naryn-Torugart road there are plans to construct new facilities.

The events in the south of Kyrgyzstan have also been a stimulus for action, with doctors receiving extra training on how to deal with diarrhoea and other ailments that arise from poor sanitation – an issue which arisen as a result of the destruction of so much property over the summer.

They may not be the worst toilets in the world – but public toilets are “few and far between” … and in many cases, (especially outside the cities), will be of the “squat” variety which are unfamiliar and unpopular in the West.  Even these come in different forms … some may simply be a hole in the ground.  Almost all smell unpleasant.

Even where one finds pedestal toilets, the conditions may leave a lot be desired.  For example there may no toilet seat – or no  door to the cubicle.

Toilets in CBT, (Community Based Tourism), accommodation are normally clean and reasonable, usually with lighting available at night – it’s one of the conditions for inclusion in the scheme.

Where there are public toilets, for example in the cities, or at a roadside, then there is usually a fee collected by someone sitting outside with a stock of toilet paper, (but it won’t be “soft tissue”).  I’ve learned that it is a good idea to carry some spare tissues or paper serviettes with me on a long jouney.  However, such ”platnaya” toilets should be cleaner than others .

a “Gents” is usually denoted by the letter “M” and …
a “Ladies” by the Cyrillic letter “Ж”  … )|(

Sorry, but that’s how it is.

Anyway, the WTO declared the day of their founding, (19th November), as World Toilet Day as a way to focus attention on the issue.  That’s how it came to my attention on Friday.

As far as I am aware the day hasn’t been adopted by the UN, although the organization works with several UN agencies along with other donors, on a variety of projects around the world.  This year they organized some 30-odd events around the world – in 17 different countries – to commemorate the day: Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Nepal, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, the UK,  the US and Zambia.)

Unfortunately, Kyrgyzstan wasn’t on that list, but as the list seems to change from year to year, (Last year there were events in 20 different countries) …  maybe next year.

For those who are interested, you can find out more about the WTO at: http://www.worldtoilet.org/ and about World Toilet Day at: http://www.worldtoilet.org/wtd/share.asp

That’s not to say that I don’t know any Kyrgyz … I have a smattering of a words and phrases which I try to trot out at appropriate moments.

On Sunday, there was one phrase which I heard over and over again – and which I had no trouble recognizing : “On jill”, which means “Ten years”.

I had been invited by CBT Kochkor to attend a Banquet to celebrate ten years since the local group was established.  The group was established in 2000 and for the first three years was supported by the Swiss Development Agency, Helvetas.  From 2003, when the Swiss project ended, they have existed as a self-sufficient organization, growing from just a handful of individuals to a group combining over forty full members and over a hundred active people who provide a variety of tour services in the village and surroundings: guides and drivers, landladies of homestays and yurts providing Bed and Breakfast accommodation, horsemen, craftsmen and women, and the like.

The Kochkor group is a member of the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association, (KCBTA), and is one of the most active and thriving groups in the country.  As well as providing a variety of services, they also run a local Tourist Information Office.  They say that “imitation is the best form of flattery, well, the Kochkor CBT group has been so successful that it has been the model for other groups around the country – and Kochkor, itself, is the home of several similar groups run on similar lines.

Indeed, Kyrgyzstan’s Community Based Tourism programme has been recognized as a great success both within the country, and abroad.  It’s been copied, (and adapted), by other countries in the region and the subject of studies and marketing campaigns in both the former Soviet Union and further abroad under a variety of names such as Rural Tourism and Village Tourism, as well as the traditional name: CBT.

Now, I have a lot of time for CBT.  It seems to me that they offer a great service, and help bring many of the much vaunted advantages of tourism to the people in some of the country’s most remote and poorest regions – helping provide additional income and workplaces as well as opening up parts of the country which would otherwise be difficult for tourists to visit, if not actually inaccessible.  As a result, I was delighted to be able to accept the invitation and agree to give a small speech at the event.

Kochkor is on the way to Naryn, and I pass through it every month on my up to the Guesthouse that we have there, so I knew the journey well.  We left slightly later than usual as the event was due to start at one o’clock – and by then we are normally in Naryn and getting down to work.  I quite welcomed the later start as it gave me a chance to catch up on a few things in the office before we left.

