Kyrgyzstan

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  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited February 22, 2015
    I like the Lenin statue too. Just sort of seems to "be there" where ever that is :D
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  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited April 23, 2015
    61) I woke up early for sunrise in Bishkek. I love getting up early and walking around when it's quiet. Not even the drunks are up at 7am.

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    62) Plants like these produce hot water, heat and electricity for the city. They are all coal-powered so by late morning in winter the entire city is enveloped in smog.

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    63) Strong winds coming through Issyk-Kul in winter blow spray off the lake which freezes around grass blades...

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    64) ... and benches

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    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited April 24, 2015
    Dang! More great stuff!
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  • chrisjohnsonchrisjohnson Registered Users Posts: 771 Major grins
    edited June 8, 2015
    Really enjoying this glimpse into a faraway place. Thanks.
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited July 8, 2015
    I was on vacation for a month but I'm back now and have many photos to post

    65) The abandoned amusement park in the town I live in, Balykchy
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    66) We took a trip to Naryn, the coldest oblast in Kyrgyzstan in January. It was beautiful and yes, very cold. This is one of several outdoor ice skating rinks, they are open 4, sometimes 5 months a year since it's so cold.
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    67) The animal bazaar in At-Bashy, Naryn. Hundreds gather here every Sunday to buy and sell horses, sheep, cows, etc.
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    68) A woman in At-Bashy helps a young lamb feed
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    Naryn is a really beautiful place and gets few tourists. I posted more about it here: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-YP
    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited July 22, 2015
    69) Winter in Kyrgyzstan is cold and snowy everywhere, if you don't like to be out in it winter will be a pretty depressing time. This is a shot of Issyk-Ata in winter from a camping trip
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    70) Balykchy, where I live is a pretty bizarre place. Riding my bike around the hills nearby I found a whole bunch of cow skulls.
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    71) As part of my work, I visit families who have built new greenhouses under a local project. This is one of the proud families in their greenhouse.
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    72) A two-day old lamb and his protective mother at a friend's house
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    73) I started a photo club for students in my town. Here's one of them working on getting an interesting shot
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    74) Another one of the kids in my photo club working on portraits
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    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited September 9, 2015
    Ak-Tuz is rarely visited by tourists to Kyrgyzstan but it's not a beautiful valley, it has a fascinating history as well. During Soviet times, lead and other metals were discovered. During WWII, a massive amount of metals were mined, processed and turned into weapons. Active landmines and weapons stores still exist in the area. A lot more photos and info on Ak-Tuz: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-11S

    75) Panorama from the end of Ak-Tuz Valley
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    76) Spring hiking is great in KG. Few people and the snow makes everything beautiful. Despite the cold, most places in KG don't get that much snow so hiking is not a problem.
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    77) One more shot from Ak-Tuz
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    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • tsk1979tsk1979 Registered Users Posts: 937 Major grins
    edited September 9, 2015
    Wow. This is lovely. Eurasia is a pretty underrated place I guess.
    How is the safety angle. I am told eurasian countries have little street crime. Far better than eastern Europe
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited September 9, 2015
    tsk1979 wrote: »
    Wow. This is lovely. Eurasia is a pretty underrated place I guess.
    How is the safety angle. I am told eurasian countries have little street crime. Far better than eastern Europe

    Thanks, Kyrgyzstan is slowly attracting more tourists as is the rest of Central Asia and for good reason.

    Overall, it's a safe place to visit as is Kazakhstan (I have not yet been to the rest of Central Asia.) The main problems are petty theft (pickpockets.) Most other problems are the result of people getting into trouble when drinking. There are also sometimes problems for women traveling alone but fewer problems statistically than India for example. Eastern Europe is actually very safe overall too. Really, most places are safer than people think.
    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • captnemocaptnemo Registered Users Posts: 186 Major grins
    edited September 10, 2015
    Beautiful pictures, looks pretty cold though :)
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited September 17, 2015
    captnemo wrote: »
    Beautiful pictures, looks pretty cold though :)

    Thanks! And yes, it's often cold. Winter is loooonnnggg in most of the country.

