Archive: July, 2010
The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, (HIPC), operated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, (IMF), was established in 1966 to offer debt relief and low interest loans to countries that qualified for the programme so that they could reduce their external debt to sustainable levels. It was felt that no poor country [...]
September 1st is known as Dehn Znanniy, (Knowledge Day, or Day of Knowledge), as it is the day when the school year traditionally starts in Russia and many other former Soviet republics, including Kyrgyzstan.
Michael J. Fox encountered a number of dilemmas as Marty McFly in the 1985 Stephen Spielberg film, “Back to the Future”. One of those dilemmas gave the film it’s title – having been thrust 50 years into the past, how was Fox/McFly to return home? The film was a great success: it was the highest [...]
Tuesday, this week, was a big day for me. Well, not exactly a big day, but a “red letter day”, an anniversary. My fifteenth anniversary.
Traveling from Bishkek to Lake Issyk Kul, after 112km, the road enters “Boom Gorge”, which lies at the eastern end of the Kyrgyz Range and provides the only corridor between the two. Converging together through this narrow canyon are a highway, a railway, and the Chu River.
It’s amazing what you come across when surfing the internet. I was caught by surprise one day this week when I cam across a blog entry that a simple question. Lake Issyk Kul in North Eastern Kyrgyzstan is the world’s second largest mountain lake and stands at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level. [...]
It’s always nice to be asked for an opinion. It’s a good idea to ask people for their opinion – it says that you value them and their advice, you don’t have to agree them but it is always reassuring if they happen agree with what you already thought, and it is always possible that [...]
The Chopo Choor is one of the oldest of Kyrgyz traditional instruments. Originally a children’s toy, (hence it is not difficult to play), it has developed into an instrument with a fine timbre and in the hands of a master can produce haunting melodies. Originally it was found mainly in the rural areas in the south of [...]
Among the numerous national instruments the most widespread and popular is the komuz, which has rich repertoire. It is a stringed instrument, made from a single piece of wood (apricot or juniper are the favoured timbers), and plucked like a guitar. While playing it, the three strings are clasped by the left hand to the [...]
Beshbarmak is, perhaps, the most typical of all Kyrgyz dishes. The dish is meant to be eaten with the hands, not with a knife and fork! – “Besh” means five, and “barmak”, finger. Beshbarmak is served when guests arrive and at almost any festive gathering. This meal consists of noodles, which are mixed with boiled [...]
