Today involved a long day on the bus along bumpy, dusty roads with a few intermittent stops as we head to the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. Suddenly we see a lonely tower amidst the fertile fields of the Chuy Valley. The Burana Tower (also known as Kara Khanids Minaret). Once it stood at the center of the flourishing Silk Road city of Balasaghun. Nowadays it's a fascinating museum complex that includes the tower itself (24.6 meters, original height used to b...

Welcome to Kyrgyzstan - the land of celestial mountains. A rugged country with the Tien Shan mountain range covering approximately 95% of the whole territory. The population is about 6 million people most of whom are Turkic-speaking Muslims. An interesting fact - The flag of the Kyrgyz Republic is a powerful symbol of the nation's identity and heritage. The Tunduk, the wooden top of the yurt, is prominently displayed in the center of the flag, surrounded by a su...

Today was a day of changing scenery as we made our way from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan. From snow-capped mountains to lunar-like landscapes and then green pastures. Stopped at Charyn Canyon which is known as the Grand Canyon of Kazakhstan. After crossing the endless, wide-open plains outside of Almaty, the canyon comes as a surprise. Seemingly out of nowhere, the landscape gets a third dimension. The dramatic erosion made by the river Charyn has created an imp...

Today was a day to soak in the scenery around the city and explore the beautiful mountains of the Almaty region. Almaty is a city surrounded by snow-capped mountains even when it is summer. Medeo Gorge is well known due to the highest mountain skating rink in the world and the dam, protecting the city from dangerous mudflow. The Medeo ice rink is the highest mountain sports complex at an altitude of 1691 m above sea level and with an ice surface of 10.5 thousand...

We arrived late last evening and did not see anything of this city. Just time to meet our guide Oksana and check into the hotel to get some sleep. This is the beginning of our trip "Best of the Stans". The stan suffix comes from the Persian root istan meaning 'land' - hence 'land of the Kazakhs' or 'land of the Tajiki'. Squeezed between India, Russia, and China, the "stans" sit amongst imposing mountains, vast steppe, and desert. All independent nations now, each...