Postcard from Bishkek

We, in the Celestial Mountains Tour Company, do not undertake mountaineering or winter sports activities – so our clients are unlikely to be involved in avalanches.  However, avalanches can, and do, occur at times and places where you may be exposed to risk – such as traveling on the Bishkek-Osh road during wintertime.

Landslide hazards occur in many places around the world and include both fast-moving flows of debris as well as slow-moving landslides, (and also a variety of flows and slides which emanate from volcanoes – but there are no volcanoes in Kyrgyzstan).

Kyrgyzstan, is situated in an earthquake zone.  As such there is the possibility that a strong earthquake may occur, but it is impossible to predict exactly if, or when, one will take place. However, in January 2005, it was announced by the Kyrgyz Institute of Seismology that they expected some earthquakes during the year to [...]

At the highest altitudes, snow falls and does not melt. As more snow falls, it compresses that which is already lying on the ground, and forms sheets of ice. Some of the ice is forced down mountain valleys forming valley glaciers gouging a course (typified in U-shaped valleys and hanging streams, which are left over [...]

Krasnaya Gvozdika, “Red Carnation”, is a festival-competition dedicated to the Victory of soviet people in Great Patriotic War 1941-1945.  It is designed for veterans of the Second World War – The Great Patriotic War, (that is the combatants who served in the forces or partisan groups) and Labour veterans from Bishkek and Chui oblast, (that [...]

Mikhail Vasilievich FRUNZE is renowned as the Red Army General who “subdued” Central Asia Mikhail Vasilievich Frunze was supposedly born in Bishkek – which was then called Pishpek – in 1885.  “Supposedly”, because there are some suggestions that he might have actually be born in Belevodsk – a little to the West of the city.  [...]

“Seven Days in May” was a 1964, Oscar nominated, film staring Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, and Frederic March with Ava Gardner adding the “female” interest.  It tells the story of how US military leaders, (led by Chief of the Defense Staff, Burt Lancaster), plot to overthrow an increasingly unpopular President, (Frederic March), because he supports [...]