    More photos....

    Here are a few photos from Talas, the smallest and 2nd-least visited region of Kyrgyzstan by tourists. If you like off the beaten path travel, you'll find it here. It's beautiful like the rest of the country and you'll probably not see another tourist. A lot more photos from Talas here: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-12l

    78) This proud herder picked up his favorite lamb and asked me to take a photo of him

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    79) The entry gate to Talas Oblast.

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    80) A shot from our attempt at climbing Peak Uchitel in Ala Archa National Park. My friends were tired so we didn't quite summit but it was a fantastic hike. This is a non-technical but high peak and close to the capitol city so worth checking out if you like challenging hikes: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-12J

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    81) A shot from Balykchy, where I live. The kids walking around are the students in my photo club.

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    82) During a field trip with my photo club, I took them to the botanical garden in Bishkek. We found this mostly-forgotten greenhouse which I learned was built by WWII German prisoners of war in the mid 1940's.

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    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • LornceLornce Registered Users Posts: 129 Major grins
    edited September 18, 2015
    Wonderful views. Really enjoying this.
  • captnemocaptnemo Registered Users Posts: 186 Major grins
    edited September 19, 2015
    Wow that's quite a greenhouse. Too bad its so run down but certainly makes for an interesting photo.
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited September 21, 2015
    Lornce wrote: »
    Wonderful views. Really enjoying this.

    Thanks!
    captnemo wrote: »
    Wow that's quite a greenhouse. Too bad its so run down but certainly makes for an interesting photo.

    Funny but while you think it looks run down I think it's amazing they've kept it working at all this long. My perception has changed so much after being here this long.
    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited September 21, 2015
    83) Tash Rabat is one of my favorite sites in Kyrgyzstan and also visited infrequently by tourists. The building used to be a combination inn, prison and market and is said to be haunted by locals.

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    84) Tash Rabat valley. One of my favorite spots in the country and a place you must see if you come. More from Tash Rabat: http://wp.me/p5bwRq-18H

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    85) During the 4th of July we hung out on the south shore of Issyk-Kul. Most tourists to KG are Russian and Kazakh and during the summer they swarm the north shore. Skip the north shore, go to the south.

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    86) Lightning frequents KG in summer. This is from the south shore of Issyk-Kul.

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    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited November 10, 2015
    I've been pretty bad about updating this. I'm a bit bored here which is making me lazy...

    These next five shots are from the best hike I've done in the country so far this past summer. It was a little sketchy since the intel we got wasn't so accurate and we ended up on a glacier unprepared way to late in the day. But it was worth it.

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    88)
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    89)
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    90)
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    91)
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    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2015
    Some very well composed landscape shots here. Nicely done. Keep posting!
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2015
    Hi Eric, I just stumbled onto this thread and enjoyed browsing through your photos. From this last bunch I especially enjoyed #88 with the red lichen on the rocks in the stream. BTW, I also checked out both of your websites - you have a great sense of design. Luscious.

    Cheers, Sara (former Seattleite!)
  • ericandeericande Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited November 16, 2015
    Some very well composed landscape shots here. Nicely done. Keep posting!

    Thanks, and will do!
    Hi Eric, I just stumbled onto this thread and enjoyed browsing through your photos. From this last bunch I especially enjoyed #88 with the red lichen on the rocks in the stream. BTW, I also checked out both of your websites - you have a great sense of design. Luscious.

    Cheers, Sara (former Seattleite!)

    Thanks! (and I really miss Seattle right now...)
    www.ericpaulphotos.com - My photography site
    www.ericandtaylor.com - Follow our Peace Corps adventure
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited November 16, 2015
    I'm not sure whether it's the lightning or stars. Two really cool things to see. Of course, the TRV is beautiful too.
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