At this time of year, it’s normally just getting light as we leave Bishkek, but because of the later start, we left in broad daylight.  It might have been daylight, but it was overcast and clouds obscured the sky.  Fortunately, that didn’t last.  As we left the city the sun emerged from behind the clouds and the sky turned blue.  In fact it became so warm with the sun blazing through the windows of the car, it had quite a soporific effect – not helped by having to squint to avoid the glare, having overlooked the possible need for sunglasses.

We drove along the valley of the River Chu with magnificent views of the snow capped craggy mountain peaks of the Kyrgyz Range to the South.  The trees lining the route displaying their magnificent autumn colours – yellows, gold and brown – and the occasional red and orange.  There must have been some rain recently, because the grass was still a verdant green – usually, at this time of year it would normally be the colour of straw.

The road works continue – first one carriageway is closed, then another.  Unfortunately, it’s not always clear when to swap lanes, because there seems to be a lack of signs.  It’s not difficult to miss the closure of a carriageway as the road is blocked by huge chunks concrete, but there is nothing to denote the end of a particular section of roadworks and the fact that it is possible to return to the carriageway.  As a result, there were a series of incidents when Andrei, my driver for the day, had to brake hard to avoid an on-coming vehicle – even though the carriageway they were supposed to be on was open and carrying traffic.    There were some other examples of crazy behaviour by drivers unable or unwilling to exercise patience – or common sense – especially in the narrower stretches of Boom Gorge, (Shoestring Gorge).

As we were making good time, and needed to calm our nerves, we decided to stop for a cup of tea at a roadside cafe in the Gorge.  It was the busiest that I have seen the cafe all year.  Not as busy as during the height of the tourist season in precious years, but still quite busy.  Instead of just two or three tables being occupied which has been the case throughout this summer, there were just two or three tables free as walked in.  Apart from a bus and two minibuses in the car park, it seemed to local traffic, probably travelling to or from the local market.

As we drove over one ridge we saw a couple of birds flying high – soaring on the wind’s updrafts and downdrafts.  Their silhouette suggested to me that they might be falcons of some sort, but I had to take a second look because the colourings were quite spectacular.  From below it looked as if the wings were brown, but with a design rather like a orange circle reminiscent of wings markings on a Spitfire.  I even looked to see if they were kites, but it was miles from anywhere and I couldn’t imagine anyone living nearby and as I couldn’t see any sign of a kite string I have to assume that they were real – unusual but real.

I only saw them for a few seconds as we climbed a hill – they were flying towards us, and then the road turned and they passed by.  I glanced back, but they were already disappearing into the distance.  As Robert Louis Stevenson put it in his verse, “From a Railway Carriage”: “Each a glimpse and gone forever.”

We arrived in Kochkor almost exactly on time and pulled up in front of the cafe where the event being held.  Although there were plenty of people already gathered, we needn’t have worried about being late, however, as everything was running as normal, “po Kyrgyzskomy” – Kyrgyz style – that is, running late.  In fact, it was almost a record in that the PA system cranked up and the master of ceremonies, (the Tomada), called everyone to order after only just forty minutes.

I took the time to soak up atmosphere and find my place at table along with representatives of the Peace Corps and the local craftwomen’s collective “Altyn Kol”.   The cafe has just been renovated and was quite presentable.  In the old days, the event would have held in the open air, in a jailoo, a high mountain pasture, and today it seemed to be a pity to be indoors instead of enjoying the magnificent autumn day – but that’s a sign of the times.

The tables were laden with salads, fruit, nuts, pieces of deep fried chicken, confectionery, bread and the Kyrgyz mainstay for ceremonies such as this – boorsok, (deep fried packets of dough – my favourite).  There was also a selection of soft drinks, Djarma – a tradition Kyrgyz drink made from millet and, of course, the inevitable vodka and cognac.  And this was just for starters!

This was followed by soup and samsa – a Central Asian meat pasty and later by Manti.

The Tomada called for order and we started to serve ourselves, as the opening welcome speeches were given by members of the local committee.  After that people were called up to make speeches, or toasts, in small groups.  Members of the group were awarded certificates and everyone received a small gift.

