Bishkek Journal-Cal Preece Weekending 3-22-12

Friday, March 16, 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Another above 50 degrees F day in Bishkek. At 10:30 am I realized that I had not managed to get away from my computer. I began about 7:30 am. I made some breakfast, an egg, rye toast, a little salami. I took a walk, even though it is a bit damp outside. But there has been no snow, and therefore no new ice for a few days. I took a long walk today down to the TZUM, back by the Komfort Store. Stopped for some coffee at Coffee on Toktogula and Shopokov. Picked up a copy of the Times of Central Asia. Looked through the Moskova Mini-Bazaar, picked up some peppers and spinach. Then back to the apartment to do some reading and writing. Rain began just after I arrived and lasted all night.

Saturday, March 17, 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan An amazing effect of raindrops hanging on the tree limbs outside the kitchen window this morning as bright sun streams over Bishkek.

It's been raining since late yesterday evening. I managed a long walk yesterday and got home just before the rains began to fall. Looking forward to breakfast at FatBoys with the English speakers at 10 am. Always fun to find out who comes. Right now, time for more coffee. There is some possibility of clearing skies in the East as I can see a break in the overcast.

A surprisingly beautiful day in Bishkek. Got the laundry done and hung outside to dry before breakfast. A great breakfast group this morning including a couple of people who are here doing a feasibility study for the production of a tele-novella in Kyrgyz. Fascinating discussions. Then a walk back to the apartment with a stop by the cookie store to pickup the oatmeal-raisin and chocolate biscotti from Papa's Bakery. Then a little nap. Now watching BBC news after a bowl of the 2 bean chili. I have a great life.

Sunday, March 18, 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan What was predicted as rain has now turned to snow outside my window. Current temperature is 0 degrees C and it appears we will have two more days of snow before the 21st, when we will celebrate the arrival of Spring. The snow was truly significant. It began as small little flakes but later the flakes were the size of the 3 som coin. Headed out in damp conditions to the ballet. The snow had turned to rain when I entered the Opera House.

Had a great time at the ballet tonight. Principal dancers were terrific dancing in Giselle. Exited to snow falling in a serious way. Nice Indian meal with Lars Wettestad and Vibeke Oestreich Nielsen at Host Restaurant just across the street from the Hyatt. As I came home it was beginning to snow around my apartment again.

Monday, March 19, 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan New Out the Kitchen Window photo shows the effects of last nights snow.

Waiting this morning for the FastNet technician to get the new wireless router working so I can more effectively use my Kindle and iPad, and be able to untether the computer.

Marat and I went in the afternoon to find some new shoes for him as an early birthday present. We went first to Vefa Center, but the prices there were more than he could be comfortable with. I suggested that we head out to Ortosay Bazaar, where the quality of goods is pretty good and prices are usually fair. But as we were heading out, I thought it would be good to pickup some cash from the KazKommerz ATM in the Beta Store. That's when I learned that the store was closed. A big banner on the front door said try Store 1 or 2, which are not quite as convenient to me. I am always disappointed when a favorite shopping spot shuts its doors. There is a sinking feeling as I realize I am going to have to make adjustments to my routines. It reminds me, too, that there are parts of me are not as flexible as I try to appear.

We headed to Ortosay Bazaar, located in the Southeast area. Found a parking space easily. Located the area where men's shoes were being sold and finally found some casual shoes he liked. Left with our purchase and I headed back home. Marat went off to work.

I spent much of the rest of the day editing the stuff in my computer. Deleting old photos, duplicates, fuzzy ones and dropping music I never listen to from iTunes. Today, some of those photo edits are showing up as new posts in Facebook thanks to the auto functions in iPhoto. Amazing. The tech never came.

Dinner was Lemon-Ginger-Cognac Chicken.

