We hadn't planned on going to the lake at this time, so if we did, I wasn't sure we had enough fuel to get to the next fuel station afterwards!
The fuel gauge on the Buhanka is wonky to say the least. And you can switch between tanks, but it's only the fuel gauge that switches between the tanks, the actual fuel delivery is automatic. Anyhow, I hadn't filled the second tank, so we only had the full primary tank. But even then it only read 7/8 even though I knew it was full.
Anyhow, I did the math and figured we should be able to make it. Worse case scenario, we would run out, but with Bjorn and Freya with us, there wasn't much risk... just a slight inconvenience. Anyhow, we decided to go for it.
We woke up to a beautiful day.
Gorgeous.
Scenery along the way.
Looking back on the road we came up on
We stopped at this viewpoint.
There, we met Maria and Geraldo, a couple from Spain. It turns out we would also see them later in the day!
Looking back down the valley.
The road ahead.
Horses running down below.
Heading higher.
Still lots of snow up there.
And finally we arrived at Song-Kol Lake.
There are so many horses in Kyrgyzstan!
Bjorn, playing in the mud!
Freya and Bjorn.
There are quite a few tourist yurt camps on the shores of the lake. I had read the reviews of some of them, and one stood out as being really well maintained and with great food and western toilets! So we decided to stop in and see what it would cost for them to supply us with dinner and breakfast.
One of the tourist yurt camps.
We pulled over and had some lunch.
This is the camp we stopped at.
Such a nice family that runs this camp. We were met by a young lady who spoke quite good English. She explained that dinner and the use of facilities would cost 1,200 SOM per person, and breakfast would be an additional 400 SOM. So 3,200 SOM ($51 CAD, $36.50 USD) per couple.
Sold!
The little girl is such a cutie.
The locals love their horses!
Bjorn, testing the water. He said it was not as cold as he expected it to be.
Beautiful scenery.
And, we bumped into the same Spanish couple, Maria and Geraldo, at the yurt camp. It turned out they were staying two nights, and they showed us their accomodations...
Inside a yurt!
There was also a group of Belgian photographers staying at this camp. They had hired some of the locals to provide a demonstration of the national sport of Kok Boru.
Two teams of six riders each compete for control of a beheaded sheep or goat carcass. The objective is to pick it up from the ground (while riding your horse) and carry it to a goal while riders from the opposing team try to steal it from you. The sport is extremely physical and rough.
It can be described as a mix between rugby, polo, and wrestling. The horses are often so well trained that they appear to understand the flow of the game as well as the riders.
So we were fortunate to be there at this time to be able to see the games!
The Kyrgyzstan flag.
The guy on the right has the carcass.
They hold it tight with their leg wrapped around it.
Look how far they need to lean to try to pick it up off the ground.
It's a rough game!
The players posed for a photo.
This 3 year old was riding a horse by himself. They learn young!
I took a video for you...
We sat beside our new Spanish friends Maria and Geraldo for dinner.
I forgot to take photos of dinner... but it was a small salad, a bowl of soup, and chicken and vegetables. All very nice!
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And in Canada...
Really good post!
ReplyDeleteThank you, we are glad that you enjoyed it.
DeleteLooks to be a very rough sport, especially for the horses.
ReplyDeleteStay Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
It can definitely be a very rough sport but the Kyrgyzstan people love their hores so they don't want to hurt them or themselves in the process but unfortunately like any sport unexpected things can and do happen.
DeleteKevin , I can see the rugby and polo comparison, and the connection between the horses and riders is amazing. However, I really dislike the violence involved in using a dead animal for a game. I wish sports like this could evolve to use a synthetic object instead.
ReplyDeleteKindness is needed not more cruelty . Kathryn
The riders and the horses really do work together well and it was definitely an interesting game. Apparently they used to play this game for centuries to prepare both riders and horses for war.
DeleteAgreed it would be nice if they could use something else to simulate a dead sheep/goat but this is part of their culture that goes a long way back and we are are not ones to tell them to change things, as this is their country and their culture.
You go girl!
DeleteRuth, just because something is a long-standing cultural tradition does not make it right. Traditions can and should evolve when they cause unnecessary harm. Replacing the animal with a synthetic object would allow them to keep their culture and skills alive while choosing compassion instead. Tradition is not a valid excuse. Kindness is needed not more cruelty.
DeleteI agree, Kathryn. Another example that comes to mind is bullfighting. Traditional in some areas, yes, but that doesn't make it right. - Emily
DeleteI am not disagreeing with you but to them this may not seem like cruelty, this is their culture and they are the ones that have to make the change and hopefully that will come sooner than later.
DeleteAnd Emily, I agree with you bullfighting has changed a lot in many places but in others it still takes place. Things take time to change but as I said it has to be their decision to change it.
Also if it helps at all, the animal is one that has already been slaughtered and after the game the animal is not wasted, the meat is cooked and eaten by the winning team.
DeleteWow, those mountains are spectacular! What was the temp there? It looked cold with your having to wear jackets inside the yurt, I guess because of the high elevation. I couldn't go for that sport; I would feel too sorry for the sheep. :-( I hope you make it back to where you can get some fuel without running out!
ReplyDeleteThank you for compassion Emily
DeleteThe mountains really are stunning. The drive was beautiful as was all the scenery along the way.
DeleteThe temperature was about 15°C (59°F) but the sun made it feel warmer until the wind kicked in. Durning the night it probably went down to about 2°C (35°F) or so. it was a little chilly in the dining yurt but dinner was a 8pm and breakfast was about 8am or so, so it was chiller outside at those hours. And yes, the higher elevation made a definitely impact on the temperatures.
Agreed, it isn't so nice to see them using a beheaded sheep/goat but this is part of the culture there and sometimes it takes time for traditions to change and of course it isn't our place to try to change their culture, this is their country and their culture and one that they have been doing for centuries.
Whaw, you were fortunate to witness this game! Can you tell which yurt camp this was you stayed in please?
ReplyDeleteYes, we were very fortunate to see this game and to not have to pay to see it.
DeleteThe yurt camp is called Muras Yurt Camp and is the last yurt camp along the north road of the lake after most of the other yurt camps. We just camped their with Vladdy, we didn't actually stay in a yurt but we did have dinner and breakfast there.