It wasn’t just an internal affair.  They had invited all their members, representatives from the Association’s headquarters in Bishkek, and of other CBT groups from around the country, as well as partners such as Mercy Corps and Tour Operators.  When I was called up to speak I found that I was representing the Tour Operators.  Although some 60% of their clients are booked through Tour Operators, and several were invited, unfortunately I was the only one that was able to go and share the celebrations with them.

To us, it is usual to give a gift to the host when celebrating a birthday or anniversary, and so I had brought with me a small gift -  picture made from died and waxed flowers.  I had originally thought to take something Kyrgyz, but the advice I got was: “Ian, they are Kyrgyz!  They are in Kochkor and have numerous craftspeople in their ranks …”.  So, in the end, I chose the flower montage – it looked good, was natural and symbolic: of that fact that things, like a flower, start from a small seed and grow into a handsome plant eventually blossoming into bloom.

The speeches were interspersed with songs and performances of traditional Kyrgyz music, and competitions.  There was an interesting re rendition of the well known Russian melody “Moscow nights”, with Moscow changed into “Kochkor”.

One of the most amusing competitions involved a man a woman acting out the traditional Kyrgyz game of Kyz Kumai – Kiss the Girl.  In the old days, the event would have held in the open air, in a jailoo, and the two would have been on horseback.  The woman would be given a head start and the man, (the Djigit), would spur his steed on in chase, in order to catch her and give her a kiss.  If he failed, then the woman would turn her horse around and chase him, striking him over and over with her kamcha – a horsewhip.  Because we were indoors, of course, they couldn’t be on horseback – so instead they were given toy horses.  If it had been a “hobby horse” then they could have stood almost upright, but their steeds were so low that they were almost crouching as they “galloped” along the cafe floor.  Despite the fact that the djigit succeeded in claiming his prize of a kiss on the cheek, he was told he had cheated so his reward was a beating as he was chased back the length of the dining room.

Probably the highlight of the afternoon, however, was when one of the Japanese volunteers came to give her speech – in Kyrgyz.

I was embarrassed that after fifteen years I could manage little more than a few phrases like “On Jill”, whereas after a couple of months she was confident enough to speak more than a few phrases to such a large gathering.

The Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association “Hospitality Kyrgyzstan” (KCBTA), is the country’s driving force behind CBT best practices and innovation in the country.

The association’s objective is to improve living conditions in remote mountain regions by developing a sustainable and wholesome ecotourism model that utilizes local natural and recreational resources.

The headquarters of the Association are located in the capital Bishkek, but KCBTA is an umbrella association uniting a number of diverse communities (“CBT groups”) and an association of shepherd families offering jailoo (yurt) tourism (called “Shepherds’ Life” – which is featured in many guidebooks). The Association was registered in 2003 with support from the Swiss Association for International Cooperation, Helvetas, which operates a number of programmes throughout the country – as well as in over 20 countries around the world.

map : from www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg

KCBTA supports the rural sector with cost effective administration.  It provides a balanced marketing strategy for local group services and products in both local and international markets, and it fosters communication on new projects, activities and opportunities to its rural chapters.  The Association provides training for “service providers”, who are members of the local communities, on topics as varied as:

• environmental protection;
• cultural and heritage sites;
• ecology;
• business activities;
• cooperative working;
• customer service;
• being a guide
• capacity building and
• organization.

It also has a commitment to improving and maintaining the standard of service which the individual tourist can receive.  As well as providing training courses and other support services, KCBTA has also developed a Travelers’ code for Responsible Tourism, standards for the accreditation of accommodation (in homes, and/or yurts) and produces a number of publications for both the tourist and the service provider.

KCBTA guesthouse

The CBT initiative not only helps to spread the economic and social of tourism to remote rural areas, it opens those areas to a wider range of tourists than would otherwise be able to experience the spectacular scenery or traditional life of rural and nomadic Kyrgyzstan.

Using the services of member of one of the KCBTA chapters ensures the tourist of a level of service.  It may still be basic, but the members will have been trained, inspected and have an idea of what is required of them – which may not otherwise be the case.

The Association represents members’ interests in national policy development and negotiations within the mainstream tourism industry – and has a valuable and valued voice in the development of tourism policy in the country.