I had some chicken thigh pieces in the freezer and defrosted them during the day. A little seasoned flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, in a bag. Chicken shaken to coat. Onions, minced garlic, sliced carrots sauteed in olive oil lightly, chicken added to brown, then water to cover. Added lemon juice, ginger and cognac to flavor the dish, turned down heat to simmer, covered and cooked for about 30 minutes until a thickened sauce appeared and the chicken was tender. I thought it was great.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan It is the actual Spring Equinox today and the focus is preparing for the big celebrations tomorrow.One of the national dishes of Kyrgyzstan is served as a ritual meal for Nooruz celebrations. Beshbarmak (бешбармак)

It means “5 fingers”. Indeed in Kyrgyz "беш" means "5" and "бармак", "fingers". It is called that because this plate is traditionally eaten with the hand, only the fingers touching the food.The meat (often sheep) is boiled for hours. When cooked, it will be removed and diced while the noodles are cooking in the broth. Before being served, noodles and the meat are mixed. Beshbarmak often, if not always, comes with a ritual, and «Omen» is said after people are done eating.

"Celebrating Spring"

I went to the Nooruz celebration and food fair at International Ataturk-Alatoo University which is located in Tunguch, on the far eastern edges of Bishkek. I was invited by my young friend Aimeerim Omorova who is studying International Relations. I also called and met my friend Akylbek Ashyrbaev. I met both of them in 2009 as they were preparing to graduate from their secondary schools. Aimeerim is from Osh. During my stay there she helped me by translating during visits to various sites. I met Akylbek at a celebration of the 1st anniversary of a friends wedding. The celebration was held in Aidarken, a village in the south of Kyrgyzstan at the home of his mother and father. It is good to be able to see both of them doing well in university.

The celebration included tables from each of the cultures represented at the university ranging from Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkish, Uzbek, Tajik, Turkmen, and Georgia. The food was great.

I sampled somuluk from Kyrgyz table, a Turkish treat that included a potato salad, a sesame seed red pepper triangle, and a macaroni salad, then to the Uzbek table for a lemon-apple torte that was incredible. I need to find that recipe. During the grazing and contributing to the fund my friend Aimeerim supports, there was also great dancing from the various groups. The kids with backgrounds from the Caucuses were the most amazing dancers.

I put together a little video of the dancing on YouTube.

I rode home on a #7 bus that brought me back to the center of the city. Cost 6 soms. Then walked home up Pravda a few blocks. By the time I got home it was about 6 p.m. And I was really tired. A little television and a visit from Marat to practice his English. He was hungry so he ate the leftover Lemon-Ginger Chicken, then headed off to meet some friends. I was off to bed.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan This morning headed out to the celebration of the coming of Spring in Bishkek's Ala-Too Square. The weather was perfect, maybe even too much sunshine. Happy Spring everyone. This celebration of Nooruz is like another New Year. There was a big celebration with dancers, musical performers, the president will speak in the main square. The problem one encounters if you want to take photos is that a phalanx of Militia, Military, and Bishkek police create a security boundary that uses the very broad area of Chuy Prospect between Ala-Too Square and the State Historical museum. It is a distance of about 100 meters, and the crowding issue also has to be dealt with. One begins to see why agora phobia can develop when people are pressing against you en masse.

I took pictures on the fringes and focused on the crowds rather than performers. After about an hour when the big show had not yet begun, I decided to grab breakfast at Vis-a-Vis Cafe. While there, Vibekke and Lars called and came. Then we ventured out to see if we could get closer. We did manage to get on the Museum side of the street.

We walked around, went behind the museum to the area in front of The American University of Central Asia where some traditional Kyrgyz sports activities were taking place. There was arm wrestling, wrestling, free weight lifting, and a game played with sheep ones and knuckles where you try to knock the small bones out of the circle with the big bone.

