Yurts, mongol horses, and Central Asia!

July 19th, last summer. I had just 'escaped' the riots in Urumqi (China) and arrived unexpectedly in Kyrgyzstan. After all the stress of riots, trying to get a visa, arriving in a new country unprepared, not speaking a word of Russian - or Kyrgyz for that sake - I decided to go trek around the Kol-Ukok lake.

One morning I thus left the strange capital, Bishkek, and took one of these marshrutka (mini bus that drive insanely fast) for Kochkor, a small village. Once arrived, I was told to ask for the direction of Kol-Ukok, and then walk in that direction; and that's what I did.

And this was maybe the most amazing experience I've had recently. It was like time travelling. Every night I would simply go to a Yurt and ask if I could put my tent around. I would either cook myself or ask to pay for a dinner in the yurt with the families.

And this was incredible. People live with the rhythm of sunrises and sunsets. They spend their days caring their sheep, cows and horses. The husband would go around horseback riding all day to gather wood, go down to the village market, or gather flocks.

Making tea becomes then a major event. We would gather around the special tea-pot/oven that people have to cook tea, and wait until the feeble fire would make the water boil. The altitude helping, this process could take quite a while.

The only sound I heard for four days was the bleating of sheep, the sounds of cooking, the wind, and the white water torrent pouring its freezing water in the Kol-Ukok lake. The climate was harsh, but the Kyrgyz so warm that it didn't matter. Kyrgyzstan is an unforgettable experience.