The Celestial Mountains Tour Company supports the aims and objectives of KCBTA and is happy to work with them as a partner … offering their services to clients – either as the basis of a tour, or as part of a longer tour.   Although, as a company, we don’t qualify for membership, we have worked closely with the Association on a number of projects.

Contact details:

58 Gorky Street, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Tel.: + 996 312 540069
Fax: + 996 312 443331
Email: marketing@cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
Website: www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg

Sometimes, however, a request for an interview is difficult to turn down.  Not long ago I got a request from a friend, a publisher, who was about to launch a new English language magazine dedicated to Central Asia: “Open Central Asia”.  In the end, I agreed to participate and received a series of questions by e-mail, (the journalist commissioned to write the story was based in the UK).

Although his questions covered much of the same ground as other interviews, (and other “postcards” on this website), it also had some new and interesting questions, and so I thought I would include it here:

A friend of mine, Tony, worked as a lawyer for a large international firm based in London.  He was in Moscow on a mission for an international organization about the time of the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  There were something like fourteen people in the team and when they heard that something was happening in Kazakhstan, (note – Kazakhstan, not Kyrgyzstan).  Kazakhstan is a big  country – the size of Western Europe.  It had gold, oil and nuclear weapons.  Maybe they needed to send someone to Almaty, (which was then the capital city, before Astana was granted that status), and so three of the team were  chosen to go there and see what was going on.  He was one of them.  When they got to Almaty, they realised that just 250 kilometers away was Bishkek, the capital of another former Soviet Republic, and maybe it was worth sending someone there as well.  Well, there were only three people to choose from – and he got the job. (Sometimes we joke about whether he got the long straw or the short one.)

Anyway, he loved the place.  He is from New Zealand and he said that it reminded him of life back home when he was growing up.  Mountains and open spaces, lots of sheep and abundant wildlife, a multi cultural and friendly people with a friendly openness and hospitable tradition.  At that time there were very few Westerners that made it to this part of the former Central Asia, access to this part of the Soviet Union was strictly controlled, and he was feted everywhere he went, (again, we sometimes joke that he was “fated”, if there is such a word).   He took every opportunity to come back and eventually decided he would like to open his own law firm here as he saw great potential for development.

On his suggestion I came here for a holiday in 1994 and liked the place, but I never thought that I would eventually move here.  However, when he asked me to come out and help him to open an office I agreed.  I originally came for one year, but things never quite go according to plan and as the year was coming to an end there was still lots to do, so I stayed on to finish the job.  I could have gone back home.  I had a job waiting for me and staying here meant saying goodbye to that and a career that I had been developing for twenty years.  To be honest, however, I was ready for a change and I looked forward to meeting the challenges of starting something new.

Once the office was up and running we what we saw as a gap in the tourism market, as it was then, Since Soviet times there have always been a lot of visitors from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia to Lake Issyk Kul.  Apart from that there were mountaineering and hunting expeditions, and the occasional Silk Road tour which crossed one of the few land crossing points open for passenger traffic into China.  We thought that there were lots of Westerners, like ourselves, who would welcome the opportunity to visit and explore this little known region.   Perhaps they had spent their long vacations when they were students visiting interesting parts of the world and were willing to accept the rigours and hardships of travel. They had time available to simply wander and explore but had little money to spare. Now, however, they have jobs and responsibilities that meant that, although they have money, they have limited time available and “had to be back behind the desk on Monday week.”  They still wanted to visit remote and interesting places but needed to make the most of their “two weeks” annual leave and didn’t want either the hassle or discomforts that they were prepared to accept as students.  With this image of our potential clients we started the tour company, together with another British friend who was also interested in the potential of the region, and opened a couple of hotels, one in Naryn and another in the capital, Bishkek.  We would have liked to open more, but, (as I said before), things don’t always go according to plan.

In the meantime Tony met and eventually married a local girl and together they have two children.  They now live in Australia. Tim is still in the UK, and I am still here.

* Is there anything that you miss from life back in Britain?

That’s easy: Marmite and Branston Pickle!  On the other hand, back in Britain you can’t get Maksim Shoro, so it’s a case of: “you win some and you lose some”.

Actually, you can get most things here in Central Asia so it is not really a question of material things.