Then we walked over toward Panifilov Park where food sellers were preparing classic Central Asian dishes and some clever snacks. Lars and Vibekke opted for the sausage in pastry. Then into the park to see the rides in operation. After that we went for some coffee at the Coffee location on Togoluk Moldo. While there I got a call from the technician from FastNet who was ready to come to connect the new wireless router I bought recently. I agreed to be home by 3 p.m. Finished the cappuccino with chocolate. Caught a taxi and arrived home at 5 of three. The tech came at 3:30 and it took him about 15 minutes to get the system working. Now the iPod and the Kindle work seamlessly when connected. Life's little technological blessings make me so happy.

Really tired today after a great day celebrating the vernal equinox under the banner of Nooruz.
Thursday, March 22, 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan A nice walk today in my shirtsleeves and a fleece vest. The weather is absolutely beautiful. I stopped by to pay my rent for February to my landlord. I was actually a little late with it. I normally try to do it around the middle of the month. But it was okay. Then I walked North down Sovietska to see what the street vendors were selling.

Then East on Moskova to the Moskova Bazaar where I gan often find nicer fresh vegetable. Found some beautiful cherry tomatoes, spring onions, saw a great orange squash, and bought some leeks so I can make a potato-leek soup this weekend. Was disappointed that there was no celery or spinach. But was told I should find some on Saturday. Across the street is the Halal Meat Market where I picked up a salami. Then walked a block east to Pravda and then south to my apartment with a stop at the Chicken Rotisserie to get some food for dinner. Lunch was the tomatoes, spring onions, salami and some black olives. The olive supply has become seriously depleted. There are no olive bars in the supermarkets and finding quality olives has now gotten harder with the closing of the Vefa Center branch of the Beta Store.

Bishkek Journal-Cal Preece Weekending 15 March 2012

Friday, 9 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Slept really late this morning, past 10 am here. The weather outside is beautiful and giving us intimations of Spring. But the forecasters have snow in the picture for tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that. I took advantage of the nice weather today to take a long walk. West on Bokonbaeva to Erkindik Park where I sat for awjlie watching the pigeons, the ravens, and people walking to and fro. Then after a short time moved on down the street to Logvineko to my favorite Turkish restaurant, Yusa. I had a nice lamb sish-kebab and some baklava for dessert.

Then I walked up to Lev Tolstoy and went to the Frunze Supermarket. It was the first time for me to visit the market. I found a number of things I had been looking for including Axa Muesili. I don't eat cereal very often, but I do like to have it available. Then it was back to the apartment by taxi because I had four heavy bags of groceries.

Saturday, 10 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan The sunrise was beautiful this morning. Temperatures are above freezing and I went for another walk. Had mid-morning coffee at a coffee spot about four blocks away. Then stopped by the bakery store to replenish my coffee supply and cookie selections. Today's new cookie treat was a mixture of cookies with fillings in them including thin layers of marshmallow. How could I resist? They will not last long.

Sunday, 11 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan It was freezing again outside this morning, the skies were gray and it felt really damp. No doubt that some snow will fall in the next two days. I slept past 9:30 am and was moving very slowly. Needed more coffee just to feel human. Managed to get out to the butcher shop to get some ground beef.

Monday, 12 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Snowfall most of the day today. I soaked some dried red and pinto beans, then cooked yesterdays ground beef purchase to create a chili to fight off the cold.

Really appreciating the chili powders I brought back with me. My friend Nita Lindley shared some red and green Hatch chili powder with me from New Mexico, and I picked up a good Mexican chili powder from the Fiesta store. They have made cooking much more interesting.

Tuesday, 13 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Bright sunlight streaming through the windows in the living area woke me at 8:00 am. As I looked out the kitchen window while waiting for the coffee to brew, I spotted the long-eared squirrel jumping from tree to tree.

I don't see him often, so it is always a special treat. I think the presence of a significant population of stray dogs and cats in the area may impact the squirrel population. I have tried to take a photo myself, but have been unsuccessful. So I have borrowed one from a blog by a family who was here a few years ago and posted this image on their blog at The Kulas

I think they are really amazing with those long feathered ears.

Wednesday, 14 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan The sun was shining brightly this morning, and we enjoyed another above freezing high today. The snow from two days ago has melted away for the most part.

