Bikinis and Offiers

With a similar characteristic to the city of Almaty, walking around the capital city Bishkek was not at all appealing. Instead, we decided to take an overnight trip to Cholpon Ata, located north of lake Issyk Kul. The getaway place for locals, the resort is located 4 hours on a minibus ride from the capital, and there nothing that reminds you of beautiful nature the country has to offer. However, with such limited time this was just enough for us to be apart from the city.


We got off the bus full of young Kyrgyz ready to hit the beach, to search for an accommodation. There are many local houses open for accommodation at a reasonable cost. Near the bus terminal elder women will approach you to offer a room, so even during the busy season it is not difficult to find one. We dropped our bags off in a 400 coms (5 usd) cozy room, and first visited the Open Air Petroglyphs Museum near by. Inside a gate, there was a booth-like hut, and rest of the hillside is filled with stones and rocks, some bigger than the shack. Rock drawings, estimated at 4000 years old done by nomads in the area, are not clearly marked and so finding them out of million rocks became a scavenger hunt. Although it was worth seeing animal images depicted several millenniums ago, there are also many graffiti which was a big turn off. We then went to the beach by the lake with a beer in one hand. Water appeared cold as people walked out of it shivering, but there were still many that enjoyed taking a dip, as if they wanted to get most out of their short summer.

The next day, we returned to Bishkek to realize we are short on cash to pay for our accommodation. Because it was Saturday, I decided to go to a luxurious hotel with an ATM to be safe. Worrying about if they would let me in with my rugged t-shirt now in its fourth day, I was approached and stopped by two police officers for an ID. Seeing my passport, they then escorted me to a near-by car with a man inside gesturing me to get inside. I nodded, got inside the backseat but left the door open with my right foot not fully boarded, in case of any necessary stunt action. They might ask for a bribe... What do I do? Would it hurt if I jumped out of a car? Thought at time like this never make any sense.

The man of my age reviewed my passport, and asked about visa and entry date in Russian. He then smiled and gestured that he and I are born on the same year. With my three Russian words, I kept answering his questions. Then he asked, "#%^*$&@ #%^*$&@ narcotics?" Ahh, drugs. No no. I extended my arms out to explain that I understood his question and that I don't abuse. He then asked to see my possession. I was trying to be as cooperative and calm as I can pretend to be, but when he said I was free to go and I stepped out of the door immediately, he stopped me and told me to put away my passport first. That makes sense. As I walked out of the car he called me a Japanese gentleman, but oh no, I just wanted to get way. As I wonder why such things happen when Sahe is not around, I was gracefully greeted at a five-star hotel, and got what I needed. I see the same car standing still on the street as I was walking back, and the man is waving at me as if being an undercover does not mean much. As a gentleman, I lightly vowed as my heart raced back to the guesthouse.

I later learned that there was a demonstration in the center f the city, and many tourists were a targeted to be questioned.