When I first came here the answer would probably have been “news from home” but these days, thanks to the internet and satellite TV that is not such an issue.  The range of available books and films is perhaps a bit more limited than at home.  It can be frustrating to read on the internet about new books that have just been published, or the film releases, and then have to wait until they can be delivered by Amazon instead of just wandering down the High Street to the local branch of WH Smiths to pick one up, but it’s not that big an issue.

* 20 years ago Central Asia was hidden within the Soviet Union but it is now fast becoming a key strategic focal point. What changes have you seen during you time here? Has anything shocked you?

Looking back to 1995 the three biggest changes are probably:

1. The amount of traffic.  There are a lot more vehicles on the streets these days than there used to be, and the traffic jams in the cities are getting worse.  When I first came here we used to be able to cross the street without looking because you could hear the vehicles approaching, but now you have to great care with your “kerb drill” if you don’t want end up “falling under a bus”.
2. The number of restaurants and cafes.  I remember on my first visit back in 1994 that there were very few cafes and restaurants and when we told that a new café had opened we decided to try it out.  It was a small room with just three tables, and the menu consisted of just a few local dishes.  Nowadays we are spoilt for choice – offering a wide variety of cuisine.
3. The amount of new construction.  Modern shops and restaurants, leisure facilities such as cinemas and a skating rink, apartment blocks and hotels.  There are still some building sites where the carcass of an unfinished building has stood idle for several years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, but there are a lot of new buildings going up all over the place – most of them demonstrating interesting architectural features.

All of these are signs of a developing economy, as is the ever improving range of goods available in the shops.

Another of the big changes is the presence of more and more foreigners.  In addition to the tourists there are many more consultants and businessmen visiting the country and also the personnel serving at the US air-force base at Manas airport just outside Bishkek.

Some things, however, haven’t changed that much.  For example, the main statue of Lenin may have been moved from Bishkek’s central square, (Ala Too Square), but he didn’t move that far, just round to the other side of the Historical Museum.  You can still see him in many places around the country.  The Soviet Union which he brought into existence and presided over in its early years, ruled the country for seventy years and has had a marked impact on the country.  Its influence is still evident in many aspects of life in Kyrgyzstan.

The biggest surprise I ever had was when I was walking back to my office from a meeting and driving along Kievskaya Street I saw a bright red London Routemaster bus with the destination board displaying “Westminster”.  I wanted to flag it down and point out that it was heading in the wrong direction – East rather than West.

* How does it feel to be living at the centre of a New Great Game?

To be honest, you don’t notice it that much, because it doesn’t really impinge on daily life.

Of course we are aware of it.  For example, we hear and read about the various controversies regarding the US “Ganci” airbase – but it is just one of a number of issues that is raised from time to time.

* Kyrgyz tourism is very much focused around the community. How do you see this as differing from European tourism?

I am not sure I would agree with you, entirely, about the focus of Kyrgyz tourism being centered around “the community” … it is one aspect of Kyrgyz tourism, an important one, (and, I would say, one of the great success stories in Kyrgyzstan), but still it is only one aspect.

Community based tourism (CBT) is something that has been well developed in Kyrgyzstan … but I think it more of a feature rather than a “focus”.  The idea arose from a desire to help the local rural communities improve their standard of living by offering a way of diversifying and finding alternative sources of income.  The concept was developed mainly through the Swiss Development agency Helvetas, who helped establish local groups.  Other donors also used the model and the number of groups has grown over the years so that there is now a wide network covering most of the country – and in some areas they offer the only available facilities for tourists.  These groups offer accommodation, local guides and interpreters, transport and other services.

Although some, (many), tourists may use the facilities of a CBT group during their stay, it is probably going too far to say that it is a “focus” of Kyrgyz tourism.  Many “westerners” have heard of CBT because it is featured in many of the guidebooks and some visitors make a point of planning a trip entirely using CBT services.  However, they are not the majority of visitors, nor is this a major feature of Kyrgyz marketing.