I was able once more to take a walk in the park after 12 noon and enjoy a lunch cooked by another's hand. Lagman noodles at a small ashkana type restaurant near the park.

Thursday, 15 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan A day of reading. I am trying to finish a spy novel and a couple of other books. But lately I find my average number of pages per day is dropping off some. I think I need to concentrate more.

Bishkek Journal-Cal Preece Weekending 8 March 2012

Friday, 2 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Another slow day. I have a bit of a cold and it is overcast and very chilly today. I spent the day writing and reading, and watching television. Thinking about some of the more interesting issues one faces as an ex-pat in a developing country. Questions about what is that I miss or find difficult to locate often buildup over a week of shopping, walking and thinking. This week I realized that part of what I miss is a greater accommodation of personal space. I always feel a bit jostled in any crowd or line in Bishkek. Part of that is because as I have gotten older I am a little more cautious myself about pushing to the front of any group. I often stand back to let others go ahead of me at doors, on walkways, or openings. That is because I have realized that closeness is a normal thing here for the inhabitants, so a little crowding and nudging is acceptable. I am always a little worried that I will fall over when bumped, so I try to err on the side of caution. I mention this because I wrote something for publication about it, but don't know if it got published or not. Maybe I should ask about it.

Saturday, 3 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan The big event today was a celebration of Flag Day. It is the 20th annivsary of the creation and adoption of the national flag. I went early to Ala-Too Square to see the ceremonies, but the weather was not as nice as one would hope. And we got the time wrong. We stood around trying to keep warm for about an hour before the events began at 10 am. I did take some photos and posted the best of them to Facebook. Here's a sample that reflects the feelings held for the flag. What is interesting, of course, is that there is a group of people along with some members of the parliament who want to change the flag. The argument is that the red of the flag is too belicose, has its origins in the Red Flag of the Soviet era, and that the representation of the sun's rays as the Kyrgys tribes leaves out much of the country's population. The proposals I have seen are not nearly as dramatic.

Around 10:30 am we gave up at the square and moved on to FatBoys to meet with a young student from Osh who is studying at Ala-Too Ata-Turk University here. I met Aimeerim in 2009 while I was staying with my friend's aunt and uncle for a couple of weeks. She was studying English and she helped me as a translator and accompanied us as we took in the sights in the area of Osh. I had invited her and her friends to join us for breakfast. We had a nice reunion and talked about things we have in common. She has invited me to an International Food Fair at her university on the 20th of March. I am looking forward to that. After parting I walked back home because the sun had come out and it was not too hot or too cold.

Sunday, 4 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Yesterday's sunshine disappeared today in an overcast sky. It can be quite gray when the sun does not shine here. I am never motivated to venture out when the gray skies cover us and temperatures are below freezing. As the day proceeded the snow began to fall in the late afternoon and into the night.

Monday, 5 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan What was an overnight snowfall has now turned to drippings off the roof and is turning to slush on the ground as our temperatures head above freezing today. Bishkek weather in March can be very strange.

Tuesday, 6 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan There was a blue sky at dawn this morning with bright sunshine and temperatures above freezing overnight. Much of the ground covering snow has melted and I took advantage of the nicer weather to get out for a walk and a trip to the stores for bread and cola.

Wednesday, 7 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Not much happened today. I stayed at home and read most of the day.

Thursday, 8 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan is one of the countries in the world that celebrates International Women's Day in March each year. The day is marked with gifts of flowers, scent and jewlery to the women in your life along with greetings by text message on mobile phones. It is also a holiday and most banks, government offices, etc are closed. Retail, of course, goes on and there were street vendors on every corner selling roses and carnations, singles and larger bouquets. My favorite image for the day was this one.

Bishkek Journal-Weekending Thursday, 1 March 2012

Friday, 24 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Still not feeling 100% today. A cold in my head seems to be the basic problem. I took some medicine and am drinking Assam tea with local honey and lemon to make my self feel better. But it is another reading and writing day.

