Saturday August 3

Lake Issy-Kul is the 2nd largest alpine lake in the world, (after Lake Titicaca in Peru) and sits in a basin of the northern Tian Shan Mountains. At roughly 170 KM long and 70 KM wide, the lake is mildly saline, extremely deep, and never freezes. It has been an oasis for centuries.

After making the turn off from Bishkek towards the lake on Friday, the scenery quickly changed from agricultural to the brown rolling hills that are so reminiscent of the coastal range of northern California in the summer. These quickly gave way to more substantive peaks as we drive through a fabulous mountain gorge with a swift moving river running alongside the road. Once through the gorge, the valley opened up and the 7,000 meter high snow capped Tian Shan mountain peaks climbing up into the clouds came into view off in the distance.

Will and Tommy steered us to the open field they camped in last year up along the north side of the lake. Camp gear was dumped, and some of the guys went and fetched take out – Will’s favorite – Shashleek!! (sp?) The rest of us set up camp, drank beer and watched a local herd moooo-ve their way through our site (one was very interested in will’s tent) while a blazing orange sun set behind the mountains. A great way to end the day !

 

I Woke up yesterday morning to sun rays shining out from the clouds. For the first time since Odessa, we have a day off – No driving! Time to play!

Don, Stefano, Pietro and Tommy walk into town. The rest of us hang out to enjoy the wonderful breeze and cool waters the shoreline on our remote beach has to offer us, until we are run off by the cops that came trolling along. We’re told we can stay if we pay them 2000 som, (roughly $40 US).

 

We choose to break camp than pay the money they are asking us for to stay – which sounds to us more like a bribe than it being illegal to camp.  Don takes us into town to an amazing restaurant he’d found with the guys then we head up the coast to find a new beach/camp site.

Sarita has A TON of filming she needs to get done and The Adventurists have been hounding her and Sarah for footage. First up, Caroline and Pietro, who’ve bee sparring on the bus, have matched up for a space hop contest! Both put on the must have fashion item of the season, dixie chickens hats! With goggles, and Pietro, wearing Don’s traditional Mongolian warrior wrestling outfit, the 2 of them line up at the starting line – Ready, set, GO! Pietro grabs his space hop (NOT hopping) and runs for the finish line. CHEATER! Caroline yells Foul (or FOWL – in this case). In the rematch, Pietro complies with the rules this time, but Caroline hits a cow pie in her hop and Pietro is the winner – He must do a victory run into the water, and caroline owes him a hot breakfast and coffee delivered to his tent in the morning.

Pietro, Stefano, Don, and I enjoy a loose game of soccer with the space hop while Sarita continues some filming with Sarah and Caroline on bits for the Adventurists speech.

Cocktail hour arrives, and the beach has some new visitors.
There is a young boy, about 8, on his donkey riding through the beach, who garners our attention, as well as a couple of herdsman who come to say hello.

2 cars drive up to the beachfront with a huge family of maybe 15-20. A myriad of kids piles out, instantly running for the water while the adults set up grilling. They look like a wonderful group. We all had the urge to photograph them but did not want to appear intrusive on this family gathering. Stefano, in his wonderfully disarming way, goes to them to ask permission. Not only does he get the photos he (we all) wanted, in the process they offer him some of their food! This is the way a real professional photographer works We are in awe. A short while later, Sarah pulls out some of the plastic inflatable world globes we’ve brought along. As I approach the group this little girl, maybe all of 3 years old, spies me coming and her eyes get HUUUGE and she makes a beeline waddle right for me with her arms stretched wide open. She is intent on getting to me first and securing her prize!

The adults watch curiously, but then are very welcoming. I don’t know how much they understood, but I pointed on the globe where Chicago is, and where the bus has travelled. More kids emerge from the beach, and Sarah is blowing up more globes for me to hand out as each kid eagerly wants one of their own. From our vantage point by the bus, It was wonderful watching the kids and adults now playing a myriad of ball sports with the globes, interacting with each other, and running around. What joy they had.

Just before dusk sets in, one of the women comes over and motions if they can all come over and have a photo with us in front of the bus. Many handshakes and smiles were exchanged and many photos snapped. It was a heartwarming moment, 2 groups on the beach, from very different customs and languages, but clearly a bond forged. They were warm wonderful people and these are the moments that have come to make this trip so special for me. They left shortly thereafter, and we settled in with setting up our tents for the night.

The next morning’s view:

Sarita has some more filming adventures for us.
Sarah, Caroline, and I make our sand angels on the beach, and then the entire group is under Sarita’s choreographic direction as we perform our mustache and beards section for The Adventurists speech. Just a few dance moves, but it is funny trying to get the 9 of us “together”!

Kyrgystan has been a wonderful respite, but we now head back to Kazakhstan for the night, and then off to Russia and Mongolia for the next part of our Journey. One likely without any internet, but certainly one full of wonderous adventures which I’ll write about and share when I can, so please hang in there!