Part 1
Photo: GORK
Geo: Bishkek, KG
Two years ago, I traveled from Moscow to Nizhny with a Kyrgyz driver. We started talking about his homeland, and the conversation captivated us for the entire six-hour journey. I discreetly noted all the significant locations, and the list turned out to be impressive. At that time, I didn’t realize the travel times between points: roads are Kyrgyzstan’s main headache. The usual 150−200 km can turn into half a day on the road. Even in Bishkek, the situation isn’t any better, not to mention the mountain roads, where my rented RX300 lost a shock absorber! Fortunately, this happened on the plateau after descending from 3 km.
But let’s return to the capital. A superficial glance during a wandering walk without a specific route through the center reveals a picture of a frozen Soviet Union. Even park fountains from that time are still operational. The city is lush with greenery, and an endlessly beautiful panorama of snow-capped mountains is visible everywhere.
Modern architecture reminds me of construction in Makhachkala: a slight chaos in urban planning, enriched with Eastern color details, makes even an ordinary high-rise building curious and striking. However, it’s amusing how an expensive marble-clad building stands on the central street without construction barriers or safe pedestrian detours. One might as well wear a helmet for a walk. The names of residential complexes match the architecture, as does the variety of development companies: no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find duplicates among developers.
However, there’s a pleasant feeling of something familiar and understandable. The most interesting aspects, in my opinion, unfold beyond the city limits. More about that in the next parts.
@gorkjournal
Photo: GORK
Geo: Bishkek, KG
Two years ago, I traveled from Moscow to Nizhny with a Kyrgyz driver. We started talking about his homeland, and the conversation captivated us for the entire six-hour journey. I discreetly noted all the significant locations, and the list turned out to be impressive. At that time, I didn’t realize the travel times between points: roads are Kyrgyzstan’s main headache. The usual 150−200 km can turn into half a day on the road. Even in Bishkek, the situation isn’t any better, not to mention the mountain roads, where my rented RX300 lost a shock absorber! Fortunately, this happened on the plateau after descending from 3 km.
But let’s return to the capital. A superficial glance during a wandering walk without a specific route through the center reveals a picture of a frozen Soviet Union. Even park fountains from that time are still operational. The city is lush with greenery, and an endlessly beautiful panorama of snow-capped mountains is visible everywhere.
Modern architecture reminds me of construction in Makhachkala: a slight chaos in urban planning, enriched with Eastern color details, makes even an ordinary high-rise building curious and striking. However, it’s amusing how an expensive marble-clad building stands on the central street without construction barriers or safe pedestrian detours. One might as well wear a helmet for a walk. The names of residential complexes match the architecture, as does the variety of development companies: no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find duplicates among developers.
However, there’s a pleasant feeling of something familiar and understandable. The most interesting aspects, in my opinion, unfold beyond the city limits. More about that in the next parts.
@gorkjournal