Saturday, 25 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Saturday morning coming down in Bishkek. It looks like we will have bright sunshine today with temps just above freezing. Looking forward to the ExPat English speakers table this morning at FatBoys at 10 am.

Photo of last weeks participants. See why it is so much fun?

Sunday, 26 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan I went today to the market located at Moskova and Shopokov to pickup a few things, including some celery, spinach and green onions. I was also looking for some jalapeno peppers, but had to settle for some of the local long green peppers that are only mildly hot. I also stopped and picked up some of the favorite oatmeal raisin cookies and chocolate biscotti from my favorite bakery store. They also have some nice cheeses, so I bought some blue cheese so I could have blue cheese on the spinach salad that was forming in my visual cortex. Then, it was a walk back to the apartment on the icy walkways. And the rest of the day was given over to reading and writing, and, of course, some online time.

In the evening Marat and I joined Lars and Vibeka for dinner at L'Azzuro, a Lebanese restaurant. Lars, Vibeka and I feasted on falafel, hummus, and tabouli. Marat had some grilled chicken. It was a nice meal. Afterward, we shared a taxi. I got dropped off first. I went into the apartment watched a little television and then was off to bed.

Monday, 27 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Up early this morning to watch the live broadcast of the Academy Awards ceremonies from California. My cable television provider's Star Movie channel carried the event. The 15 hour shift in time means my watch party took place at 7 am. I have to say that I am pleased with some of the results and disappointed with others. My favorite movies this year all featured outstanding women actors and I was pleased to see some of them honored for great performances.

The rest of the day was pretty calm and no real activity.

Tuesday, 28 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan It was another slow day today.

Wednesday, 29 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Because I am trying to be a bit more frugal these days, I decided to make some vegetable stock. Then later created a pot of white Bean Raja Soup. It is one of my favorite cold weather dishes. Here is the recipe.

White Bean Raja Soup

Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive or other vegetable oil 1 cup chopped white onion 1/2 cup of chopped celery 1 cup chopped and seeded poblano chiles 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 2 minced garlic cloves; saute for 5 minutes 14-ounces of vegetable broth 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 15oz can of any white bean (or about one cup of soaked dried white beans, I like larger ones) 1 teaspoon of ground cumin 2 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste

  Directions: Place oil in a medium size pot and heat to medium Place onions, chilies, red pepper in the oil and saute until softened and flavors are released Add the garlic for a few minutes Add the vegetable broth Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Stir in the rinsed and drained can of beans, tomato paste, the fresh-squeezed lime or lemon juice and ground cumin. If using the prepared dry beans the cooking time will be about one hour or until beans mash easily with a fork. Add in the cumin at the end and allow the soup to stand about 5 minutes before serving.

  Because there are no poblano peppers in Bishkek, I used the fresh green and red peppers that were available. They are rather mild and always available. So be open to using what is available and in season.

 

It turned out really well considering all my accommodations and substitutions.

Thursday, 1 March 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan I was having another slow day today. I found I needed more sleep. I rested and read most of the day.

Bishkek Journal -Cal Preece Weekending Feb 23 2012

Friday, 17 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Good news this morning fro the weather forecasters. We are heading for temperatures above freezing over the next two or three days in Bishkek. First time we have seen that many days in a row with above freezing temperatures since I returned in January. That makes maneuvering Bishkek's ice and snow-covered walkways a little easier on the whole. But there are still some dangerous footings caused by the thawing and refreezing when overnight temperatures slip back into the below freezing range.