In fact, Kyrgyz tourism has, for a long time, centered mainly around Lake Issyk Kul – with most of the visitors to the country coming from neighbouring Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Siberian regions of Russia to relax on the lakeside beaches, swim in the salty water, take advantage of the facilities of the various health resorts and so on.  That was true in the Soviet days, and it is still true today.  So much so that there are many new developments up by the lake to offer modern facilities that will help Issyk Kul compete with other destinations vying for the same business, such as Thailand and Turkey.  I think it is fair to say that the main focus of Kyrgyz tourism is still: Issyk Kul.  Personally, I think it is a bit of a pity, because the country has so much more to offer.

If the vast majority of tourists visiting the country head for Issyk Kul, then another thrust of Kyrgyz tourism is the Adventure Market: mountaineering, trekking, horse riding, rafting and so forth.   (Although they may stay with local communities, most of these visitors actually want to get out into the countryside.)

A third sector of the country’s tourism can be stylized as “travels along the Great Silk Road”.  Kyrgyzstan is a transit country between the ancient cities of Uzbekistan, (such as Samarkand, Khiva, and Bukhara), and China, representing the “mysterious orient”, with two main land border crossings, Torugart and Irkeshtam.  Once again, these tourists may stay with local communities but, unfortunately, their timetables are normally so tight that they only spend a few days in Kyrgyzstan.

As an aside, one aspect of CBT is that, (except where the local CBT group offers the only realistically available local facilities for tourists – and is therefore used by all visitors to the area), it more suitable for the “independent” tourist.  Unfortunately, unlike the situation in Europe, “independent tourism” is not well developed in the country, or well catered for.  There isn’t, for example, a network of local Tourist Information Centers around the country, and those that do exist tend to be focused on a local area and are run by the private sector.  As a result, it is usually necessary for the visitor to have, already, an idea or plan of what they want to do beforehand – especially if they have limited time available.

* Could the model work around Central Asia to promote tourism?

The concept is a particularly appropriate model for Kyrgyzstan which, apart from a few main centers, is basically a rural society with relatively few facilities and infrastructure.

Although there are CBT groups in Issyk Kul, (where there is a lot of competition from well established hotels, resorts and sanatoria) and the second city, Osh, most of the groups are found in smaller communities such as Kazarman or Arslanbob.

CBT is a model that is well suited for the whole region.  It has been the subject of a lot of interest from Russia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.  KCBTA, (The Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association), has been involved with projects to adapt the concept in the neighbouring countries and there are plans for a Central Asia network based on the Kyrgyz experience.

* What are some of your favourite memories, sights and sounds from the region?

Hmmm … that’s difficult.  There are so many possibilities:

• my first sight of the Tash Rabat caravanserai hidden away in a remote mountain valley …
• the sight and sound of the manaschi reciting in a trancelike state the description of the battle between Manas, the legendary hero of the Kyrgyz, and the Chinese armies from the ancient Manas Epic …
• the sound of the Chopo Choor, a clay wind instrument like a recorder playing a traditional haunting melody …
• telling the Kyrgyz Prime Minister, in my best “pigeon-Russian” that the government had just effectively increased a tax by 50-fold …
• standing at the roadside at 10 o’clock trying to decide which was worse, the vodka being thrust into my left hand or the horsemeat sausage, (a traditional Kyrgyz delicacy – which was 90% fat), being thrust into my right hand by my Krgyz host and looking for a place to dispose of them both without upsetting or offending her … against my better judgment, I consumed both
• seeing a Routemaster bus driving along a Bishkek street …
• …

… to cite just a few

* Have you engaged in or watched any of the traditional sports or activities that you can tell us about?

There used to be a website which stated that “Kyrgyzstan is not particularly well endowed with festivals”, which is grossly unfair …they may not always be the best organized affairs, but there are a wide variety of festivals giving visitors the chance to see (and often to participate) in such traditional sports and activities.

On one occasion we had to organize some traditional games for a German film crew, and one of the most worrying moments in my career was watching the cameraman bolt for safety as he got too cliose to the action and was charged down by a horse and rider.  I was worried for his safety, but he was more concerned about this camera which went tumbling to the floor.

As a former Maths teacher, perhaps my favourite was the demonstration of making traditional felt carpets, with their symmetrical designs and motifs.

* What advice would you give someone coming to the region for the first time either on business or for pleasure?

Don’t take anything for granted.  Life is full of surprises, few things are ever simple and straight forward and it best to be prepared for the fact that you might have to “roll with it”.