Saturday, 18 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan At 8 am this morning it was already 28 degrees F. As the sun is came up and there was a remarkable orange glow in the Eastern sky. The temperature is supposed to rise to 38 degrees F by this afternoon. That means slush where the snow and ice have been. It makes walking a little tedious. That means I took a taxi to join the group at FatBoys at 10 am for breakfast. Breakfast with this group has become a regular event. The group can range from a core of six to as many as 15 people. Conversation topics range across a wide span, and often includes local information of use shared among us. After breakfast I grabbed a taxi to head out shopping for things I need at Osh Bazaar. Osh Bazaar is the largest of the outdoor-indoor bazaars in the city and is a marvel of movement and humanity. For the most part you can find anything you are looking for in the way of spices, food, and other commodities. I bought some paprika, saffron, and cumin. As I was walking I was having to dodge the running mud streams created by the thawing snow and ice. I stumbled briefly, caught myself before falling, but was immediately lifted back to a standing position by three people. My hands were really covered in black mud. Luckily, I carry a bandana with me as a handkerchief. I was able to clean my hands and dignity restored continue for a bit longer. I really need to buy a couple of pots and pans, along with some plates, but I did not find anything on this trip. Maybe when the drying takes place in March.

Sunday, 19 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Sunday morning coming down in Bishkek. Moving slow, but got out of the apartment today to walk. Went to have coffee at Coffee, a nice coffee shop at Toktogula and Shopokov, which is about 4 blocks away. They have WiFi there and it is great coffee. I usually take my iPod with me, but also the Kindle, so I can read. It is also one of the places that I can read and pick up a copy of The Times of Central Asia. It is one of the few sources of information in English publised weekly in Bishkek. The paper covers all of the Central Asian countries and seems to have a primary focus on economics, business, and political issues. Temperatures are well above freezing again today. A Facebook friend posted a really interesting image of the food products of Kyrgyzstan by region today. I found it very interesting so I wanted to share it with you.

Monday, 20 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan This morning brought an interesting article on the value of fasting in The Guardian. I have never been much for the practice of fasting longer than a day or two at a time. I think that my attitude towards such practices, which are often based in religious activities, go against a larger philosophical stance of mine that sees asceticism in extremes as just a form of self-punishment for imagined faults or sins brought on by an attempt to appease or mollify a deity. But, if there is actually a health value to be achieved, I may have to reconsider.

The snow is falling this morning in Bishkek. And it is pretty heavy. This is after several days of above freezing weather, sloppy slush on the walkways and a melting ice pack. Apparently the false Spring is over for now. Temperature as I write is right at freezing.

Tuesday, 21 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Last night the snow came again and Bishkek is all covered in white again. Temperatures are in the 20's F, -4 C and are getting cooler tomorrow with more snow predicted. In some ways the snow is better than the slop created by the thaw of last week. Easier to walk on and not as messy on your pants legs. But I find that I don't wander very far when the cold is brisk and snow is falling. No real reason to head out since I have vegetables for soup and other possibilities. I find I like to read and sleep on days like today.

Wednesday, 22 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan I got a call this morning from a fellow teacher at SECom Language School asking if I would like to meet him for some coffee. I suggested that we could meet at Coffee on Toktogula at 3 p.m. The snow has stopped falling and I thought it would not take me long to walk over to meet him there. But, it took me almost an hour to walk the four blocks.

On the way I encountered a young family creating a snowman in the playing field of one of the nearby schools.

At the meeting I was asked to consider returning to teach conversational English at SECom Language School and I told him I would consider it, but not on a daily basis. He suggested that the school could offer a series of talking club meetings on Saturdays for those who were interested. I think it is a good approach and I will do it if possible.

Thursday, 23 February 2012-Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan I woke quite late this morning after a restless night. I just could not seem to stay asleep and only slept in short one hour snatches. As a result, I read, slept, read, slept most of the day.

Bishkek Journal-Cal Preece Weekending Feb 16 2012

February 10, 2012 Friday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
We had a little earthquake this afternoon in Bishkek. It shook the lamp on the table next to the chair I sit in while watching television and where I write. I understand from news reports that it was a minor quake and that it was about 3.2 in magnitude. News reports I saw said the center was about 10 km northwest of us.

Earthquakes are a fact of life in this mountainous country, so far the ones I have experienced in Bishkek in the last two years have been light, and have caused little reported damage. But that is not the case in other areas to our East and in the Southern part of the country. Last summer an earthquake in the area along the borders with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan killed 13, injured at least 86 and caused significant damage. A report of that quake is at the U.S. Geological Survey site, Quake Reports.

Weather has been cold but not punishingly cold recently. Looking for more snow tonight.

February 11, 2012 Saturday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Last night's snow was not too heavy and did not leave a really heavy new layer on the ground. Had a great Turkish meal at Yusa, a Turkish restaurant on Logveninko near the intersection with Bokonbaeva. Went with Marat Zhaparkulov and with Vibeka and Lars, who recently arrived in Bishkek from Norway. Vibeka works with a statistical company based in Norway that is assisting the Kyrgyzstan government begin to gather and analyze data from around the country. It is one of the major issues facing the government that the gathering, reporting, and analysis of data has been pretty inefficient.

This morning to meet with a group at FatBoys, a restaurant in central Bishkek that is one of those places where English-speaking ex-pats and foreign tourists gather thanks to a listing in the Lonely Planet Guide to Central Asia, for a Saturday morning brunch. The group I meet with was organized sometime ago by my friends Songbae Lee, a Korean-American who works with Kompanion, a micro-finance operation that targets agricultural improvement, and by Seth Farley, who is the director of the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan. Participants include a wide cross section of those who are working in Kyrgyzstan including some of the Fulbright Scholars who are here currently. FatBoys is a great place for a Saturday morning brunch in Bishkek. The breakfast menu includes a big breakfast with baked beans, sausage, back bacon, eggs, toast called The Full Monte for those who need it. But on the lighter side there is Muesli with yogurt or milk, Russian style pancakes called blini, or my favorite the Breakwich, a sandwich on toast that includes sausage, egg, tomato, and sometimes lettuce. Deconstructed, the Breakwich makes a nice mid-morning snack.

After breakfast I grabbed a taxi and headed to the barber who is located on the second floor of the Beta Store on Chuy Prospect. The barber I got this time was Turkish. I am able to communicate with them by just telling them I want it cut all over with a number 2 clipper. The most fascinating thing about the barber is their use of fire to reduce the hair that grows on my ears. The barber takes a piece of cotton, puts it on a stem, soaks it with alcohol, lights it with a lighter, then runs the flame over my ears. It is a cultural experience and so far has done no permanent damage to my ears.

Following the barber, I picked up a few items at the grocery, then retuned to the apartment by taxi.

Forecasters indicated more snow would fall today or tonight.

February 12, 2012 Sunday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Today, I joined my friends Vibeka and Lars to attend Doctor Aibolit, a children’s ballet in two acts by I. Morozov at the State Opera and Ballet Theatre in Bishkek at 11 am. Forecasters said it would be sunny, but as I headed out the door it was 21 degrees Fahrenheit, and a little snow was falling. Skies have remained quite gray and cloudy.

The Opera and Ballet theater is a true wonder. Vibeke and Lars managed to get some free tickets and we were joined by a large crowd of young people and their parents for a wonderful show and some strong dancing. Doctor Aibolit is Morozov's reworking of the Dr. Doolittle story. So, many of the dancers had wonderful animal costumes, my favorite was the fox, a lovely vixen, and the crocodile.

At the intermission, we followed the crowd to the tea shop. Watched children devour French-style pastries, and met a physician with his youngest son. The doctor is a professor at the Medical Academy who spoke English and we had a pleasant exchange with him and Iskander, his son. As the second act begins the scene has shifted to the jungle and the animals appear to be from Africa. There are pirates and evil animal trappers, a lot of conflict. The five year old next to me really came alive when the pirates hit the stage and kept up a running dialogue with me in Russian about them. When the chase scene left the stage to come among the audience we were both truly excited. Of course, all's well that ends well, and it was soon over.

Vibeka and Lars joined me for coffee, and then we headed off separately to take on new tasks. I decided that it was time to get a pedicure and manicure. I have not had one done since I was in Houston. Because I am diabetic, I try to have a full pedicure once a month. I headed to my favorite nail salon near my apartment. I was surprised to find that Julia was no longer the pedicurist, but the young Kyrgyz woman took me in right away. The chair is raised above a sink and you have climb up by way of a small stair. I settled in wishing I had brought a book, or the Kindle. But we got started.

One of the surprises when I first had a pedicure here was that they use a double-edged safety razor to scrape away the dead skin on the heels and sides of my feet. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my left foot and realized that I had been cut. I didn't think much about it, but realized quickly that I was producing a stream of blood that was causing real concern from the pedicurist. After some time we managed to get control of the problem. She applied some sort of liquid to the area, we bandaged up the area and shifted to the right foot. Now, I know many of you will think I should have put my shoes back on and headed out the door. But I am a great believer in the Garp principle, described by John Irving's character in The World According to Garp. That principle is based on the lightening never strikes twice in the same place. So if something bad happens, chances of it happening again in the same place is very low. So we finished the pedicure, did the manicure and I left limping slightly to the left.

At home, I redressed the cut, put some triple anti-biotic on it, and covered my feet with socks. That was enough excitement for one day.

February 13, 2012 Monday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
I received news from Houston this morning that the Kyrgyz items I took back and donated for the Annual Havens Center Auction went well. Havens Center is one of my favorite things that St. Stephen's Episcopal Church does in its Houston neighborhood. A number of years ago the church acquired the building at 1827 West Alabama and after reconditioning the space open a community center that serves the neighborhood, the area, and provides space for non-profits and community groups to meet and gather. This year I donated some Kyrgyz head-gear known as a Kal-pak, and some stamps that featured Kyrgyzstan's flora and fauna. I am pleased to know that they brought a little financial support to the center.

February 14, 2012 Tuesday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
It's Valentines day in Bishkek. The weather is dreadful, but outside there are vendors selling flowers and Russian language heart-shaped cards for those who wait to the last minute. It is really not a holiday in Kyrgyzstan, but young people have adopted the custom of exchanging small gifts and promises of love. I am marking the day by sending some email greetings and text messages on my phone to women who are significant in my life.


February 15, 2012 Wednesday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
There was an interesting news story today that the Minister of Sport wants to revive the traditional sports of the Kyrgyz people to aid in attracting tourists to the country. I am not sure whether some of the traditional sports will attract tourists who will spend big money or not.

One of the traditional sports, for example, is Kok-boru or as it is also known as, Buzkashi. This is a game played by two teams on horseback in which riders grab a stuffed sheep's skin, ride like madmen towards a goal, and try to toss the skin into the round hole. Meanwhile, the riders on the opposing team try to block the progress and steal the skin away. All of this is done at relatively high speed. Men and horses often go flying and PETA would not approve. But it is exciting.

Another traditional sport is hunting with falcons, hawks and eagles. That, I think has great potential for attracting tourists. I learned a good deal about the state of hunting with birds in the country thanks to my friend Dennis Keen, a Fulbright Scholar who came to research the phenomenon in the country. His blog, KeenonKyrgyzstan, in includes a number of reports about his activities while he was here. One of my favorites was this one from last May describing a hunting festival. Keen on A Hunting Festival.

The minister suggested that such festivals would be a real draw for tourists, but again, in the age of animal protection in the USA and Europe, some of those activities might not go down well.

February 16, 2012 Thursday Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
The weather has begun to warm up today. We are promised a few days in a row of warmer temperatures. The snow will melt in the daytime, then after dark it refreeze as ice patches, which will melt again tomorrow and create slush and running rivulets that will cascade down the walkways and streets. That flow will actually be more slippery than the standing snow and ice we have been dealing with for five months. One still needs boots, but more waterproof boots than snow boots. Sometimes, I am happy to see the snow again, because it helps to hide the muddy, gray color of the city under a mantle of white.